Business Owners Honoured At 14th North East Entrepreneurial Awards

Newcastle-based financial services entrepreneur David Harrison has been named as Entrepreneur of the Year by the Entrepreneurs' Forum at the organisation's annual awards.

David, who is Managing Partner of True Potential LLP, was presented with the Ward Hadawaysponsored award at the event, which took place at the Boiler Shop at the Crown Plaza Hotel. With a proven track record in business growth and entrepreneurialism, David leads one of the UK’s most innovative financial services groups, which provides products and technology to over 1.4m private clients, in addition to working with nearly 20% of UK financial advisors. David Harrison said: “I am very humbled to have won this award, especially as the North East is home to some of the country’s most inspiring and successful entrepreneurs.

The word entrepreneur means different things to different people, but to me it’s about the ability to bring together excellent teams of people who can take the entrepreneurial journey with you and deliver on your ideas, creativity and drive.” The event also honoured respected North East entrepreneur Freddy Hoult with its Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Corporate Traveller. Acknowledged for his contribution to North East business, Freddy was presented with the award for the impact he has had on the community and the region’s economy. Freddy, 79, built up Hoults Removals to become one of the UK’s leading removals firms before its sale to Pickfords, in 1983. He is also recognised for his work developing the iconic 10-acre Hoults Yard in Byker as an attractive and thriving office park, which has supported many growing business in Newcastle. “Thank you very much for this award. It is a privilege and I’m taken aback to be in such esteemed company as previous recipients Sir John Hall, Sir Peter Vardy, John Squires, Alan Reece and John Fenwick. I know the home audience is the hardest to please, so to get this award is very much top of my trophy cabinet. “It’s great to be in the company of hundreds more local entrepreneurs who’s firms are making things happen for the North East.

Well done to everyone who’s pushing on!” The Entrepreneurs’ Forum also presented, for the first time, a new award to recognise scaleup businesses that are demonstrating consistent growth and development. Sponsored by NBS, the winners of the inaugural award were the owners of Intelligent Services Group, Ben Ridgway and Jamie Cook. Their business supports property professionals through technology-led services and performs, to year-onyear growth of more than 20% over the least three years.Other awards on the night included the O’Brien Waste Recycling Solutions sponsored Emerging Talent Award, which went to Steven Rawlingson, managing director of recruitment specialist Samuel Knight International. In just three years Samuel Knight has grown to operate three offices in the UK, with scope to launch an office in New York and achieve record revenues of £26m. Renowned business coach and mentor, Dr David Cliff, of Gedanken, was chosen by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum Board as its Malhotra Groupsponsored Mentor of the Year, to round-off another successful event in celebration of the North East’s business community.

Organised by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, in partnership with the North East Growth Hub, it remains the highlight of the organisation’s calendar of events, which is made up of more than 300 leaders of high-growth North East businesses, that employ over 23,000 people and have a collective turnover of in excess of £2.3 billion. Gillian Marshall, chief executive of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, said: “Our awards pay tribute the many success stories in the region, recognising the entrepreneurs that are driving economic growth, creating jobs and, ultimately, championing the region as a place of prosperity where successful businesses can be established and scaled up.”