Follow on Google News News By Tag Industry News News By Place Country(s) Industry News
Follow on Google News | The UK's fastest hosting provider in running for 'Business Oscars'Shortlist announced for the Growing Business Awards 2009. UKFast has been shortlisted for a Growing Business Award, recognising extraordinary UK businesses thriving despite the downturn.
By: Stephen McNamara Now in their 11th year, the awards – organised by the CBI and Real Business magazine – identify and honour innovation, international expansion, customer excellence and new product development among the UK’s finest small and medium-sized businesses. Categories include: Company of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, New Product of the Year, Green Business of the Year and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. UKFast has been shortlisted for the Customer Excellence award for delivering around the clock client support, dedicated account managers and an extensive investment in R&D. Winners will be announced at the Growing Business Awards ceremony at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square on Thursday November 26 2009. The evening will also host the presentation of the 2009 Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs. This year’s Growing Business Awards shortlist features established names such as Lovefilm, which has captured 40 per cent of the UK DVD rental market; Dale Vince, CEO of green electricity supplier ecotricity; and 26 year-old entrepreneur Jamie Murray-Wells, the mastermind behind Glasses Direct. Also in the running for a Growing Business Award, judged by a high-profile panel including Dragon’s Den’s Theo Paphitis (Chairman of Ryman) and John Caudwell (founder of Phones4U), are start-ups Girl Meets Dress, an online boutique where customers can hire dresses by designers including Luella, Marc Jacobs and Yves Saint Laurent; and e-stack, a spin out from the University of Cambridge that is pioneering eco-friendly heat recycling systems. Other candidates include Cycle Hoop, an award-winning cycle parking product that is targeting exports after securing orders from local authorities across the UK; and Truancy Call, which has sent more than eight million text messages to parents of absent school children so far this year. Russel Griggs, Chairman of the CBI SME Council and a judge at the Growing Business Awards, said: “The sheer diversity of business ideas impressed me most about this year’s Growing Business Awards shortlist, particularly during these difficult times. The most successful businesses are fiercely customer focused and have a broad reach, seize opportunities with both hands and make great use of new technologies, such as the Internet.” Kate Pritchard, Managing Editor of Real Business magazine, said: “The energy and determination of this year’s Growing Business Awards candidates should fill us all with hope about Britain’s economic future. “Their remarkable drive and abilities suggests that a new generation of small and mid-sized companies that will lead Britain’s recovery is emerging. What particularly struck us this year was how quickly a new business can change a marketplace. That fact should bring confidence to aspiring entrepreneurs.” The Growing Business Awards are supported by Coutts & Co, UKTI, Visa Europe, Bird & Bird and WorldSkills London 2012. For more information on the awards, visit www.growingbusinessawards.co.uk Full judges list: • Theo Paphitis, chairman of Ryman and `Dragon` • John Caudwell, founder of Phones4U • Will King, founder of King of Shaves (2008 Company of the Year) • Vin Murria, chief executive of Advance Computer Software and partner at Elderstreet • Andrew Haigh, managing partner, Entrepreneurs Client Group, Coutts & Co • Sir Andrew Cahn, chief executive of UKTI • Professor Russel Griggs OBE, chairman the CBI`s SME Council • Martin Allison, Dean of Business & Law, Leeds Metropolitan University • Professor Andrew Burke, Director of the Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurial Performance & Economics, Cranfield School of Management ENDS For more information please contact: Mary Pollard Citypress T. 0161 235 0306 E. mary@citypress.co.uk The full shortlist for the 2009 Growing Business Awards is: Company of the Year • ARCO • LoveFilm.com • Nisa International • Penta Consulting • Streetcar Young Company of the Year • Chemist Direct • Clash Media • Huddle.net • Sofa.com • The UK Foodhall Entrepreneur of the Year • Marc Boyan (Miroma) • Sukhi Ghuman (Octavian Security) • Karen Paterson (Patersons HR & Payroll) • Gary Summers (Alumet) • Dale Vince (Ecotricity) Young Entrepreneur of the Year • Anna Bance (Girl Meets Dress) • Sam Barnett (Struq) • Dan Conlon (humyo) • Jamie Murray-Wells (Glasses Direct) • Neil Waller & James Street (mydestinationinfo.com) New Product of the Year • Cycle Hoop • Graze.com • Packexe • Simplexo • Widget Green Business of the Year • E-Stack • Good Energy • Pall-Ex • Warren Evans • Wiles Group Global Outlook and Expansion • Patersons HR & Payroll • Research Partnership • SCIPAC • Stage Technologies • thebigwordGroup People and Performance • Business Stream • CBS Butler • Chess Telecom • Higos Insurance • Octopus Investments Technology & Innovation • i3 • Buddi • JBW Group • Team 24 • Truancy Call Customer Excellence • Any Junk? • Conosco • Ella`s Kitchen • Ten UK • UKFast # # # UKFast is the ISPA UK’s Best Business Host 2007, 2006 & 2005 as well as Future Publishing’s Best Business ISP 2004. UKFast has a regular place in UK Top Host’s list of top 5 ISPs & plays a big part in Manchester’s future as a digital city. End
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
