Moonpig.com founder named Ernst & Young Overall London & South Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 - Ernst & Young - United Kingdom

London 15 June 2010: Nick Jenkins, Chairman of Moonpig.com, was last night named Ernst & Young London & South Overall Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 at an awards dinner held in London.

The judges commended Jenkins’ outstanding attitude and approach, best exemplified in his dogged pursuit of his vision. He was picked from among 19 business leaders who were all named regional winners [list below] at the event. All regional winners, from across the country, will now go on to compete at the UK finals in October this year.

Moonpig is a leading online greeting card retailer, specialising in personalisation of its cards. Nick had a clear strategic vision from the start of Moonpig, identifying a model that avoided the price competition seen in other online retail businesses. He kept that vision and focus over five years and four fundraising rounds before reaching profitability. He has created a highly motivated team who have turned Moonpig into a much loved brand used by over 2.5 million customers annually, generating over £11m in annual pre-tax profits in the year to April 2010.

“Nick has the passion of a born entrepreneur, coupled with great business instincts and a healthy dose of ambition. He has displayed a truly exceptional attitude and approach, coupled with the foresight to apply technology in a way which liberates a business rather than restraining it.

“The brand he has created, has established itself in the national consciousness thanks to an exceptionally well-planned and executed marketing strategy, which has been the engine of phenomenal growth,” said Richard Hall, Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year Leader in the UK.

Lifetime achievement award
Sir Michael Marshall, Chairman and Chief Executive of Marshall of Cambridge (Holdings) Ltd, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement award at the dinner, in recognition of the career and achievements of a true ‘serial entrepreneur’.

For the past 20 years he has been Chairman of a private family business with a century of tradition – it was founded by his grandfather in 1909.  Today it employs over 4,000 people, making it the largest business employer in Cambridge.

As Chairman and Chief Executive since 1990, Sir Michael has overseen a vigorous and profitable expansion in all of the group’s activities. Annual Group sales are now nudging the billion-pound mark.

Richard King, Ernst & Young’s Deputy Managing Partner for UK and Ireland said: “As a true gentleman and entrepreneur he has guided the business with a philosophy which values reputation, loyalty and the business’s role in the community as highly as profits, Sir Michael was deservedly honoured with a knighthood in the New Year. And he is a truly worthy winner of this special award.” 

Independent judging panel
The London & South independent judging panel 2010 included: Ian Burke (Chairman of the judges’ panel), Chief Executive, The Rank Group plc; Simon Calver, Chief Executive, LOVEFiLM International Ltd; Philip Dilley, Chairman, Arup Group Ltd; Kevan Leggett, Managing Director, LDC South region; Clive Lewis, Joint Managing Director, Lewis Trust Group Ltd; Richard Longdon, Group Chief Executive, AVEVA; Brian May, Finance Director, Bunzl plc; Vin Murria, Director, Advanced Computer Software plc; Allison Ogden-Newton, Chief Executive, Social Enterprise London; Alison Platt, Divisional Managing Director, Europe Bupa; and Edward Wray, Chairman, Betfair Group Ltd.

Full list of Ernst & Young London & South Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 regional winners:

London

• Tony Goodwin, Chairman & CEO, Antal International Limited , based in London
• Glenn Elliott, Managing Director, Asperity Employee Benefits Limited, based in London
• Simon Wajcenberg, CEO, Clash Media Advertising Limited, based in London 
• Ben Langdon, CEO, Digital Marketing Group plc, based in London
• Sophi Tranchell, Managing Director, Divine Chocolate Limited, based in London 
• Emma Bridgewater, Founder, Emma Bridgewater Limited, based in London
• Duncan Goose, Managing Director, Global Ethics Limited, based in London
• Mike Lawrie, Chief Executive Officer, Misys plc, based in London
• Richard Moross, CEO and Founder, Moo Print Limited, based in London
• Nick Jenkins, Chairman, Moonpig.com Limited, based in London
• Ayman Asfari, Group Chief Executive, Petrofac Limited, based in London
• Duncan Grierson, Founder & CEO, Sterecycle Limited , based in London
• Michael Tobin, CEO, Telecity Group plc, based in London
• Christian Nellemann, Joint Founder and Chief Executive Officer, XLN Telecom Holdings Limited, based in London

South

• Graham Baker, Chairman, Butcher's Pet Care Limited , based in Crick, Northamptonshire
• James Benamor, Managing Director, Richmond Group Limited, based in Bournemouth
• Julian Dunkerton, CEO, SuperGroup PLC, based in Cheltenham
• Debbie Scott, Chief Executive, Tomorrow's People Trust Limited, based in Hastings, East Sussex
• Richard Green, Chief Executive Officer, Ubisense Trading Limited, based in Cambridge