Some 400 private equity professionals, investors, media and the CEOs of companies backed by private equity and venture capital gathered to congratulate the Regional and National award winners. The BVCA CEO Awards were established to recognise and celebrate the successes of private equity and venture capital backed companies around the UK and to demonstrate the positive impact the industry has on the British economy and beyond despite the difficult market conditions experienced by so many in 2009.
JAMES CAAN, entrepreneur, investor, CEO of private equity firm Hamilton Bradshaw and popular 'Dragon' on BBC's Dragon's Den, announced the BVCA National Winners for 5 categories:
|
Category |
CEO & Company |
PE or VC Backer |
|
Private Equity backed CEO of the year |
Jean-Yves Charlier, Promethean |
Apax Partners |
|
Venture Capital backed CEO of the year |
Mike Washburn, Scriptswitch |
Midven and ISIS Equity Partners |
|
Best Corporate and Environmental Responsibility |
Chris Rea, AES Engineering |
3i |
|
Best International Impact |
Nick Varney, Merlin Entertainments Group |
The Blackstone Group |
|
Best Investment / Exit |
Geoff Eeles, Racal Acoustics |
ECI |
James also announced a special, additional award for 'CEO of the year - Major Impact to Industry' to ROB TEMPLEMAN of Debenhams.
KARREN BRADY, Managing Director of Birmingham FC since 1993 and role model to many young female professionals, presented the BVCA CEO Award for 'Best Woman CEO of the Year' to SUE DAVENPORT, CEO of PastaKing.
Speaking at the Awards, SIMON HAVERS, Chairman of the BVCA commented: "The BVCA has never sought to run an awards event such as this one before but it has turned out to be an especially appropriate year in which to do so. No one in this audience needs to be reminded or probably wants to be reminded about how challenging market conditions have been for portfolio companies over the past year to eighteen months...This year of all years has been the one to salute the leaders of the portfolio companies owned by private equity and venture capital houses. They are often the unsung heroes of our industry and we at the BVCA were determined to compensate for this by cheering them in the loudest possible way tonight."
