Local company in line for prestigious national awards celebrating the very best in business

Feb. 13, 2013 - PRLog -- Greg Fitzgerald, chief executive of leading construction and housebuilding group Galliford Try which has its local housebuilding operation based in Bristol, has been recognised as one of the country’s leading businessmen in an elite national roll-call.

He has been shortlisted, for the second year, as Entrepreneur of the Year at the PWC- and Financial Times-sponsored PLC Awards 2013 – a ceremony which rewards excellence in the small- and mid-cap-quoted company sector.

Alongside this, the FTSE 250 company, which operates across the UK, has been shortlisted for Company of the Year. In 2012, Galliford Try was nominated for Best Turnaround Company.

Both nominations follow Galliford Try’s housebuilding division Linden Homes’ rapid expansion over the last three years.

In September 2009, the company carried out a rights issue to raise £125 million with the ambition of doubling the size by 2012 of its housebuilding operation. In addition, a re-brand was carried out – establishing Linden Homes as a national brand for quality homes; delivering a substantial increase in profits and return on capital that had been set in October 2009. Alongside this, the company responded quickly to address its stock position –
providing confidence to land owners and agents through its performance in land acquisitions – securing the position of ‘developer of choice’ for many.

Greg comments: “I am delighted our business has been nominated for two such sought-after accolades for the second year running, and it’s a true testament to the hard work and commitment our entire team has shown over the last three years.

“We are all very proud to have been recognised alongside so many well-respected businesses and are looking forward to the ceremony in March.”

This latest award nomination follows a string of awards Linden Homes won last year, including being named Housebuilder of the Year by Building magazine and Large Housebuilder of the Year by What House? This year, the business has already been nominated in the UK Stock Markets Awards 2013 in the Best Construction and Materials category, as well as the Building Awards 2013 and the First Time Buyer Awards.

Linden Homes Western is currently building in the following locations: Bristol, Cheltenham, Chippenham, Bradford-on-Avon, Midsomer Norton, Kilmersdon, Abergavenny, Newent and Gloucester.

The PLC Awards event was founded in 1987 to reward excellence in the smaller quoted company sector. The winners of each of the eight award categories are presented with their awards at the annual PLC Awards Dinner, which is held in March. The PLC Awards Dinner is the city event of the year and is attended by 1,500 guests.

In 2011 the company received nominations for Entrepreneur of the Year and Turnaround of the Year.