Rooney on the ball after national business award
THE Black Country-born boss of pubco Greene King has been named Business Leader of the year at a prestigious national awards ceremony.
Rooney Anand, who was born in Walsall, took home the title at the 2016 Lloyds Bank National Business Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London last night.
The ceremony was attended by more than 1,200 business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians and media representatives.
The prestigious award of Leader of the Year recognises the personal imprint of the UK’s most high profile leaders and industry champions from the private, public and third sectors. The finalists were judged on their achievements as business leaders over the last 18 months, and their personal achievements over the course of their career.
Mr Anand, who has been chief executive of Greene King since 2005, said: “I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of our 44,000 team members in our 3,000 pubs across the country. Everyone does an amazing job welcoming and serving our customers every day.
“I have the privilege of leading a business that started 217 years ago as a small, regional brewer and pub company and over the years it has grown into the country’s leading pub company. The most exciting thing is there is still a lot of opportunity for the company to grow in the future.”
The company acquired Staffordshire-based Spirit Pub, a former subsidiary of Punch Taverns, in a £760m deal in 2014.
Tim Hinton, Head of Mid Markets and SME Banking at Lloyds Banking Group said: “We’re proud to support the National Business Awards which celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of British businesses and the people leading them. Innovative and thriving businesses such as these are vital for the success of the UK so that we can continue to create jobs and grow the economy.”
Nina Wright, Managing Director of UBM EMEA Built Environment, organisers of the awards, said: “A fabulous ceremony celebrating the best of British ambition. The Lloyds Bank National Business Awards are the UK’s most recognised business accolade, a chance for these flourishing companies to celebrate their achievements in the diverse company of others recognised for high performance.”
