Judges Revealed for Lloyds Bank National Business Awards 2015

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UBM Built Environment Marketing

20 Aug, 2015, 12:41 GMT

LONDON, August 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

*Over 75 new judges announced today*

*Lord Karan Bilimoria, Simon Devonshire and Harriet Green join esteemed judging panel*

*Ceremony to take place on 10th November at Grosvenor House, Park Lane*

*http://www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk/Content/2015-Judges/*

The Lloyds Bank National Business Awards has today revealed the full line-up of judges for 2015. The judging panels will determine the winners across 18 categories, and consists of over 75 leading industry professionals.

The judging panels will welcome some of the UK's best known business leaders, advisors, investors, influencers and entrepreneurs including Sky News' Business Editor, Kirsty Good; Client Service at Barclays Corporate, Managing Director Rob Hawthorn; Head of Marketing at Google, David Keene; Director of Watson Group EMEA at IBM Corporation, Paul Chong and Founder & Managing Director of Calcom Group, Natalie Calvert. Also joining the 2015 Judging Panels will be Caroline Diehl, Chief Executive at The Media Trust; Lush Cosmetics Co-Founder and Product Developer, Rowena Bird and Chancellor of The University of Birmingham, Lord Karan Bilimoria. Please see footnotes for full judging lineup.

The Lloyds Bank National Business Awards winners are determined by a robust judging process. Entrants were initially judged on an entry questionnaire, from which the highest scoring entries were put forward as finalists by a shortlist panel of judges. Finalists must now present live in September to the relevant judging panel who will determine the overall winners, to be announced at the ceremony on 10th November.

Judging at the Lloyds Bank National Business Awards, Rob Hawthorn, Managing Director, Client Service at Barclays Corporate, said, "I'm delighted to have again been asked to judge the National Business Awards, a personal highlight of the business calendar. The QBE FTSE 100 Business of the Year entries have been outstanding; each year, as judges, we are always equally amazed and proud to have the privilege of seeing the best of UK plc and I'm really looking forward to it!"

The overall winners will be announced at the annual Gala Dinner, which will take place on Tuesday 10th November at The Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane. For more information or to book a table, visit http://www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk.

Notes to editors: 

Judges confirmed as of 20 August 2015 (subject to change):

The Customer Focus Award: 

  • Rowena Bird. Co-Founder and Product Developer of Lush Cosmetics
  • Julie Parmenter, Managing Director at Molinare
  • Keith Pickering, Founding Partner at Catalyst Corporate Finance
  • Enrique Garland, Corporate Development Manager at Affinion International
  • Natalie Calvert, Founder & Managing Director at Calcom Group

The UKTI Growth Business of the Year: 

  • Tim Whittard, Investment Director at Business Growth Fund
  • Laura Faulkner, Consumer and Retail Global Director at UK Trade & Investment
  • Anthony Fletcher, Chief Executive at Graze.com
  • Yvonne Quinn, Business Growth Programme at The Cranfield School of Management
  • Paul Herman, Chief Executive for BlueBox

The Inflexion International Growth Business of the Year 

  • David Whileman, Partner at Inflexion Private Equity
  • Hamdi Conger, Chairman at AES Seal Engineering Ltd
  • Philip Soar, Chairman of CloserStill Media
  • Graeme Pitkethly, General Manager UK & Ireland at Unilever
  • Allyson Stewart-Allen, Founder and Chief Executive at International Marketing Partners

The Vonage Business Enabler of the Year 

  • Claire Darley, Senior Director Consumer & SMB EMEA at Adobe Systems Europe
  • Simon Burckhardt, Managing Director at Voyage UK
  • Sophie Lilley, Director and Partner at Lansons
  • Andrew McClelland, Managing Director at Mirador Digital
  • Charles Ward, Founder of Charles Ward Consulting

The Grichan Partnerships Sustainable Business Award 

  • Munish Datta, Head of Plan A & FM at Marks & Spencer
  • Ralph English, Managing Partner at Grichan Partnership
  • Richard Hewitt Managing Partner at Grichan Partnership
  • Scott English, Managing Director at CE Media

The Social Enterprise of the Year  

  • Declan Curry, Freelance Writer and Broadcaster
  • Nick Temple, Deputy Chief Executive for Social Enterprise UK
  • Ruth Owen OBE, Chief Executive of Whizz-Kidz
  • Kirsty Good, Business Editor of Sky News

The Corporate Citizenship Award 

  • Ben Marson, Director of National Corporate Partnership at The Prince's Trust
  • David Francis, UK Cities Lead of Future CC
  • Charlie Mullins, Managing Director of Pimlico Plumbers
  • Marjorie Ellis-Thompson, Director of C-3i
  • Caroline Diehl, CEO at The Media Trust

The Market Gravity Innovation Award 

  • Stephen Bradley, Director of Customer Discovery and Innovation at LexisNexis
  • Peter Sayburn, Managing Director at Market Gravity
  • Paul Chong, Director of Watson Group EMEA at IBM Corporation
  • Helen Fridell, Senior Consultant at Cisco Consulting Services EMEAR
  • David Walker, Founder of Happen Innovation

The Lloyds Bank Small to Medium-Sized Business of the Year  

  • Michelle Ovens MBE, Director at Small Business Saturday
  • Robert Voss CBE, Founder of Voss International
  • Gareth Oakley, Managing Director at Lloyds SME Banking
  • David Higgins, Chairman at Inception Partners
  • Charlie Johnstone, Partner at ECI Partners LLP
  • Miles Nolan, Head of Communications at WH Ireland

The Smith & Williamson Entrepreneur of the Year 

  • Guy Rigby, Director - Head of Entrepreneurs at Smith & Williamson
  • Nina Wright, Managing Director at UBM EMEA
  • Oliver Woolley, Chief Executive at Envestors
  • Oli Barrett MBE, Director at Cospa
  • David Spencer-Percival, Chief Executive at Spenser Ogden

The Lloyds Bank Digital Business of the Year  

  • Richard Peters, Co-Founder & Co-Chief Executive at Decoded
  • Jenny Duvalier, Executive Vice President People at ARM
  • David Keene, Head of Marketing at Google
  • Stuart McCreery, Owner & Managing Director at Astons Greenlake Publishing
  • Tony Mitchell, Senior Manager (Strategy, Planning & Business Management, Digital Channels) at Lloyds Banking Group
  • Sean Gilchrist, Managing Director Commercial Digital at Lloyds Banking Group

The Lloyds Bank New Business of the Year 

  • Simon Devonshire, Co-Founder at Wayra Europe
  • Jon Hopper, Commercial Director, Retail Business Banking at Lloyds Banking Group
  • Zia Mallick, Managing Director at Gambit Interactive Media
  • John Waples, Senior Managing Director & UK Head of Strategic Communications at FTI Consulting
  • Tim Farazmand, Managing Director at LDC
  • Nigel Kershaw OBE, Executive Chair at The Big Issue Group

The Employer of the Year 

  • Caroline Osler, Head of HR at British Airways City Flyer
  • Clare Parsons, Chairman of Lansons Communications
  • Tom Broughton, Programme Director at Lloyds Bank National Business Awards
  • Jonathan Simnett, Managing Director at Big Stick

The QBE FTSE 100 Business of the Year 

  • Harriet Green, Executive and Non Executive Director
  • Simon Patterson, Managing Director at Patterson Associates
  • Rob Hawthorn, Managing Director, Client Services at Barclays Corporate
  • Amanda Doran, Head of Commercial Combined at QBE

The Duke of York New Entrepreneur of the Year 

  • David Carter, The Mentor
  • Charmaine Eggberry, Non-Executive Director at Avantis
  • Guy Roberts, Managing Director at Pelham International Limited
  • Tom Broughton, Programme Director at Lloyds Bank National Business Awards

The Duke of York Award for University Entrepreneurship  

  • Chester Mojay-Sinclare, Founder and Chief Executive at Charity Checkout
  • Majorie Scardino, Chairman of MacArthur Foundation
  • David Willets, Executive Chairman at Resolution Foundation / Visiting professor at King's College, London
  • Tim Wilson, Non-Executive Director at The Unit Group plc
  • Malcolm Grant, Chairman of NHS England and Chancellor Elect of the University of York
  • Greg Wade, Programme Manager, Innovation, Growth and Student Experience at UUK
  • Keith Burnley, Chief Executive of NCEE
  • Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE, Chancellor of the University of Birmingham

The Lloyds Bank Excellence in Business Award  

Decade of Business Excellence was created to recognise the business personality who best represents achievement and longevity. Synonymous with his or her business sector in the UK, the award acknowledges the winner's sustained achievements within the business community during a distinguished career.

The Ashridge Business School Leader of the Year 

This award is the highest accolade in the National Business Awards programme. This accolade recognises the personal imprint of the UK's most high profile leaders on the culture and success of their organisations.

About the National Business Awards  

Open to organisations of all sizes from all sectors across the UK, the National Business Awards is the UK's most prestigious independent business recognition platform with its particular emphasis on excellence, innovation and ethical business.  Now in its 14th year, the National Business Awards connects the nations' professionals through its annual awards ceremony; year-round thought leadership and round table events; and is UBM plc's flagship awards programme. Visit http://www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk for further information or follow us on Twitter @businessawards.

About UBM Live 

The National Business Awards is organised by UBM Live. UBM Live connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote their brands and expand their markets.   Through premier brands such as MD&M, CPhI, IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show and many others, UBM Live exhibitions, conferences, awards programs, publications, websites and training and certification programs are an integral part of the marketing plans of companies across more than 20 industry sectors.

For further information or interview opportunities contact: 

Rohma Ahmed
PR and Content Executive
Tel: +44-(0)207-921-8079
Email: Rohma.ahmed@ubm.com