Global goal: AppSense’s Sharland takes E&Y title
THE founder of AppSense, the fast-growing technology company, has been crowned Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the North and Midlands.
The honour caps a great 2011 for Sharland, who sold a minority stake in his Warrington and New York-based company to Goldman Sachs for £43m in February.
He said: “I am truly taken aback to win this. We have a great business and a global opportunity to be one of the greatest technology businesses on the planet.
“We have the potential to be a multi-billion dollor organisation, and have some game-changing technology – we have an incredible ambition to take advatage of this opportunity.”
Founded in 1999, AppSense specialises in a technology called user virtualisation, which lets users access their work desktops remotely from laptops and smartphones.
As well as the overall title, Sharland picked up the award for Technology and Communications at the black tie dinner at the Lowry Hotel.
Judges said his achievements ‘stood out’ for taking a UK based software company to global leadership in a major market.
The event celebrated leading entrepreneurs in the North West, recognising their role in job-creation and boosting the economy.
There were four other North West winners with the founders of Entertainment Magpie, Steve Oliver and Walter Gleeson taking the E-commerce award.
Their fast-growing business buys and resells unwanted CDs, DVDs and video games and tpook investment from mid-market private equity firm LDC this year.
Former corporate lawyer and Manchester City FC director Bryan Bodek, managing director of Manchester-based Airline Services, won the Business and Consumer Products Entrepreneur title.
Bodek left Manchester law firm Kuits to run Sharston-based Airline Services in 2000, during which time turnover and profits have soared.
The Product Design award was won by Manchester based Globus (Shetland), a manufacturer and distributer of hand protection for the workplace and home.
Judges praised managing director Haraldur Agustsson for building a major player in the safety glove market from a relatively small starting capital.
Jonathan Johnson, chief executive of family-owned recruitment firm Fircroft Engineering Services, which supplies of technical personnel and logistical support to the oil, gas and global energy industries, won the Globalisation award.
Johnson’s driving of the international agenda at the Sale-based business impressed judges.
Hale-based Larry Gould, who runs Yorkshire-based thebigword Holdings was another winner in the Professional and Support services category.
The awards, recognised the achievements of winners who had demonstrated the innovation, creativity and tenacity to succeed despite the tough environment faced by entrepreneurs.
Elaine O’Donnell, lead partner for the Entrepreneur of the Year programme at
E& Y in Manchester said: “At a time when entrepreuners are really feeling the pressure of a difficult economic situation, it’s important to celebrate those who have triumphed through their unique vision and determination to succeed.”
Simon Allport, senior partner at Ernst & Young in the North West added: “We’ve had a diverse range of sectors entering the programme again this year and it’s a great result to see so many from the North West winning against tough competition and the overall winner being a locally based business. We’re all hoping for a North West winner in the UK finals.”
The North West winners will now represent the region at the UK finals in October.
