Cream of the crop named in E&Y Entrepreneur shortlist

ELEVEN Yorkshire entrepreneurs working in fields ranging from ice cream to golf have been shortlisted in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year awards competition.

The finalists – from ten companies – will compete with 32 others from across the North of England at a regional awards event in Manchester on June 25.

Regional winners will go on to vie for the title of Ernst & Young ‘UK Overall Entrepreneur Of The Year’ 2013 and a chance to represent their country at a global awards ceremony in Monte Carlo next year.

The Yorkshire finalists are: 

• Mike Danby, Advanced Supply Chain, based in Bradford        

• Martin Stead, Chaophraya, based in Leeds
        
• Jacqui Hall, CNG, based in Harrogate
 
• John Andrew, Direct Golf UK, based in Huddersfield
        
• Paul Stoneham, ghd, based in Leeds
        
• Stuart Paver, Pavers Shoes, based in York        

• James Lambert, R&R Ice Cream, based in Northallerton

• Graham Honeyman, Sheffield Forgemasters International, based in Sheffield        

• Craig Chalmers, Stickyeyes, based in Leeds        

• Paul Beasley and Jon Taylor, The Transline Group, based in Halifax.

The 2013 North of England judging panel will be chaired by Anthony Preston, founder of Pets at Home.

Mr Preston said: “I’m delighted to chair the North judging panel and play my part in recognising the great entrepreneurial businesses in our region.

“These business leaders represent job and wealth creation, which are important factors in tough markets. My fellow judges and I look forward to meeting them and hearing their entrepreneurial stories and diverse approaches to growth.”

Sponsored in the UK by Credit Suisse, Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognising them through regional, national and global awards programmes in more than 135 cities in 50 countries.

Yorkshire winners from 2012 included John Walsh, managing director of Leeds-based Abraham Moon & Sons, and Simon Spinks, managing director of Harrison Spinks, also based in Leeds.

Stuart Watson, UK Entrepreneur Of The Year leader at Ernst & Young, said: “Our finalists are growing their businesses in the face of a flat economy. These entrepreneurial business leaders are identifying opportunities for growth and grabbing them. Innovative thinking gives them the edge over others; it’s in their very nature.

“In fact they are using current economic conditions to their advantage, to get ahead of the competition. Be it by investing in international markets – exports to China and India are growing strongly – or delving deeper into understanding their customers.

“Finalists in this year’s programme show deep understanding of their customer’s needs and are developing new products or services to match them exactly.”