Leading lights on NW Business Masters judging panel

FIVE of the region’s leading business figures will judge TheBusinessDesk.com’s flagship North West Business Masters awards 2013.

Technology entrepreneurs Rob Cotton, chief executive of online security specialiist NCC Group and Steve Oliver, co-founder and CEO of multi-award-winning Entertainment Magpie will join the CBI’s Damian Waters, Robert Hough, chair of the Liverpool Local Enterprise Partnership and non-executive director Vanda Murray on the panel.

Mr Cotton, who has run Manchester-based NCC Group since April 2003, has driven its growth from a small privately-owned regional business to a FTSE-listed international company with a market value of around £300m.

Steve Oliver runs fast-growing Macclesfield-based Entertainment Magpie, which is backed by private equity firm LDC.

Music Magpie as it is known, buys unwanted music, video games, DVDS, clothes and electronic devices from the public, reconditions them and re-sells them via a number of channels.

The business, which has more than seven million customers in 160 countries has recently launched in the US, and is hoping to hit £100m turnover this year.

Vanda Murray, is a Cheshire-based non-executive director, whose current portfolio includes chairing AIM-listed energy efficiency firm Vphase – a 2011 Business Masters winner.

She is on the board of Manchester Airports Group and FTSE 150 construction giant Carillion and also runs her own strategic marketing consultancy, Vanda Murray Associates.

The trio who are judging the awards for the first time, will be joined by 2012 judges CBI North West director Damian Waters and Robert Hough, chair of the Liverpool Local Enterprise Partnership.

The third annual North West Business Masters Awards will take place on April 25 at the five-star Lowry Hotel in Salford. Sponsors for the event include Middle East airline Etihad, national law firm Weightmans and business advisers Baker Tilly.

There is still time to enter the prestigious awards, which will be made across six categories:

North West Ambassador: Greatest contribution to business in the region
North West Newcomer: Best new business initiative.
North West Pride: Most meaningful philanthropic initiative by a business, organisation or leader
North West Innovator: Most creative product, idea or original business thinking
North West Exporter: Recognising outstanding success in international markets
North West Manufacturer: The company leading the way in this critical sector

Nominations are now closed.

Please click here for ticket details.

For information about tickets and sponsorship opportunities for the North West Business Masters 2013 please email leej.walker@thebusinessdesk.com or call 0161 238 4922