Finalists Announced for Smith & Williamson Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2013

LONDON, July 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Celebrating the qualities of successful entrepreneurship, the Smith & Williamson Entrepreneur of the Year Award recognises drive, ambition, vision and tenacity, inventiveness and confidence. The winner will be an enterprising individual that has achieved the highest and most sustained levels of growth and financial performance through a culture of innovation, market knowledge and talent development. The finalists are:

James Caan, Hamilton Bradshaw Group
Alex Chesterman, Zoopla Property Group
Adrian Everett, E-Lites
Lawrence Jones, UKFast
Chris Li, Luxury For Less
Dr Rami Ranger MBE FRSA, Sun Mark
David Spencer-Percival, Spencer Ogden
John Treharne, The Gym Group
Jamie Waller, JBW Group
James Wilkinson, Car Loan 4U

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130716/629211 )

Guy Rigby, Head of Smith & Williamson's entrepreneurial services group and chair of the judging panel, said: "We were delighted with the quality of entrants and narrowing it down to ten was an extremely difficult task. We're confident that all of the finalists demonstrate the skills and resilience required for successful entrepreneurship."

Across all of the National Business Awards categories, a total of 150 finalists have been chosen from the hundreds of businesses that entered or were nominated for the titles. They will now prepare to make presentations to expert panels who will select the category winners. The overall winners across all 17 categories will be revealed at the awards ceremony on 12 November at the Grosvenor House, London.

Dame Helen Alexander, Chair of judges for the National Business Awards, said: "These organisations and leaders have demonstrated exceptional success over the past year. The environment has been tough and these firms are leading the way to growth. There's a broad spectrum of sectors represented, as well as organisations of very different sizes, reflecting the diversity of British business and the vitality of our economy. Congratulations to all our finalists."

Alex Evans, Programme Director of the National Business Awards, said: "The quality of finalists is outstanding every year - with Britain's most promising new businesses and most impactful social enterprises recognised alongside top performing SMEs and the most sustainable mid-market and large cap firms."

This year's shortlisted businesses have a collective global turnover of more than £341 billion, covering activities as diverse as telecoms, construction, entertainment, publishing and manufacturing. One fifth of the finalists turn over more than £1 billion annually, with the lowest turnover peaking at £30k and highest reaching £55 billion. They represent regions from all over Britain including London, Exeter, Glasgow and Cardiff. 

Visit http://www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk for a full list of all finalists and to book a table at the event.

The National Business Awards supports The Prince's Trust, a charity that offers practical and financial support to young people who need it. 

Note to editors

Smith & Williamson is an independently owned professional and financial services group employing around 1,500 people. The group is a leading provider of investment management, financial advisory and accountancy services to private clients, professional practices and mid-to-large corporates. The group has twelve principal offices in the UK and Ireland; these are in London, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, Glasgow, Guildford, Jersey, Manchester, Salisbury, Southampton, and Worcester. Nexia Smith & Williamson Audit Limited is an independent company which works alongside Smith & Williamson to complement its specialist financial advisory services.

Disclaimer

By necessity, this briefing can only provide a short overview and it is essential to seek professional advice before applying the contents of this article. No responsibility can be taken for any loss arising from action taken or refrained from on the basis of this publication. Details correct at time of writing.

Smith & Williamson LLP
Regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales for a range of investment business activities. A member of Nexia International.

For further information or interview opportunities contact:

Rachel Branigan
PR Manager
UBM Awards and Partnerships
Tel: +44(0)207-955-3843
Email: Rachel.branigan@ubm.com

Smith & Williamson
Kate Harrison, Press Office, +44(0)20-7131-4228
Kate.harrison@smith.williamson.co.uk