Frequently Asked Questions - World Entrepreneur Of The Year - Ernst & Young - Global

What is the World Entrepreneur Of The Year (WEOY) Award?
The World Entrepreneur Of The Year (WEOY) Award was created by Ernst & Young to recognize the significant accomplishments of entrepreneurs around the world. The program builds on Ernst & Young's more than 20 years of success in running Entrepreneur Of The Year® (EOY) Award programs in many countries. In 2011, entrepreneurs representing more than 50 countries will compete for the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year title in Monte Carlo from 2-5 June.

What is the difference between the EOY Award and the WEOY Award?
Nominees in each country who are vying for the Entrepreneur Of The Year Award start at a regional level. Regional award winners are announced in several categories. Each regional winner competes for the country's National Entrepreneur Of The Year Award. Each National Entrepreneur Of The Year Winner is eligible to join other national winners to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award.

How long has the program been in existence?
The Entrepreneur Of The Year program began in the United States in 1986.

How many countries are involved?
Entrepreneur Of The Year is held in more than 140 cities and in more than 50 countries. In 2010, 44 countries hosted national Entrepreneur Of The Year programs, including new programs in Argentina, Jordan, Mexico and Syria.

In 2011, Entrepreneur Of The Year will be launched in Vietnam, Bahrain and Oman.

Why did Ernst & Young establish the Entrepreneur Of The Year program?
Ernst & Young began the Entrepreneur Of The Year Award program in 1986 in the US and continued to expand the program internationally to recognize the world’s most successful and innovative entrepreneurs.

By identifying and recognizing the achievements of outstanding entrepreneurs within successful growing, dynamic businesses Ernst & Young aims to encourage entrepreneurial activity around the world.

Through its work with the entrepreneurial market, Ernst & Young understands the impact entrepreneurship has made on global business and the world economy. The organization drives entrepreneurial leadership by providing services that cover a broad spectrum of entrepreneurial business needs. The Entrepreneur Of The Year and World Entrepreneur Of The Year programs are a natural extension of Ernst & Young’s commitment and capabilities to these companies.

How does a company get to the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award level?
The nomination process begins at the regional level in each country. Regional winners are then eligible for their country's national Entrepreneur Of The Year Award. All country winners are then eligible for the WEOY Award. There is no separate nomination process for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award, since all the World Entrepreneur Of The Year candidates qualify on the basis of their being the current Entrepreneur Of The Year National Winners.

Who exactly is on the "independent panel of judges" for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award?
Many of the judges for World Entrepreneur Of The Year are past Entrepreneur Of The Year Winners or National Judges for their country's Entrepreneur Of The Year Award Program. They represent industries ranging from manufacturing, retail, technology, telecommunications, entertainment, financial services and academia. All have been recognized as leaders in their fields.

The World Entrepreneur Of The Year Judging Panel 2011 will be announced in April.

Will there be awards given in different categories?
All of the country winners will be recognized and inducted into the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Academy. Following the induction ceremony, one winner will be announced as the 2011 World Entrepreneur Of The Year.

What does this year's winner actually win?
Aside from international recognition of his or her entrepreneurial achievements, the 2010 World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award Winner will be invited to serve on the Judging Panel at next year's World Entrepreneur Of The Year.

How are the participants selected?
All of the entrepreneurs competing for this year's World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award have won the title of 2010 Entrepreneur Of The Year in their country.

How is the winner selected?
Each member of the World Entrepreneur Of The Year independent judging panel receives a comprehensive packet of information on each of the national winners in advance of the judging session. After a private meeting of the winners and judges in Monte Carlo, the panel will convene to discuss each of the candidate's qualifications and to select the 2011 World Entrepreneur Of The Year. The winner will be announced at the black-tie awards gala on the evening of 4 June.

How do you ensure the judging process is unbiased?
As most of the judges are past National Winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year award, we believe they understand the importance of an unbiased and fair selection process to uphold the integrity of the program. Judges are rotated from year to year to ensure fresh thinking and enthusiasm in the judging process.

How can companies with vastly different business philosophies and turnover be judged against each other?
The award is given on the basis of global impact and entrepreneurial activity, allowing all national winners an equal opportunity to compete.

Who won the past Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards?

• 2001: Paolo della Porta, President, Chairman and Group CEO of Saes Getters S.p.A,. from Italy.
  
• 2002: Stefan Vilsmeier, President and CEO of BrainLAB AG, which is based in Germany.
  
• 2003: Narayana Murthy, Founder and Chairman of the India-based Infosys Technologies Limited.
  
• 2004: Tony Tan Caktiong, President of Jollibee Foods Corporation was the first Entrepreneur Of The Year in the Philippines.
  
• 2005: Wayne Huizenga, Chairman of Huizenga Holdings in the US.
  
• 2006: South Africa's Entrepreneur Of The Year Bill Lynch of Imperial Holdings
  
• 2007: Canada's Guy Laliberte, Founder and CEO of Cirque du Soleil.
  
• 2008: Dr. Jean-Paul Clozel, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Actelion Pharmaceuticals in Switzerland
  
• 2009: Cao Dewang, Entrepreneur Of The Year 2008 China
  
• 2010: Michael Spencer of ICAP plc, Entrepreneur Of The Year 2009 United Kingdom
  

  How many countries will participate in the 2011 World Entrepreneur Of The Year event?
  In 2011, we anticipate Entrepreneur Of The Year winners representing more than 50 countries to participate in World Entrepreneur Of The Year.

  Entrepreneur Of The Year from Bahrain, Oman and Vietnam will be the newest country winners to join EOY winners from around the globe, vying for the title of World Entrepreneur Of The Year.