By Sylvia Toh Paik Choo

THE two girls met in the early '90s when they worked together in a public relations company, Gibson.

One stayed in the PR industry, the other moved on, but they kept in touch and became fast friends.

This week, Mrs Margaret Cunico and Mrs Monica Alsagoff found themselves headed out to the Irish capital Dublin to pick up a Stevie each.

The Stevie Awards (2002) is the business world's 'Oscars' (according to The New York Post) and honours companies and business people worldwide.

The International Business Awards (IBA) are judged by leading figures in the industry. Past judges include Donald Trump, Tony Robbins, Gary Hamel.

Mrs Cunico, deputy MD of WeberShandwick Singapore and Mrs Alsagoff, CEO of Communications DNA Singapore, could not contain their elation at being under the same spotlight as UK billionaire Richard Branson, who won the Lifetime Achievement Award.

WeberShandwick Singapore won Best Public Relations Agency in the IBA, CommsDNA won for Best Communications Campaign in Asia (for a National Museum of Singapore exhibition).

The Stevies are awarded in 70 categories and celebrated annually in a majorcity.

A previous Singapore winner was StarHub in 2005. Worldwide organisations compete by submitting entries in dozens of categories.

While Mrs Cunico, who shall remain ageless, has been in PR for two decades, Mrs Alsagoff, who doesn't believe in counting birthdays, branched out into hotel and luxury retailers before setting up CDNA with partners two years ago.

Their portfolios include Discovery, Emirates, Ion Orchard, KFC, Procter & Gamble (for WS), and Club Med, Subaru, True Yoga, Van Cleef and Arpels, Wellness TWG (for CDNA). Both their wins are not based on billings though.

The Stevie - after Stephen in Greek for 'crowned' - is a 16-inch 24 karat gold statuette made by the same people who produce the Oscars for the Academy Awards.

Mrs Cunico, who thought she saw two steps when there were three, tripped and sprained her ankle the same week.

Bang went her stiletto hopes of seeing eye to eye with the tall maverickish Mr Branson.

She said, 'In any context it's great for Singapore companies to be recognised internationally. This is a tribute to the PR industry in Singapore.'

Mrs Alsagoff said, 'It's encouraging for a homegrown consultancy to be internationally acclaimed.'

The best friends then drank a Guinness to that.

This article was first published in The New Paper on September 11, 2008.