WA entrepreneurs make their mark
Friday, 13 August 2010 — Western Australia is famous for its entrepreneurship and the state’s best entrepreneurs were recognised at the 10th annual Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards held in Perth last night.
The 2010 Western Region winners, by category, are:
- Young entrepreneur: Zhenya Tsvetnenko, Zhenya Group of Companies
- Technology & emerging industries: Bill Withers, acQuire
- Services: John Spence, Karma Group
- Products: Julian Walter, JWH
- Cleantech: Tony Middleton, Advanced Engine Components Limited
- Listed: David Flanagan, Atlas Iron
Also recognised at the awards were:
- Social entrepreneur: David Wirrpanda, The David Wirrpanda Foundation
- Champion of Entrepreneurship: John Rothwell, Austal Ltd
Jeff Dowling, Ernst & Young’s Perth Office Managing Partner, says the 2010 winners showcase the attributes that make entrepreneurs successful – vision, passion and determination.
“I congratulate all our 2010 winners. Their achievements are a reminder of the contribution entrepreneurs make to business, the economy and broader community,” he says.
The recent Ernst & Young 2010 Entrepreneurs’ Confidence Barometer, based on a survey of nearly 100 entrepreneurs, found vision, passion and determination remain timeless success factors for entrepreneurs despite increasing globalisation, rapid technology changes and a more competitive marketplace.
The report also found that 74% of respondents defied the market and grew their business in 2009, 60% expect to achieve double digit growth in calendar 2010 and 92% expect growth in 2011.
More than 900 remarkable entrepreneurs have been recognised through the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards in Australia since it began 10 years ago.
The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are held in 135 cities in 50 countries around the world, celebrating those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses.
2010 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards, Western Region
Category: Young Entrepreneur
Zhenya Tsvetnenko, Zhenya Group of Companies
Zhenya Tsvetnenko founded the first commercial enterprise to deliver and bill a text alert service to a user’s mobile phone on a mass scale. In five years, using his own technology and a low cost business model, Zhenya Group of Companies has grown into a $30 million business.
Category: Technology & emerging industries
Bill Withers, acQuire
Bill Withers pioneered data management technology for the mining industry to build a $14 million global business. Despite growing at between 35% and 50% annually for the last eight years and transacting in 60 countries, acQuire has retained a single business model and pervasive values.
Category: Services
John Spence, Karma Group
In 1993, John Spence pioneered vacation ownership in South East Asia and India. In 2002 he brought the concept of boutique villa resorts to Asia. Today, the Karma Royal Group is a $55 million business, with 16% EBIT. In the next five years, John intends to float the group on a major stock exchange.
Category: Products
Julian Walter, JWH Group Pty Ltd
Julian Walter turned a marketing plan his employer rejected into two highly successful and profitable homebuilding companies. His current business, JWH Group Pty Ltd, has a $370 million turnover and employs 670 staff and more than 2,000 subcontractors.
Category: Cleantech
Tony Middleton, Advanced Engine Components Limited
Tony Middleton took Advanced Engine Components (AEC) from an insolvent, delisted company to a thriving exporter, now relisted on the ASX, with a market capitalisation of $10 million. Today, AEC’s patented technology is being used in Australia, China, Thailand, Indonesia and India, with 1,600 buses and trucks world wide and 18,000 more predicted for India by June 2013.
Category: Listed
David Flanagan, Atlas Iron
David Flanagan changed the traditional paradigms of the iron ore industry, with a new model that accelerates the time to commission a mine. Atlas Iron Limited exported its first 1 million tonnes, delivering on all key production milestones within 12 months of start up. The company currently has 22,000 shareholders and $130 million in cash on hand.
Category: Social entrepreneur
David Wirrpanda, The David Wirrpanda Foundation
Determined to give back to his community, in 2005, former Australian rules footballer, David Wirrpanda, founded the David Wirrpanda Foundation to promote the value of education, skills and healthy life choices to young Aboriginal people. Last year, its programs reached 20,000 Aboriginal youth in Western Australia, improving school attendance, opening up employment opportunities and encouraging young Aboriginal people to realise their dreams. The Foundation sets clear goals for its programs and measures their results. In 2007, the Foundation’s impact led David to be listed as one of the top 10 most influential Aboriginal people in Australia. In 2009, he was the Young Western Australian of the Year. His strategic plans include delivering the program interstate this year, concentrating initially on New South Wales and Victoria.
Category: Champion of Entrepreneurship
John Rothwell AO, Austal
The 2002 Ernst & Young Australian Entrepreneur Of The Year, John Rothwell, created an internationally successful boat building company based on respect for his customers, his employees and his partners. John started Austal in 1988, with $200,000 paid-up capital and four young ex-employee partners, with a vision to build high quality commercial vessels for the international market. Today, Austal is the world’s largest builder of fast ferries, listing many of the world’s leading fast ferry and shipping operators among its customers. As a significant employer through its shipyards situated in Western Australia and Alabama, USA, Austal is committed to assisting the communities in which it operates. In 2004, John was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for services to the Australian shipbuilding industry through the development of trade links and for significant contributions to vocational education and training.
Full biographies on the winners can be found at www.eoy.ey.com.au.
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