The closing date for the London Business Awards 2004 is 30 September. Entries will be judged by the independent and expert jury, chaired by Sir Gulam Noon MBE. Described as the the only awards to celebrate business in London, the awards are split into nine categories: Business Person, Young Business Person (under 30), Entrepreneur, Business Innovation, Small Firm, Manufacturer, Exporter, Commitment to the Community and Turnaround Business of the Year.

The judges, who have been selected for their business acumen, market knowledge, proven leadership skills and qualifications include: Tom Vyner CBE - Vice-Chairman, L'Oreal (UK) Ltd, Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge - Chairman, British Airways Plc, Simon Woodroffe - Chairman, Yo! Sushi, David Page - Chairman, Clapham House Group, Baroness Jay of Paddington, Sir Peter Davis - Former Chairman, J Sainsbury plc, Mel Egglenton - Head of Middle Market, KPMG, Fru Hazlitt - Managing Director, Yahoo! UK & Ireland, Chris Blackhurst - City Editor, Evening Standard and Christy Swords - Managing Director, ITV London.

Judging will take place during October 2004. Each entry will be assessed against the criteria laid out for the relevant award and three entries will make the shortlist for each award.

AWARD CATEGORIES

Business Person of the Year

The judges will be looking for a person who has achieved sustained success throughout the year. They will be looking to choose a person whose achievements have had an effect not only on his of her own business but on the wider business world either nationally or internationally. We wish to celebrate a person who can be seen as a role model especially for younger business people. This person need not be a public figure but his or her proposers should be able to demonstrate substantial business success during the last twelve months.

Young Business Person of the Year

This award recognises the drive and talent shown by young business people. The judges will be looking for young business people who are able to demonstrate the significant contribution they have made to the success of the company that they work for, or that they own. The judges will be looking for clear evidence of commercial success, vision and leadership, ambition, entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, innovation, and sheer hard work. Applications should be supported by hard, tangible evidence of commercial success and entrepreneurship, evidence of the individual's contribution to the company, examples of creative or innovative approaches to challenges, problems or opportunities and any business testimonials/endorsements. Applicants must be aged 30 or under on 1 January 2004.

Entrepreneur of the Year

Successful entrepreneurship is often based on a mixture of inspiration and perspiration. The judges will be looking for a company or individual who has achieved commercial success through exceptional vision and leadership, their recognition and identification of a market opportunity and the application of entrepreneurial vigour and commitment to overcome the barriers to success. Applications should be supported by evidence of an outstanding commercial performance in 2003, together with a summary of the contribution to that performance which entrepreneurial actions have made.

Business Innovation

The judges will be looking for evidence of real originality that has had a significant impact on the business success of the winning company. The judges will be aware that innovation can take many forms and that innovative thinking can be found in any business regardless of its size. The judges will be looking for the business that best demonstrates an innovative approach that has come from within the company, which either radically changed an established practice or introduced a new practice to achieve substantial performance improvement in areas such as revenue growth, job creation, cost reduction, quality/service improvement or greater yield from the assets of the business.

Small Firm of the Year

This award will recognise an outstanding small business that has demonstrated ambition and management quality, outstanding growth in sales and profits in its past full financial year, a commitment to and investment in its future, and that is viewed as 'one to watch' by its peers. The judges will be looking for tangible evidence of all of the above from companies with 25 employees or less at the start of 2004 and with a turnover of less than £1 million in their previously reported accounting period.

Manufacturer of the Year

The successful company must either have its main manufacturing operation in London or, if not, have a significant manufacturing presence. It is not sufficient to have a head office or a major non-manufacturing presence even if it is a manufacturing company. The entrant must demonstrate two qualities - firstly strong growth in the previous year and secondly a commitment to further growth in London. Judges will also look for evidence of higher productivity, innovation and competitiveness. Entrants will need to be willing to provide facts to substantiate growth and commitment that ideally should be in the form of future investment plans. The winner could be a large multi-national or a micro-company. Their activity could be in any manufacturing sector.

Exporter of the Year

This winner of this award will be a company whose significant export growth is the result of a strategy that encompasses targeted markets, understanding of cultural issues and use of export support services. Applications should be supported by evidence of export sales growth in their past full financial year, together with a summary of the strategy that resulted in this growth This award applies to companies of all sizes who export goods, services or both. Export is defined as any sales outside the United Kingdom.

Commitment to the Community

This award recognises organisations that have adopted a proactive approach to improving their impact on society - meeting the needs of today without compromising the needs of future generations. Entries can be about a one-off project or a wide ranging policy change linked to strategy. The judges will be looking for examples of good corporate citizenship, together with evidence of a creative approach to social or environmental issues. Details of the motivating factors and how the organisation's staff have been involved in initiatives will be welcomed, together with a description of the level of investment made and the positive outcome for both the community and the business.

Business Turnaround of the Year

The judges will be looking for a business that has achieved a substantial, measurable commercial recovery since 1 January 2003 through the identification of the barriers to growth and improved business performance, the positive management of the change process and the application of best practice in its management and operation.

Entries are invited from small, medium and large companies who have a presence in any one of the 33 London Boroughs. It is free to enter and you may enter more than one award. All entries must be received by 30 September. Click on www.londonbusinesswards.co.uk for more details, or click here for an entry form (, 348KB)

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