EF News
The Entrepreneurs' Forum has unveiled the shortlist for its 2021 North East Entrepreneurial Awards.
Now in its 18th year, the North East Entrepreneurial Awards celebrate entrepreneurial leaders who have made remarkable contributions to the local business economy and continue to achieve and deliver in extraordinary times.
The awards are made up of five categories which recognise outstanding individuals at each stage of the entrepreneurial journey.
The nominees for Emerging Talent – those who have built a business of outstanding potential which has been trading for six years or less – are Dan Parker (Aspect Facades), Charlotte Bailey and Sean Ali (Super U) and Chris Bone, Mike Davies and Rob Simmons (Haystack).
The Scale-up Entrepreneur title acknowledges business owners who have navigated the challenges created by the pandemic and are on course to achieve their future growth ambitions. They will have led their company to achieve 20% annualised growth in either turnover, profit or employee numbers for the past three years. The shortlisted entrepreneurs are Wayne Spriggs (LUSSO Stone), Steven Rawlingson (Samuel Knight International) and Jonathan Grubin (SoPost).
Recognising those who’ve have shown incredible resilience and strength, leading their business to outstanding success through innovation, teamwork and leadership skills, the Entrepreneur of the Year award will be contested by Dean Benson (Visualsoft), Kate Hellens (Hellens Residential), Josh Gill (Everflow Group) and Lee Hutchinson (Double Eleven).
The winners of the Mentor of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement awards is kept a closely guarded secret and will be unveiled during the black-tie awards ceremony on Friday 24th September at Hilton Newcastle Gateshead.
The ceremony is the Forum’s first black-tie awards evening since 2019. The 2020 North East Entrepreneurial Awards took place online in a week-long social media campaign.
Glen Hall of Talent Insight Group, was recognised as Entrepreneur of the Year, while Dan Foskett, CEO of Connection Flooring, won the Scale-Up Entrepreneur title. Dame Margaret Barbour was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, following in the footsteps of previous winners Sir John Hall, Sir Peter Vardy and John Fenwick.
Rez Gachcar, who established Mud Daddy, won the Emerging Talent award, with Lianne Walker MBE rounding up 2020’s winners as she was named Mentor of the Year.
Jonathan Lamb, CEO of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, said: “This year’s shortlist features many of the region’s most established business leaders in combination with up-and-coming entrepreneurs, who are all helping to build a stronger North East. They’ve led their businesses to strength despite exceptional circumstances and have shown true resilience and leadership.
“We look forward to celebrating their achievements, and those of our 2020 winners, at our black-tie ceremony this September.”
Since the first award was presented to John Hays of Hays Travel in 2004, the North East Entrepreneurial Awards has recognised 50 of the region’s leading entrepreneurs.
The 2021 North East Entrepreneurial Awards are supported by Ward Hadaway, ION Industries and the Malthora Group.
