Category Archives: The Herald

Nominees for Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year 2012

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Tonight we’ll reveal the winner of the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 – here are our outstanding finalists:

Alan Bonner – Pinnacle Technology Group plc, Gilad Tiefenbrun – Linn Products, Peter Bruce – Entier Ltd, Michael O’Hare – thebookingroom and Hermann Twickler – PressureFab Group.

Alan Bonner
Pinnacle Technology
Based: Stirlingshire
Started: 2002
Employees: 60+
Turnover: £6.3m

Alan Bonner displayed entrepreneurial instincts as a 17-year-old school leaver when he started a video library that soon became profitable.He moved into the telecommunications industry in 1996 following stints in insurance brokerage and in sales at the BUPA private healthcare operation.

Quick to recognise the opportunities created by deregulation, Mr Bonner developed a firm that sold telecommunications products on behalf of suppliers, which was bought by a rival based in Kent. Since acquiring the then loss-making Glen Group (now renamed Pinnacle Technology) in 2007, Mr Bonner has developed an entirely new service offering. The firm has won a range of big contracts covering events like the London 2012 Olympic Games and used acquisitions to increase its customer base.

The company has reported profits and aims to expand overseas.

Deloitte verdict: “Turning around the failing Glen Group and creating a platform for sustained growth is a major accomplishment, particularly when achieved with no external debt.

“While building his resource steadily, Alan is attuned to the growth potential of his business and has the proven tenacity to overcome challenges when they arise.”

Peter Bruce
Entier Services
Based: Aberdeen
Started: 2008
Employees: 473
Turnover: £25.5m

A trained chef, Peter Bruce spent 11 successful years at Compass Group before spotting an opportunity to start a new business specialising in catering for staff on offshore oil and gas rigs as well as onshore venues.

After quickly building a customer base that includes big North Sea operators such as Apache, Entier has almost tripled turnover since 2008. The company is on course to make its first profit in 2012 with further growth forecast in 2013.

Entier has invested heavily in research and development, developing packaging to ensure produce is as fresh as possible when it reaches offshore sites. The company has won business in overseas markets like Canada, Egypt and the Gulf of Mexico and started working with clients in other industries.

Deloitte verdict: “Despite Entier Services still being in its infancy its rapid growth over the past four years is nothing short of impressive and, with almost 500 employees, it can hardly be viewed as small.

“Peter’s commitment to a quality product and service, combined with a loyal team, makes Entier very well positioned for continued success and the possibility of becoming a real powerhouse in the offshore catering sector.”

Michael O’Hare
thebookingroom
Based: HQ in Glasgow with offices in Edinburgh, London, Paris, Hong Kong and New York
Started: 1999
Employees: 133 (excluding drivers sub-contracted for additional international work)
Turnover: £12.8m

A former golf professional at Glasgow’s Sherbrook Castle, Michael O’Hare moved into the transport business by providing cars for weddings at the venue. After buying a limousine, he expanded into offering transport services for corporate events and financial road shows through his Charlton Chauffeur Drive operation.

Mr O’Hare went on to develop thebookingroom as a business which harnesses the internet to offer a chauffeur-driven service specialising in niche markets like events and private aviation.

Based in Scotland, thebook-ingroom now has offices in London, Hong Kong, Paris and New York. Clients include giants like JPMorgan Chase, MTV and Deutsche Bank. The company has maintained a growth rate of around 20% and is now planning further expansion into new markets such as Brazil.

Deloitte verdict: “Michael clearly has a strong understanding of the practical steps required to develop his raw ideas for expansion into tangible business success.

“The continued development and refinement of thebookingroom’s bespoke logistics and customer management software indicate Michael’s awareness of the importance of innovation in staying ahead in the market and gaining a competitive edge.

“To have developed into a business with international scope is testament to Michael’s entrepreneurship and determination.”

Gilad Tiefenbrun
Linn Products
Based: Eaglesham, near Glasgow
Started: 1973
Employees: 174
Turnover: £17.257m

With a background that includes a degree in electrical engineering and five years working in areas like mobile phone operating systems at Symbian, Gilad Tiefenbrun joined his father’s business, Linn Products, with a highly sophisticated understanding of technology

He proceeded to lead a turnaround of Linn with an emphasis on research and development. This resulted in the company ceasing manufacturing CD players in 2009 and focusing on technology designed to capitalise on the rise of digital streaming of music. Appointed managing director in the same year, Mr Tiefenbrun increased the company’s focus on innovation with the creation of a 50-strong product development team.

The company recorded a 21% increase in net profit in 2012 and eliminated its outstanding debt.

Deloitte verdict: “Gilad is an impressive entrepreneur with a very inclusive leadership style. He has successfully steered Linn through a challenging time and has completely reinvigorated the business by adhering to his clear strategy.

“At the heart of this is a commitment to quality and investing in the future of the business, both in product development and the team of people he has working alongside him.

“Under Gilad’s leadership Linn has the potential to do something very exciting in the marketplace.”

Hermann Twickler
PressureFab Group
Based: Dundee
Started: 2009
Employees: 85
Turnover: £6m

A master engineer and shipbuilder by trade, Hermann Twickler honed his skills in the shipyards of Northern Germany and North America before becoming operations director of VT Group in Portsmouth.

After spurning offers of other big jobs, Mr Twickler decided to start his own offshore equipment manufacturing business. He invested his life savings, including the sale of his house and car, into creating PressureFab Group.

Started just three years ago, the group now counts some of the largest operators in the oil and gas sector among its customers and employs 85 staff. It has been profitable since inception.

Mr Twickler says he has no desire to grow the company for exit, but instead has set his sights on wealth creation and achieving long-term growth. The company has plans to expand into new facilities, scheduled to complete in 2013.

Deloitte verdict: “Hermann has built an excellent company serving some of the largest companies in the world and has successfully bucked the trend by exporting Scottish engineering and manufacturing to the Far East and the US.

“Hermann has created almost 90 new jobs in three years, doubled revenue each year and always made profit, and he’s achieved all this during the biggest recession since the 1930s.”

Exchange of Views Needs Role Models – John Anderson in The Herald Business

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As the 2012 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor for Scotland reports an increase in plans for new start businesses, Exchange CEO John Anderson was interviewed by Colin Cardwell for The Herald Business magazine.

John Anderson says it’s not starting a business that’s the challenge, but growing it. In the interview – a comprehensive double page spread also featuring Tom Hunter – John talks about family businesses being one of the most dynamic areas in terms of growth potential, suggests academics spinning businesses out of universities need more of a customer focus, and highlights the need for role models in all areas, especially young people, women, and those from differing ethnic and geographic backgrounds.

You can read the full article here : http://theherald.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

(Please note, you need a subscription to access this magazine, but there is a 7 day free trial option so you don’t have to pay to read it).

The winners … Colin Robertson named Scottish Entrepreneur of the Year

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Bus-builder boss Colin Robertson named Scottish Entrepreneur of the Year

Alexander Dennis chief executive takes home top accolade at the Entrepreneurial Exchange Awards Dinner

Colin Robertson, chief executive of Falkirk-based bus and coach manufacturer Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) was named Entrepreneur of the Year at the Entrepreneurial Exchange’s annual awards dinner, sponsored by Clydesdale Bank, held at the Glasgow Hilton last night (1 Dec).

The awards, in association with Deloitte and media partner The Herald, are Scotland’s leading and longest-standing annual awards for growth-oriented entrepreneurs, recognising those who have excelled in this area over the last twelve months.

Since taking the reins at ADL in 2007 Colin successfully steered the company through the economic downturn with its UK market share almost doubling to over 50%, turnover increasing twofold to £360m, profits set to rise significantly this year and next and an increasingly global footprint which takes in the US, Canada, Hong Kong and New Zealand.

Intuitively identifying the recession as an opportunity to expand Colin introduced invaluable out-sourcing arrangements, enabling ADL to increase production by 60% while preserving its core workforce in facilities at Falkirk, Scarborough, Guildford and key overseas locations.

Jim Boyle, head of entrepreneurial business at Deloitte, and awards judge, said: “Colin has demonstrated fantastic entrepreneurial instinct in his ability to identify and capitalise on an opportunity in a tough economic climate. His passion and drive is evident in his ongoing ambition for the company and I would like to extend my own personal congratulations to Colin for his achievements. Colin epitomises the best of what Scotland’s entrepreneurial community has to offer and, with him in the driver’s seat, I’m sure ADL can look forward to a successful future. He has totally transformed the business and it is now a great example of a successful Scottish manufacturing business helping drive an export-led economic recovery.”

The winners – Keith Wight named Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year

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Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year, Keith Wight.

Founder and chief executive of sensor design and manufacturing company SST Sensing, Keith impressed the judges after identifying a gap in the market to sell bespoke products and specialist technical support directly to original equipment manufacturing (OEM) customers, enabling SST Sensing to develop a closer relationship with its client base and provide a more efficient service.

The result was an increase in repeat business and new opportunities with SST Sensing’s customer base increasing six fold to 450 in just two years with plans to expand into new international markets and cement itself as market leader in the next five years.

Jim said: “The most successful entrepreneurs know their market, identify a customer need that is not being met, and then fulfil it. Keith has done exactly that. His innovative approach has allowed the business to establish itself as a key player in the industry and has placed it in a strong position for future expansion into new markets. I was delighted to see Keith’s achievements recognised at last night’s event and look forward to following the next few chapters for SST Sensing.”

Hall of Fame Inductees

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Ivor Tiefenbrun, founder of Linn Products; James Milne, founder of the Balmoral Group and Gerald and Vera Weisfeld, founders of What Everyone Wants and the Weisfeld Foundation were officially inducted into The Entrepreneurial Exchange Hall of Fame.

GEM 2010? That’s not our reality – John Anderson #entex

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This is an excerpt from chief exec John Anderson’s speech at the 2011 Annual Conference, made in response to the critical media coverage of Scotland’s entrepreneurial record, and delivered with a call for action.

“They say that timing is everything and when we came up with the idea for our PSYBT session for the annual conference a few months ago, little did we know that a big story would emerge which would provide the perfect context for this session.

On Monday the GEM 2010 Report was launched and parts of it made pretty depressing reading – and the media was not slow to report the bad news: Reporting Scotland on Monday, Good Morning Scotland, the Herald and the Scotsman on Tuesday.

Headlines like “The Last Tycoons”, “Lost Generation”, “Lack of Young Entrepreneurs”.

Well the GEM Report is, in its own world, accurate but it is not our world.

“Lost Tycoons” [Herald] – shows six familiar faces. But what about the 250 people at the Exchange conference, and the other 180 members not able to attend?

“Lost Generation” [The Scotsman] – What about the 10,000 businesses supported with £35m by PSYBT in the last 22 years? The 600 PSYBT businesses funded every year? The 200 PSYBT growth fund businesses supported since 2002?

I don’t recognise the picture that GEM paints, but it is a snapshot of what the general population of Scotland thinks. So perhaps we need to better communicate the real picture. Perhaps the Exchange should shout a bit more. Not the rent-a-gob nonsense that you see from some of the business organisations, but some well-chosen fact-based comments with case studies – examples of real success at all levels.

We know that the impact of Exchange members is significant – £23bn, 200,000 employees across 430 members and a similar impact exercise is just being completed by PSYBT to be launched shortly.

But here’s a sneak preview: the top 100 best performing businesses that have received PSYBT funding and support have collective revenue of £124m and employ 1,300 people – it’s a great example of what can be achieved by ambitious young entrepreneurs in Scotland with the right kind of support.

We’ve got work to do to demonstrate that entrepreneurship is alive and well and growing in Scotland.

(You can also hear the Good Morning Scotland radio interview with John Anderson on our Boo link to the left of this blog)

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