Four International Personalities Honored With Entrepreneurs for the World Awards

SINGAPORE, November 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Four role-models whose entrepreneurial achievements and commitment to society make them role-models for entrepreneurship creating wealth and social justice have been awarded the Entrepreneurs for the World Awards at this year's World Entrepreneurship Forum held in Singapore.

     (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081126/329834 )

The Young Entrepreneur Award, a new award category for entrepreneurs below 35, has recognised Ms Reese Fernandez, Co-Founder of Rags2Riches in the Philippines. Her venture has revolutionised women's business practices and lives by transforming rugs from recycling scrap material into fashion handbags, eyeglasses or wine-bottle holders, sought by high-revenue customers, bringing revenues and self-confidence to employed women.

This year's winner of the Social Entrepreneur Award is Mr William Drayton, Founder of Ashoka, USA. Mr Drayton was the first person to coin the term "social entrepreneurship" and started Ashoka in 1980. The not-for-profit organisation is established in 60 countries and supports the work of 2,000 Ashoka Fellows, selected for their impact on their social and business environments, in replicating and scaling their ventures so as to have a global impact.

The winner of this year's Politician Award is Ms Anneli Hulthen, Mayor of Göteborg, Sweden. She is Mayor of an entrepreneurial city that has implemented several initiatives, such as "Expedition Forward", "Business Emergency Programme" or "Brew House Incubator" widely praised among European cities for their positive impact on entrepreneurs' ventures and the related creation of jobs.

Finally, this year's Entrepreneur for the World Award has been given for the first time to a company, FOSUN International. The Shanghai-based conglomerate with a wide array of activities such as pharmaceuticals or healthcare, being present on the global front through its 7.1% stake in Club Med, generates an annual revenue of 4.5 billion euros and has perfectly aligned its strategy to answer Chinese population's social needs (such as ageing population or new consumption habits).

The winners received their trophies, designed by the French jeweler Korloff, at a Gala Dinner graced by Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Teo Chee Hean. The World Entrepreneurship Forum^[1], drawing 130 selected entrepreneurship experts and thought leaders from 60 countries is being held for the first time in Singapore this year, from 2-5 November on the theme "Entrepreneurship - A Driver for Innovation and Technology". A public gathering in NTU on 4 November morning will allow 450 persons from Singapore Business Community to benefit from the most outstanding entrepreneurial stories of Forum Members.

About the World Entrepreneurship Forum

Founded by EMLYON Business School (http://www.em-lyon.com) , KPMG France (http://www.kpmg.fr), Singaporean institutions Action Committee for Entrepreneurship (http://www.ace.sg), and Nanyang Technological University (http://www.ntu.edu.sg), City of Lyon (http://www.onlylyon.org) and Lyon Chamber of Commerce (http://www.lyon.cci.fr), the World Entrepreneurship Forum is the first global think-tank dedicated to entrepreneurs, creators of wealth and social justice. Since 2008, a total of 250 members from over 70 different countries have met to tackle our world's most pressing issues with entrepreneurial solutions.

For more information: http://www.world-entrepreneurship-forum.com

1. The World Entrepreneurship Forum Singapore 2011 is supported by Official Partner Centrale Lyon and Partners, Hong Leong Finance Limited, Hyflux Ltd, Korloff PARIS and Societe Generale.

Press contacts:
Ms Valerie JOBARD T. + 33-4-78-33-78-29; M.+ 33-6-07-81-70-02 jobard@em-lyon.com
Ms Marion Abraham, ACE & SPRING: DID: +65-6279-3617; MP: +65-9750-2903;
M. marion_abraham@spring.gov.sg
Mr Feisal Abdul Rahman, NTU: DID: +65-6790-6687; MP: +65-9675-1517;
M. feisalar@ntu.edu.sg