- Regional winners from Scotland, North, Midlands, South West, London and South East will come together for EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2021 UK final this November
- 26 leaders of 21 businesses celebrated for entrepreneurial achievements and pioneering spirit
- Breadth of winning sectors highlight strength of entrepreneurship across the UK
London, Thursday 9 September 2021: Finalists for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2021 UK have been announced, following regional heats.
Twenty-one businesses from across Scotland, North, Midlands, South West, London and South East – representing one of the broadest range of sector representation in recent years – will progress to the UK final with one receiving the coveted title of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2021 UK.
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ programme goes beyond a competition and recognises the most unstoppable entrepreneurs across the UK – those who are creating long term value, reframing our future, and contributing purpose beyond profits. Entrepreneurship can be a challenging and isolating calling so the programme is designed to celebrate inspirational stories and reflect on challenges and success with like-minded peers in this outstanding entrepreneurial community.
Earlier this year, a total of 102 regional finalists kicked off the 2021 celebration of entrepreneurial spirit and go on to join an exclusive and growing network of more than 2,500 EY Entrepreneur of the Year™ UK Alumni that spans more than two decades. This year’s final will be held on November 18 with the overall winner progressing to the global stage of the programme next year.
- Bloom & Wild - Aron Gelbard (CEO & Co-Founder)
- Cera - Dr. Mahiben Maruthappu (Co-founder & CEO)
- GAMA Healthcare - Guy Braverman and Allen Hanouka (Joint CEOs & Co-Founders)
- Lane Clark & Peacock LLP - Aaron Punwani (CEO)
- Vashi Diamond Manufacturers Ltd - Vashi Dominguez (Founder & CEO)
- Immersive Labs - James Hadley (CEO)
- Lounge Underwear - Dan Marsden and Melanie Marsden (CEO, and Chief Brand Officer)
- Morningside Pharmaceuticals Ltd - Dr. Nik Kotecha OBE (Chairman, CEO, Chair of Trustees)
- Rigby Group - Steve Rigby (Group CEO)
- Whitworth Bros. Ltd - Martin George (Chairman & Owner)
- A-SAFE - James Smith and Luke Smith (Managing Directors)
- Matillion - Matthew Scullion (CEO)
- myenergi – Lee Sutton and Jordan Brompton (Co-Founder & CEO, and Co-Founder & CMO)
- Nouveau HD Beauty Group - Karen Betts (CEO)
- rradar - Gary Gallen (CEO)
- Sapphire Utility Solutions Ltd - Michael Patel (Founder and Owner)
- Ascensos - John Devlin (CEO & Co-Founder)
- Bella & Duke - Mark Scott and Tony Ottley (CEO & Co-Founder, and COO & Co-Founder)
- Good-Loop - Amy Williams (CEO)
- Snag Group Ltd - Brigitte Read (CEO)
- Systal Technology Solutions - Neil Nicolson (CEO)
Lynn Rattigan, EY’s Chief Operating Office for the UK & Ireland and EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ UK Partner Sponsor, said: “At EY we want to build trust in capital markets, advocating for inclusive capitalism and helping our clients navigate uncertainty and catch the next wave of economic growth by coming together as one firm to solve their most complex challenges.
“I am truly exhilarated by this year’s line-up of entrepreneurs – from our regional finalists to the 26 advancing to the UK final, they demonstrate many reasons to be optimistic about the future of our business sector.
“The breadth of winning sectors also highlights the strength and energy of entrepreneurship across the country. At a time when many businesses have had to rapidly react to the challenges posed by the pandemic, these entrepreneurs have shown they can innovate, respond and adapt while also creating long term value for their clients and broader stakeholders.”
Victoria Price UK EY Private Tax Leader and EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ UK Partner Lead said: “EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ tells the story of our inspiring business leaders the length and breadth of the country. We love working with entrepreneurs as they innovate, inspire and grow businesses to scale – and beyond – and we are proud to have many iconic entrepreneurial businesses come through the programme as our clients.
“Considering the challenges of the last 18 months, they have all proven themselves to be fearless in building their businesses and pushing boundaries. Through pandemic-related economic uncertainty, periods of cautious consumer spending and Brexit adjustment, when other may have said ‘no’, they have said ‘yes’ and that is what we celebrate with the programme.
“The 102 regional finalists all exhibited inspiring pioneering spirit and it will be exciting to see where each business goes next in their entrepreneurial journey – they have already proven themselves to be trailblazers and I’m pleased to welcome them into our EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ UK community.”
Judging for EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2021 UK will take place in October by a panel of prominent business leaders – including previous winners and Entrepreneur Of The Year UK alumni. They are:
- Sophie Cornish MBE
- Dr Deborah O’Neil OBE FRSE, CEO NovaBiotics
- Ken Murphy, Group Chief Executive Tesco Stores PLC
- Shravin Mittal, Founder Unbound
- Sam Skerry, SVP bp Lanchpad and Venturing
David Durlacher, CEO, Julius Baer International Limited, the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ UK Headline Sponsor said: “On behalf of everyone at Julius Baer I would like to congratulate all those who have made it through as a finalist in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme. It has been a pleasure to meet many of the award entrants during the course of the programme, and the quality of individuals and their businesses has been outstanding. It is inspiring to see how these entrepreneurs and their businesses are opening up new markets, driving change and becoming recognised for their achievements. Congratulations to the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ UK Finalists for 2021!”
Sponsors
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ UK headline sponsor is leading Swiss wealth management group Julius Baer.
