NW bosses vie for Entrepreneur of Year title
FRED Done, who was last week crowned North West Ambassador of the year by TheBusinessDesk.com, is in the running for another top business award – Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year.
The veteran Warrington-based bookie, who won the Ambassador prize at the North West Business Masters Awards in association with Jaguar last week, is one of 26 North West entrepreneurs who have been named on the shortlist for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year prize.
The region’s representatives will compete with 29 others from the North at the regional finals on June 26 at the Lowry Hotel in Salford.
Other prominent local contenders include: Janet Thornton, managing director of recently-floated Inspired Energy, based in Preston; Lawrence Jones, chief executive and co-founder of Manchester web hosting company UKFast; Iqbal Ahmed from seafood processing company Seamark and Chris Houghton, chief executive of Birkenhead-based Park Group – the Christmas hampers to retail rewards business.
Regional winners will go on to vie for the title Ernst & Young ‘UK Overall Entrepreneur Of The Year’ 2012 in London, and a chance to represent the UK at the global awards ceremony in Monte Carlo next year.
The 2012 North judging panel will be chaired by Alan White, chief executive of home shopping group N Brown. He will be joined by other business leaders from including Andy Bell, chief executive of pensions provider A J Bell; Bryan Bodek, from Airline Services and Michael Edelman, chief executive of Nanoco Technologies.
Elaine O’Donnell, North West Entrepreneur Of The Year leader at Ernst & Young, said: “We have had a record number of applications this year, which we short-listed to 150 – accounting for over £18bn of revenues between them – across four regions in the UK.
“The finalists represent the current crop of business superstars, who despite a challenging economic environment are propelling growth and innovation.
“With total determination, self-belief and commitment to succeed, the entrepreneurs have managed to spot opportunities which are helping to transform companies, entire sectors, and quite often society as a whole.”
The full list of North West finalists is:
Gareth Frankland, chief executive, acdc, Barrowford, based in Lancashire
Fred Done, chairman, Betfred, based in Warrington
Helen Meloy, Managing Director, Clitheroe Light Engineering Co.
Matthew Sanders, chief executive, de Poel, based in Knutsford
Robert Davis, chief executive, EA Technology Group, based in Capenhurst, Chester
Oliver Dennis and Dominic Miller, chief executive and chief financial officer, Fishawack Group, based in Knutsford
Nick Pike, managing director, Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon, based in Kendal
Ian Kelly, chief executive Green Sky Energy, based in Bury
Kevin Parkes, chief executive, Hewden Stuart, based in Manchester
Janet Thornton, managing director, Inspired Energy, based in Preston
David Murray, managing director, Kirona Solutions , Alderley Edge
David Buckle, Chris Byrd and Jonathan Buckle, managing director, technical director and technical director, M247, based in Manchester
Matthew Beech, chief executive, Maltacourt, based in Runcorn
Elliott Mueller, chief executive, Metronet (UK), based in Manchester
Michael Gibbons, managing director, Mobica, based in Wilmslow
Christopher Houghton, chief executive, Park Group.
Royden Evans, managing director, PlumbNation, based in Wirral
Iqbal Ahmed (OBE), chairman and chief executive, Seamark, based in Manchester
Tony Taperell, managing director, Technical Demolition Services, based in Birkenhead.
Peter Schofield, chairman, Tetrosyl Group, based in Bury
Rupert Higgin, managing director, The Green Electrician, based in Wardle, Nantwich
Lawrence Jones, chief executive, UKFast, based in Manchester.
