Yorkshire leaders in the running for Entrepreneur of the Year 2017
Yorkshire business leaders from companies ranging from an LDC-backed games developer to a food group and brand agency have been listed as finalists in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 programme today.
Debbie Bestwick, founder of games company Team 17 Digital of Wakefield has been listed in the disruptor category.
Team 17 was founded in 1990, and is one of the longest-running privately owned games companies in the world, known for its WormsTM series of games. It received a £16.5m minority investment from LDC last year, and launched new games The Escapist and Yooka-Laylee.
The international category saw Richard Butterfield, chairman of Huddersfield brand agency Principle Holdings, listed for his company’s work abroad. It has 14 offices on five continents and works with clients including John Lewis, BMW, Sky and Wells Fargo.
Made Television’s Jamie Conway was listed as EY’s Rising Star in the region, after expanding the regional TV operator, based in Leeds to cities including Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool and Tyne & Wear. It broadcasts on Sky, Virgin and Freeview, as well as online. Its Leeds studios are located in Chapeltown.
Scale up finalist is Mark Calvert, CEO of Adler & Allan, an emergency response and environmental services specialising in cleanup and land remediation services, in response to incidents such as tanker spills, pollution and flooding incidents.
Diane Walker, executive chairperson of the Malton-based Karro Food Group, a major pork supplier to the retail and food service markets, has been names in the transformational leader category. £450m-turnover Karro was sold to funds advised by CapVest Partners last month in a deal thought to be worth around £180m.
In the running for the Master award are Jeremy Levine and Lee Streets, CEO and COO respectively of Evolution Funding. The Chesterfield firm is an automotive funding and retailing group.
Alastair Nuttall, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year leader in Yorkshire, said: “The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme brings together the UK’s most innovative and forward thinking business leaders at events held up and down the country every year, where they can share knowledge and ideas, debate the challenges of the day, and form lasting contacts and even working partnerships.
“It serves to support the enviable entrepreneurial community we have in the UK and celebrate the contribution that it makes to the economy, creating wealth and jobs.”
The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year North of England judging panel will be chaired by Marnie Millard, chief executive officer, Nichols.
She will be joined by Jon Batson, joint managing director, Ralawise; Rachel Clacher, CEO, Moneypenny; Richard Law, CEO, GB Group; Chris Rea, OBE DL, managing director, AESSEAL; Clare Roberts, chief executive, Kids Planet; and Garry Wilson, executive chairman, Endless.
The Yorkshire entrepreneurs will be joined by 19 other leaders from across the North of England at a regional awards event to be held on 20 June.
