The Entrepreneurial Awards finalists are reviewed by some of the region's leading business figures and respected entrepreneurs. Bringing their experience and unique perspectives to the table, judges ensure that each nominee is considered thoughtfully and fairly. We are grateful for their altruistic support, as their collective wisdom helps us to shine a light on the region's most inspiring entrepreneurs.
From start-up to market leader with £200m in annual revenues, Lee Hartley built Fairstone Group into one of the UK’s most dynamic financial services businesses.
After founding the company in 2008, he led it through ambitious growth, multiple investment rounds, and a unique acquisition strategy, scaling it into a national powerhouse while keeping innovation and client focus at the heart.
Following a successful exit from Fairstone, Lee announced the launch of Castrius Capital Partners, a new private capital platform focusing on bringing £100bn of funding to the region over the next ten years.
Co-Founder of North East angel investment group Unity Angels and Operating Partner at Oxford Seed Fund, Rebecca brings more than 20 years’ experience across early-stage venture capital and early-stage investing.
Particularly passionate about strengthening the North East investment ecosystem and ensuring ambitious founders in the region have access to the capital, experience and networks that can often be easier to access in more established investment hubs in the South, Rebecca, through Unity Angels, is focused on bringing investors and founders together and helping create more of those opportunities here in the North East.
Although he was born in Trinidad, James has always considered Tees Valley, the birthplace of both his father and his grandfather, to be his true home.
An experienced investor, non-executive director, mentor, and former chairman of the Entrepreneurs' Forum, James is best known for founding Exwold Technology in 1993 with investment from a regional VC fund.
Awarded an MBE for Services to North East Businesses in the 2011 New Year’s honours list, under James' entrepreneurial guidance, Exwold grew from 7 staff to over 120, with a turnover in excess of £8 million.
Co-founder and CFO at award-winning Blu Sky Chartered Accountants, Jon is a strong believer that a scaling business's finance team should be a founder's most important ally when growing their business.
His career began as an accountant with Arthur Andersen, followed by Deloitte, until he decided it was time to "join the real world".
In 2009, he co-founded BLU SKY with the vision to develop a top 50 accountancy practice that is known nationally for delivering value-driven, 'top-notch' client service and business advice to ambitious high-growth businesses.
A Partner in the Corporate team at Ward Hadaway, James has over 20 years' experience advising on all aspects of corporate finance work, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, investments, reorganisations and restructurings.
James is a Legal 500 recommended lawyer and is experienced in advising entrepreneurial clients and investors across the growth curve and in a broad spectrum of industry sectors, including independent healthcare, energy, and disruptive technologies.
Elaine Stroud is CEO of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, a position she has held since 2021. Passionate about making the North East an exceptional place to be an entrepreneur and connecting like-minded people, she has over 25 years’ experience working with and advising SMEs across the UK and abroad.
Elaine started her career with a brief spell in PwC’s London office, before emigrating to New Zealand where she spent the next 11 years living in Auckland. As Director of Assurance, she looked after some of NZ’s biggest companies, before returning home and joining the Forum as finance manager in 2013.
Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of durhamlane, a multi-million-pound, award-winning sales outsourcing agency, Richard is the creator of the proven Selling at a Higher Level methodology and host of durhamlane's Inside the Funnel podcast.
Over the last 20+ years, Richard has helped thousands of people and companies increase their commercial success, and outside of durhamlane, he is an Angel Investor, Board Director of the Entrepreneurs' Forum, keen runner, and occasional blues guitarist.
Chris is an entrepreneur, mentor, and CEO of Newcastle-based Allies Group, a content and performance marketing agency supporting businesses across the UK with brand, digital, PR, content and technology.
Publisher of Luxe Magazine, with more than 20 years’ experience building and leading businesses across publishing, marketing and digital, Chris has founded and invested in a number of ventures and has a particular interest in business growth, transformation and entrepreneurship.
At 38, as a single mum, Sarah Pittendrigh sat on the board of a business that closed in the 2008 financial crash. She bootstrapped a new venture from the dining table of her repossessed home, using an innovative sales and marketing strategy to rebuild from the ground up, reclaiming the family home before eviction.
That business became a national, multi-award-winning brand, which she went on to franchise across the UK. Now, Sarah invests in and supports the growth of two privately owned businesses, and is launching Sam & Dusty, a British clothing brand championing British wool, manufacturing and farming.
She is also the published author of The I Can Method, part memoir, part breakthrough journal, which formalises the methodology she used to rebuild her own life and business, and which she now uses as a strategic sounding board for fellow entrepreneurs navigating challenge, growth and exit.
Elaine Stroud is CEO of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, a position she has held since 2021. Passionate about making the North East an exceptional place to be an entrepreneur and connecting like-minded people, she has over 25 years’ experience working with and advising SMEs across the UK and abroad.
Elaine started her career with a brief spell in PwC’s London office, before emigrating to New Zealand where she spent the next 11 years living in Auckland. As Director of Assurance, she looked after some of NZ’s biggest companies, before returning home and joining the Forum as finance manager in 2013.
Co-CEO of Middlesbrough-based independent gaming studio, Kimberley is a qualified Chartered Accountant and, under her leadership, has guided Double Eleven to extraordinary growth over a period of more than 16 years.
Now employing around 400 people across its UK and KL studios, underpinned by an annual turnover in excess of £50 million, Kimberley's experience has led the studio's growth through financial strategy, operational leadership and significant commercial expansion.
Becoming a key figure in advancing game development across the North of England, in the past five years, Kimberley has also been named ‘Tees Businesswoman of the Year’, voted ‘Best Company Boss’ at Game Republic's awards, and being acknowledged by the Ward Hadaway ‘North East Fastest 50’ in recognition of her contribution to Double Eleven’s remarkable growth.
As Chief Executive of Wilton Group, Bill has led the business to unparalleled success, including turnover growth from £600k to £85m; acquisition of an engineering design company; various acquisitions of combined site facilities totalling 113 acres; leading a £16m Private Equity deal; and being recognised as the fastest-growing NE company in 2010 and 2011.
He created the Wilton Group's Apprentice Academy in 2022, which he is hugely proud of and has received a raft of personal accolades and business awards throughout his career, including being awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours 2019 for services to Engineering, services to the Offshore Wind Sector and services to the community on Teesside.
Bill is passionate about all things to do with engineering and coating, creating opportunities for apprentices, equal rights for women, workplace health & safety and supporting local charities.
Damien is a highly experienced lawyer who has been advising businesses on company and commercial matters for over 25 years.
Head of the Commercial Department at Ward Hadaway, Damien is based in the Newcastle office and advises clients on a national basis across a broad range of sectors, including manufacturing, engineering, customer communications, and healthcare.
He has particular experience in the drafting and negotiation of complex and long-term contractual arrangements, and manages a national team of lawyers who provide expert commercial law services, including intellectual property, IT contract, regulatory, and data law advice.
Elaine Stroud is CEO of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, a position she has held since 2021. Passionate about making the North East an exceptional place to be an entrepreneur and connecting like-minded people, she has over 25 years’ experience working with and advising SMEs across the UK and abroad.
Elaine started her career with a brief spell in PwC’s London office, before emigrating to New Zealand where she spent the next 11 years living in Auckland. As Director of Assurance, she looked after some of NZ’s biggest companies, before returning home and joining the Forum as finance manager in 2013.
Two of this year’s Entrepreneurial Awards - the Caroline Theobald and Lifetime Achievement awards - are judged by our Board of Directors. Led by Brendon Hayward, the panel includes Brian Palmer OBE, Kari Owers, Pamela Petty, Sarah Thackray, Richard Lane, Kimberley Turner, and Elaine Stroud.
