Business Excellence Awards Magazine

BUSINESS excellence Best-in-Class for Multi -Currency Merchant Services & Most Innovative CEO – California We are part of the tsunami of changing technology. We are the ones changing it, and we’re way ahead of the game.

When you find out a product that happens today, we probably talked about it and started building it about three or four years ago.

Andy Khawaja, CEO - Allied Wallet

Best Independent Financial Consultancy

www.acquisition-intl.com/business-excellence

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BUSINESS excellence

foreword Welcome to AI Magazine’s 2015 Business Excellence Awards.

As an ever-increasing air of optimism spreads across the corporate landscape and opportunities and results continue to grow, so too do business professionals’ ambitions and desire to take their businesses to the next level.

The prestigious 2015 Business Excellence Awards honour those professionals working tirelessly to raise the bar, accepting nothing but the best when it comes to their firms and wider industries and all of our award winners, without exception, are united by the stellar standards they set themselves and the outstanding results they achieve.

We are proud to be able to recognise and represent these leading firms and individuals, which is why, as with all of our awards, the 2015 Business Excellence Awards are based purely on merit, going only to the firms and individuals who have pulled out all the stops and done truly amazing things over the past 12 months.

The extensive research and rigorous judging processes performed by our dedicated awards team mean that all winners can take tremendous pride in being recognised for these awards.

So to learn more about the professionals currently making their mark and paving the way for an exciting 2015 and beyond, read on….

contents Allied Wallet

deVere Group

Datagenic

Oki Systems UK Ltd.

Best-in-Class for Multi-Currency Merchant Services & Most Innovative CEO - California / Page 6

Best Independent Financial Consultancy / Page 10

Award for Innovation in Data Management Software / Page 12

Best B2B Printer Manufacturer - UK / Page 14

SolarReserve

Volume Ltd

Charterhouse Research Ltd

Ethiopian Airlines

Most Innovative Developer of Renewable Energy Projects - USA / Page 16

Most Innovative Digital Media Company - UK / Page 18

Best for Financial Services Market Research - UK / Page 21

Business Airline of the Year - Africa / Page 22

Investment Quorum Ltd

J. Knipper and Company, Inc

Lovato Electric Ltd.

Macdougall Arts Ltd.

Best Wealth Management Service - UK / Page 25

Best for Healthcare Marketing Services - USA / Page 26

Award for Excellence in Energy Management - UK / Page 30

Auction House of the Year - UK / Page 32

PDL BioPharma, Inc.

RUSSELL ADVOCATEN

Dan Edmund

Speak With Impact Ltd.

Best Portfolio of Patents & Royalty Assets – USA / Page 33

Best for Outside Corporate Counsel - The Netherlands / Page 34

Entrepreneur of the Year – Utah / Page 37

Best for Public Speaking Courses - UK / Page 38

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BUSINESS excellence

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contents Treasure Coast Food Bank

Tusker

The TRG Group

Alaric Compliance Services, LLC

Nonprofit Company of the Year - Florida / Page 40

Best Car Scheme - UK / Page 41

Best in Recruitment Services - London / Page 42

Award for Excellence in Regulatory Compliance - New York / Page 44

Alltex Coring & Sawing, LLC

Anglian Intumescent Ltd

Ascentek Inc

Atrium

Best Women-Owned Business - Tarrant County / Page 45

Fire Prevention Specifies of the Year - UK / Page 46

Best MA IT Consulting Firm - Massachucetts / Page 47

Best for Creative Financing Solutions – Canada / Page 48

Attunity

Augentius

B.I. Catering

Blackline GPS

Award for Innovation in Data Transfer - USA / Page 49

Private Equity Fund Administrator of the Year - Singapore / Page 50

Best Catering Equipment Service Provider - East Anglia / Page 51

No. 1 Wireless Location Technology Company - Canada / Page 52

BP & E Global

Brison Ltd

British Waterways Marinas

Catalyst Communications

Best for Board Development Services - UK / Page 53

Best Operational Risk Management Consultants - Trinidad and Tobago / Page 54

Best Marina management - UK / Page 55

Award for Excellence in Technology-Focused Communications - UK / Page 56

ChangeGroup

CloudOrigin

Cornerstone

Coyle White Devine

Best Bureau De Change Company - UK / Page 57

Enterprise Cloud Specialist of the Year / Page 58

Best in Lower Middle Market Acquisitions – USA / Page 59

Dispute Resolution Firm of the Year – UK / Page 60

Deloitte

Dial-A-Carer Ltd

Diamond Logistics

e-know.net ltd.

Award for Excellence in Transactional Services - Norway / Page 61

Home Health Care Company of the Year - UK / Page 62

Logistics Provider 2015 – UK / Page 63

Environmentally Friendly Data Centre of the Year - UK / Page 64

Fishman® Corporation

Forendo Pharma Ltd

Frank Taylor & Associates Ltd.

From Sweden Ltd.

Engineering Excellence Award: Outstanding Product - SmartDispenser - Massachusetts / Page 65

Best Pharmaceutical Company - Finland / Page 66

Award for Excellence in Dental Practice Acquisition Advice - UK / Page 67

Award for Excellence in Performing Arts Promotion - UK / Page 68

Globalcare Clinical Trials

Holt Mitsubishi Ltd.

IEG

Inclusive Technology

Best Provider of Ambulant Health Care Services for Clinical Trials / Page 69

Car Dealership of the Year - Midlands / Page 70

Award for Excellence in Investment Banking - Germany & Deal of the Year: C3 Merger / Page 71

Award for Innovation in Special Educational Needs Software / Page 72

IntraMicron, Inc.

Jacob Bailey

Jumpforward

Kessler International

Award for Innovation in Microfibrous Technology / Page 73

Engagement Agency of the Year - UK / Page 74

Best for IT Customer Support - Illinois / Page 75

Finance CEO of the Year - USA / Page 76

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Listen

MacDougall Arts Ltd.

MakroCare

MAPFRE ASISTENCIA

Best Telephone Fundraising Agency - UK / Page 77

Auction House of the Year - UK / Page 78

Best Bio-Pharma Development Partner / Page 81

Entrepreneur of the Year – Utah / Page 82

mBELLAb

MCS

Merrill DataSite

Metre Squared Interiors

SME Advisor of the Year - the UAE / Page 84

Best Cleaning and Support Service - Leicestershire / Page 85

Award for Excellence in VDR Solutions / Page 86

Award for Excellence in Office Fit Outs - London / Page 87

Midpoint

Mindpearl

Mindpearl

NAUTIC AFRICA

Peer 2 Peer Currency Matching Platform - UK / Page 88

Award for Excellence in Customer Service – South Africa / Page 89

Best Flexible Outsourcing Services – Fiji / Page 90

Best Ship Builders - South Africa / Page 91

Nevyan Intel

Origin Event Planning LLC

Pact Group Holdings (Pact)

Permanent Makeup Training

Best for Intelligence and Asset Identification - UK / Page 92

Best for Event Planning - Nevada / Page 93

Award for Excellence in Innovative Food Packaging - Australia / Page 94

Health and Beauty Training Programme of the Year - UK / Page 96

Project Sport

Property Divas

REMTCS

Rope Runners

Best CEO in the Events Sector / Page 99

Award for Excellence in Bespoke Property Solutions - UK / Page 100

Advisory Team of the Year - New jersey & Most Advanced Security System - USA / Page 101

Activity Centre of the Year - Essex / Page 102

Rudolph and Hellmann

SLS Consulting

Solver, Inc.

Smart HR Solutions Limited

Award for Excellence in Automotive Logistic Services - UK / Page 103

Best PR Team - California & Award for Innovation in Legal Marketing / Page 104

Best Mid-Market Business Intelligence Solutions - USA / Page 105

Award for Excellence in HR Services - Isle of Man / Page 106

The SPA Group Ltd

Star

Sterling

Streetvibes UK Ltd.

Best for Short Film Production - UK / Page 108

Best in Healthcare Recruitment - UK / Page 109

Data Room Provider of the Year - UK / Page 110

Best Alternative Education Centre - UK / Page 111

David Desharnais (Traxpay)

Triverto

UATP

Utility Choice

2015 CMO of the Year Award for B2B Innovation and Global Markets / Page 112

Change Management Consultancy of the Year - UK / Page 115

Best Travel Payment Platform - USA / Page 116

Best Gas and Electricity Comparison Site - UK / Page 117

The Vanella Group

Vienna Capital Partners

Zen

Best Telemarketing Services - California / Page 118

Investment Company of the Year - Austria & Advisory Company of the Year - Austria / Page 119

Best for Production Equipment - UK / Page 120

Business Excellence Awards 2015 / 5

BUSINESS excellence

www.acquisition-intl.com/business-excellence

★ Best-in-Class for Multi-Currency Merchant Services & Most Innovative CEO – California

Allied Wallet Allied Wallet offer customized payment solutions to businesses of any size. They have services in 164 currencies, 196 countries, and incorporate nearly every payment method globally. We spoke to Founder and CEO, Andy Khawaja, about their development into a global company, and continued desire to innovate and improve their services.

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★ Company: AlliedWallet Name: Andy Khawaja Email: nsiggers@alliedwallet.com Web: www.alliedwallet.com Address: 9000 W. Sunset Blvd. #820, West Hollywood, CA 90069

With the phenomenon of online payments becoming more and more widespread across the globe, Khawaja started Allied Wallet when the internet was only just beginning. “I started the infrastructure for Allied Wallet based on a security and fraud prevention platform,” says Khawaja. “This was to make sure when people use money online, that they get the best security services. On this platform, they got encrypted card numbers which back in the day didn’t even exist.”

It was this unique technology that Allied Wallet started from, and since then have continued to expand and evolve their products and services. “When anyone goes on any unique website to purchase an item, they enter their card number and that number can be replicated and used by someone else. What Allied Wallet has done, is built a gateway that identified the card number and encrypted it into 50 or 60 different letters and digits, which means it can never be replicated by hackers and a third party. We started the company based on identity protection, securing credit cards, and making sure that people are safe in their transactions. Down the road, I saw the potential of expanding the business. We then came up with the processing engine, which is very similar to PayPal, but a little bit more unique. On this platform, we pay merchants straight into the bank account instead of depositing the money into a wallet.”

As the company continues to expand, security still remains the top priority for Allied Wallet. From Khawaja’s experience, many banks tend to focus more on short-term gains of earning profit rather than Allied Wallets’ long-term objective keeping their customers safe and ensuring that their service is secure. “Security is always a big issue because it also about protecting the identity of the person transacting, and the biggest issue is securing the card number,” explains Khawaja. “A lot of people who are in the credit card processing business don’t really have the security up to speed. They don’t have it 100% functional to the point that you can definitely protect the consumer. And the reason why, is because it simply costs too much. If you have very expensive high-end security with no loopholes, the transaction fee is going to go higher. It’s a big issue that the majority of banks don’t have any advanced security in place because they don’t want to invest in the product and make higher transaction fees. They’d rather make more money, but the customer has to deal with the issues and get the headaches.

“For this reason, the majority of our company’s money is invested into security. When you transact with us, we’re going to make sure your card number will never-ever be stolen or used by a third party until the end of time. Other banks don’t really do that, and that’s because for them it’s about how much they make on each transaction and are not looking at how much they spend to secure the transaction. That’s what it solely comes down to: profit, profit, profit. It’s pretty sad, but it’s just the name of the game.”

Launching in first week of July 2015 is Allied Wallet’s brand new app ‘New Generation’, which is a further testament to their desire to continue to improve upon their services. “We had a similar app built years ago, but we had to get rid of it because of security. With this new app, it can accommodate all new products and all new merchants. If you can imagine, it took us three years to upgrade our previous app and we deleted it because security is too important to us.”

In the same vein as security, developing their technology is also a primary objective for Allied Wallet. “The philosophy behind the business is to understand what our consumers need, what merchants need, and to build something around them to make things easy for them to transact. Technology in the end, is the future of all business. Therefore, Allied Wallet spends 60% of its time and effort on technology, and that also makes us very unique and is the secret behind our success.

“We are part of the tsunami of changing technology. We are the ones changing it, and we’re way ahead of the game. When you find out a product that happens today, we probably talked about it and started building it about three or four years ago. When Apple announced the launch of the Apple fingerprint, I talked about this two years beforehand. The reason why we know about it is, because we implement these products. We create things, we implement them, and people pick up the ideas. For three years now in Japan, you can withdraw money from ATMs with a fingerprint and it’s now on every corner. My approach is to travel the world, to poke my nose in everybody’s business and understand what it is they do best. Then I find a weakness, make it better, make it shine and reproduce it.

“At Allied Wallet we are constantly trying to improving our service 24/7. There are always people on the other side, we call it the ‘dark side’, where they try to find a loop to get into the system and steal data. We see ourselves as the light at the end of the tunnel or the saviour of consumers being victimised by fraud and data theft.

What we try to do is protect them, and that is our job. In fact, it’s a duty and not a job. It simple has to be done.”

As a truly global company, Allied Wallet treats customers and merchants equally, regardless of the region or jurisdiction they are located in. “We always look more globally. We have expanded from 20 currencies to 190 currencies, and now literally serve about 80 countries worldwide. In terms of expansion, I’ve seen growth in online payments in India, in Mexico and Brazil. These are the 3 regions we are focusing on at the moment, because we have seen a very large increase.

“We never look at any country and think they’re not up to do business or shouldn’t be involved with them. In fact, we went to every country from the start: we went to India, Brazil, and Latin America. We give everybody

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★ the chance and the opportunity to credit card transactions and we accommodate every single country and every single merchant as long as they are a legitimate type of business. As long as the business is legit, we will give you an open hand, and we will welcome you with open arms. Based on the business type, so long as the business type in that region is legal, then there is no problem.”

Giving start-up companies a chance is something Khawaja is very passionate about. Before Allied Wallet became an international player, he struggled for years to get his company recognised and given the opportunities they needed to expand. “When we started at Allied Wallet, nobody gave us a chance, and it was really difficult. We struggled for five years to get a solution for a bank to recognise and even allow us to event transact. Everybody deserves a chance to transact online and everybody who wants to be an entrepreneur just like myself can come to Allied Wallet and we will give you the chance and the give you the home to become a successful businessperson. You can never start big, you must always start small and I love those who start small because they give me the ability to see them grow. It’s like raising your own child and I love it!”

From Khawaja’s experience, many banks are not giving start-ups the opportunities due to a combination of only focusing on profits and not understanding the dynamics behind new businesses. “The problem is, banks are not knowledgeable in this business. We understand it more than anyone in the market, and we’ve been doing since the dot-com days. We built ourselves a reputation in the market, we built ourselves trust with our clients, and we built the functionality of the business. We understand what consumers need, what merchants need, and we understand both of their needs the most. We accommodate them, and we try to help them as much as we can. We give them a chance to process because we know the business is going to work, and we know the business model more than anybody else in this industry. And that’s what makes us unique.

“One thing that a lot of people don’t understand about the difficulties that normal merchants face, is that a lot of banks won’t deal with start-up businesses. They don’t want to take the chances on you losing money and they couldn’t back it up. That’s a big issue with banks that they don’t understand the business we get. To be honest, a lot of banks are dropping out of this business because they don’t understand it. Banks like Barclays and HSBC are cutting on the e-commerce because they don’t understand the e-commerce. They’re more into issuing loans, refinancing and etc. because they think that’s where the money is. But this is not correct because the future is in electronic transactions. The future is in digital money: we see this happen with the expansion of mobile payments, with the expansion of mobile phones, and with all the new apps that are being generated on a daily basis. From the touch of phone, you can now access any product worldwide.

“Another thing banks don’t understand is the BIN issuer transaction. This means they need to cascade from where the pin has been issued with which each country. If you have a customer in Singapore transacting with a UK Bank, that transaction is being settled in the UK and maybe the bank in Singapore could potentially think this is a fraudulent transaction and block the card. With us, we settle this in the bank where the transaction is located, and this way there will be no cross-border transactions. As a result, the approval rate for this is at 93%, and is the highest in the history of this market. It’s simply unheard of. It’s like somebody saying, I just saw a guy walking on water, and nobody would believe you.”

Despite dealing with a diverse range of customers with different needs and requirements, the company ensures that they get the same level of security and peace of mind with their information and finances. “We deal with all kind of merchants, including some very conservative merchants and as well as ones with some very clever ideas too. Some are merchants selling ideas online, some are selling technology online, and some are also transacting via online apps. We deal with companies as little as a start-up company with a 50 Euro per month budget to a public traded company that does over 20 billion a year. We treat everybody equal because money is money and it’s our responsibility to ensure that the transaction goes smooth, and the approval rate is higher than anybody else.”

As Allied Wallet continues to expand its footprint across the globe, Khawaja’s long term ambition is to have a dedicated platform that has every single merchant and every single consumer in the world. “I’m working on something very unique that can bring traffic to the merchants, and can attract a lot of consumers to go on the API that I’m building. It’s going to be very similar to Stripe, but much more advanced and dedicated to accommodate for profit for merchants. It will only be available exclusively for Allied Wallet, so if you want to us this product, you have to sign up for this product.”

Speaking about the awards, Khawaja is pleased to be recognised but is certainly not resting on his laurels. In fact, he is driven to further innovate and expand the Allied Wallet brand. “I think these awards are not enough, because to be honest with you I should be awarded for the things I’m doing every day. There’s nobody else that understands the difficulties in technology, and the complications behind that. Once you build something unique and constantly improve the service on it, it’s a home run. It’s a home run for multiple tasks: it’s a home run for people starting businesses, it’s a home run for consumers trying to speed up their transactions and it’s a home run for people wanting to secure their transactions. We work on multiple levels here, and it’s very important to do that. Other people get awards from building one product and receive awards for the rest of their life. I do products every single month, and not just only one product, I do it on a different level of security and a different level of transactions. It’s an innovation, and I’m the master of innovation. I believe so much in what I do and what I do, I do best.”

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BUSINESS excellence

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★ Best Independent Financial Consultancy

deVere Group deVere Group is the world’s leading independent financial consultancy group, with more than $10 billion of funds under advice and administration, and over 80,000 clients around the world. They help their clients, who range from international investors to expatriates who have moved their families overseas to live and work, to find financial strategies and investment vehicles that are best suited to help them create wealth. We spoke to their CEO Nigel Green to find out more.

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★ Name: deVere Group Web: www.devere-group.com

deVere Group helps clients safeguard and grow their money, according to their medium- to long- term requirements. Services they offer include insurance policies, investment options, savings and pensions. Their operations are carried out on a case-by-case basis by their qualified network of international financial advisers, allowing them to take each client’s goals and expectations into consideration when charting their financial plans and delivering the professional financial advisory services they are renowned for.

With deVere Group, international investors can rest assured that their financial portfolio is in safe, experienced hands that know what it takes to make wealth grow. “As a company, we’re the largest in our field and are available in more countries than our competitors,” says Green. “We’re ambitious and are always looking for the best product, are always driven, and like to think that we’re at the cutting edge all the time.

“We have 71 offices around the world, including the Middle East, Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, London Johannesburg, and Cape Town. These places have mainly expatriates and people at the top-end of the local market who want to invest in an international product rather than a local product. Depending on the licence we have, we can advise locals as well as expatriates in most countries.” deVere Group’s industry is one that is constantly changing and evolving, which is why Green is always aware of any new developments relating to their business. “There are a number of challenges facing us in our market,” says Green. “Things change very quickly and tax is changing all the time. For example, a change of government in the UK could potentially have happened so we had to be ready in advance if a new party came into government and implemented any new changes. You always have to be aware of tax changes, and need to be aware of things going on in Europe as well as any changes to UK legislation.”

As well as tax, being at the forefront of any developments in investment is equally as important. “You also need to be aware of the investment markets,” says Green. “We’re currently in an unusual market where interest rates have been low for a long period of time, and stock markets now are quite high. You have to be aware of a changing environment both tax-wise and investment-wise. Clients want service and above all they want instant service so we need to be able to help them as quickly and efficiently as possible. It’s obviously important that we are aware of all of those facts.”

Despite having a business that spans across numerable jurisdictions, deVere Group’s aim is to provide the best possible service for every client, regardless of what region they are dealing with. “There are different regulations around the world,” says Green. “But at the end of the day it comes down to giving the client the best service and the best possible advice that you can. Clients in our industry need to look out for a global service.

If you were to look at a product yourself in the UK and then end up retiring in Spain, you want to know that the company can look after you not only when you’re in London but also when you’re in Spain. You need a company that’s going to look after you in various jurisdictions if you’re an international person-as many people are.

“More specifically, you need an adviser and a company that you can trust. You get that impression when you meet us, and it’s up to us to maintain that trust. It’s tough to build it up, and you can lose it in a second. It’s like any relationship, it’s something you have to constantly work on.”

Providing the best service and maintaining relationships with their clients is something deVere Group is constantly trying to improve upon. “To keep our service at a high standard we do special training and have a number of advisers who work for the company that travel and visit locations. When visiting, they explain strategies to advisers to keep everyone up to date. More and more, we use webinars and technology to keep in touch with everybody.”

As a global company, technology is a huge part of connecting their diverse range of clients. Not only that, technology has also changed their clients’ habits in terms of how they become informed. “I find as well that more and more people are willing to watch something rather than read something,” says Green. “So even for getting in touch with our clients and our consultants, we ended up using short clips rather than words to cater to their needs. That’s a definite general direction we’re moving into. The biggest changes are not really happening in our industry but things coming from outside of it. People are looking online, and looking for things that they can easily understand and assimilate quickly. There’s an explosion of information everywhere, so people want concise, easy and relevant information.”

Speaking about the awards, Green says: “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved and we’re very happy to have received the award. We’re absolutely delighted and that gives us more inspiration to continue to grow and do even better things in the future.”

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BUSINESS excellence

www.acquisition-intl.com/business-excellence

★ Award for Innovation in Data Management Software

DataGenic DataGenic is the leading global provider of on-premise and in-cloud Smart Commodity Data Management software, delivering intelligent analytics, real-time data content and proven business value. The innovative solutions include a data-agnostic, multi-commodity data management platform; visual mapping and management of business processes; extensive and extensible data quality management; unlimited forward curves construction and an intelligent decision framework.

Name: Richard Quigley Company: DataGenic Ltd Email: Richard.quigley@datagenicgroup.com Web Address: www.datagenicgroup.com Address: Cheapside House, 138 Cheapside, London, UK EC2V 6BJ Telephone: +44 (0) 203 814 8500

Awards are important for our industry to highlight the companies that are best-in-class and leading innovators in commodity data management, that are trusted globally by some of the largest commodity market players.

It is also important that our world class, global team receives recognition for their extraordinary efforts that are required to ensure we surpass industry standards each and every day.

Innovation is very much part of our DNA and as such DataGenic have always heavily invested in research and development to ensure our products meet or surpass the industry needs and it is gratifying that we receive recognition for this. Continuous research into emerging technologies and trends such as Big Data and Artificial Intelligence feed into our extensive roadmap with new products on the horizon and innovative features added to existing ones.

DataGenic has focused on delivering systems that far outclass the competition by using the most advanced software technologies. We get to know our customers’ requirements and use creativity to think beyond what has been requested. Innovation is about connecting the dots, by seeing the problems and hatching ideas how to address them. Our major focus is providing value to our products and develop new ones that offer more intelligence to the end user. The use of artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, complex event processing and sentiment analysis, all help to join the dots in real time (from the deluge of data that traders and risk manager cope with each day) to offer indicators and predictions that offer the competitive edge. The external challenges we have faced is getting users to think differently, to use information differently, and to break out of the mould “we’ve always done it this way”. It’s always a challenge for any company that is highly innovative and challenges the norm, whether it be Apple with their IPod or DataGenic with the Genic DataiQ application!

The service model we provide is a solutions orientation that always takes into consideration the utmost in customer satisfaction. DataGenic delivers solutions to real customer challenges in enterprise data management. Our products are very modular and standalone, allowing us to provide solutions that fit customer needs, offering cloud, on premise or hosting and a 24/7 support model. We work with customers to ensure that our systems are tailored to their environment and integrated within their existing business processes rather than forcing them to fit their business to what we provide.

Our approach has always been to listen to the customers and be creative. We give our people the opportunities to learn every day and challenge them to think beyond tomorrow. Interaction within the organisation, as well as with the customers is the key to that. A project oriented approach allows people to focus on specific targets and move on to the next.

Superior application of technology and simplifying interfaces is what sets DataGenic apart. When you look at a basic checklist of what our systems do, it may not be obvious what is different because just to be in the game certain functions are a given. But when you look at how our solutions work, how flexible they are along with the ease of configuration and use, the real differences stand out. When customers see the possibilities, they realize quickly where the advantages lie.

Most of the industry data management systems have not progressed technologically to any great extent for a number of years. With dramatic increases in government regulations, depressed oil prices, Big Data, lower margins, our customers require a technology partner that, not only improves their operational efficiency, but delivers unique value that translates into their bottom line. Much of the competition has hunkered down into a defensive posture, rather than growing and extending their products and services. DataGenic has been successful in capturing opportunities by being more progressive and continuing to adopt new approaches.

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Best B2B Printer Manufacturer - UK

Oki Systems UK Ltd Oki Systems UK, part of OKI Europe, a division of OKI Data Corporation is one of the UK’s leading business-to-business printer brands. We got in touch with them about how they are dedicated to continuously improving the quality of their products, appli­cations and services to help increase the efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of businesses and other organisations across a wide range of vertical sectors.

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★ Company: OKI Systems (UK) Ltd Name: Andrew Hall Email: Andrew.hall@okieurope.co.uk Web Address: www.oki.co.uk Address: OKI Systems (UK) Ltd, Blays House, Wick Road, Egham, TW20 0HJ, UK Telephone: 01784 274300

As a result of constant desire to improve our services, OKI’s printers and multifunction printers are fast, high performance machines with optimised energy efficiency. Ranging from affordable, small footprint, entry level mono and colour devices to enterprise class multifunction solutions, our products can be delivered as part of a smart Managed Document Solutions programme to help organisations streamline investment and maximise operational benefits.

OKI prides itself on being ‘big enough to matter, small enough to care.’ Our focus is always on ensuring that our customers are able to make optimum use of our solutions and service offerings. Everyone working for OKI cares about the company, the brand and the products and we place a great deal of emphasis on developing robust, reliable and high-quality products and offering 24/7 customer support.

We have a strong focus on trust and loyalty not just in terms of the solutions we manufacture and the customer service we deliver but also with regards to the people who work for us. We look to develop our employees and we have a good record of staff retention. Unlike many of our competitors, we are specialists in print and that is always our core focus.

What sets OKI apart from some of its competitors is that we are solely a printer brand. In addition, we have LED technology which we own and have developed over the course of the past 30 years. We are innovative and are continuously bringing new products to market and we strive to have the product breadth in our portfolio to satisfy all of our customers’ needs.

Ultimately, clients in our industry should be looking above all for vendors that are reliable and trustworthy and genuinely care about their customers’ business. Product breadth is key also. At OKI, we don’t just offer printers, we have a complete portfolio of solutions and services to satisfy business needs. While some of our competitors might only offer a small selection of products, OKI offers a wide range of specialist devices.

Our main business challenge was in centralising service and support. We have invested heavily in recent times in training in this area, in ensuring that relevant staff are fully up to speed and in dedicating the level of resource to the challenge. Our primary focus has been and will continue to be on customer service and satisfaction.

In our industry, we have seen two trends in particular dominating. First, we have witnessed strong growth in the multifunction sector as compared to traditional page printers as businesses look to streamline. Second, we are seeing more and more companies looking at cost control through managed print services and buying print as a service rather than a transactional hardware purchase. If you go back five or six years, managed print was still quite new in the market and typically the preserve of larger enterprise customers. That has now changed as smaller businesses focus more on managing and controlling print costs. It’s a trend that we have seen accelerate even further over the course of the past 12 months.

We believe that some of the big trends that have manifested themselves over the past 12 months will still play an important role over the next year. We will see multifunction devices continue to develop and become more integrated into business workflows as customers look to manage documents digitally. Mobile printing is also set to become ever more important also as users increasingly prize single mobile printing apps that allow them to print to almost any device using innovative new approaches like Google Cloud Print or Apple’s AirPrint, for example.

We are honoured to be recognised for this prestigious award. We believe we owe our success to the hard work we put in developing high-quality robust, reliable products built and designed for B2B environments. We are a pioneer in LED technology, having launched the world’s first LED printer in 1981 and we continue to innovate in this space.

Winning one of these awards is increasingly highly prized by businesses across all industry sectors. It is very positive for OKI to be able to share our success more widely not only across the business as a whole but also more widely with our partners and customers.

We remain committed to striving hard to enhance our customer experience by optimising our service delivery.

Business Excellence Awards 2015 / 15

BUSINESS excellence

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★ Most Innovative Developer of Renewable Energy Projects - USA

SolarReserve

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★ Company: SolarReserve Name: Kevin Smith, Chief Executive Officer Web Address: www.solarreserve.com Address: 2425 Olympic Blvd., Suite 500 EAST, Santa Monica, CA 90404

Kevin Smith is SolarReserve’s Chief Executive Officer and joined the company as one of its founding executives in 2008. Smith drives SolarReserve’s efforts to develop and build large-scale solar energy projects in the US and internationally. Smith brings 30 years of energy industry experience to his role as SolarReserve’s CEO. He has held senior executive positions with many successful energy companies aimed at developing solar and wind energy projects as well as natural gas, oil and biomass-fueled electricity facilities. Throughout his career, Smith has actively led the development, financing and construction of privately owned energy projects in fifteen countries and five continents around the world. These constructed projects total more than 5,000 megawatts with long-term electricity sales contracts in excess of $55 billion.

As renewable energy penetration grows, the need for utility scale renewable generation with storage technology is increasingly important to mitigate intermittency problems, deliver power into peak demand periods, and support transmission system reliability. SolarReserve was formed in January 2008 with the purpose of commercializing advanced US developed molten salt ‘power tower’ technology with energy storage for utility scale concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) under a global exclusive license from Rocketdyne, who at the time was a subsidiary of United Technologies. This proprietary technology was developed and tested for more than two decades, with over 100 US and global patents. In October 2014, SolarReserve acquired all the technology outright, including intellectual property rights and patents related to molten salt technology for concentrating solar-thermal power and electricity storage applications, and heliostat designs and collector field control systems.

CSP power tower technology with integrated molten salt energy storage is emerging as the industry leader in terms of efficiency, reliability, and cost among all CSP options. Independent studies have shown that CSP with molten salt storage is as reliable as fossil fuel generation for meeting the grid’s demands at peak times.

As intermittent renewables such as wind power and photovoltaics (PV) become more widespread globally, they will contribute less and less to meeting peak demands, but CSP with storage will maintain its value over the long term, even as demand profiles change. While battery technology continues to improve, progress is incremental, and costs are prohibitive for large scale installations – with these high costs further complicated by battery performance, degradation, replacement and end of life environmental considerations.

SolarReserve’s flagship 110 MW Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant in Nevada, with 10 hours of full load energy storage, is the world’s first utility-scale facility to feature advanced molten salt power tower energy storage capabilities. The project’s 1.1 GW hour storage capability is almost 40 times the size of the largest battery storage project in construction or built to date. The Crescent Dunes project, now complete with construction and currently in the commissioning phase, is scheduled to commence full operations in mid-2015, and will be the only operating utility scale molten salt power tower on the planet. Crescent Dunes will deliver more than 500,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year – twice the output of a similar sized PV solar project without storage. SolarReserve’s US developed proprietary storage technology is a fraction of the cost of utility scale battery storage with virtually no performance degradations over time. And the molten salt never needs replacement for the entire 30+ year life of the plant.

Last December, the South Africa Department of Energy selected SolarReserve’s 100 MW Redstone project in its latest round of solar energy projects at the lowest delivered cost of electricity of any concentrating solar power project in South Africa to date. The 100 MW project with 12 hours of full load energy storage, based on the technology deployed in the Crescent Dunes project, will be able to reliably deliver a stable electricity supply to more than 200,000 South African homes during peak demand periods, even well after the sun has set. The project is scheduled to achieve financial close later in 2015 and commence operations in 2018.

Along with the 100 MW Redstone CSP project, SolarReserve currently has three photovoltaic projects, totaling 246 MW of generation capacity in operation in South Africa.

To deliver reliable and cost effective 24/7 base load power, SolarReserve is developing CSP projects that integrate substantial PV into the design. These ‘hybrid’ CSP + PV projects can compete with traditional generation while providing emission-free and low water use generation. Balancing CSP with PV ‘inside the fence’ eliminates the intermittency issues associated with PV-only projects while providing cost efficient and reliable electricity generation. These baseload solar power plants can operate at a high capacity factor and availability to fully utilize transmission infrastructure. In Chile, SolarReserve was the first company in the country, and worldwide, to start development of a fully integrated CSP and PV hybrid project to supply power to the mining sector, an industry that requires 24/7 power supply. This hybrid concept will maximize the output of the facility, delivering over 1,700 gigawatt hours annually, at a highly competitive and unsubsidized price of power that competes with coal and natural gas plants to provide round the clock supply. The project’s more than 3.6 GW-hours of energy storage is the key to meeting the market demands.

SolarReserve is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and maintains a global presence with seven international offices strategically located in Africa, the Americas, the Asia Pacific region, the Middle East, and Europe to support its widespread project development activities across more than 20 countries.

Business Excellence Awards 2015 / 17

BUSINESS excellence

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★ Most Innovative Digital Media Company - UK

Volume Ltd Volume is an award winning global provider of digital content, technology and innovation, supporting clients through four key areas of competence.

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★ Company: Volume Limited Name: Chris Sykes Email: chris.sykes@volumeglobal.com Web Address: volumeglobal.com Address: Buckhurst Court, London Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, UK, RG40 1PA Telephone: +44 (0) 1189 775800

Client Services and Support – People Volume clients are busy people; challenged to do more with less internal resource and support. The company provides exclusive and on-demand resource to help clients execute their projects, campaigns and programs.

Volume supports clients across the globe where location and time differences are no barriers to delivering world-class client service and project execution.

Creative agency – digital content Volume creates content in all its consumable forms. The Volume creative and production teams are experts in copy writing; digital, web and traditional design; concept development; strategic thinking; production; 3D modelling; illustrating and more. With an impressive specialist skill set, the company strives to create award winning content, from words and imagery to animations and video, in many languages, for any application.

Learning and development practice – Training To be successful, you need to retain your best people, and to retain your best people you need to provide them with on demand access to easily consumable training content across all devices. Volume’s e-learning experts and Instructional Design specialists work with clients’ Subject Matter Experts to turn training into a fully interactive and valued experience.

Technology practice – Innovation Whether complementing existing legacy applications or plugging gaps in functionality and capability, Volume’s bespoke built technology is omnipresent across clients’ technology and digital ecosystems. Competencies span Content Management and Delivery platforms, Learning Management Systems, Channel Management and Sales Assessment tools to Digital Interaction platforms and Mobile applications.

Chris Sykes, Founder and Chief Executive acknowledges the company’s achievement. “It’s always great to receive acknowledgement and accolades for a particular area of competence and expertise,” said Sykes. “We innovate in every area of our business not just for our clients but for inside Volume too. This kind of recognition endorses our efforts and motivates everyone inside the company to continue to be ahead of the curve.”

Awards are important, not only as justification for your work or efforts but also as a differentiator between competing businesses. Our sector is incredibly diverse. For potential clients, it’s vital that they work with best of breed partners. Awards help in that selection process. They are also great motivators for staff.

We focussed on our four areas of competence. These four pillars represent our go to market model and although intrinsically linked, they are also utilised as standalone service offerings. Our challenge was removing the ‘agency’ tag from our positioning and although the ‘creative agency’ pillar is still a focus, convincing the market that you could now also deliver the best people resource, enterprise class business software and mobile application development, as well as best in class e-learning systems and content was a key hurdle to overcome. Working with new clients such as HP, GoDaddy and Virgin Media Business in these new areas of competence hopefully show we’ve overcome that hurdle.

Quality of service, quality of output and quality of delivery and ongoing quality of support are vital to our growth and success. We measure our people based on client satisfaction and use NPS (Net Promoter Score) as a benchmark for continuous improvement and service continuity. Also making sure we challenge legacy applications and processes to solve clients’ business problems. Our innovation philosophy is also a key contributor to the longevity of our client relationships.

Clients are always looking for better ways to communicate and engage with customers. They are often ill equipped to take advantage of the new and emerging communication and engagement platforms, social media and mobile predominantly.

These businesses are often constrained through a lack of competence and understanding in the business, or the lack of competency from a trusted partner that almost overnight has become an apparent expert in these areas. Volume’s clients are its proof point that we deliver tangible returns in these new areas, and are working with some of the world’s largest and most progressive organisations.

Volume’s culture is our present and our future. This means we develop and retain our people, whilst becoming an employer brand and a destination for new talent coming into the market. We took the decision to set up a best in class HR function when we were 60 people. Now we are a 120, this internal area of competence drives and maintains a culture of inspiration and motivation to succeed. At the heart of Volume’s culture is openness and internal communication. We have developed innovations that keep everyone in the business informed of what’s going on and news in and around the company. High retention rates of our best people mean clients get continuity of service and IP from long term relationships.

You can see from our client base these organisations use us to deliver services traditionally from separate and individual vendors. In today’s resource light and time deficient world, clients see the benefit of dealing with fewer trusted partners but with the peace of mind that they are receiving the highest levels of expertise.

We are seeing more and more businesses invest in people, processes and training. This is born from the need to do more with much less and organisations striving to improve efficiency and productivity. The investment in training content and learning management platforms has certainly increased this year.

We will see continued evolution of mobile capabilities and social engagement platforms, as well as a new generation of digital interaction capabilities. Mobile and social within a rapidly growing digital eco-system can now be seen as mainstream. The early adopters are starting to reap the rewards. The opportunities for Volume are not only helping these organisations maintain their lead but also help organisations that are less mature or confident in these areas.

Business Excellence Awards 2015 / 19

BUSINESS excellence

www.acquisition-intl.com/business-excellence

★ Best for Financial Services Market Research - UK

Charterhouse Research is the leading financial market research consultancy, combining research skills among consumers and businesses with detailed financial sector knowledge, working in partnership with its clients to deliver commercially-orientated actionable results. We got in touch with them about their unique service and the challenges they face in their industry.

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★ As financial research specialists we have unrivalled experience and work with major blue-chip brands including the leading UK banks as well as challenger banks, major insurers, credit card companies, asset managers, government agencies and regulators.

We conduct research across the whole marketing mix including brand development, positioning and tracking; customer acquisition, satisfaction and retention; new product development and proposition testing; market sizing and segmentation; advertising tracking and communications testing.

In addition to commissioned research, Charterhouse has developed its own UK Business Banking Survey, the most extensive continuous study ever conducted into the banking needs of businesses in the UK. Interviewing over 17,000 businesses each year since 2010, from new start-ups to companies with sales of £1bn, the survey is acknowledged as the key monitor of UK business banking by the leading banks who subscribe, and by the Competition and Markets Authority who are using our data, combined with additional research from Charterhouse in its current retail banking investigation.

Company: Charterhouse Research Ltd Name: Julie Irwin, Managing Director Email: julie@charterhouse-research.co.uk Web Address: www.charterhouse-research.co.uk Address: 68 Lombard Street, London EC3V 9LJ Telephone: 020 7868 1710

While we cover all aspects of financial service marketing to consumers, businesses and intermediaries, we have successfully delivered research in difficult areas where some of our competitors struggle – conducting many studies among difficult-to reach audiences including major corporate decision-makers, high net worth individuals, pensions trustees and new business start-ups – and on more complicated financial products such as new investment vehicles, pension funding and asset finance.

For us, the main challenge was the 2009 financial crisis when many of our clients cut back development and research expenditure, reducing our fee income by one third. We managed to overcome this without cutting staff or services, while successfully launching our business banking survey in 2010 and steadily increasing both income and profit ever since.

Growth in UK market research expenditure continues to increase following a dip in the earlier recession but indicates annual growth of less than 5% - in comparison, Charterhouse chalked up income growth of 22% in its last financial year and has averaged 20% growth per annum over the past five years.

Clients praise our commercial focus, pro-activity and thought leadership. We’ve helped them design and launch products and services that have generated revenue way above target and staked out brand new markets.

We focus on working in partnership with our clients to deliver real quality and insight, achieved through detailed financial and professional sector knowledge, specialist qualitative and quantitative research skills and a management structure ensuring hands-on director involvement throughout every project. By adopting a business model that minimises overheads, we are able to deliver this hands-on director involvement at no additional cost to clients.

For clients seeking a company in our industry, there are three core features they should look out for. First, it is essential to use a company that is regulated by the Market Research Society (MRS). As an MRS Company Partner, Charterhouse subscribes to the MRS Quality Commitment and operates in compliance with the MRS Code of Conduct. All our research staff are also individual MRS members.

Second, a specialist financial market research company with substantial financial product and market knowledge and experience like Charterhouse is likely to better understand the needs of financial sector clients than is a general research company.

Finally, working directly with senior research directors throughout a project should ensure greater insight, commercial focus and contribution to the client’s success.

Our sector focus and our research team composed of 10 highly experienced research directors working directly with our clients sets us apart from our competitors and is a major advantage compared with the larger agency business model of client account directors delegating the actual work to junior researchers.

We have an open, inclusive and cooperative culture, working together as a team to deliver work of the highest quality to meet the needs of our clients. Project teams liaise closely and performance data is shared throughout the company. We believe that our culture, combined with our immediate accessibility to clients are key factors in our success and the results we achieve for clients.

Looking ahead at future trends, we see the growth of ‘big data’ arising from client’s analysis of their own internal computerised customer information is as a potential challenge to traditional market research. With our understanding of financial markets, products and customers, we can help clients analyse and understand the implications of their own data, to avoid incorrect business decisions. And it is essential to have comparative information on prospective customers and those of competitors, available only via systematic market research.

Furthermore, greater competition in banking from challenger banks and divestment of some major banks is a key opportunity for Charterhouse, together with changes in the markets for pensions, insurance and investment products driven by legislation.

We’re honoured by this award and believe it reflects a recognition of our commitment to research quality and value in the ten years since Charterhouse launched. While our focus is on delighting our clients, recognised in our high repeat business rate and client satisfaction ratings, awards are important in underlining our progress and leading position in the highly competitive market research industry.

Business Excellence Awards 2015 / 21

BUSINESS excellence

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★ Business Airline of the Year - Africa

Ethiopian Airlines Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is the fastest growing and most profitable airline in Africa. In its operations in the past close to seven decades, Ethiopian has been a pioneer of African aviation as an aircraft technology leader providing the first jet service in the continent in 1962, and availing the first African B767 in 1984, the first African B777-200LR in 2010 and the first African and second only to Japan B787 Dreamliner in 2012. We spoke to them about their company, and their ambitions of further expansion and development.

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★ Company: Ethiopian Airlines Email: Publicrelations@ethiopianairlines.com Web Address: www.ethiopianairlines.com Address: Addis Ababa Bole international Airport, P.O.Box 1755 Telephone: 251-011-517-8407

Ethiopian commands the lion share of the pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 84 international destinations across five continents. Ethiopian fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as the Boeing 787, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200LR Freighter and Bombardier Q-400 with double cabin. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft.

We are currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025 that will see it become the leading airline group in Africa with seven strategic business units: Ethiopian International Passenger Service; Ethiopian Regional Service; Ethiopian Cargo; Ethiopian MRO; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian In-flight Catering Service and Ethiopian Ground Service. Ethiopian is a multi-award winning, including SKYTRAX and Passenger Choice Awards in 2013 and has been registering an average growth of 25% per annum in the past seven years.

Our focus in running Ethiopian Airlines emanates from the four pillars of our 15 years growth plan, Vision 2025. These are: • Fleet expansion • Infrastructure Development • Human Resource Development.

• Systems Vision 2025 will see Ethiopian become a world class African airline with fleet size of more than 140, flying 22 million passengers, uplifting 820,000 tons of cargo flying to more than 120 international and 26 domestic destinations by 2025 generating $10 billion in revenue and $1 billion dollars in profit.

To help continue our growth and expansion, there are a number of challenges facing us that we need to overcome. These include: • The Airline industry is quite volatile in nature with very thin profit margin.

• Though oil price has decreased currently, the biggest hurdle is the persistently high oil price. Fuel is the main cost driver of the airline industry.

• We face unfair competition from Gulf based airlines which have access to government subsidy and to cheap fuel.

• There is a high operating cost environment in Africa, with much high aviation taxes, fees and fuel price.

• Lastly, the regulatory framework in Africa is eluded against African airlines. Non-African airlines often get more favourable air traffic rights than African carriers.

Ethiopian always strives to offer its customers the best possible on board experience, with an African flavoured Ethiopian hospitality which is peculiar to it. We focus on establishing a “global standard of product for the best value”, which will attract the “price rational” African traveller.

Other key attributes of ours include price leadership, strong ¬regional connections and an innate understanding of the African market. Furthermore, we have positioned vast Intra-Africa network better than any Airline, availing its customers the best connection with minimum layover in Addis.

One of the qualities that separates us from our competitors is our uniquely dedicated and highly committed work force led by experienced and seasoned executive management and board of Directors. Moreover, we have an efficient network of connectivity based in a strategically advantageous located hub which enables us to connect Africa with the rest of the world better than anyone else. We always strive to offer one of the best value for money to the customer (combination of cost, quality and time). We have a strong brand in Africa.

We have been providing connectivity for a long time and we have a lot of goodwill from all African countries.

Internally, we also have sound and sustainable Corporate Governance.

At Ethiopian Airlines there is a strong corporate culture .The airline has exceptionally dedicated and uniquely committed employees and management, who do not consider their association with their airline as a simple contract of employment for a monthly pay check; rather they consider themselves to be in a long-term mission of building a competitive global airline brand for their country. With this passion and commitment we are able to serve our customers with an Ethiopian hospitality that is unique to Ethiopian Airlines and persuade our customers to make Ethiopian as their airline of choice.

In our industry, the biggest trends are fuel price hike, the outbreak of Ebola in some parts of Africa, as well as unfair competition from Gulf carriers. The biggest opportunities for us to achieve our vision are our uniquely committed employees and management who always consider themselves to be in a long-term mission of building a competitive global airline brand for their country.

As a truly Pan-African business organization, we are honoured and feel happy to receive this award. It recognizes our contribution to the economic development and growth of our great continent through our vast intra Africa network across five continents. I owe this success to our uniquely dedicated and highly committed work force, who work hard day-in and day-out around the globe to make the airline shine high in the sky. I also thank our valued customers, partners and suppliers for their support in our fast, profitable and sustainable growth strategic road map of vision 2025.

Awards like this are of great importance both to our airline and the airline industry at large as it recognizes the contribution of air transport towards the development of a nation and the continent as a whole.

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★ Best Wealth Management Service – UK

Investment Quorum Ltd Investment Quorum is a financial planning-led private client wealth manager offering the full range of financial planning including protection, lifetime cash flow modelling, pension and income in retirement advice as well as inheritance tax and investment management. We spoke to them about how with all of their business dealings, the client must come first.

Company: Investment Quorum Limited Name: Lee Robertson, CEO, Chartered Wealth Manager, FCSI Email: lee.robertson@investmentquorum.com Web: www.investmentquorum.com Address: 38 Lombard Street, London, EC3V 9BS Telephone: 0207 337 1390

When we think of what’s important to our company, it is the client first, foremost, always. We take the time to understand what clients are actually looking for, and work with them on a regular and consistent basis. We maintain a client-centric culture which is constantly seeking to improve. This is tested via entries to awards, annual staff and company development days and interaction with a client advisory group. An example of this would be the improvements we have made to the website, our social media presence and our client on-line portfolio services.

There is no single approach we can use when dealing with a client, and it often comes down to what fits for the individual. Professional qualifications are important, costs and fees but most importantly continuity of advice and adviser and a real commitment to working with the client. Larger firms often have lots of staff movements, rather standardised solutions and this does not work for many clients.

We have always started with what would work for our clients and worked back from there. Whether it is charges, ratio of advisers to support staff or professional qualifications we focus on client outcomes.

In terms of what makes us unique, we are an award-winning highly personalised private client wealth management service. Whilst many focus on securing client assets as an end in itself we focus on client outcomes.

With clients’ demands always changing, one of the major developments in our industry is pensions. With new pension freedoms coming along, the increase in quantitative easing which is suppressing interest rates will make investment yields harder to achieve. Pension freedoms are the current key hot topic, and it is absolutely essential that investors get advice from advisers who actually understand the full pensions advice area.

As for the awards, we are incredibly proud to have won this award and feel that this continues to vindicate our highly client-centric approach to wealth management in an era where bigger brands are struggling to maintain trust with their clients. We firmly believe that professional, trustworthy individual solutions to your financial concerns is the very least you should be able to expect.

Awards are in themselves not so important, being benchmarked against your peers and competitors is. It is via this testing and scrutiny of what we do that we continue to develop and improve our client offering.

Business Excellence Awards 2015 / 25

BUSINESS excellence

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★ Best for Healthcare Marketing Services - USA

J. Knipper and Company, Inc Company: J. Knipper and Company, Inc. Web Address: www.knipper.com Telephone: 1-888-KNIPPER

Tell us about your company, your clients and the services you offer.

J. Knipper and Company, Inc. is the leading Direct Marketing, Distribution, and Samples Management service provider in the US, focused squarely on the specialized requirements of the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. For nearly 30 years, Knipper has been creating customer success stories through robust multi-channel marketing and sampling initiatives leveraging innovative technology solutions, best-of-breed warehousing and logistics, and unsurpassed PDMA compliant fulfillment practices. Knipper’s continued investment in client driven technology solutions has led to a growing line of innovative mobile tools. These tools allow Pharma to leverage their investments in online and mobile device implementations and increase ROI across sales operations and marketing initiatives.

Our company maintains an extraordinarily vast compliment of services that include multi-channel direct marketing, direct sample fulfillment, field salesforce distribution, PDMA sample accountability, and field audit & closeout services. In addition, Knipper’s AssureHCP™ validation and eligibility solution leverages Knipper’s position as an AMA DBL. This data, combined with data from both state and federal sources, including the OIG, SAM, the FDA, and State Boards as well as Medicare & Medicaid exclusions, provides its customers access to nearly 13 million healthcare provider records through online portals, file based exchanges, and integrated validation and eligibility services.

Knipper’s state-of-the-art FDA and DEA registered facilities, managed in strict compliance with cGMP and FDA standards, employs RFID enabled warehousing, carousel-based automated storage and retrieval, and “Pick to Light” technology for high accuracy and high pick rate efficiency, all of which provides the highest quality and savings to their clients.

How does it feel to have won this prestigious award?

We consider it an honour and a privilege to be awarded Best in Healthcare Marketing Services and we thank AI for the recognition. The marketing challenges that our customers face are ever increasing and we have a responsibility to provide relief from that pressure through new and innovative solutions. These are solutions that will reach our customers audience and provide the impact and influence necessary to achieve their goals.

In the end, we are only as successful as our customers, and their success is truly the greatest recognition of all.

Tell us about your firm’s overriding philosophy when it comes to your clients. What do you see as the most relevant and vital areas to focus on when it comes to providing the best possible service?

It goes without saying that, in order to survive, all companies must be able to demonstrate quantitative value.

But the most successful companies will tell you that it’s not enough to simply “survive”. Truly successful companies actually “thrive”. That takes something more - something different - something special. For Knipper that something is “building trust”, which requires extraordinary investment in your customer. You must truly understand their business. Not just their daily needs but their long term goals and aspirations.

You must be proactive and accessible. You must create true partnerships that share mutually in each other’s successes. Such principles must be embedded in your company’s culture.

Tell us about the culture within your firm and the things you do to maintain and develop it. How does it influence your interactions with and results achieved for your clients?

Internally, Knipper strives to promote a true family atmosphere based on principles adopted by its co-founder Jim Knipper called C.H.A.R.T. (Caring, Honesty, Accountability, Respect, & Trust). Having started as a family owned business and having that same family privately own the company today, it is a very reasonable aspiration and company leadership is expected to foster that philosophy and practice those principles throughout everything they do.

Business Excellence Awards 2015 / 27

BUSINESS excellence

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★ What sets your firm apart from your competitors and peers and how do you use this differentiation to your advantage?

Unlike many other service providers in our space, we strive to understand our customer’s true goals “beyond our specific work product”. This helps us to provide solutions that contribute to the “entire process”, and to customer’s ultimate success.

Technology has certainly become a major component of the solutions we build, from managing the data that feeds our program management efforts, to the technology that powers our warehousing and fulfillment operations. Our ability to continuously develop innovative tools and processes often sets us apart from much of our competition.

However, it is without question that our most valuable resource is our people. Experienced leadership and a tireless force with a myriad of skill sets and expertise, our employees are what truly differentiate us most from our competition. It takes special people to so firmly adopt and continuously demonstrate the type of customer-centric culture that is the hallmark of all Knipper solutions. We are committed, driven, intelligent people that can listen effectively, ask the right questions, build the right teams, and develop the best tools and processes to deliver success every time.

What developments or changes do you see having the biggest impact on your business and industry over the coming year and where do you think the biggest opportunities – and challenges – will lie?

A great many factors have an effect on the business strategies of our customers which in turn have an effect on our own strategies. In the business of pharma, and even healthcare at large, one very prominent factor is the regulatory environment which has seen a steady increase in legislation and governance around activities that effect our vertical. Regarding 2015, we will continue to drive organic growth through excellence in service.

At the same time, we have strategically expanded several key services in keeping with the aforementioned factors. These service expansions include healthcare provider data management, field sales sample audit and inventory services, and contact center solutions.

Any further comments?

Since the founding of J. Knipper and Company more than 28 years ago, our focus has remained on the value we create through relationships. That hallmark of a Knipper solution has remained constant throughout our 28+ year history. Our mission is to work with our clients to create solutions that are strategically designed, faithfully executed, and driven by market insight and data to ensure maximum return on our clients’ investment, and ultimately to improve people’s lives.

At J. Knipper and Company, while the dialog continues to shift toward ROI and quantitative demonstrations of value, we will not lose sight of the personal interactions that lie at the heart of our - and our clients’ - core business.

Business Excellence Awards 2015 / 29

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★ Award for Excellence in Energy Management - UK

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★ Company: Lovato Electric Ltd Name: David Whitby Email: david.whitby@lovato.co.uk Web Address: www.lovato.co.uk Address: Lovato House, Providence Drive, Stourbridge, DY9 8HQ, UK Telephone: +44 1384 899700 Fax: +44 1384 891654

Tell us about your company, your clients and the services you offer.

Lovato Electric is a proud family owned business established in Bergamo, Italy in 1922 and the company has gone from strength to strength under the leadership of the fourth generation of the family in Dr. Massimo Cacciavillani. Our staff of research and design experts develop both innovative and reliable products by taking advantage of the most modern tools and software systems available in the marketplace.

Whilst we have an international reputation as a manufacturer of quality electromechanical components, Energy Management is now a critical factor for modern companies. Our range of instrumentation and measuring devices coupled with our Synergy intelligent software system ensures that power quality is maintained with maximum efficiency and minimum cost.

This award recognises our work in the UK and Ireland but our sales organisation spreads across more than 100 countries from our Head Office in Italy.

How does it feel to have be given the Award for Excellence in Energy Management– UK and to what do you most owe this success?

To be recognised as a leader in our field makes us feel very proud and we are extremely pleased to receive this award as it demonstrates the progress we have made in recent years within the UK and Irish market. We have a dedicated and focused team of people both here in the UK and at our Head Office in Italy and this award acknowledges not only their expert knowledge in this field but their commitment to our customers.

What should clients be looking for when seeking to work with a business in your sector and how does Lovato Electric go about meeting these requirements?

Energy Management means using only the power required, using energy when it costs less and improving energy quality. Therefore, the first step is to consider how you are going to monitor and analyse your power consumption. How much energy do you consume? When and how do you consume it? What is the state of your machinery and equipment? Synergy is a supervision and energy management web-based software that facilitates the monitoring and control of the electrical installation, in a simple and efficient way.

Customers looking for an Energy Management partner should look for a partner that will not only propose the best hardware and software for the project but will also listen and adapt their solution as the dynamics of a project change. At Lovato Electric we have the scope and flexibility to adapt products and services to ensure we satisfy the needs of our clients in the most efficient way possible and for all commercial, residential and industrial environments.

What sets your firm apart from your competitors and peers and how do you use this differentiation to your advantage?

We differ from our competitors on many levels due to the scope of our product offer as we are not just a software company or just a manufacturer of energy measurement devices, there are many companies who have an offer in one or the other markets, we are a world renowned specialist in both.

Lovato Electric’s Synergy is an Energy Management software platform that can be easily tailored to the precise needs of our clients. This software brings together data from a vast range of our products that we are renowned for in our sector such as Energy Metering, Power Quality and Standby Power Controls. Sitting on this common platform our clients can manage their energy usage from the comfort of their desk PC or tablet device for not only the building they are in but any building around the world where they have Synergy installed.

For our clients we provide security that the whole system is of the highest integrity and for specifiers, designers and contractors we provide a one stop solution that avoids the regular problems incurred when trying to communicate via differing technologies.

What developments or changes do you see having the biggest impact on your business and industry over the coming year and where do you think the biggest opportunities – and challenges – will lie?

Our clients are quite rightly becoming more acutely aware of our responsibility to future generations and it is our role to ensure we provide the right tools to do that.

However, we can’t ignore the fact that our market is forever evolving as rising energy costs drive new technologies and legislative demands to address our environmental responsibilities are introduced. The demand for instant information and how we make best use of that data brings new challenges we have to overcome.

Renewable energies are vital in addressing these issues and we have had to ensure that we are at the forefront of how this power is managed and controlled. Lovato Electric are ready.

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Best Portfolio of Patents & Royalty Assets – USA

PDL BioPharma, Inc. PDL manages a portfolio of patents and royalty assets. They provide non-dilutive growth capital and financing solutions to late-stage public and private healthcare companies and offer immediate financial monetization of royalty streams to companies, academic institutions, and inventors. We spoke to them to find out more about their business.

Company: PDL BioPharma Email: ir@pdl.com Web Address: www.pdl.com Address: 932 Southwood Blvd., Incline Village, NV 89451 Telephone: 775-832-8500

Up to the present date, we have invested approximately $780 million. We are proud of the portfolio of income-generating assets we have built through the completion of 12 separate transactions. We owe our success to the hard-working team we have that is solely focused on attracting, reviewing and completing these transactions, as well as to the good reputation that we are trying to build for being a good supportive partner.

One of our primary focuses as a company is to return tangible value to our shareholders through quarterly dividends. Given our goal to continue this policy, we are focused on keeping our revenue stream flowing. We are doing this by attracting the highest quality income-generating assets allowing for a good return on our investments. We have a small, well-coordinated team that works out of the mountain town of Incline Village, Nevada near Lake Tahoe and are enjoying providing varied financing options to companies and institutions all over the world.

Prospective clients in our industry should seek a team with diverse and deep sophistication in pharma, biotech, medtech, clinical medicine, operations, corporate finance and law uniquely facilitates. With PDL having this team, it can facilitate the ability to expertly analyze, structure and execute financings quickly. We offer a broad range of flexible, non-dilutive financing structures, with no initial costs to the prospective seller or borrower, and can move very quickly to close a transaction.

With regard to our patents, PDL’s antibody humanization technology and patents was among the most successful and profitable in the biotechnology industry. At its foundation is PDL’s intellectual property platform consisted of the Queen et al. patents, which have been widely validated commercially and have generated significant royalties from some of the leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in the industry.

Currently PDL receives royalties on a number of marketed products that use its technology and PDL has licensed a number of humanized antibody products in late stage clinical trials.

We are pleased to be recognized for what we have achieved and believe that awards such as these highlight accomplishments by companies like us and provide further validation to PDL which underscores what we have to offer as a current and potential financing partner.

We changed our strategy a few years back to pursue new income-generating assets knowing that the royalty from the Queen et al. patents we owned were nearing the end of their patent life. We couldn’t predict our success back then but are pleased with the results that we’ve been able to accomplish.

As we assist life science companies with their alternative financing options, we have competed against the biggest bull market in the life science sector ever where many companies had open access to the equity capital markets.

We believe that it will become more difficult for life science companies to access the capital markets which will present a much better opportunity for PDL to be the financing option of choice.

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BUSINESS excellence

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★ Best for Outside Corporate Counsel - The Netherlands

Russell Advocaten Russell Advocaten is a full-service law firm providing legal services mainly for the corporate sector. We spoke to them about how the personal attention they give each client results in prompt service with sound legal advice.

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★ Russell Advocaten Reimersbeek 2 1082 AG Amsterdam P.O. Box 87400 1080 JK Amsterdam The Netherlands T: +31 20 301 55 55 E: info@russell.nl

Why choose Russell Advocaten?

Russell Advocaten maintains excellent, long-standing and intensive contact with a diverse group of clients, such as domestic and foreign (stock exchange listed) companies, local and national authorities, and foreign embassies and consulates. We provide these clients with all-round legal assistance for their day-to-day business in the Netherlands. Being entrepreneurs ourselves, we are pre-eminently equipped to act as a sparring partner to (foreign) entrepreneurs. We can also help resolve issues worldwide through our membership in the International Society of Primerus Law Firms.

What is the approach of Russell Advocaten?

All our services are based on the general principle “prevention is better than cure”. We assist our clients in finding practical and directly applicable solutions based on their interests. Individual attention for and dedication to our clients are important to us. If a case covers different areas of law, lawyers specializing in the particular areas will be appointed to work on it. If necessary, we can immediately enter into cooperation with notaries, tax experts, accountants, bailiffs, international lawyers and (external) specialists. As a result we can provide our corporate clients with all-round legal services.

If a conflict arises, we initially try to prevent (costly) legal proceedings and to resolve the conflict with both parties. Registered mediators at our firm provide mediation services. However, if legal proceedings have to be initiated, we assist our clients from start to finish. Where required even to the Supreme Court of the Netherlands.

What is the expertise of Russell Advocaten?

As outside corporate counsel Russell Advocaten provides comprehensive legal assistance to companies in all facets of their day-to-day business operations. Our main areas of expertise are: corporate law, business formation and reorganization, real estate and lease, labour/employment, commercial contracts and (commercial) litigation. Specialist areas are art and law, and Embassies and Consulates.

Russell Advocaten is highly experienced in providing boardroom advice. We advise both management and supervisory bodies. Our strategy is to avoid problems by offering our ideas to directors and supervisors and to prevent legal proceedings.

Whether it concerns the corporate structure of your business, disputes with shareholders, or directors’ or supervisory directors’ liability, our specialized lawyers have extensive experience and enjoy an excellent reputation. They are members of specialized Dutch professional associations, regarding commercial law, labour and employment law, administrative law, litigation, family law, and of the International Bar Association.

Who are the clients of Russell Advocaten?

Russell Advocaten mainly assists leading Dutch companies, foreign companies in the Netherlands, foreign and domestic authorities and, to a lesser degree, affluent private individuals. Our clients’ sectors include: retail, fashion and luxury, real estate, IT and ITC, Embassies and Consulates, and the world of fine arts and the cultural sphere.

We render tailored advice, no matter whether you are a business owner, member of the management board, supervisor, or a supervisory board member or responsible for the employment policy.

How does Russell Advocaten help foreign companies in the Netherlands?

We offer not only our expertise and assistance during the establishment of a legal entity but also if the entity encounters any (legal) issues when it is in full operation. As a law firm with extensive experience in (international) corporate legal matters, Russell Advocaten is pre-eminently equipped to act as a sparring partner to (foreign) entrepreneurs.

What are the benefits of appointing Russell Advocaten as outside corporate counsel?

Legal risks can be alleviated or avoided by consulting an outside corporate counsel frequently. Just as you readily take out insurance and pay a small monthly fee to prevent financial disasters, so should you consult your outside corporate counsel on a regular basis at low cost. This approach is more economical and less stressful than unwanted expensive litigation. After all, the outside corporate counsel knows your business and your market well and can quickly provide you with sound legal advice, so that you will be aware of potential risks in time and able to deal with them, if desired.

Therefore, by providing individual coaching, regular information and tailored courses, seminars, and publications we indicate possible legal issues to our clients at an early stage and, if possible, assist in preventing them.

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Entrepreneur of the Year – Utah

Dan Edmund Slip Talk’s mission is to deliver the most extraordinary stories from around the world. They try and put a focus on positive, creativity, funny and sometimes weird stories by scouring the Internet for the best stuff anywhere on the planet.

Since launching in the beginning of 2014, SlipTalk has aquired over 1 million followers on social media and reaches about 50 million different people every single month. We spoke to founder Dan Edmund about winning this award.

From an early age, Dan Edmund had aspired to be an entrepreneur and began actively pursuing that objective. He has been self-employed for 8 years now. After selling a small computer business, his passion turned to online marketing and social media. Since then, he now owns several multi-million dollar entities.To win this award, Dan has focused on taking all the trials and build off of it.

Speaking about the award, Dan commented: “Winning this award feels great,” said Dan. “It couldn’t have happened without a lot of risk combined with even more trial and error.”

Company: SlipTalk Name: Dan Edmund Email: dan@sliptalk.com Web Address: www.sliptalk.com

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BUSINESS excellence

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★ Best for Public Speaking Courses - UK

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★ Company: Speak With Impact Limited Name: Bill Brown, Managing Director Email: bill@speakwithimpact.com Web address: www.speakwithimpact.com Address: 13 Galachlawside, Edinburgh EH10 7JG, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 131 445 3493

Tell us about your company, your clients and the services you offer Speak With Impact is a dynamic training company that delivers extremely effective seminars and coaching in all types of presentations and public speaking.

Since 2002, the company has worked with a wide range of sectors and organisations, from professional services and scientific/engineering to blue-chip companies and financial institutions. We have a global focus and training sessions have been delivered in over twenty countries.

We have worked with all levels of speaker and all management levels within the corporation, from CEOs and Chairmen all the way down to trainees and apprentices. We help new speakers to gain the confidence to succeed, and we help good speakers to make the leap to become outstanding speakers.

Overall, Speak With Impact has a breadth and depth of experience in presenting that is hard to replicate. In short, we are truly passionate about presenting.

What is the story behind your company?

The company founder began his professional life as a lawyer, speaking in courtrooms and arbitrations. Being in front of a judge is a place where you quickly learn what works and what does not work from a speaking perspective. It is not a place where you can make mistakes.

Giving and hearing presentations regularly, he noticed two things: 1. Many lawyers (and other people) did not seem to enjoy presenting. Some avoided it where possible and many others gave sub-standard performances relative to their potential.

2. With even minor changes and training, most people could become significantly better in a short space of time.

He examined every speech he could and figured out how it could be improved. To this day, he has kept a copy of every speech he has ever made. This is how the Speak With Impact concept was born.

What is your training approach and how do you get results for clients?

The training is dynamic, highly interactive and very practical.

Our courses have been designed by a double-winner of the World Debating Competition, so everything is battle-tested. Only the very best techniques and strategies make it into the seminar contents. The techniques learned by clients are innovative, cutting-edge and make a quick but lasting impact. Clients can improve within minutes of learning the techniques. The aim is two-fold: be far better by the end of the course and have a range of tools to enable you to continue improving in the long-term.

Our award winning Isolate then Integrate® principle underpins each course and gets impressive results. In broad terms, this means focussing specifically on one skill only for a period of time. All aspects of that skill would be covered and the practical exercises for the module would ‘isolate’ that skill. Only once that skill is complete is the next skill started. Once all the skills on a course are covered, they are all integrated. This approach improves confidence quickly and gets faster overall results.

Think back to learning how to drive a car. You might spend a lesson covering only how to do a u-turn. By repeating it enough and only focussing on u-turns you can become competent more quickly than by working on multiple manoeuvres at the same time.

It is said that powerful presenting is part art and part science. The Speak With Impact philosophy is to focus on the science part as much as possible, so that almost nothing is left to chance.

What is your overriding philosophy when it comes to clients and what areas are vital to focus upon?

We want clients to be absolutely delighted with our service – our aim is for them literally to walk taller after a training session.

We invest a lot of time in examining the exact type of presentations they will face. We then tailor our techniques accordingly to bring them close to real life. We want people to implement their learning as seamlessly as possible.

We review every training interaction carefully afterwards and draw lessons each time. We regularly update and sharpen our approach. Our goal is continuous excellence and constant improvement.

We believe that if someone improves their confidence at public speaking it can have a hugely positive impact overall on their professional performance and their career path. In turn, if a company invests in the speaking abilities of their staff more widely, then the company as a whole develops a reputation as having strong performers. This inspires us to leave no stone unturned in our quest to get the best results for our clients.

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BUSINESS excellence

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★ Nonprofit Company of the Year - Florida

Treasure Coast Food Bank Treasure Coast Food Bank’s mission is to alleviate hunger by obtaining and distributing food and other essentials in Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Okeechobee Counties. We spoke to them to find out more.

Company: Treasure Coast Food Bank Address: 401 Angle Road Fort Pierce, FL 34947 Telephone: 772.489.3034 Fax: 772.489.5673

The values of Treasure Coast Food Bank include: Quality - We are committed to excellence in services, products and operation.

Respect - We treat all people with respect, dignity and courtesy.

Stewardship - We use our resources wisely, with accountability to the public and concern for the environment.

Integrity - We are honest and fair in our dealings with others.

The challenge of the Treasure Coast Food Bank is to meet the need for food in our community. More than 97,640 people on the Treasure Coast are food insecure meaning they don’t know where their next meal is coming from, including 16.2% of Treasure Coast children.

The Board of Directors of Treasure Coast Food Bank is a committed, passionate, diverse group of citizens dedicated to the mission of ending hunger in the region. They assist in guiding the organization through effective stewardship of policy and fiduciary oversight. Their support and contribution is invaluable to our efforts.

Led by our CEO, Judith A. Cruz, the dedicated staff of the Food Bank is an integral part of meeting the challenge of providing food to families and individuals at risk of hunger on the Treasure Coast.

Working at the Treasure Coast Food Bank is challenging and rewarding. We look for people who enjoy making a difference by improving the community in which they live. One of the simplest and saddest truths I’ve learned in fighting hunger is that it’s not from lack of food – but lack of our ability to get available food into the hands of those who need it. For the last 25 years, Treasure Coast Food Bank has given sustenance, security, and hope to families struggling with hunger. As the area’s largest hunger relief organization we have the unique capacity and responsibility to meet the challenge of those faced with food insecurity in our community.

Our focus has changed significantly since the first box of food left our doors in 1988. It is more important than ever that we take a holistic approach to fighting hunger, as well as its causes and side-effects. Our “Your Plate” nutrition, health and wellness program teaches people how to budget, how to prepare healthy food and how to find poverty fighting resources. Our goal is to replicate that program in each City we serve.

Today we also understand the link between poor nutrition and obesity, diabetes and educational delays. It is essential that we have enough refrigeration and freezer space, enabling us to distribute more protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, which are essential for a healthy diet that will improve lives and especially improve children’s potential for better learning.

Together we are feeding more than 100,000 hungry mouths each week on the Treasure Coast. We must do more to harvest every source of available food – even food with a short shelf life. Food that could be processed and frozen allowing us more time to get it into the hands of those in need. By providing more reliable food supplies,building a sustained commitment to hunger relief, and building capacity within our partner agencies we will mark our steps toward the elimination of hunger on the Treasure Coast.

Within this effort, there is a special, essential place for our major donors. Only strategic gifts can bring our efforts to life. But this will only become a reality through the support of visionary donors. Building these connections will require more efficient means of distribution, better tracking systems, updated equipment, and new expertise for cook/chill system.

Treasure Coast Food Bank looks for support to help lay the building blocks for a stronger community. Donors’ commitment to our mission will guarantee the financial security needed to advance the creation of a more capable Food Bank; a center of competency in the fight against hunger in our community.

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BUSINESS excellence

www.acquisition-intl.com/business-excellence

★ Best in Recruitment Services – London

The TRG Group The TRG Group is a boutique recruitment consultancy established for over 40 years, founded by past president of the Institute of Employment Consultants, Trevor Gilbert.

As well as providing temporary and permanent staff TRG offers a managed service to the private and public sectors for front of house, switchboard, help desk and concierge services personnel. We spoke to them about their diverse range of clients, and old fashioned policies of honesty and transparency.

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★ Name: Trevor Gilbert Company: The TRG Group Email: tgilbert@thetrggroup.co.uk Web Address: www.thetrggroup.co.uk Address: 160 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2DQ Telephone: 0207 236 8844

Over the years our clients have ranged from No.10 Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, the European Commission, ITN, Pearson, Deutsche Bank and Aviva. We are proud to say that we have delivered an unbroken 21 years’ service to Legal & General. Furthermore, CEO Trevor Gilbert was runner-up in Legal and General’s Shining Star award 2010, for inspirational leadership.

At our company, we manage every aspect of the personnel at a site and have won numerous awards for the quality of our service delivery relating to switchboard operations (over 40 Genesis awards including Switchboard of the Year at one site for three consecutive years).

To win this award was extraordinary! It was a complete surprise to be nominated and we assume we must have some happy clients somewhere. Without doubt, this award is a reflection on the team’s total commitment to TRG’s core philosophy; we say what we will do, do it, and do it beyond expectations – consistently.

To TRG, it is vitally important as it recognises the standards of excellence to which we constantly strive. TRG will receive further recognition from the recruitment industry as a whole which does not always have a good press, but is constantly striving to improve. External awards made to recruiters can have a positive effect throughout the industry with others knowing there is something more to achieve.

When dealing with clients, we believe in old-fashioned honesty and transparency so that our clients know exactly what to expect. We listen and act accordingly and immediately if there are issues brought to our attention.

TRG’s culture stems from its CEO’s business philosophy which he has maintained since he formed the business; complete honesty and transparency. No cutting corners. Deal with issues competently, efficiently and immediately.

Treating clients, candidates and the TRG team as partners, and treating them fairly. This pervades the company and is a continuing process, but without the need for training, just good conversations. Although TRG is a SME, nevertheless clients remain with us for many years, although of course we lose some and pick some up along the way. All clients receive exactly the same quality of service delivery and we always work to the gold standard.

Creating the right first impression to everyone contacting a business is of paramount importance. Visitors and callers should at all times feel welcome when interacting with an organisation.

The reception desk is the public face of an organisation and the first point of contact for all guests.

The switchboard equally is the initial touch-point for anyone reaching out to you.

Getting these interactions wrong can mean that a potential customer relationship might start on the wrong foot. Likewise their switchboard or reception can be instrumental in relaxing a potentially difficult situation.

Sometimes it’s the small things that matter the most and leave lasting memories. You want to ensure these memories are positive and in line with your brand and company values.

Our Smart Office Services combine people, process and technology to deliver an outstanding client experience. We carefully develop a bespoke strategy, implement a perfect operation and religiously monitor the performance against agreed metrics.

Through strong client relationships we work in partnership with our clients helping them to improve and uphold the client image, continuously strive towards an optimal service delivery, reduce costs and risks resulting in increased flexibility.

The TRG Group is an SME incorporating the core business of recruitment, but also includes the UK’s leading expert witness practice focussing on assessing the loss of earnings of an individual in a personal injury, clinical negligence or employment tribunal claim. The practice takes pride in its nomination for two separate awards (The Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards and the Modern Claims Awards) six times over a period of 4 years, runner-up on four occasions and winning in 2012 and 2013 in the category of Service Provider of the Year.

The TRG Group’s training arm is WitnessBox and its programme ‘The Art of Giving Evidence’ delivers witness familiarisation training for the public and private sectors whose staff may find themselves asked to give witness statements and ultimately evidence at court or a tribunal. Additionally, WitnessBox is the exclusive training provider to specialist elements of H.M. Forces.

We can only speculate as to why we were given this award, but having survived the vicissitudes of the economic recession as a result of our decision to stand by our tried and tested values and remaining within our niche sector, it would seem our clients also value these qualities and commitment. TRG decided to remain in a niche sector, never deviating and consistently delivering quality.

Awards mean a lot to us and are vitally important as they not only recognise a standard of excellence the company has achieved, perhaps by consistently meeting service levels, but more importantly the efforts made by the team.

We place the greatest value on the quality of our people as without them making the right decisions at the right time and providing satisfactory solutions, and resolution where necessary, to a diverse range of clients and environments TRG would be just a run-of-the-mill operation. Small as we are, we think and act globally, but never forgetting the importance of working intelligently and smartly at a local level.

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BUSINESS excellence

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★ Award for Excellence in Regulatory Compliance - New York

Alaric Compliance Services, LLC

Since their inception in 2004, Alaric Compliance Services has been a leading provider of regulatory and compliance services. We spoke to them about the key services they provide and what separates them from their competitors.

Company: Alaric Compliance Services, LLC Name: Guy F. Talarico Email: GTalarico@alariccompliance.com Web Address: wwwAlariccompliance.com Address: 150 Broadway, Suite 302, New York, New York 10038 Telephone: 212-243-5241

Our expertise, developed through many years of line CCO and compliance experience, enables us to offer our clients a pragmatic, cost effective approach to regulatory compliance that is founded on a deep knowledge and application of industry best practices.

Our key service offerings include: • Outsourced Chief Compliance Officers (CCOs) • Compliance Consulting Services • Monitoring and Testing Services • Principal Financial Officer Services Our clients include investment advisors and investment companies, business development firms, mutual funds, broker-dealers, hedge fund and funds of funds managers, and private equity, commodities and futures firms.

We are headquartered in New York, with staff strategically located in Los Angeles, Charlotte, Chicago and Washington, D.C. so that we may serve a geographically diverse client base.

Mr. Talarico is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Alaric Compliance Services, LLC. He has over 29 years of experience in the financial services industry and his background includes: • Co-CEO of EOS Compliance Services, LLC; • Chief Compliance Officer to registered investment advisers and registered investment companies; • Management of a $45 billion asset management and services group at JP Morgan-Chase; • Client management of SEC-registered advisers within the Institutional Custody Division of Investors Bank & Trust Company; • Developer of an independent SEC regulatory compliance program for registered advisers.

Additionally, Mr. Talarico served three terms in the New Jersey State Assembly and sponsored numerous laws, including regulatory reforms in the insurance and banking industries. He is admitted to practice law in the States of New York and New Jersey and is a frequent lecturer and author on compliance related matters.

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★ Best Women-Owned Business - Tarrant County

Alltex Coring & Sawing, LLC Alltex Coring & Sawing provide all services that relate to concrete, including core drilling, flat sawing, wall sawing and a range of others. We spoke to them about their philosophy that no job is to big and there are no obstacles we will not overcome while continuing to provide the best service.

Name: Alltex Coring & Sawing Address: PO BOX 182163 Arlington, Texas Telephone: +1 817-473-9837 Web: www.alltexcoring.com

We have been expanding beyond the reaches of Texas to include most of our surrounding states. Our services span across concrete, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and general contractors for a range of commercial work.

We are recognized by many of our local contractors, not only for the high standards we demand of ourselves, but also for our superior workmanship that is evident through all the services we provide. Many of the local operators have trained with Alltex Coring and collectively we have continued perfecting the trade into what it is today.

Alltex Coring & Sawing was established in 2003 when we originally bought out another coring company (Dallas Coring) that was in severe financial disaster. Which of course that was a massive hurdle buying out all of their extremely large debt, which obviously we overcame. The owner eventually changed the name to Alltex Coring & Sawing in 2006 due the devastation left behind from purchasing that first company.

Being a 100% female owned business and certified member of Texas HUB, WBE, DBE, SBE, we continue to grow while excelling at every challenge provided to us. This year we have become registered with the Better Business Bureau and will maintain an outstanding record where customer satisfaction is our top priority.

We keep a repeat and referral business process and we do it by running our business with the core values that we have always known. As simple as to follow the golden rule, each customer we do business for remembers Alltex Coring before any others with our crew often in waiting before they are ready for us, and even more often leaving a site completed and cleaned up without notice.

We use the most recent cutting techniques with diamond tipped bits and all updated equipment, always completing our work in a timely manner giving the best finished results. We always maintain a reliable service with quality and pride in all of our work. We take enormous pride in meeting our customer’s challenges and exceeding their expectations every chance we are given. We pride ourselves in providing our clients with personal service and the very best of the quality products we use.

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BUSINESS excellence

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★ Fire Prevention Specialists of the Year – UK

Anglian Intumescent Ltd

Anglian Intumescent Ltd has been trading since 1987. It started off located on the outskirts of Cambridge, originally supplying passive fire protection products and advising the correct use of intumescent products.

Company: Anglian Intumescent Limited Name: Jennifer Hull Email: jennyhull@anglianintumescent.co.uk Web Address: www.anglianintumescent.co.uk Address: 1st Floor Offices, Unit 30 Green End Industrial Estate, Gamlingay, Bedfordshire, SG19 3LF Telephone: 01767654117

We were one of the first suppliers of these products which came into Building regulation requirements BS 476 in 1987.

Shortly after this it became evident that there was also a market/requirement for the supply and installation of the products, as there was a lack of knowledge originally on where, how and when intumescent products are required and how to install them correctly. We have a very dedicated & knowledgeable team with experience to provide technical advice and support with solutions to fire stopping applications. We are also able to provide a specification service for Architects, Fire Officers and Building Control Officers. Due to an ever expanding company and growth within the fire prevention industry, the company was moved to a much larger property in Bedfordshire.

As one of the leading technical fire consultant companies for the whole of the United Kingdom, our focus is to ensure that every project receives a prompt service with full attention and achieve complete customer satisfaction.

We believe it is very important to provide a high level of service and a top quality range of passive fire prevention products, to help save lives and protect buildings against smoke and fire damage, and can overall reduce fire damage claims.

Our company has gained a very knowledgeable understanding of all intumescent fire prevention products from a wide variety of manufacturers.

All of our installers are fully trained by NAPFIS . This enables us to supply a NAPFIS certificate for installation services; this ensures all products installed are correct in accordance with the regulated standards.

We have held our membership with NAPFIS & IFPO for many years. Which guarantees competence in the service we offer for technical, site visits and installation works.

Passive fire protection products play a crucial role in any new buildings or listed refurbishment projects. By applying or installing the correct products specified, they help to allow a safer way to evacuate the building.

Also to assist in the safety of the Fire & Rescue Services Fire Fighters to carry out their work in a safer and more controlled environment.

When installed correctly, products will form a “compart-mentation” to the rooms. This means to hold the fire and smoke within an area and allowing a minimum of half hour protection.

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★ Best MA IT Consulting Firm - Massachucetts

Ascentek Inc Founded in 2000, Ascentek is a leading Western Mass based information technology firm providing computer consulting and IT outsourcing. Our specializations include desktop and server support, network design and maintenance, email systems, network security, and help desk services. Ascentek’s team of highly-skilled technicians provides fast on-site and remote support to our clients and ensures that issues are resolved quickly and correctly. We spoke to them to find out more.

Company: Ascentek Inc Web: www.ascentek.com Telephone: 413-496-9900

We maintain partnerships with several giants in the IT industry such as Microsoft, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Symantec, and others. Our experience and expertise, combined with these partnerships, allows us to offer our customers leading edge technology solutions while keeping costs down.

Our customers are comprised of banks, manufacturing, legal offices, schools, auto dealerships, architects, non-profits, and more. Although most of our customers are located in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, we also provide remote support for customers in Dallas, Pittsburgh, Reno, and several other U.S. cities.

Ascentek’s in-house call center provides nationwide help desk services to several companies including one of the country’s oldest paper manufacturers.

We are located in Pittsfield, MA which is in the heart of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. Our 2010 move to a much larger facility offers us plenty of space for our current operations and offers room for expansion into some new services we plan to offer in the future.

Most importantly, Ascentek strives for complete customer satisfaction. As a team, we review the status of each client weekly and ensure that any open issues are resolved or assigned to the appropriate resource for resolution. Superior customer satisfaction will always be our first priority at Ascentek.

Business Excellence Awards 2015 / 47

BUSINESS excellence

www.acquisition-intl.com/business-excellence

★ Best for Creative Financing Solutions – Canada

Atrium Mortgage Investment Corporation Atrium Mortgage Investment Corporation is a mortgage lender that fills the lending gap caused by the limited number of financial institutions operating in Canada. We spoke to them about their services and what makes them unique.

Company: Atrium Mortgage Investment Corporation Email: info@atriummic.com Web Address: www.atriummic.com Telephone: +1 416 607-4200

We lend in major urban centres where the stability and liquidity of real estate are at the highest levels. We focus on loans that cannot be placed with financial institutions but represent an acceptable underwriting risk. We invest in mortgages secured by all types of residential, multi-residential and commercial real property located in Canada, subject to compliance with our investment policies. Our strategy is to grow in a controlled manner by diversifying geographically, and focusing on those real estate sectors with the lowest risk profiles.

Many mortgage providers are constrained by a lack of flexibility. We are flexible, nimble and provide mortgages to quality borrowers where larger financial institutions do not offer competitive terms and structures. Typical loans are for bridge financing, land assembly, and infill construction, with interest rates of 8% to 10% per annum, a one to two-year term, and monthly interest-only payments. We lend in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

We are delighted to have been selected for this award – it is a tribute to the innovation and creativity we employ in meeting our clients’ needs.

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Award for Innovation in Data Transfer - USA

Attunity Attunity is a leading provider of information availability software solutions that enable access, management, sharing and distribution of data, including Big Data, across heterogeneous enterprise platforms, organizations, and the cloud.

We spoke to them about their company, and what separates them from their competitors.

Company: Attunity Web: www.attunity.com Address: 70 Blanchard Road Burlington, MA 01803, USA Telephone: +1 (781) 730-4070

Data and file management technologies and practices are evolving fast to address the explosion of data volume, variety and velocity. And while Big Data certainly plays a large role in changing the IT landscape, society’s expectation of immediate gratification in the “age of instant” is adding gasoline to the growing issue’s fire.

This directly affects business expectations on everything from internet performance and gaining immediate access to poly-structured data, to expecting real-time BI and analytics and incorporating emerging technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT).

With volumes, complexity and expectations constantly increasing, how can enterprises manage their information needs successfully in a timely and cost-effective way? They rely on Attunity, of course. Attunity provides real-time information availability software that enables access, sharing and distribution of data and files across heterogeneous enterprise platforms, organizations, web and the cloud. In short, we help to overcome data challenges and enable value from data.

Attunity’s software solutions include data replication, data flow management, test data management, change data capture (CDC), data connectivity, enterprise file replication (EFR), managed file transfer (MFT), data ware¬house automation, data usage analytics, and cloud data delivery.

Attunity has supplied innovative software solutions to its enterprise-class customers for 20+ years and has successful deployments at thousands of organizations worldwide. Attunity provides software directly and indirectly through a number of partners such as Microsoft, Oracle, IBM and HP. Headquartered in Boston, Attunity serves its customers via offices in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific and through a network of local partners.

With decades of experience to its credit, Attunity’s proven award-winning information availability solutions are high performance, scalable, easy to use, and provide a low total cost of ownership. But there’s no need to rely on our word alone. You could also listen to the opinion of some of the thousands of satisfied Attunity custom¬ers. In fact, half of the Fortune 100 chooses to rely on Attunity. And as leaders in their respective fields, these companies know a thing or two about making sound business decisions.

For more information on Attunity, visit www.attunity.com or our In Tune blog and join our community on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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★ Private Equity Fund Administrator of the Year - Singapore

Augentius As well as being recognised for Acquisition International’s 2015 Offshore Excellence Awards, Augentius has once again been recognised for Business Excellence. Augentius is very proud of having been named as the Private Equity Fund Administrator of the Year in Singapore. The Augentius Group expanded into Asia in recent years and has quickly become one of the largest and most respected providers in the region.

Augentius’ operations span both the onshore and the offshore world covering the US, Europe and Asia. We are one of the very few specialist administrators that really do have operations right across the globe – from New York to Singapore, Mauritius to the Channel Islands, London to Luxembourg - and our clients use our different offices for administering both Offshore and Onshore funds as well as SPVs, Holding Companies, GP entities, Co-Invest vehicles and the like. Every structure that we administer is different, these days often using more than one geographic location and more often than not a combination of both onshore and offshore locations.

We have led the way in the development and advancement of the fund administration service. With offices around the world, working on a centralised technology platform, facilitating data and information sharing across multiple locations (as regulations allow), Augentius is an efficient and highly professional global business. Working throughout Asia we meet the specific local requirements of each of individual clients. But we are also able to help our clients in their global aspirations, providing Depositary and AIFMD Reporting services for those that are marketing their funds into Europe, assisting with Form PF and other regulatory reporting to the US authorities and FATCA reporting on a global basis.

Company: Augentius Name: Alexander Traub Managing Director, Asia

Gone are the days when an administrator can service a single domicile alone. Funds are marketed to investors across the globe, they are structured using a multitude of domiciles and locations – and as a consequence an administrator needs to have the capability to service the full structure, across all the domiciles involved, to ensure maximum operational and economic efficiencies for the fund, the investors and the fund manager.

For fund economics to work, fund operations have to be efficient to meet the increasingly demanding needs of institutional investors; whilst complying at the same time with global regulation. Augentius has proved this can be achieved and is proud of the service it delivers – and even more proud of the acknowledgement it receives from the industry and the awards that it wins.

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Best Catering Equipment Service Provider - East Anglia

B.I. Catering Equipment Services

B.I. Catering Equipment Services has an excellent reputation for customer satisfaction. Whether you require kitchen design, catering equipment, equipment installation, breakdowns or maintenance of equipment, we do it all.

Company: B.I. Catering Equipment Services Name: Andrew Jones Email: andrew@bices.co.uk Web Address: www.bices.co.uk Address: Unit 4 Bodsey Farm Bodsey Toll road Ramsey Cambs PE26 2XH Telephone: 01487 710720

Our attention to detail has made us an industry leader with over 30 years’ experience, and our client base comes from both the Private and Public sectors. We owe our success to having a great Team that care about our customers and understand their needs. Any award is good to have but one that is voted for by your customers is special as this validates that the processes put into place are all working.

From the day of purchase it was clear that Communication was an issue, by implementing a new service package which allows us to regularly review job status which allows us to then update our customers as to current status of any service issues.

For our philosophy, just three words are needed: commitment, care and most of all communication. Our culture encompasses high levels of communication, being honest with your customer to help manage their expectations plus empowering staff through training and “One to One” mentoring to allow us to deliver our first class service.

What sets us apart from our competition is ensuring we deliver what is promised but most of all supplying our customers with a solution not a problem. Looking towards the future, we envisage a growing confidence in the market place which is allowing us to continue to grow both sales and service activity.

Having increased our Staffing levels within our Customer Services Dept. and employing a Sales Director we are already reaping benefits, this in turn is opening more doors which gives us more opportunities. With all this in mind, we are fully aware of the challenges growing your business brings.

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★ No. 1 Wireless Location Technology Company - Canada

Blackline GPS Company: Blackline GPS Email: info@blacklinegps.com Address: Blackline GPS Corp.

Suite 101 1215 – 13 Street SE Calgary, AB Canada T2G 3J4 Telephone: +1-403-451-0327

Blackline is a wireless location leader that develops, manufactures, and markets products and services for worker safety monitoring and business tracking applications. Blackline solutions deliver safety, security, and location awareness through innovative wireless hardware and custom user interfaces, including web, mobile, messaging, and web services. We spoke to them to find out more.

Blackline’s Loner® employee safety monitoring solutions empower organizations to provide an instant, pinpoint emergency response to employees who have suffered an injury, health incident, or physical threat. Loner products are used by small and medium sized businesses to enterprises. For more information, you can visit Blackline’s safety website (www.blacklinesafety.com).

The portable tracking products were designed specifically for professional surveillance, vehicle tracking, asset security, loss prevention, and logistics applications. Their solutions are used by government agencies, police services, investigators, small and medium sized businesses through to enterprise.

They offer products and services that deliver cutting-edge safety monitoring, security, and surveillance for nearly every industry including: - Utilities & Public Works - Oil & Gas - Natural Resources - Public Safety - Healthcare - Real Estate - Engineering & Construction - Manufacturing - Retail - Transportation & Logistics

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Best for Board Development Services - UK

BP & E Global BP&E Global is the governance and regulatory consultancy specialising in Board development services. We work with financial services and FTSE 350 firms, with focus on supporting Boards to become more effective. On the regulatory side we focus on the UK Corporate Governance Code, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulatory Authority.

Company: BP&E Global Ltd Email: info@bpandeglobal.com Web Address: www.bpandeglobal.com Telephone: 020 7764 0721

Our services are: • Good Governance –The foundation of great Boards, make sure firms have the right structures and procedures to support their Boards.

•

Board Reviews –a bespoke approach to analysing how best to help the Board to perform to its potential.

•

Board Development – all teams need to keep up with change and focus from time to time on particular challenge; we can help.

•

Director Development – events designed for induction and development purposes focusing on the skills and knowledge needed by Directors in today’s world.

BP&E Global is all about people. Our directors and consultants care very much about the people they work with and the firms and people that we help with their Board development, whether that’s a Board evaluation, Board CPD programme or anything else their Board or individuals need help with to make them more effective.

What makes us unique is that we specialize. We don’t try and be all things to all people; our directors all have a strong commercial background in some large, well-known companies, we are all former regulators too and we and our consultants have a strong track record with clients very willing to provide testimonials (which are all on our website).

From our experience, so much is happening in financial services regulation that the role of the Board and the responsibilities of individual directors are expanding exponentially. Firms need help picking through the mass of information to work out exactly how it will impact them in a practical way and ensure they are prepared and fully enabled.

Our approach is essentially focused on three key elements: -Experience counts: Each time our consultants work with a Board they add to the many years of business experience another insight into what makes a great Board.

-Our consultants are not one dimensional: They have worked in a range of disciplines in their careers and have the ability to distinguish good practice from poor and the skills to work with groups and individuals to gain positive commitment to change.

-We don’t just audit governance structures: Our business acumen combined with disciplined investigation provides a firm platform to move forward and achieve the best possible performance for clients and their Stakeholders.

When looking to work with a consultancy clients in our industry should look at what fits. Does the business fit with their requirements? Do they think they could work with the people in the business? Does the business understand their firm? Does the business have the right credentials? All of these questions need to be considered.

We are delighted to have been awarded Best Board Development Services – UK! Our dedicated and specialist team go the extra mile to ensure clients have what they need for their Boards to succeed.

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★ Best Operational Risk Management Consultants - Trinidad and Tobago

Brison Ltd In today’s uncertain world, a strong focus on risk management can keep an organization inoculated from direct and indirect losses and reputational damage as a result of disasters, sabotage, or theft. These risks can affect physical or information assets and must therefore be addressed holistically. We spoke to Brison ltd about their unique approach to these issues.

Company: Brison Ltd Web: www.brisonltd.com Telephone: +1(868)755-7475 Address: P.O. Box 1949 Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago

As our clients climb to new heights, our services keep their business anchored. Brison is a full service operational risk training and consultancy firm with specialized expertise in security management and business continuity management. We pride ourselves in our technical competence, and our consultants are leaders in their fields. We have a strong focus on ethics and confidentiality which we do not compromise on. Our business model is designed with the client in mind.

At Brison we have the right mix of international qualifications, experience, recognition and appreciation of the local context to serve the Caribbean market. Our technical competence is well respected globally as our Managing Director is a trail blazer who was the first Trinidadian to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and is also the first professional internationally certified both in security and business continuity in the Caribbean.

He now sits on committees responsible for development of ANSI standards for the security and crisis management fields. Brison has already created strategic alliances with other global leaders in our industry to deliver results to the customer in a seamless manner. We are the sole licensed training provider for the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) in the Caribbean and offer their flagship program for CBCI designation, which is linked to the recently released ISO 22301 Standard. In addition, Brison Ltd is also a partner with the Professional Evaluation and Certification Board (PECB) and a solutions partner with Sunguard Availability Services, a leading global provider of Business Continuity software, data recovery and hosting solutions.

Our objective is to partner with your business through providing services that allow you to pursue your goals and objectives while managing the risks that if unmitigated could lead to business failure. Our services include Consulting and Training. In every project we seek to empower clients with our focus on client-side capacity building.

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Best Marina management - UK

British Waterways Marinas

British Waterways Marinas Ltd (BWML) is a national operator within the inland and coastal marina markets in England and Wales. They spoke to us about their business and their recent transitions to further improve their services.

We have a total of 19 sites and a capacity of 2700 berths across England & Wales. BWML is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canal & River Trust, the national charity who manages the nations 2000 mile network of navigable canals and rivers. We offer secure high quality moorings for craft of all types and sizes at our marinas. We pride ourselves on giving great service and making available valued services such as showers, laundrettes and Wi-Fi at most of our sites. We have Chandlery supplies and boatyard services available at most sites as well as a fully stocked Chandlery website that can service all boaters’ needs.

Our philosophy is to offer the best value moorings in the marketplace, supported by the best customer service standards of delivery. We aim to be the easiest marina operator to do business with in the UK. Our culture is one of continuous performance improvement. We might have been accused of being complacent a couple of years ago, but we know we have a lot to do to earn the patronage of our customers in a market that has so many alternative suppliers. Since 2014, we have embarked on a journey to ensure our customers always come first, increasingly listening to their views, and our hard work in this regard has resulted in increased customer numbers, and excellent customer feedback.

Company: British Waterways Marinas Ltd Name: Jeff Whyatt, Managing Director.

Web Address: www.bwml.co.uk Telephone: 0115 9077401

As a customer focussed business, the most important aspect of working with our moorers is open and honest communications in all that we do. We have twice yearly socials at most marinas, monthly newsletters to keep people informed and an annual customer survey to keep track of customer feedback. Additionally, we have recently introduced online forums on our marina websites and focused on Facebook communications. Furthermore, we are independently assessed by the Yacht Harbour Association’s Gold Anchor scheme – within these assessments are mystery shops of each marina which enable us to understand how we really come across to customers – a valuable impartial part of the assessment.

It is great to be recognised for our efforts in the work environment – we are a relatively young company (at 10 years old) and operating within the very demanding marina marketplace is a real challenge. We owe our success to two factors – firstly putting the customer first in all that we do and secondly, having great front line staff who go the extra mile for our customers.

Awards such as these are very important to us. We operate in a competitive sector where improving standards and customer satisfaction levels is key to our performance. Having an objective measure of ‘management excellence’ and being recognised for achieving it is an accolade we all aspire to.

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★ Award for Excellence in Technology-Focused Communications - UK

Catalyst Communications From science to security and computing to chemistry, Catalyst provides specialist public relations and marketing services to technology-based companies. Catalyst provides PR campaigns that are researched, designed and delivered with ingenuity and flair across traditional and digital channels. We spoke to them to find out more.

We boast a small but uniquely-experienced team that has delivered programmes for science and technology companies around the world through the simple process of listening to their needs and constructing individual, tailored PR campaigns that recognise their unique vision. Our clients include companies in security & surveillance, life sciences, imaging and microscopy, green technology, business intelligence, and computing.

Catalyst is a specialist in business-to-business tech PR, with years of knowledge and experience between its dedicated core team, particularly in the fields of security, telecommunications, life sciences, biopharmaceuticals, software development and computing. It means that when clients brief the Catalyst team on a new product or announcement, thanks to their specialist experience they’ll translate that briefing into messages designed specifically for your target audience.

Non-specialist agencies tend to slip into the trap of telling audiences – potential customers – things they already know. A company’s message loses its impact because readers – or viewers, or editors, or journalists – don’t have faith that it is coming from a source with an equivalent level of industry knowledge.

Company: Catalyst Communications Name: Vibeke Ulmann, Managing Partner Email: info@catalystpr.com Web Address: www.catalystpr.com Address: The Annexe 2 Crispin Way Farnham Common Buckinghamshire SL2 3UE Phone: +44 (0) 843 289 1920 or +44 (0) 845 226 3036

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Catalyst doesn’t do that.

Instead, we highlight the business benefits a client’s technology delivers within an integrated PR campaign for social media as well as traditional outlets, raising our client’s profile and connecting them with decision-makers and opinion-formers in their industry, and beyond.

Find out more at www.catalystpr.com

BUSINESS excellence

★ Best Bureau De Change Company - UK

ChangeGroup ChangeGroup has grown at an accelerated rate over the past few years, growing both geographically and developing new services such as our ATM division – all with the goal of adding value to our clients while offering them a broad spectrum of media with which to deal with their foreign currency requirements.

Our focus recently has been on the customer journey and how to match this to the diverse requirements of our clients. This has led us down the road of automation, where we have now launched a new ATM division within the business aimed at automating the customer experience.

At this time we are focusing on automation and offering our clients a wide choice of delivery channels. ATMs allow the customers to take foreign currency in a cash and dash mode, while we are also planning the ability to convert cash at automated devices – the key for ChangeGroup is to offer the customer the channel which best suits their needs.

ChangeGroup is very proud to receive such a reward as it recognises the hard work of our staff, both in the bureaux and in head office. Our success is purely down to the hard work and customer oriented approach of our staff.

Company: ChangeGroup Name: Sacha Zackariya Email: sacha.zackariya@changegroup.com Web Address: www.changegroup.com Address: 1 Ely Place, London EC1N 6RY Telephone: +44 (0)203 675 8200

Our clients seek a personalised customer experience in a method to suit their needs. It is important we offer the right service method for all our client needs. Our culture is one of openness, honesty and integrity. With these values embedded within our company we believe this will then be passed onto our clients. This sets us apart from our competitors, as we focus on; our company values, service ethics and competitive rates. We focus on longevity and customer satisfaction.

In our industry the move to automated service channels has been the biggest recent trend, one which ChangeGroup has fully embraced. The biggest impact will come from the automated delivery channel, be that pure cash withdrawal in any currency, to cash to cash solutions, to ‘Click & Collect’ at the ATM. Awards like this are very important as they are an external recognition for the hard work of all within the company. Also within the industry, it raises the bar for everyone within the sector which can only be to the benefit of our clients.

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★ Enterprise Cloud Specialist of the Year

C CloudOrigin

CoudOrigin provide award winning strategy, advisory and implementation services to end-users and providers to take advantage of the fundamental change in the business model of information technology brought about by cloud computing. Our client base spans technology providers – from datacenter managers to Software as a Service firms – as well as intensive technology users across public and private sectors. Acquisition International spoke to them about their award and their unique service.

Company: CloudOrigin Limited Name: Richard Hall Email: Info@CloudOrigin.com Web Address: www.CloudOrigin.com Address: Exchange Building, London, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 203 642 5715

Based in London but operating globally, we have decades of experience designing, delivering and managing the most advanced business services, software solutions and infrastructure platforms worldwide.

Our reputation has grown in the Private Equity and Venture Capital community keen to clearly understand technology trends in terms of market demand. We are equally pleased to have enabled first round funding for new startups as we are to have advised on multi-billion dollar acquisitions or pioneering cloud implementation projects for major brands.

Now that Cloud is the foundation of IT strategy for enterprise users and technology providers alike, by serving these segments to develop their latest projects we can help both ends of the industry understand each other and identify real business value while avoiding the most common pitfalls along the way.

Our firm has grown entirely from referrals, initially from the contact network our management team established building global software and service firms over three decades and now from the Chairmen and Managing Partners at technology and investment firms we have worked with since our inception in 2009. Our history is the history of Cloud adoption, providing clear, pragmatic advice as the technologies and commercial practices have evolved to become central to the business and investment return of our clients.

Our clients should above all expect pragmatic advice with clear business and technical rationale. The IT sector is prone to hype which all too often obscures the genuine benefits, as well as scare stories popular in the press and from entrenched technology suppliers. Unpicking the real issues that apply to any given customer or investment is essential, then quantifying the risks and opportunity. Critically we are prepared to give concrete, prioritised recommendations and work with the client to implement them whether as a coach, strategic advisor or in a quality and governance role during programme delivery.

To win this award for a second time is a great recognition and endorsement of the range of client projects we have delivered in the last twelve months. We realised in 2009 when we founded the firm that Cloud really represented a fundamental change in the commercial model and business practices of the whole IT industry, and hence clients would need an independent specialist advisor who understood the traditional technology landscape but was free to recommend cloud benefits as they emerged. Now in 2015 we can point to proven strategies to consume software and infrastructure as a service successfully, and to build e-commerce and online solutions safely and profitably.

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Best in Lower Middle Market Acquisitions – USA

Cornerstone Business Services, Inc. Cornerstone Business Services is a full service mergers and acquisitions firm that specializes in the lower / middle market assisting privately held / family-owned businesses with revenues from $2 Million to $100+ Million / EBITDA $500,000-$10 million. We spoke to them to find out more.

Company: Cornerstone Business Services, Inc. Name: Scott Bushkie Email: sbushkie@cornerstone-business.com Web Address: www.cornerstone-business.com Address: 200 S Washington St Ste 205 Green Bay, WI 54301 Telephone: 920-436-9890

Our mantra is ‘Work Hard, Finish Strong’. We understand business owners only get one chance to sell their business and we don’t take that lightly. We make absolutely sure that each client is given the time, energy and resources by Cornerstone and its team to have the best chance for success.

Cornerstone focuses on developing and nurturing key strategic alliances with other firms that share our philosophies and similar customer clientele. We take on limited clientele and tell them what they need to hear not just what they want to hear to make a well informed decision prior to going to market.

Our company operates in the following areas: Sell-Side services, Buy-Side services, Estimate of Value and Business and Marketing Analysis. Some of our most common industries include: • Manufacturing • Business Services • Distribution • Waste Management • Metal Fabrication • Oil & Gas • Food What separates our company from the pack is that we bring the Investment Banking model to the lower middle market. Many companies are either too small for the large Investment Banking firm or too large for the typical business broker process. Our approach upfront is to set realistic expectations and make sure that both parties understand what the market will bear before either sides spend considerably amounts of money or time to ensure the best chance for sale.

This is an outstanding award and we are excited to be receiving it. We would like to thank the professionals who believe in us enough to work with their clients and the clients themselves to have their trust in us to guide them through this all important process. Our success is also due to our team and their experience and passion they show on each and every deal.

Business owners only get one chance to sell their business and anyone can call themselves an M&A Advisor/ Business Broker. Recognition such as this sets us apart from other firms and substantiates the work we put into each client. Clients are drawn to our company because of our reputation, past client testimonials and references, closing ratio and our philosophies.

Looking ahead at future trends in our industry, we noticed that more and more baby boomers are coming to market and selling their businesses. Alongside this trend is the record amount of buyers and the amount of cash they have set aside for acquisitions. In the next 5-10 years we will see the baby boomers retiring and looking to sell their businesses. Our challenge will be choosing the right clients that are truly emotionally ready to sell.

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★ Dispute Resolution Firm of the Year – UK

Coyle White Devine Coyle White Devine is a niche legal practice specialising in dispute resolution, including business disputes, insolvency, sports disputes, intellectual property disputes, defamation, property disputes, professional negligence, banking litigation, employment, and family and matrimonial disputes. We spoke to them about their award and the philosophy behind their business.

Company: Coyle White Devine Name: David Sheahan Email: resolution@cwd-law.com Web Address: cwd-law.com Address: Coyle White Devine, Boughton Business Park, Bell Lane, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP6 6FA Telephone: 08450 945 945

Our clients include corporate entities, their directors and shareholders, banks and lending institutions in Qatar and the UAE, insolvency practitioners, sporting personalities, high profile musicians and entertainers, families facing relationship breakdowns, employers and employees, and landlords and tenants. We are valued by our clients because of our dedication to dispute resolution. We do it well because we do nothing else.

Over the last year, our department serving banks and lending institutions based in the UAE has gone from strength to strength. The team handles the collection of debts (ranging from credit card accounts to unsecured loans, personal guarantee claims and mortgage shortfall claims) against UK residents who left Dubai and the other Emirates when the financial crash took hold in 2008/9. We are currently securing approximately 25 to 30 UK Court Judgments each month for our UAE banking clients.

Our overriding philosophy is to give our clients value for money. We will not let them waste money by litigating a bad case. We have also seen continued growth in our insolvency work, where our work is principally driven towards securing better realisations for the secured and unsecured creditors of insolvent businesses. The financial crash led to a crippling shortage of cash within the economy and we have successfully used our forensic skills to uncover and prosecute misfeasance claims against company directors. Our clients include Insolvency Practitioners, company shareholders and creditors.

Businesses are run for profit but, inevitably, problems can arise both internally and externally. Clients looking for professional legal advice need to consider the expertise of the lawyers they consult, together with their approach to litigation. Without wishing to overstate the point, it is not our firm’s policy to litigate weak cases.

Furthermore, we know that litigation is not always the best option and we will weigh up the alternative means of dispute resolution that might be available to our clients. Our preferred tool for the resolution of internal disputes is mediation and to this end one of our directors is a CEDR accredited mediator.

We are a niche legal practice which focuses exclusively on dispute resolution. All of our lawyers are selected because they possess an exceptional knowledge of both the law and legal procedure and because they have the following core values: - The desire to give value for money above all else - The desire to invest personally in the problems of others - The desire to win every single case - The understanding that “law” is one of many useful tools in the resolution of disputes - The ability to converse in straightforward language without legal jargon - The conviction to recommend particular actions to clients We’re delighted to receive the award for Dispute Resolution Firm of the Year - UK. It tells us that our approach to our work and our clients is hitting the right note!

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Award for Excellence in Transactional Services - Norway

Deloitte Deloitte’s Norwegian transaction services department consist of 40+ dedicated professionals locally, representing the largest service line within Deloitte Financial Advisory. Financial Advisory is a group of 60+ transaction advisors in Norway advising in respect of equity, debt and partnerships (Public-Private-Partnership). We spoke to them about their award, as well as their ambition of expanding their global footprint.

Company: Deloitte AS Name: Trond Ivar Skar Email: tskar@deloitte.no Web Address: deloitte.no Telephone: +47 9074 6625

While we are not the largest M&A TS-department among the Big4 in Norway, our services are well recognized.

Receiving the Award for Excellence in Transactional Services – Norway was a testimony of our capabilities.

Strong and efficient cooperation with other Deloitte entities, being in the interesting Nordic region, through joint participation in the increasing East Asia dealflow or though off-shoring arrangements, further brings capacity and competence.

Increasing the footprint within sell side services have been one of Deloitte’s growth areas over the last years (i.e. vendor due diligence on entities ranging from market leaders such as Jordan to regulated business such as Tinfos, and vendor assist on entities ranging from carve outs such as Agility Projects to data intense entities such as Espira). Fuelled by the successful recruitment and integration of the ex-KPMG partners Jonathan Farnell and Are Skjoy, continued growth has more recently been obtained within corporates (e.g. assisting Orkla with the acquisition of Cederroth (competitive auction process) and Blatchford consolidating the business of orthopaedists).

While we are proud of receiving the Award for Excellence in Transactional Services – Norway, we similarly see this award as a recognition of our continuous effort in developing the transaction services offering. Deloitte Financial Advisory offers a wide range of services, and leveraging on the various competencies in Financial Advisory and the wider Deloitte pallet, allows us to work targeted towards each customer’s needs. The recent expansion of the commercial due diligence team will further contribute to a more relevant offering.

We find that to deliver our best performance, dedication always helps. Ensuring all employees are committed and motivated out of self-interest brings that dedication. Furthermore, making sure the different workstreams truly works together is another key success criteria. It all boils down to people, so recruitment, individual development and team spirit is the strings we use when playing.

In our industry, clients should be looking for the ability and willingness to use resources out of their needs rather than internal and short-term utilization. Also, true senior/partner involvement, allowing client to benefit fully on experience should not be underestimated.

In a market with increased focus on efficient delivery of products, our ambition is to use creativity and smartness to stay competitive despite market-leading access to experienced senior resources. While we are committed to deliver, it is as advisors we deliver the highest level of value.

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★ Home Health Care Company of the Year- UK

Dial-A-Carer Ltd DIAL A CARER is a provider of home-based personal care and also ‘Treatment of Disease Disorder and Injury” care.

They provide 24 hour Live-in, Respite and Night Care and Health Support for people who choose to live at home. We got in touch with them to find out more about their business.

Name: Elizabeth Stobbe Company: DIAL-A-CARER Website: www.dialacarer.com Email: enquiries@dialacarer.com Telephone: 01268 711 044 Fax: 01268 710329

DIAL A CARER covers the whole of Essex. Our Clients are over the age of 18 and we specialise in the care of the elderly, those with illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s or those requiring end of life care.

Our Clients benefit from our service because they can continue to live in their own homes and maintain their own independence. Our service gives peace of mind to our Clients and their families who can rest assured that specialist help is at hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

The company was founded by Elizabeth Stobbe in 2007. Elizabeth’s personal mandate is to provide all of her Clients with the highest levels of care, dignity and support. She is passionate about doing the right thing and her devotion extends to the high standards she insists of her staff.

A Registered mental health nurse and Registered general nurse (RMN and RGN), Elizabeth specialises in the care of sufferers of dementia. She is a supporter of NACC, UCB and Alzheimer’s Society.

At DIAL A CARER we believe that care requires knowledge, common sense, compassion and a sense of responsibility if it is to be carried out properly. The most important trait of the Carer is to have a human and empathetic understanding of the body, soul and spirit. Our Carers responsibility is to stimulate independence and provide physical support.

When working in our sector, we take inspiration from the famous quote from Florence Nightingale: “No man, not even a doctor, ever gives any other definition of what a Carer should be than this... devoted and obedient.”

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Logistics Provider 2015 – UK

Diamond Logistics partners with businesses to deliver their promise and profits with one stop logistics. With a network of over 25 depots already, it’s the fastest growing courier company in the UK. It’s a non-asset based model which means it’s easy to scale and has experience a doubling of turnover in the last year. We spoke to them to find out more.

Company: Diamond Logistics Name: Kate Lester Email: kate@diamondlogistics.co.uk

When dealing with clients, we find that its paramount your delivery partner knows what you do, who you deliver to and the priority of that final mile. An honest and open assessment of client expectations matched with their budgetary requirements can make sure demand is matched with the appropriate service level. And being a one stop solution means whether it’s urgent same day courier, or overnight, international or even remote storage and despatch you need, you’re local Diamond depot can provide that for you – all with great local customer care.

At our company, it’s all about our client experience. We may deliver parcels but we are a customer service business. It’s all about the people. Our team, our clients, their customer and the rest of UK Plc. We drive our business with strong ethical values based on quality here at Diamond. Our attributes include: quality of client care, IT platforms, service provision, training and client interaction.

Our philosophy is called Shared Success ©. We believe business and life is all about mutually beneficial relationships – between us, our team, our clients, our franchises and the rest of our global clients.

We have a network of locally owned and run depots. So you get the very best client care provided by a personalised professional local business person who is determined to retain your business so gives you the very best client care. All this but backed by the national and international resources that a major player can provide you with. So it is the very best of both worlds. Great local service – with all the resources you need to deliver anything, anytime, anywhere.

Awards such as these are good for business. In a theoretically commoditised market it’s great to set yourself and your team above the competition. And the whole crew here love the fact they are working in an award winning company.

As for the industry as a whole, there’s a massive move to start-ups using our logistics know how to build a solid distribution partnership on which to base their business growth. Obviously there is a huge evolution in the home delivery too. We are facilitating a lot of business growth – from EBay Power Sellers, to Chinese companies importing storing and distributing goods from our warehouses to businesses using our network of national storage facilities to assist their local serve requirements.

For continuing our success, it’s all about consolidation in our marketplace. With Citylinks demise there is less choice out there for businesses – where as our solution (as we are not reliant on one network) assists companies in making sure their business continuity is assured.

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★ Environmentally Friendly Data Centre of the Year - UK

e-know.net ltd.

e-know.net is one of the UK’s leading managed IT services companies, serving both enterprise and SME customers, key verticals include legal, recruitment, financial services and manufacturing.

Recognition of what we do, in terms of what we have achieved and how we conduct ourselves is always exciting. Therefore, I’m particularly pleased for all the staff here who work so hard to keep us in the top tier of service providers.

In this business, it is key to get the right people in place, inculcate your values and you have something way more powerful than the amazing physical technology that sits on our desks and in our data centre: a consistent ability to deliver on your client promise.

For e-know.net, customer service is not something that sits within a dedicated team, it is embedded in the very culture, the very DNA of the company.

Company: e-know.net Name: Nigel Redwood (CEO) Email: nigel.redwood@e-know.net Web Address: www.e-know.net Address: Datapoint House, 400 Queensway Business Park, Queensway, Telford, Shropshire, TF1 7UL Telephone: 01952 225 000

IT is mission critical to every business, so getting your managed services supplier right is critical to safeguarding the lifeblood of your organisation. Making the wrong choice doesn’t just end up inconveniencing you, it could put you out of business. Clients invariably look for a proven track record in delivering services to their sector; they want to know not just that you can guarantee 99.99% uptime but that you understand their needs and wants and will work with them collaboratively and collegiately. They want to see rolling investment in technology, breadth and depth of personnel, ISO levels of security, and financial strength and probity. They like commercial flexibility and above all they want a supplier that puts the client at the heart of the business.

Everything we’ve done over the past 15 years has been done to mould e-know.net into a provider that can tick all those boxes.

Our customer centric culture drives everything we do. It’s there in a Support team that has reengineered itself around the ITIL framework, the international standard for best practice in service/support delivery and a driving force for continuous improvement.

It’s there in the account management team, who are appraised as much on customer satisfaction levels as they are on sales figures. Regular account reviews are supplemented by more formal measures to gauge client feedback, such as our annual Customer Satisfaction survey and annual Stakeholders Forum.

Customer service and our commitment to it permeate e-know.net from top to bottom, front to back. That’s why I sit at the top of every escalation path within the business. Paths that are notable for their brevity and bring reassurance that any issues will be dealt with at the highest level.

We recognise that it’s more than just their IT systems that clients are giving us, it’s their trust. They trust in us to do what we have promised and we reciprocate that trust, that is the driving force, the differentiator because it is the catalyst for genuine partnership. We don’t see ourselves as just entering into some service based agreement, we see e-know.net as integral to a client’s progress, delivering technically day to day but also advising and consulting over the long-term, supporting both tactical operations and strategic development. Are we using it to our advantage? Well, a string of customer advocacy campaigns would hint at success. The fact that 60% of new business comes from customer referrals would seem to confirm it.

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Engineering Excellence Award: Outstanding Product - SmartDispenser - Massachusetts

Fishman® Corporation Fishman is a dynamic and innovative company that was established in 1958 and one of the “original six” distributors for Semco Corporation, a manufacturer of plastic cartridges used for the dispensing of assembly fluids. We got in touch with them to give us an outline of their company and the kind of services they provide.

Company: Fishman® Corporation Email: sales@fishmancorp.com Web Address: www.fishmancorp.com Address: 192 South St. Hopkinton, MA 01748 Telephone: (800) 433-2115

In 1976, the company was purchased by the Beebe family from Philip Fishman. In 1979, the new ownership introduced the company’s first manufactured line of benchtop pneumatic dispensers. Over the next 18 years the company was successfully redefined from a regional distributor to an international manufacturer of world-class liquid dispensing systems. In 2010 Fishman® Corporation revolutionized liquid dispensing yet again with the release of the SmartDispenser®. The SmartDispenser® was developed to address global manufacturers’ needs for process control applied to their fluid dispensing applications and web based devices that are able to network with developing MES systems. The SmartDispenser® fluid dispensing system utilizes AirFree® dispensing technology. The stability of the AirFree® Linear Drive System provides control and monitoring of a consistent repeatable assembly fluid deposit worldwide resulting in increased bottom line profits through higher productivity, fewer rejects, less fluid waste and lower production costs.

Our clients are companies that are looking for the highest ROI, the best productivity and process control while shrinking their environmental footprint. Our Clients are forward thinking, local and international companies.

The relationships we have with our customers are focused on performance, professionalism and most importantly, trust. We provide world-class fluid dispensing products on time and we listen to better understand their needs for the future of fluid dispensing. In the end clients will be able to count on Fishman® being there, no matter what. The SmartDispenser® is the fluid dispenser for today’s manufacturing with an eye on the future.

At Fishman® our culture is rooted in the commitment to continuous improvement of quality products, service and customer satisfaction. As a result, our clients achieve outstanding results in the production of their end products.

What sets Fishman® apart from our competitors and peers is our mission to improve assembly technology through the design and manufacturing of mechanical fluid dispensing systems and associated accessories.

We are agile and solution oriented while always considering the bottom line and financial health of our clients.

That commitment is what makes us different.

We are honoured to have been recognized for the prestigious Engineering Excellence Award: Outstanding Product – SmartDispenser® - Massachusetts.

Our engineers, quality team and our clients who are always striving for next level of excellence are the driving force behind our success. We pride ourselves on the ability to stay grounded but always have a forward thinking state of mind.

We believe these awards and recognition are paramount to our industry and us. The award tells us and our contemporaries that we are on the right track and to keep pushing forward.

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★ Best Pharmaceutical Company - Finland

Forendo Pharma Ltd Forendo Pharma is a drug discovery and development company with core competence in tissue specific regulation of sex hormone effects. Its two first-in-class product candidates are progressing to offer significant therapeutic benefits in men´s and women´s health. We spoke to them about their company and their innovate products.

Name: Forendo Pharma Web: www.forendo.com Address: Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4 B FI-20520 Turku FINLAND Phone: + 358 40 310 8000

Our two first class products are Fispemifene and HSD. Fispemifene is the first selective estrogen receptor modulator designed only for men. It will be developed for treatment of symptoms of low testosterone. In phase II clinical studies in men with secondary hypogonadism, fispemifene has effectively normalized the low testosterone levels.

As for HSD, the 17HSD1-inhibitor is progressing into clinical development with a focus on endometriosis.

The potent and selective lead compounds have demonstrated in vivo proof of efficacy in disease model of endometriosis. This “first-in-man” mechanism offers potentially multiple benefits over the current endometriosis therapies.

Forendo has recently signed a licensing agreement for fispemifene development and marketing in USA with Apricus Biosciences Inc (www.apricusbio.com). The core team of Forendo includes pioneers within Finnish drug development and leading academic professionals in endocrinology.

We are also supported by leading Nordic VC investors Karolinska Development AB, Novo Seeds and Finnvera with international venture groups, Novartis Venture Fund and MS Ventures joining now.

View to the Aura river in Turku at night

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Award for Excellence in Dental Practice Acquisition Advice - UK

Frank Taylor & Associates Ltd. Established as the most successful independent valuer and sales agents for the dental market, Frank Taylor & Associates specialises in practice valuations, sales, purchases and business improvement services for dental professionals in England and Wales. The company has been involved in the sale and valuation of thousands of dental practices nationwide. All of their clients can be confident that they will always know how they work, what their fees are and who they are working with.

Company: Frank Taylor & Associates Name: Lis Hughes Email: team@ft-associates.com Web Address: www.ft-associates.com Address: 1-3 Bradmore Building, Bradmore Green, Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire AL9 7QR Telephone: 0845 612 3434

Their strong, unrivalled track record in dental practice sales within the UK has given them a unique knowledge of the demand for practices in different geographical areas and coupled with an extensive database of qualified potential purchasers. They use this knowledge on their clients’ behalf to find the most suitable purchasers time and time again.

They are honoured to have been nominated for this award and feel it is an even greater honour to have won it.

They believe it is, without a doubt, a testament to the hard work and dedication of their team.

Awards like this are definitely important to small businesses like Frank Taylor & Associates. They confirm and recognise all of their hard work as well as their team commitment to delivering services for their clients.

What’s more, they allow them to showcase our success in the market amongst their competitors.

The dental sales market is now highly competitive and they are focused on enhancing their customer service to provide complete tailored solutions, whatever the client needs. The company are also now offering more and more additional services to their clients outside of just buying or selling a dental practice.

They are committed to being the most successful valuer and sales agent for the dental sector and strive to deliver a customer focussed service at all times.

Those looking to sell their dental practice with them can rest assured that they will always deliver a highly professional and honest service. And there’s never any conflict of interest in who their clients are.

From the start, they work closely with them to prepare accurate and comprehensive information that clearly reflects the unique elements of their business to potential purchasers. They also work with them every step of the way so that they fully understand what they wish to achieve by selling. They don’t stop there, they also provide specialist tax planning advice to mitigate and minimise any resulting tax liability once their practice has been sold.

Frank Taylor & Associates follow four key principles, honesty, integrity, reliability and value. Confidentiality and professionalism are also extremely important and critical when discussing a dental practice or plans for the future. All of their clients can be assured of this when they deal with them.

Finally, they realise that every situation is different and every individual is unique. With this in mind, their range of services can be tailored to clients’ specific needs no matter how complex.

They are very clear in their duty to their clients; they instruct us to sell their practice. All practices sold with them are presented to the open market and they only realise a commission fee once a sale is completed.

And, unlike other competitors, they DO NOT accept a commission fee from a purchaser.

In the past 12 months they’ve seen a significant increase in demand for dental practices. The changes in the regulatory environment are impacting their business as well as the wider dental market sector. In addition, CQC regulations are now far more vigilant for new practice owners, as are the banks when considering loan applications for new purchasers.

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★ Award for Excellence in Performing Arts Promotion - UK

From Sweden Productions was founded in London in 2009. Founder and Managing Director Sofie Haag’s aim was to further the international cause of Swedish classical music and performing arts by producing and promoting high-profile cultural events – all with a Swedish connection. We spoke to her to find out more.

Our clients include musicians, orchestras, concert promoters and producers of musical theatre on the one side and corporate sponsors and diplomatic organisations on the other. We work with them to develop and implement strategies for branding and marketing, and we consult on both the creative and logistical aspects of productions. We also produce and promote our own festivals and events, including the annual Christmas From Sweden concert at London’s Cadogan Hall on the 23 December, staged in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden and Anglo-Swedish partners and sponsors.

Highlights so far have included Camerata Nordica’s sold-out BBC Proms debut in 2013 and a concert at King’s Place in London earlier this spring by esteemed violinist Hugo Ticciati and his orchestra O/Modernt.

Coming up later this summer is a three day music festival at Wigmore Hall and later next season also include the world premiere of a newly written new rock opera, RichardRocks, based on the life of King Richard III.

Name: Sofie Haag Email: sofie@fromswedenproductions.com Web Address: www.fromswedenproductions.com Address: 17 Tideway Yard, 25 Mortlake High Street, London SW14 8SN Telephone: 020 8876 1888 / 079 7210 4125 Photo credit: Samjhana Moon

We selectively take on events without a Swedish connection. In a very different field, as a special project, we will be supporting futurist Roger James Hamilton’s event, Fast Forward Your Business, at the Grange Hotel in London on 12 and 13 September 2015. Roger is one of my business mentors and his expertise has helped me to grow From Sweden into what it is today.

In 2012, everything changed when I shifted the focus of the company from “We need to make money”, to “Who do we want to serve, and how can we add value to them and solve their problems”. We started attracting more business and generating more revenue. Part of this is down to the fact that I am passionate about arts and business, empowering the creative community as they share their messages and stories with the world; connecting with audiences on a global scale. I also want the artists out there to be able to make a living from their talents.

I was also privileged to be working with Sir Roger Gifford, former Lord Mayor of London and UK Head for SEB at the time who is a big advocate for Classical Music. He had chaired the From-Sweden festival 2004/05, and was - and still is - a great inspiration to me. Whenever I had this big vision, he always challenged me to think about the financial side of it as well. Visions are great, but they need to be financially viable.

From this perspective, I’ve studied with some of the world’s best social media entrepreneurs, including Mark Anastasi, author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller “The Laptop Millionaire”. Mark taught me how to build a successful business online while sticking to my ideals. People in the performing arts need to know that financial success and artistic integrity are compatible and achievable! Our success is all this, the contributions of our lovely team, colleagues and friends, and of course the loyalty and support of our clients.

Awards such as these mean a lot. We are very honoured and proud!

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Best Provider of Ambulant Health Care Services for Clinical Trials

GlobalCare Clinical Trials GlobalCare Clinical Trials, Ltd is the leading global provider of ambulant health care services for clinical trials.

They provide innovative, patient-centric services for biopharmaceutical and medical device companies by conducting selected study visits at locations convenient and comfortable for the patient (e.g., their home, workplace) when travel to the investigator site is not practical. We spoke to them about their company and the unique service they provide.

Company: GlobalCare Clinical Trials Email Us: info@globalcarect.com Web: www.globalcarect.com Address: 2201 Waukegan Road, Suite 270 Bannockburn, IL 60015 USA Telephone: +1 847 282 3280

GlobalCare’s network of high skilled nurses and physicians provide blood draws, pharyngeal swabs, ECGs, study drug administration, clinical assessments, questionnaires, training and data collection. Our traveling clinicians provide patients with a convenient way to participate in trials regardless of study duration, frequency of visits, their disease state or distance to the study site. Additionally, our patient-centric approach helps to accelerate patient recruitment and improve study patient compliance and retention.

GlobalCare Clinical Trials, Ltd brings over 100 years of experience in the clinical trials and home healthcare industries supporting over 350 trials by effectively delivering high quality and convenient clinical trial services in the home or alternate-site setting. We maintain a global clinical network of ambulant clinicians and Country Coordinators in over 40 countries and operate offices in North America and Europe. GlobalCare supports phase I-IV clinical trials in a variety of therapeutic areas, genomics and personalized medicine in all age groups.

Our Mission is to provide a patient-centric approach to clinical trials to speed the delivery of new products to the marketplace.

Our Model provides innovative and cost-effective solutions for conducting traditional study visits in the home or an alternate location resulting in: - Faster subject enrollment - Better patient compliance - Higher retention rates Our Values are focused on: - Quality - Teamwork - Customer Service - Services Whether it’s at home, school, the office or other alternate location, GlobalCare’s patient-centric services for clinical trials conveniently bring visits to the study patient. GlobalCare maintains a global network of multi-lingual Country Coordinators and local traveling service provides (nurses and physicians).

Our services include: Global Project Management: - Centrally managed global network of multi-lingual clinicians - In depth knowledge of local medical practices - Understanding of cultural differences -Support for Phase I-IV trials, all age groups, and multiple therapeutic areas Ambulant Care Services: - Study drug administration (intravenous infusion, subcutaneous injection, topical) Blood draws (safety labs, pharmacokinetics, genomics) - Other biologic sampling (pharyngeal and oral mucosal swabs, urine) - Clinical assessments (vital signs, ECGs, concomitant medications, adverse events) - Patient training and education -Patient chaperoning services to sites - Study compliance checks - Patient questionnaires - Visit documentation Site Support Services: - Assist with screenings for study candidates/patient scheduling - On-site study activities - Staff training - staff support services (e.g., patient scheduling, data entry, etc.)

Patient Chaperone Services: - Accompany and assist patients from their home to the investigator site or other testing location - Assist patients to get to scheduled on-site locations Central and Local Pharmacy Services: - Storage and distribution - Compounding and dispensing - Ancillary supplies - Cold chain logistics - Sourcing of commercial products and devices (infusion pumps) Quality and Customer Service: - Quality assurance and management - Standardization of processes - Adherence to local and national regulations - Customer service available 24/7

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★ Car Dealership of the Year - Midlands

Holt Mitsubishi Ltd. Holt Mitsubishi are the Mitsubishi Main Dealer for Derbyshire and offer new and used vehicles for sale along with a full aftersales department supplying parts, accessories and a full servicing department. We spoke to them about their business, and their prime focus on customer care.

Company: Holt Cars Ltd Name: Brian Holt Email: sales@holtcars.co.uk Web Address: www.holt-mitsubishi.co.uk Address: 998 London Road, Alvaston, Derby, DE24 8QA Telephone: 01332 861100

There are so many areas that we have focussed on to push the business forward. However, the first thing for us to achieve this was to become a ‘5 Star’ dealership and in the eyes of our customers we have certainly done that. We became one of only 18 ‘5 star’ Mitsubishi dealerships in the UK out of 129.

All our customers expect a level of service that requires the merest of input from themselves and we are here to make sure that any transaction is as smooth and hassle free as possible. Most importantly, we like our customers to feel they can trust our integrity. For both Sales and Aftersales we have one aim of ‘Exceeding Expectations’.

It is imperative that customer focus starts at the very top of any organisation and is part of our DNA. Our managers are constantly coaching staff on a daily basis to instil a way of life rather than a set of rules.

Being a privately owned and run company allows us to turn words in to actions. We don’t need endless consultations with umpteen different management levels before a decision can be made, and allows us to give our customers a seamless service.

Moving forward, one major development we have seen is a huge swing in technology preferences over the last year and with the arrival of our hugely successful Outlander Plug-In Hybrid. it’s clear that this type of transport will become our biggest seller.

It is great to get this award as we are only in our third year of trading and have worked incredibly hard to establish ourselves and this shows we are now starting to make our mark. Awards like this can be the fuel that drives businesses to do better.

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Award for Excellence in Investment Banking - Germany & Deal of the Year: C3 Merger

IEG - Investment Banking Group IEG – Investment Banking Group is one of the leading, global independent investment banking boutiques focused on Mergers & Acquisitions, Financing and CFO Advisory for Internet, Technology and Services. Locally present in the key international growth regions and/or emerging markets, IEG – Investment Banking Group is a unique, influential and trusted partner for growth companies and larger, international corporates. We spoke to them to find out more.

IEG – Investment Banking Group was pleased to function as exclusive financial advisor to KircherBurkhardt and is honoured to receive the award for “Deal of the Year” for its work.

The most important factor to have successfully completed the deal was the extensive experience and the strong network IEG – Investment Banking Group has in the digital field. Both parties, KircherBurkhardt and IEG, have worked as a like-minded team that shared their expectations and goals regarding the execution and completion of the deal.

Company: IEG -Investment Banking Group E-Mail: berlin@ieg-banking.com Web: http://ieg-banking.com/ Address: IEG (Germany) GmbH Knesebeckstr. 59-61 D-10719 Berlin Telephone: +49 (30) 303016-30 Fax: +49 (30) 303016-36

The C3 deal included the merging process of two content marketing agencies KircherBurkhardt and BurdaCreative Group. Due to joining their forces, the new formed agency C3 became instantly one of the top five digital agencies in the German digital agency association’s (BDVW) ranking and is the only major player that puts its focus exclusively on content creation.

During this transaction, as during all transactions, the team of IEG is always entirely focused on the needs of its client. It is rather an entire package of various aspects than one specific feature that characterizes IEG’s specific service offering. This includes dedication, a deep and well-founded know-how, an impeccable network of national and international contacts, professional project management as well as the ability to be proactive and forward-thinking.

Especially the last part sets IEG apart from its competition. The team of IEG is well aware of new trends and developments, such as Industry 4.0. The so-called fourth industrial revolution is the most prevalent trend within the last 12 months. The development towards cyber physical systems leads to drastic and rapid changes regarding products, processes and consumer behaviour as well as business models.

Consequently, Industry 4.0 will continuously influence all businesses. The team of IEG expects an increase in productivity and efficiency regarding the manufacturing of products. Additionally, there will be major changes in the work field. The human being as such will be the operator who defines, supervises and controls all processes. To be competitive in the long run, industries need to deal with these new tendencies at least to a certain extent. Industry 4.0 is an international task that calls for cross-border collaborations. Moreover, these developments demand new educational profiles, investors, fiscal incentives for venture capital and last but not least an active participation of the mid-sized sector. All these factors create many opportunities. The team of IEG – Investment Banking Group will advise companies to digitalize their value chain on the one hand and to reach out to appropriate partners to raise necessary financing on the other.

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★ Award for Innovation in Special Educational Needs Software

Inclusive Technology “Inclusive Technology exists to provide resources which help learners with severe, profound and complex special needs to learn, communicate and live a more independent life” says one of the company’s founders, Martin Littler.

We spoke to them to find out more.

Company: Inclusive Technology Ltd Name: Martin Littler FRSA Twitter @MartinLittler Email: martin@inclusive.co.uk Web Address: www.inclusive.co.uk Address: Inclusive Technology Ltd, Riverside Business Park, Delph, Oldham, Greater Manchester, OL3 5FZ United Kingdom.

Telephone: +44 1457 819790

Inclusive Technology’s customers are typically the teachers, therapists, health professionals, charities, and the centres and services who work with students in special education settings. Inclusive is a British company but as their software is increasingly delivered online they are now finding a world market. In the newest services like HelpKidzLearn and ChooseIt! Maker3, less than a third of their customers are UK based. The company’s largest online market is now the USA and they have subscribers in sixty other countries.

Inclusive works with children who may only be able to make one voluntary movement or sound. They specialise in harnessing whatever students can do – most recently they have added “eye-gaze” access to access via joysticks, switches and touch. Once a student’s access problems are tackled the company focus on education objectives while continuing to improve a student’s access skills.

To be economic, software for the “low incidence disabilities” in which the company specialises must rely on recognition in the widest world market. In 2014 Inclusive Technology won the top special education software awards in both the United Kingdom and the United States. These were the British BETT Award for “Special Educational Needs Solutions” and the American CODiE Award “Best Solution for Special Needs Students” The company is delighted to top this and achieve worldwide recognition with the 2015 AI Business Excellence Award for Innovation in Special Educational Needs Software! This is also welcome recognition for their team of teachers, therapists, designers and programmers who feel that they are already rewarded improving the lives of learners’ special needs.

Students with severe and profound needs and disabilities typically progress in tiny steps over a long period.

This means having as wide a variety of software as possible so that the students stay stimulated and motivated. This has meant a major commitment to development over the 20 years of the company’s life and has resulted in much the largest software resource in the SEN market.

Today’s online delivery of software closes the feedback loop. Inclusive can now see how their software is being used and this yields a huge amount of data on each student and about students in general. Inclusive’s development team is currently being expanded to harness the opportunities this offers. 2016 will see a web of over 500 small programs in HelpKidzLearn with students recognised and guided through a learning process which offers tasks with the right level of challenge and provides for each student’s access needs.

Over the last twenty years Inclusive have harnessed the latest technology to improve the life chances of children who face the greatest challenges. “Currently eye-gaze access, and learning analytics from the huge amount of data that eye gaze provides offer the best insight into improving the learning of children with severe and complex needs” says Martin Littler “the AI Business Excellence Award gives us are welcome boost, we’ll see that these special children don’t miss out!”

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Award for Innovation in Microfibrous Technology

IntraMicron, Inc. IntraMicron, Inc. develops and implements microfibrous technology to enhance catalytic, sorptive, heat transfer, and filtration processes as well as providing desulfurization solutions for a variety of energy streams. They specialize in manufacturing micron-diameter metal fibers and metallic nonwovens entrapping catalyst and sorbent particles. We spoke to them to find out more.

Company: IntraMicron, Inc. Email: info@intramicron.com Web Address: www.intramicron.com Address: 368 Industry Drive, Auburn, AL 36832 Telephone: 334-821-6810

IntraMicron’s main focus is on developing and commercializing technologies for advanced applications related to the energy sector. They develop products which solve fundamental problems for their clients while providing them with an exceptional level of customer service.

IntraMicron’s Culture is based honesty, loyalty, respect, dedication, and appreciation. All of IntraMicron’s employees know that their performance is important to the company’s success and that they are highly appreciated for their dedication. IntraMicron’s management is responsible for promoting the company culture. The work environment is such that encourages hard work and innovation in an enjoyable atmosphere.

We found that in our industry, the expansion of the renewable energy and oil and gas sectors have provided substantial opportunities for new applications for Microfibrous materials.

IntraMicron is honored to receive an award for the advances it has made in Microfibrous Technology. IntraMicron highly values the development of human capital and without the dedication and hard work of its employees IntraMicron would not have been able to win this award.

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★ Engagement Agency of the Year - UK

Jacob Bailey

As a direct, digital and engagement agency, Jacob Bailey’s goal is to deliver marketing communications that inspire people to really engage with brands. We got in touch with them to learn more about their innovation in this field.

Company: Jacob Bailey E-mail: info@jacobbailey.com Address: Zetland House 5 – 25 Scrutton Street London, EC2A 4HJ Telephone: 020 7729 0934

It’s the “why” and the “what” at the core of Jacob Bailey. It’s about our relationship with all the people we work with; not only our customers, or even their customers, but our partners, our colleagues, a hopeful graduate or the postie. From businesses large or small, global or local, brilliant experiences deliver brilliant results.

At Jacob Bailey creativity is at the heart of everything we do. Ideas are our lifeblood. In fact, we like to throw the doors of the agency wide open and engage our clients in the creative process.

Our creative sessions and client workshops mean that together we cut through to the problem as understood from the problem as defined. With our unique i5 approach and creativity clubs we deliver brilliant results again and again.

Our customer-focused communications are fine-tuned to deliver real results. Targeted, measurable, relevant and meaningful – it’s what great campaigns are all about!

We’re passionate about delivering brilliant online experiences. Cutting-edge digital advertising, eCRM, multimedia, search engine marketing, social media and mobile – we’ll ensure you’re at the forefront. We inspire our clients’ customers to get interactive with them brand, making them feel, think and respond.

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Best for IT Customer Support - Illinois

JumpForward JumpForward provides custom software solutions to over 250 college athletic departments. With JumpForward’s end-to-end unified platform, the athletic department can communicate and collaborate effectively, protect the athletic department from costly NCAA violations, and drive data driven decisions to help the athletic department achieve the goals stated in its strategic plans.

Company: JumpForward, LLC Name: Brad Niedermaier Email: brad@jumpforward.com Web Address: www.jumpforward.com Address: 112 S. Sangamon, 3rd Floor; Chicago, IL 60607 Telephone: 312-784-2954

First, our enterprise solution puts all the users in the athletic department onto one unified platform where they can communicate, create and send forms, and share information from campus information systems. Then we create custom solutions for many of the departments within the athletic department including the business office, camps, coaches, compliance, development, equipment, and marketing. Finally, we are able to help college athletic departments execute their strategic plan by gathering data from the athletic department and creating customizable dashboards that allow each department to make data informed decisions in real-time.

We find that saying you’re focused on customer support and executing are two very different things. In order to execute our vision of Fanatical Customer Support, we first built a culture that empowered our employees to make decisions without management approval as long as it meant they were taking care of the custom¬er.

Then we invested heavily in phone support software that let us know how quickly we were answering, responding to, and resolving support calls. Finally, we set up a system that proactively monitors how our cus¬tomers use our system. This allows us to constantly improve the user experience by tracking which features are used the most and the least.

Potential customers should look for 3 things when choosing a software company. First, know what you want out of a software company and be prepared to ask tough questions to make sure you’re getting it. Second, make sure it’s a technology company with a technology staff. Many companies in this industry focus on mar¬keting and flashy presentations instead of building a great product. Finally, check references beyond what the company offers. Any company can provide a list of 5 names that will give good feedback. Targeted calls to your peers that use the product will bring the most honest feedback.

We know that each of our clients have different needs and we have built a software platform that is flexible enough to take care of each of them. Our staff resembles that of a college athletic department so when you call in for support, you know that the person answering the phone has been in your shoes. We communicate regularly with all of our customers to make sure we consistently exceed their needs.

This award would mean a great deal to any software company, but it means even more in the college athletic department industry. Choos¬ing a software platform can be difficult and, after a while, many software presentations start to sound the same. Potential customers are always looking for a level of comfort to let them know that they’ll be taken care of after the contract is signed. This award lets the industry know they can choose a software platform with confidence knowing that we’ll be with them every step of the way.

We are honored to have earned the Best for IT Customer Support – Illinois award. This is tremendous recognition of the JumpForward culture and a great tribute to our employees that come early, stay late, and give their best effort every day.

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★ Finance CEO of the Year - USA

Kessler International Kessler International was founded in 1988, and since that time, has grown into a worldwide entity with offices located around the globe. We spoke to them about their company and their continued desire to expand and evolve their services.

Company: Kessler International Name: Michael G. Kessler Email: MKessler@investigation.com Web Address: www.investigation.com Address: 45 Rockefeller Plaza, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10111 Telephone: 212-286-9100

Our clientele continues to grow and has become more and more diverse. We have worked with an array of prominent individuals; an ever-increasing number of international corporations; and innumerable high-end law firm, which comprise only a sample of the people and businesses with which we have worked. We offer forensic accounting services, auditing services, computer and cell phone forensics to uncover potential fraud, and a number of associated resources to meet our clients’ very specific and unique needs. A sample of our additional services include: private investigative services, intellectual property investigations, surveillance, and brand protection.

As always, our commitment to exposing the truth has been paramount, and remains to be our focus. Kessler grew from its roots through determination and ethically-sound practices. We hope that businesses can do the same, but realize that others may perceive such standards differently, which is always a concern.

Our clients are always informed that Kessler has obtained all appropriate licensures and certifications to provide the services requested. We want our clients to know that all the services that we perform are completed within appropriate ethical boundaries, and that we can be trusted to handle their most confidential and sensitive information.

An alarming contingent of our competition and peers fail to adhere to state licensure requirements. What sets Kessler apart is the fact that in all locations in which we provide services, we are appropriately licensed and certified. Additionally, we follow stringent ethical guidelines. We know when to consult law enforcement or legal experts, rather than overstep our bounds.

The staff of Kessler is comprised of a number of professionals with varied skill sets, including, but not limited to Certified Forensic Accountants, Certified Fraud Examiners, Certified Public Accountants, Computer Forensic Experts, Researchers, and Investigators. These individuals are deadline driven, and it is a priority to produce accurate results. As such, the product that we provide our clients is not only precise, but court ready should it be necessary.

As for the award, it is always a privilege to be recognized for your devotion and success in the field. Since its inception, Kessler has been viewed as a pioneer in the investigative community, and this award cements our confidence that we can remain in such a role. Our success has always been a result of providing our clients with the most reliable results, which are produced by our diligent, determined, and rigorous methods of assisting others in not only protecting their wealth, but developing plans to generate additional wealth.

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Best Telephone Fundraising Agency - UK

Listen is a leading telemarketing agency based in the UK and now calling across the globe. They represent many of the world’s most important charities, universities and arts organisations. We spoke to them to find out more.

Listen was founded in 2008 and has been a rare success story for a company set up in the immediate aftermath of the global financial crisis. We started with a single client but have subsequently grown to the point where we now work with over 60 different organisations worldwide.

Our success has been based on offering a fully bespoke service on and off the phones that enables us to deliver exactly what our clients want, rather than adopting a one size fits all approach. The quality of the calls we make, the strategic insight we provide and the outstanding client and data management we consistently deliver all underpin the strength of the partnerships we have established and continue to develop.

We have grown quickly, yet organically, and a key challenge has been to maintain our core culture of personal accountability and offering the right opportunities to the right people in order to take the business forward.

Company: Listen Limited Name: Tony Charalambides Email: tony@listenfundraising.com Web Address: www.listenfundraising.com Address: 9-13 The Studios, 8 Hornsey Street, London, N7 8EG. Telephone: 0207 619 6620

Clients in our industry should be looking for the best possible service on and off the phones. What sets us apart is our unrelenting focus on quality, the fact that we have outstanding staff retention and our honest, transparent and ethical approach to the work we do. This means that we have an established and highly motivated team who buy into the way we approach working with our clients.

We are proud to be recognised as the best telephone fundraising agency in the UK and this award sits well with the various Direct Marketing Association and Institute of Fundraising Awards we have won in recent years.

It is important for fundraisers to get recognition for the life-changing work that they do every day and awards like this help us feel pride in the work we do.

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★ Auction House of the Year - UK

Acquisition International spoke to William MacDougall, co-founder and co-Director about succeeding in the competitive world of Russian Art Auctions.

Company: MacDougall Arts Ltd. Name: William MacDougall Email: Info@macdougallauction.com Web: www.macdougallauction.com Address: 30A Charles II St., London SW1Y 4AE, UK Tel: +44 20 7389 8160

“We are honoured to have been recognised with this award for our success over the last ten years in Russian Art Auctions”

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Since the firm’s founding in 2004, MacDougall’s, as well as becoming one of the largest auction houses in Britain, has risen to become one of the three world leaders (with Sotheby’s and Christie’s) in Russian art at auction and now holds a quarter of the global market.

MacDougall’s is the only fine art auction house to specialise exclusively in Russian art. London is the world centre for Russian art at auction, as it is for many art sectors. The biannual sales during London’s Russian Art Week in June and December feature works by Russian masters from the 19th to the 21st century, works on paper, icons and works of art. MacDougall’s was the first international auction house with a representative in Moscow and are still the only one with a representative in Kiev.

MacDougall’s has developed an extensive client base in Russia and Ukraine, nurturing close relationships with collectors, and it regularly takes preview exhibitions to both Moscow and Kiev.

As most of the collectors are native Russian speakers, a key factor in the firm’s success is that all staff members are Russian speakers, and that the specialist firm collaborates with leading Russian art experts, institutions and artists.

The Russian art market has shown exceptional growth over the last fifteen to twenty years, being one of the best performing asset classes in the world during the period, falling less in the 2008 crisis and recovering faster. The auction house regularly sets new world records, including for works by Ilya Repin, Ivan Shishkin, Zinaida Serebriakova, Leon Bakst, Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin. Pavel Sokolov-Skalya, Boris Kustodiev, Nikolai Maksimov, Nikolai Dubovskoy, Leonide Survage, and others.

Main: Pavel Sokolov-Skalya, View of the Moscow Kremlin (sold for 195 200 GBP in November 2013 - a record for the artist at auction)

Below: Aleksei Savrasov, Hut in a Wintry Forest (sold for 672 600 GBP in November 2013 - a record for the artist at auction)

BUSINESS excellence

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Below: Ivan Shishkin, Twilight (sold for 2 158 200 GBP in June 2013 - a record for the artist at auction)

Below: Pavel Kuznetsov, Eastern City. Bukhara (sold for 2 367 600 GBP in June 2014 - a record for the artist at auction)

Above: Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, Still Life. Apples and Eggs (sold for 2, 318, 100 GBP in May 2012 - a record for the artist at auction)

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Best Bio-Pharma Development Partner

MakroCare MakroCare’s success is a journey of over 15 years with their clients providing a broad range of knowledge-based contract research and consulting services to the worldwide pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. We spoke to their President and Co-founder Mahesh Malneedi about this journey, and the road that lies ahead for their company.

Company: MakroCare Name: Manjusha Chowdhury Email: marketing@makrocare.com Web Address: www.makrocare.com Telephone: 9734810100

Since our inception, we have successfully helped clients launch products or expand into newer regions. We have Services including Regulatory Strategy for getting product approvals globally and to maintain compliance.

By effectively “productizing” knowledge and experience in the form of Regulatory Affairs Center of Excellence (RACoE), MakroCare has helped clients accelerate their projects and save costs. MakroCare‘s Multi-Dimensional Regulatory Service Accelerators (NAVA) are helping companies to pick up the pace of their Global Submissions and receive faster Approvals. In addition, our functional services include CMC Authoring, global submission management, LCM, Labeling & Affiliate support.

We are honoured to receive this prestigious Business Excellence Award. Winning award is a great morale boost for our employees, who try their best every day to deliver a full-fledged service to our Partners. And also it encourages that we are thriving the right path to help this industry’s ultimate customer, the patient.

Award is the recognition of our growth, credential and sustainability. It demonstrates the strength of the brand,increases awareness and opportunity to re-affirm our success to not only existing but potential customers too and establishes market leadership. It is the clear evidence of our employees’ passion for the business and shows their commitment to continuous improvement. So we are moving in the right direction.

Our industry is quite complex and ever changing. From drug’s efficacy, licensing impact to compliance pre & post trials, data management, analysis, regulatory acceptance, market potential; the cycle is a tough trail. To top it, the diverse regulations globally keep changing constantly. While moving ahead with newer solutions & services, we constantly connect and innovate to keep ourselves at par with clients’ need.

Our philosophy is what author Bryan Kramer has said about communication- it is neither “business to business” (B2B) nor “business to consumer” (B2C), but instead the new jargon is realised- “Human to Human”.

The fact is that businesses do not have emotion. Products do not have emotion. Humans do. And in our industry we are dealing with the most fragile Human i.e. Patient. So our commitment to Clients is safe, timely and quality services & products without any excuses &compromise.

Looking towards the future, areas such as Patient Centricity and personalized medicine are taking shape as next generation focus for life sciences industry. These newer areas need a ground up innovation rather than incremental changes. This will lead to several newer opportunities to providers like MakroCare.

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★ Award for Excellence in Insurance & Reinsurance - Spain

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★ MAPFRE ASISTENCIA, a leading company specializing in assistance, service provision and insurance for specialty risks, offers comprehensive solutions to its clients in four main sectors: insurance, including specific solutions for brokers, finance, automobile and travel and tourism, as well as products for individuals.

We spoke to them to find out more.

Company: MAPFRE ASISTENCIA Web: www.mapfre-asistencia.com

MAPFRE ASISTENCIA is directly present in 45 countries and has more than 1,572 corporate clients. It operates around the world and 111.9 million people benefit from its services.

MAPFRE ASISTENCIA is part of MAPFRE, the most trusted global insurance company. MAPFRE is a global insurer present in 49 countries and employs more than 37,000 people and has more than 27 million customers worldwide.

A dedication to serving people worldwide is the philosophy on which MAPFRE ASISTENCIA’s operational approach is based. We have been working more than 25 years offering global solutions to increase our partners’ profitability. We offer innovative products and services to achieve a better quality of life for both them and their clients.

• Leading global company for assistance and services: We take care of goods and people all over the world, offering assistance against the unforeseeable on the road and in your home, along with medical assistance, travel assistance and other services.

• Specialists in vehicle warranty and protection: We protect people’s investments in their vehicles, offering a wide range of mechanical warranty programmes, credit protection, PPI, GAP and other coverage for vehicle specialty risks.

• Experts in lifestyle protection solutions: We protect the goods you use daily: domestic appliances, IT equipment, mobile phones and other devices.

We also offer insurance to cover people against unexpected situations: unemployment, illness or accident or others which can affect their level and way of life, by insuring income or payment of loans, bills, card instalments, etc.

• MAPFRE ASISTENCIA is the insurance company with the largest assistance network in the world We consist of 31,500 international points of service with more than 2,000 multilingual operators.

• Adapted to Company needs Programmes designed for marketing under our partners’ brands (Insurance, Travel and Tourism, Automotive and Finance Solutions). Plus, tailored services and programmes for Large Groups and Affinities.

• Ready to respond to global needs Global Solutions for Brokers all over the world through our headquarters in London, Madrid and Singapore.

• Innovative Solutions We are the first company in the world to automate the entire assistance process, thus reducing response times and costs.

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Futura: Combination of GPS technology and software, for full automation of service management.

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MAPFRE Dealer Solutions: Unique, all-round solution to improve distributors’ business from pre-sales through to after sales.

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MAiassist App: A modern roadside assistance app for smartphones.

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MAiassist on board: Integration of roadside assistance with vehicle navigation systems and on-board computers.

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Easy Travel: A pioneering solution for traveller’s peace of mind, with automatic and immediate payment of indemnity for flight cancellations.

With our experience and human and technical resources, we can continue to develop our innovative products and services. In short, innovation has become vital in providing insurance products, and prevention and assistance services that add value to our insurers and clients.

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BUSINESS excellence

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★ SME Advisor of the Year- the UAE

mBELLAb Business Services and Advisors mBELLAb Business Services and Advisors DMCC (mBELLAb) is a management consultancy, business services and advisory firm based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. At mBELLAb they are a team of lawyers, accountants and business professionals dedicated to serving their clients with the highest standards of care. We spoke to them to find out more.

Company: mBELLAb Business Services and Advisors Email: info@mbellab.com Web: http://mbellabcorporate.com/ Address: #1505, JBC5 Building, Cluster W Jumeirah Lakes Towers PO Box 392779, Dubai, UAE Telephone: +971 (0)4 276 7172 Fax: +971 (0)4 276 7152

Our clients are typically individual entrepreneurs, owners and investors as well as small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) whom we assist in the everyday challenges and opportunities associated with their business mandates, interests and transactions.

Our team has advised many of the world’s largest organizations and fastest-growing companies on some of the most complex corporate matters in such diverse jurisdictions as United States, Canada, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Bermuda, Kenya, Uganda and Brazil. Our expertise is in such diverse sectors as mining and resources, oil & gas, high technology, agriculture, telecommunications, entertainment, investment funds and real estate. And we leverage this experience to provide corporate consulting, advising and services on transactions and matters of all sizes and complexities to our clients.

We are dedicated to our clients’ objectives and internalize their goals, ambitions and mandates as our own.

In this way, we take pride in the advice we give and the assistance and services we provide to our clients. We bring value to our clients through customization by taking a keen interest in learning about our clients’ business affairs, mandates and transactions and then establishing tailor-made solutions, advice and services. In an ever increasing cookie-cutter world, we strive to be bespoke while keeping with tried and tested resolutions to everyday business challenges and opportunities.

We are experts at issue and risk identification, without which effective decision making is impossible. We strive to advise on viable, commercially sensible and efficient alternatives for resolving identified issues and minimizing inherent risks, all the while taking into consideration our clients’ objectives, budgets and personal attributes. We actively and enthusiastically participate in assisting our clients make and execute on reached decisions and formed strategies.

We know the task of selecting corporate advisors and service providers is not an easy one as there are an ever increasing number of firms out there. We welcome the opportunity to prove that we are a bit different and worthy of the trust and confidence of our clients. We welcome those looking for advisors and service providers to contact us at info@mBELLAb.com and let’s discuss your business needs.

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Best Cleaning and Support Service - Leicestershire

MCS Cleaning and Maintenance Ltd. MCS Cleaning and Maintenance Limited provide quality reliable cleaning and support services to the region of Leicestershire.

Began by husband and wife Tim and Kelly Blacknell, we spoke to them about their business and their family-orientated philosophy.

We provide a family friendly one-to-one service where our clients can always get hold of the director morning, noon and night. Moreover, we have a fantastic Operations Manager who is supported by a great team of Area Supervisors who also take pride in their job and deliver a personal service to all our clients across the board.

We believe in quick responses and care for our clients, who range from residential to professional to quarries, brick yards, schools and shops.

Winning this award is a great achievement for us. It feels great that after 7 years of hard graft on a business that was built on our last £50 note that it was all worthwhile. My husband Tim and I built our business based on the idea that If you look after your staff, your staff will look after you. We feel we have achieved what we set out to do. We created more jobs for our area whilst making our staff feel valued. Through our business, we have created a client base that are comfortable that they know that they are in the right hands and that we care about them and their site. It’s important because its shows we care about our business and everyone involved, it motivates us to do even better and to strive for perfection.

Company: MCS Cleaning and Maintenance Ltd Name: Tim and Kelly Blacknell Email: sales@mcsclean.co.uk Web Address: www.mcsclean.co.uk Address: Unit 13 Market Street, Coalville. Leicestershire Telephone: 01530 382006

We owe our success to the time, effort and care that Tim and I have put in throughout the years. Also, we appreciate that our staff are not just numbers on a piece of paper and that they are real people with families.

We always remember their birthdays, deliver Easter Eggs and Christmas gifts and we always group together to raise money for Charities. We also have started holding a fun day at our local Village Hall for all our staff and their families too.

One of our defining features is our approach when dealing with customers. We have focused on getting it right for the customers’ needs from the very beginning. When we did our research into this business before setting up, people were wanting a family run business that cares about them not the big companies that forget about them and think only of them as a number on their spread sheet. We always sit and listen to their needs and create a plan moving forward. When we receive the service agreement we recruit the right person, we’re always looking for that person that will suit the site not just get them in and started. We spend quality time training that person up before we let them go and ensure they’re comfortable with their surroundings and always there to support them.

We also value listening and communicating at all times. We never lose touch, with regular site inspections and visits by our Operations Manager. Furthermore, when Tim and I do our ISO Audits I even bake a cake or two!

We are ISO accredited so regular audits highlight the issues and resolve them quickly, close relations with our staff and clients helps too as they find it easy to talk to us and know we care enough to deal with anything.

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★ Award for Excellence in VDR Solutions

Merrill DataSite Merrill DataSite is the world’s leading online due diligence platform, trusted by thousands of dealmakers each year to secure their confidential data on financial transactions, from M&A to IPO to Fundraising. Their virtual data room solution, which provides a truly global collaborative workspace for dealmakers, supports corporations, investment banks, private equity houses and law firms in all business sectors to execute on projects as efficiently and effectively as possible. We spoke to Merlin Piscitelli, Senior Director at Merrill DataSite International, to find out more about their company.

We are delighted to have won this award for Excellence in VDR solutions, as it validates what we do for our universe of clients each day. Merrill DataSite has been committed to service excellence for more than 15 years. As first to market, we have unrivalled experience and expertise in our product platform and, more especially, in our project management team, whose knowledge and capability is put into play every day to help ensure successful delivery of customer projects worth many millions of dollars.

Our multi-lingual project management team operate 24/7/365 to ensure that whenever a client is ready to begin a project, Merrill DataSite is ready to support it; and whenever a user has a question, there is someone available to answer it. Our service is something we’re very proud of and something we know is an absolute differentiator for our clients.

I’m very pleased to be able to talk about Merrill DataSite as an award-winning VDR solution. We operate the premier due diligence platform globally and it’s important we’re able to communicate this to both our long-standing clients, whom we have extremely good relationships with, and those clients who may be evaluating VDR providers for the future.

Company: Merrill DataSite Name: Merlin Piscitelli Email: Merlin.Piscitelli@merrillcorp.com Web Address: www.datasite.com Address: 101 Finsbury Pavement, London, EC2A 1ER Telephone: +44 (0)20 7422 6266

However, we don’t rest on our laurels. We never take our position in the market for granted. Each year the product development team continue to strive for improvement in the platform and just recently we had a new release to continue improving the user experience.

Apart from putting the customer first, ensuring we always listen and are always responsive, we have a philosophy of operating as a partner in projects. That means understanding our client’s industry, understanding the nuance of their transaction and understanding each stage of their project’s lifecycle. Doing this means we can offer advice proactively and resolve issues swiftly. The ability to do this comes through the expertise we have related to our own part in the process – managing the due diligence platform – and also in having worked on more than 35,000 transactions of all different types and sizes.

We have the knowledge and experience to support our clients wherever they are, whatever they are facing and no matter what they are trying to achieve with their deal.

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Award for Excellence in Office Fit Outs - London

Metre Squared Interiors Metre Squared Interiors was formed in 2004 and provide clients with a complete package of services from space planning & design right through to the installation on site of office partitions, ceilings, flooring, Air Conditioning, Decoration as well as Electrical & IT infrastructure which are all carried out by their dedicated team to the highest standards. As well as the fitting out of the clients new offices they then undertake the actual client relocation into the new space and take care of any dilapidations that maybe required to their old offices. As dealers for several Office Furniture manufactures they are able to supply innovative cost effective furniture & storage solutions to suit all budgets. We spoke to them to find out more.

We were fortunate to win the contract for the Harley Medical group in our early days which really established us as a solid company and as a result we completed 28 new branches for them nationwide since then we have worked with many varied clients from Blue chip companies to new start-ups, We are also happy to be able to include some government departments within those as well.

We focus on delivering a project on time and on budget and have yet to miss a deadline which makes me personally proud as the Director of the Company. Our company motto if you will is what we call the 6Ps Prior Planning & Preparation Prevent Poor Performance.

On the construction front we strive to make sure our sites & operatives are run in a clean and orderly manner as site presentation and image are also vitally important standards to maintain. We make sure we run what we call a hearts minds & souls campaign when working in multiple occupied buildings to keep the neighbours aware of what’s going on as well as when in order that we can manage any issues they may have which we find makes any project go a lot smoother especially when noisy works are concerned.

Company: Metre Squared Interiors Ltd Name: Marc Price Email: mgp@m2interiors.net Web Address: www.m2interiors.net Address: 27 Lexington Street London, W1F 9AQ Telephone: 0845 838 2656

Our key areas of focus starts when we first look at a new project and carry out a detailed site survey to establish a full list of works that need to be undertaken and not leave out unexpected surprises within our costs that others then advise the client are extras or additions to contract in order to get away with submitting a cheaper bid words which are guaranteed to set a divide between a company and their client. As a result of this detailed pricing policy a major problem has being drawing the clients attention to check what other companies have not allowed for within their quotation as although on occasion our cost may have been higher we would have been more cost effective at the end of the day if they had not just looked at the bottom line figure.

It was a fantastic surprise to find out we had been given the award and put it down to a lot of hard work by everyone within the company, but beside that we listen hard to what our clients have to say in order to be able to deliver the best possible design & office space for their needs, being open with them on cost & what works actually need to be done and where they can save money but above all strong communication with our clients is the key to successful projects.

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★ Peer 2 Peer Currency Matching Platform - UK

Midpoint is a peer-to-peer international FX currency matching platform that offers mid-market foreign exchange rates via a patented matching technology. This eliminates the spread charged by traditional banks and brokers and helps everyone save on their international payments. We spoke to John Booth, Chairman and CEO of Midpoint, to find out more.

Midpoint’s overriding philosophy is to provide an innovative and completely transparent peer-to-peer FX marketplace and multi-currency, multi-party matching solution with excellent customer service at the heart of all we do.

We are the only true peer-to-peer FX marketplace. Like an Uber for taxis or AirBnb for hotel rooms, or eBay for auctions – we provide the marketplace but not the merchandise. Other competitors take principal positions and make a market (at some level) and we do not. We also have a US patent on our multi-currency, multi-party matching engine solution which we not only use ourselves but can white-label and license.

Midpoint has a diverse client base that consists of businesses and consumers with differing FX requirements.

They mainly consist of the following: Businesses that: 1) Import goods and have to pay international invoices 2) Pay overseas staff 3) Conduct internal treasury and move money between international offices

Company: Midpoint Name: John Booth Web Address: www.midpoint.com Telephone: 0800 211 8620

Consumers 1) Foreign property owners buying, selling, collecting rents or paying bills 2) Overseas workers sending money back home 3) International students and their families paying school/tuition fees or sending support funds 4) Expats sending or receiving funds Customer service is a key focus for us at Midpoint. We have a small team in comparison to our competitors and we believe that delivering a five star experience is paramount to a successful business. We do this by offering everyone the same level of access to our customer service team via: telephone, live web chat or email.

The testimonials we receive and Trustpilot reviews are testament to the service we provide.

When looking to make international payments, clients should look for a company that provides the following: 1. That their funds are always segregated and protected 2. Proper regulatory oversight and authorisation of the service provider 3. Good business reputation as witnessed by Trustpilot and third party referrals / testimonials 4. Best overall price possible – including not only execution price but also fees 5. As safe as the safest payment solution available on the market Clients take no counterparty risk on Midpoint – their money is always theirs It is an honour for Midpoint to have won this award and we are all very proud of the achievement. To be nominated, and to then win, shows that our hard work is paying off. This could not be accomplished without the dedication of all our staff who work tirelessly to make the business a success.

Winning this award is very important to Midpoint. It shows that our efforts are having an impact and being noticed around the world. The FX/International payments market is an opaque industry that has been long overdue disruption. Midpoint are at the forefront of this and helping to change the industry. We are making a difference!

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BUSINESS excellence

★ Award for Excellence in Customer Service – South Africa

Mindpearl Mindpearl is an international award winning contact centre outsourcer who offers quality, flexible outsourcing services to business across numerous verticals. Specialising in inbound multichannel customer support from their strategically located centres in Australia, Spain, South Africa and Fiji, they offer clients customer service solutions in English and over 30 other languages. We spoke to them about their culture, their approach to business and South Africa as an offshoring destination of choice.

Company: Mindpearl Email: askus@mindpearl.com Web Address: www.mindpearl.com

We are extremely proud to be given this prestigious accolade. We pride ourselves in our pursuit of the ultimate brand experience so to be recognised for this reaffirms our position as an outsourcer who offers excellence in customer service. We owe our success to our talented people who drive for recognition and act as custodians of our clients’ brands and our strategically selected locations.

We believe awards like these are extremely important to our business as well as the wider industry, as it sets companies apart from the masses and recognises when a company is doing something differently and achieving results.

So what differentiates Mindpearl? We believe it’s our people, our approach to business and our quality locations.

Our people and our approach to business We believe the employee experience is as important as the customer experience. Companies leading the way in customer experience are prioritising their culture and their people, because more motivated employees provide better customer experience, which attracts and retains consumers.

“Our people, your brand” it is more than a logo or tagline; it is an expression of our culture and our approach to business. It is also a clear articulation of our greatest value; our staff (and their individual expertise) and the relationships we have with our clients (as custodians of their brands).

It is this relationship which drives our culture and our business and it is a strength we are proud of.

We focus on delivering human-centred communication services. By seeking out the best people who fit both our clients and our culture, we ensure our people seamlessly manage our clients’ brands. With a dedicated team and a contact centre fitted for each client, we are an extension of their in-house team. In partnership we guide their customer experience to the next level with our customer insights and consultancy capabilities.

South Africa as an Offshoring Destination of Choice Location! Location! Location! This cannot be stressed enough. When you start looking at the long term effect of selecting an outsourcing destination purely on price, the bottom line becomes blurred. Factors such as customer retention, 1st call resolution, customer satisfaction and brand protection give cost savings a new meaning. All our contact centres have been strategically selected to ensure customer service excellence for our clients.

South Africa, in particular, has become a buzz word in the industry, as a high quality offshore solution.

The only way for companies to be successful today, is to differentiate themselves with exceptional customer service. That is why quality offshoring destinations such as South Africa are becoming so popular.

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★ Best Flexible Outsourcing Services – Fiji

Mindpearl Mindpearl is an international award winning contact centre outsourcer who offers quality, flexible outsourcing services to business across numerous verticals. Specialising in inbound multichannel customer support from their strategically located centres in Australia, Spain, South Africa and Fiji, they offer clients customer service solutions in English and over 30 other languages. We spoke to them about their Award for Best Flexible Outsourcing Services, Fiji’s unique selling proposition and their focus on delivering quality flexible service that transcends traditional outsourcing.

Company: Mindpearl Email: askus@mindpearl.com Web Address: www.mindpearl.com

As a company, our focus is on offering a quality service, which transcends traditional outsourcing. We completely adopt our clients’ brands, ensuring a customer experience second to none.

Historically, contact centre outsourcing was considered a cost saving mechanism only; however this perception has changed significantly. Outsourcing is now seen as a strategic means for companies to position themselves for growth and enhance their customer experience. Companies are now looking more to a balance between quality and cost.

This shift positions Fiji and Mindpearl favourably. Fiji offers a high quality and cost efficient English language alternative to offshore locations such as India and the Philippines and the perfect location to complement Mindpearl’s existing award winning outsourcing contact centre facilities. Thanks to an inherited British education system, Fiji boasts a native English speaking workforce with an exceptionally high literacy rate offering a high quality English language alternative for Mindpearl’s clients. In addition, Fiji offered us an alternative BPO location, with a unique selling proposition – the People. The people are innately friendly and their natural attitude towards customer service translate exceptionally well to the contact centre environment. After so many years in the BPO space, we knew these qualities cannot be taught.

We are extremely proud to be given this prestigious accolade. Our service offering is based on providing our clients with quality, flexible outsourcing services, so to be recognised for this is definitely an honour. We owe our success to our talented people who drive for recognition and our ‘follow-the-sun’ business model which allows borderless 24/7 coverage and cost efficiencies.

We believe awards like these are extremely important to our business as well as the wider industry, as it sets companies apart from the masses and recognises when a company is doing something differently and achieving results.

Whether we deal with seasoned users of outsourcing services or companies who have never outsourced before, we ensure a customised solution that fits their exact needs. Our aim is to make outsourcing a human experience whether we deal with a large business looking to partner for performance or a small business looking to grow with people.

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★ Best Ship Builders - South Africa

NAUTIC AFRICA Nautic Africa is a proudly South African maritime solutions and shipbuilding company which has, since its formation in 2008, established an enviable reputation within the maritime industry for quality and innovation. We spoke to them to find out more.

Founded by entrepreneur James Fisher, Nautic Africa specialises in the design and construction of highly customised maritime vessels for the defence, oil and gas, fisheries, security, patrolling, port authority and commercial maritime sectors.

Nautic’s mission is to provide customers in industry and government with maritime solutions crafted to meet their individual needs and specific challenges. To this end, the company provides an extensive range of holistic and integrated services which include ship building, maritime services and leasing and support.

Nautic Africa is also widely recognised for its leadership in marine engineering, naval architecture, project management, fabrication and welding, logistical support, maritime training and safety.

All Nautic vessels are built to International Class Certification standards and the company has received International Safety Management Code (ISM) certification in recognition of its safe operation of ships and its ongoing commitment to pollution prevention.

Name: James Fisher Company: Nautic Africa Email: info@nauticafrica.com Web: www.nauticafrica.com Address: Level 2 Atlantic Center, Christiaan Barnard St, 8001, Cape Town Telephone: + 27 (0)21 200 0601 Fax: + 27 (0)87 941 9135

Earlier this year, Nautic Africa, which continues to grow its involvement in the African maritime industry, acquired the Anchor Boat Shop, the exclusive supplier of Yamaha engine sales in Africa.

Visit www.nauticafrica.com for more information.

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★ Best for Intelligence and Asset Identification - UK

Nevyan Intel Nevyan Intel provide financial investigations, financial due diligence and offshore asset tracing services to High Net Worth Individuals, Corporate Clients in the legal and banking sector and for companies pursuing large judgement orders. We spoke to them about their company and the diverse range of services they provide.

Company: Nevyan Intel Name: Simon Sutton Email: davinchisecret1971@hushmail.com Web Address: www.nevyanintel.com Address: 1 Hardwicks Way, Hardwicks Square, London, SW18 4AW Telephone: 0203 194 4278

We are a highly professional organisation who takes pride in having a high level of communication and meeting deadlines and standards. We remain focused on our client’s needs and manage their expectations. Our offices are always open to clients to discuss their concerns in confidence and privacy. Too many companies appear to not listen to clients concerns and fears, but we do. We remain diligent, focused and solution orientated.

We have a strong reputation in delivering what many companies claim that they can deliver, but often fall short on their objectives at great cost to their clients. We ensure our clients that we will deliver and provide high quality reporting standards and levels of communication that set the standards in the collation of verifiable and quantified evidence gathering. We emphasise these points at the first opportunity of meeting or discussing a new case. Some of our clients have worked with us since 1993, so these core values are proof of longevity in our client relationships. Another trait that sets us apart from our rivals.

Our culture is centred on a strong value to do the right thing. We believe in giving a valued service, listening to client’s needs and reaching a clear understanding and rhetoric, which help both parties meet there objectives.

When clients look for companies in our industry, they should search for experience in a diverse field as a strong reputation and clear understanding of the obstacles that may present themselves in reaching a solution. To highlight our services, we use a strong marketing campaign including carrying out presentations on our work, which has proved to be a great success.

We are extremely proud to be considered as one of the best in this industry. We have worked over the last 15-20 years to build a strong reputation globally and this award is indicative of the strides we have made in being one of the best in our field.

Awards like these are vital and a fundamental part of ensuring our clients confidence, when choosing to utilise our services. Engaging work of this kind is a big step for many clients as tracing hidden assets offshore and piercing offshore structures and trusts are an unknown quantity. Clients need to have the confidence that there interests are being best looked after and awards like this gives them that confidence.

Quality of the intelligence and our reporting standards sets us apart from our rivals. We have had to overcome a great deal of rivals, whom heavily market and charge huge sums of monies and often deliver little. This is a stigma attached to our industry and we believe we are leading the way, certainly in the United Kingdom, in providing an unrivalled service in terms of cost efficiency and quality of our work.

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★ Best for Event Planning - Nevada

Origin Event Planning LLC Using the coordination, production and management skills our dedicated team members have developed collectively over the last 20+ years, they have built upon their experiences working with corporate event-planning firms and expanded their careers as Event Specialists of Origin Event Planning. We got in touch with them about their company and how their innovative approach to event management.

Name: Origin Event Planning LLC Address: 2700 E Sunset Road Suite 17, Las Vegas, NV 89120 Phone : 702-483-5834 Fax : 702-483-5835

Our Event Specialist’s creativity, sense of style, enthusiasm and highly developed problem-solving skills, along with their poise, professionalism and personal work ethic, uniquely qualifies them to work with companies that cater to large groups, high-profile patrons and a diverse range of clients.

For years, Our Event Specialists have played an integral role in the success of numerous firms and major projects in the Las Vegas, Washington D.C., Los Angeles area as well as internationally.

Origin Team meets the logistical needs of each project, ensuring the project flows smoothly from inception to completion. Origin Team executes their clients’ vision with elegance and flair. To satisfy their varied clientele, which includes widely recognized names in the catalog, editorial and advertising industries, Origin Team members have developed a following for their “ingenuity” of event and project management skills.

We are the premier event planning solution. Origin is the finest global boutique event consulting company, offering unique Event Planning and VIP Service solutions to businesses and individuals. Origin’s personal network of only the finest vendors, venue spaces, and creative minds create events unparalleled by any other event planning organization. Origin has executed a multitude of highly successful events ranging from corporate events and celebrity bashes.

Our knowledgeable and professional staffs are experts at managing, organizing and executing any and all types of events. Whether our clients are planning an upcoming corporate team building event, conference, incentive travel, red carpet event, gala fundraiser, or any other type of event, extravagant or intimate, we can provide any and all aspects. W ensure everything is at their fingertips and completely customized for both the company’s or individual’s needs.

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★ Award for Excellence in Innovative Food Packaging - Australia

Pact Group Holdings (Pact)

Drop of Light / Shutterstock.com

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★ Pact Group Holdings (Pact) is a leading manufacturer of rigid plastics and steel packaging solutions and other related products. Pact is a best-in-class manufacturer and innovator, with a large, diverse and established base of approximately 5,000 customers across more than 100 market sectors. Pact’s vision is ‘to enrich lives every day through sustainable packaging solutions’. We spoke to them to find out more.

Our company produces more than 22,000 product variants, and provides services across a range of categories, including:

Company: Pact Group Holdings Ltd Name: Siobhan McCrory Email: Siobhan.mccrory@inpact.com.au Web Address: www.pactgroup.com.au Telephone: +61 3 8825 4100

Food & Beverage Pact has long history in delivering trusted, sustainable and innovative packaging for the food and beverage sector. Our businesses are renowned for their relationships with the region’s most successful food and beverage companies to deliver unique designs that: • Ensure freshness and security (in production, in transit, on shelf and in the home); • Protect and enhance the product’s quality • Provide produce differentiation on shelf.

Packaging solutions cater for fresh food, chilled meat, frozen food, ready-meals, baked goods, dairy products, juice and bottled water, among others.

Our packaging utilises innovative and award winning designs that can provide superior barrier protection properties including multilayer and oxygen barrier materials. Many of these designs have enabled consumers to enjoy the diversity of food and beverage options that they have available in the supermarket today.

Personal Care For personal care and health products the aesthetics, functionality, convenience and safety are all critically important. We provides packaging for oral hygiene products, skin creams, hair products and pharmaceutical products. Pact products distinguish themselves with the latest decoration, patented designs and world leading medical dispensing systems.

Household Consumer Pact provides packaging for many popular household consumer products spanning from the personal care and health categories to the cleaning and washing categories. You’ll find Pact’s household consumer products packaging sold in supermarkets, pharmacies, health shops hardware stores. Our home and cleaning packaging solutions are designed to help the consumer in and around the home, with ergonomic designs that facilitate easy dispensing, comfortable use and safe storage.

Industrial & Chemical The industrial and chemical sector is expansive – with highly varied packaging requirements that demand durability, reliability, safety and easy transit and storage. Pact provides packaging solutions for agricultural chemicals, surface coatings, lubricants and other petroleum products ranging from large bulk sizes to very small handheld packaging. Pact’s well-invested packaging technology, sector know-how and global licenses, enables Pact to continually deliver advanced design and functionality for industrial and chemical customers.

Materials Handling & Infrastructure Pact’s materials and handling solutions are focused on the transport and storage of products using pallets, crates and other containers. Through this service Pact assists customers to reduce their supply chain costs through improved storage efficiency, handling savings and freight cost reduction.

Infrastructure solutions are focused on the telecommunications, gas and electrical industries as well as major road and rail infrastructure projects providing products including telecommunication pits, hazard prevention products, noise walls, industrial tanks and more.

Pact also focuses on the product life cycle, with the objective being to provide a complete and returnable packaging solution – reducing environmental impact and generating efficiencies for customers.

We are thrilled to receive the Award for Excellence in Innovative Food Packaging – Australia. Innovation and driving transformational change is fundamental to how Pact Group operates. We believe that this culture of innovation is a result of our unrelenting focus on driving results for our customers.

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★ Health and Beauty Training Programme of the Year - UK

The Permanent Makeup Training Academy Ltd The Permanent Makeup Training Academy provides expert 1 on 1 training for people who wish to train in the art of semi-permanent makeup and set up a successful business in the beauty industry. Within just a few months many of their students are earning 4 - 5 times more than they did in their previous profession, whilst giving them the flexibility to work hours that suit them & spend more time with their friends and family. We spoke to them about this growth and their optimistic outlook on the future.

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★ Our philosophy is to provide the best training we can to make sure we instill confidence & understanding in everyone we teach. We focus on quality not quantity and encourage students to do the same. By making them take more time per client than their competitors and show them how to give the very best service possible, which in turn leads to high numbers of recommendations and helps them create a ‘raving fan’ base for their services.

Company: Permanent Makeup Training Academy Name: Katy Jobbins Email: info@permanentmakeuptraining.co.uk Web Address: http://permanentmakeuptraining.co.uk Address: Unit 10. More House Business Centre, Wivelsfield, West Sussex, RH17 7RE Telephone: 01444 300157

When working in our industry, researching into this industry and trying to find the right trainer and training company for you can be a bit of a minefield. As a result our Founder and Head Trainer, has written a report called “12 Things You Must Know Before You Invest in Permanent Makeup Training” which can be found on our training website (permanentmakeuptraining.co.uk). This has been downloaded literally tens of thousands of times and helps answer many of the main questions someone entering this industry may have, as well as highlighting many issues and potential things they may not have even considered. These include such things as finding out exactly who is going to train you, their background and prices they personally charge for treatments themselves. On top of that, what ongoing support does the company offer you and can you speak to past students who have attended their training courses. If you find the right training company for you from the very beginning, will pay you huge dividends in the future.

We believe the main thing that separates us from other training companies is the 1 to 1 training with our Multi-Award winning founder, author and head trainer. She has herself trained with many of the top companies in the world and seeks to pass that experience and knowledge on to each and every student that trains with her.

We also differentiate our training courses by being the only training company that we know of that does not tie students into purchasing all their machinery, equipment and ongoing supplies from us. This is where most training companies make a lot of money, by adding huge mark ups on the products they sell, whereas we simply tell the students where we get our on supplies from so they can go direct themselves to the wholesalers and save literally thousands of pounds a year on re-stocking costs and supplies.

We are also the only company in the world offering bespoke websites exclusively for permanent makeup technicians to showcase their work and attract clients, an area which we can see really growing over the next 12 months.

It was an amazing feeling when it was announced that we had won this award. Having previously won a number of other awards, this one is very special to us as it is voted for by our peers and is very specific to the beauty training industry. To be voted the Number 1 Health and Beauty Training Programme in the UK clearly recognises both the dedication our Head trainer Katy Jobbins has given to developing the course and the sheer numbers of people improving their lives, careers and financial futures are a result of attending it and putting into practice what they have learnt.

We believe what won us this award is that we are always striving to provide the best training possible to all our students, regardless of their background, to ensure they all walk out full of confidence to start their new career. Every person we train has different backgrounds, skill levels, learning styles, goals and ambitions. By insisting on training each individual on a 1 on 1 basis, we ensure that every course is bespoke to the individual taking it, to give them the very best chances of success. We have set an important standard in the industry which we would hope challenges other training centres to try and match.

Among the major developments facing our industry is the sheer volume of students becoming aware of the industry and the rewards it offers them. Last year we were booked up 3 months in advance this year students are now having to wait up to 6 months to get on a course with us.

To facilitate the rising demand, we are moving many of our additional educational and training products from Printed books/CD’s/DVD’s to online video, E-book & MP3 files, so as to reach a wider audience instantly and offer more convenient methods of training. Many students from around the world cannot afford to travel to the UK to train and learn here at the academy.

Also, our worlds only ‘3 Day Permanent Makeup Business & Marketing Course’ which only runs once a year, is now available online, so technicians will have access to the education & information when they are on the move or from the comfort of their own home. We feel providing business and marketing support is paramount if the technicians are to make a real success of their new skills. Without it is like having a Ferrari and only every using first gear!

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★ Best CEO in the Events Sector

Project Sport Project Sport is a San Francisco-based specialized sports marketing and event production company focusing on the running and cycling community. Their events are a union of athletic challenge, destination travel location and marquee entertainment. We spoke to them to find out more.

Name: Ryan Dawkins Company: Project Sport Web: www.projectsport.com

Our flagship running event -- San Francisco’s US Half Marathon - has been crossing the Golden Gate Bridge for more than 13 years and has raised more than $500,000 for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. In 2013 we produced a rock concert with Bret Michaels, including a wine & beer festival with an attendance of nearly 6,000. In 2012 we began San Francisco’s first turkey trot, benefiting the San Francisco & Marin Food Banks.

Our cycling reputation has been built on the 15 year old San Rafael Twilight Criterium, a professional race featuring noted national champions and US Olympic medallists. In 2013 we acquired the Echelon Gran Fondo Series, adding a trio of idyllic courses through Sonoma & Napa wine country, the Silicon Valley coastline, and Hood River’s gorgeous Columbia River Valley. Finally, we produce the Fast Freddie Fondo for the decorated professional rider Freddie Rodriguez.

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★ Award for Excellence in Bespoke Property Solutions - UK

Boasting a handpicked team of highly experienced and motivated property professionals, Property Divas is one of North West London’s premier estate agents.

Helen Duncan - Co Director Laxmi Hussain - Marketing & Brand Manager Company: Property Divas Limited Email: info@propertydivas.com Telephone: 020 7431 8000 Web: www.propertydivas.com Address: 34a Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead London, NW3 1NH

Backed by unparalleled market knowledge and renowned for our personalised approach, we’re dedicated to helping you buy, sell, rent and let in the capital.

Focusing on service as well as property, we provide honest advice and cost-effective solutions, tailored to your every need.

Whether you’re looking for management services, interested in the current rental and/ or sale value of your investment property or home, are considering refurbishing, or simply searching for your dream home, explore everything we do. sales | lettings | property finder service | bespoke property management | refurbishments | block management | brokerage | boutique holiday retreats

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★ Advisory Team of the Year - New jersey & Most Advanced Security System - USA

REMTCS offers disruptive technology designed to provide the most advanced cyber security protection available in the industry. Protection is customized to each organizations current operating pattern while possessing the adaptive capability to respond to future threats not yet launched. We spoke to them on why the REMTCS problem solution is game changing.

Company: REMTCS, Inc. Name: Richard Malinowski Email: rmalinowski@remtcs-secure.com Web Address: www.remtcs.com Address: 331 Newman Springs Rd, Building III, Suite 311 Red Bank, NJ 07701 Telephone: +1 732-834-0088

REMTCS has been in operation for more than 20 years, servicing the IT and management consulting needs of the most widely known financial services firms, defense contractors, biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Throughout that time, we have amassed expertise in the areas of supercomputing, artificial intelligence, and information security through our automated trading products and compliance consulting services.

We realized that if we combined and focused these areas of expertise in an different way, that we could also be a leader in changing the direction of cybersecurity towards that which it desperately needs to go; intelligent automation. For the last eight years, we have focused our resources to that end; developing products that detect and mitigate threats faster than our adversaries can create and deploy them.

The company’s product flagship organizational information security product offering, ProActive Security System, or PASS, utilizes ANNI to secure information networks, devices, and data. In the cyber domain where the environment is rampant with uncertainty and high variability, REMTCS also reinforces services with secure vehicular platforms, automatically spawning and redirecting malicious traffic to virtualized networks in the event of a DDoS or other network based attack and resurrecting the entire network back to full operation within minutes. Several of the products and relevant solutions are all based upon the core engine, ANNI and replicate neural speed computing and human-like cognitive learning.

The exclusive features of REMTCS’ products and solutions are protection against known and unknown malware or malicious code and microsecond response time. Other features include diagnostics, evidentiary reporting, data loss protection, network and host intrusion prevention and detection. Our products are unequaled in speed and efficiency. Additionally, professional services, such as vulnerability studies are performed

by REMTCS personnel which will reinforce organizational justification for the need to move in revolutionary system solution direction are available.

We ensure that our clients do not remain outnumbered and outgunned in terms of cyber security. There is a consistent high level risk of digital attack. Many adversaries are utilizing a multi-level, business crime syndicate model to develop exploitation methods and some are using hordes of humans with the objective to infiltrate critical infrastructure, defense contractors and commercial entities for the purposes of intellectual property theft and to gain political and economic leverage.

REMTCS, a Red Bank, NJ based company has been in operation for more than two decades, servicing the needs of the most widely known firms and organizations. Throughout that time, the company has amassed expertise in the areas of supercomputing, artificial intelligence (A.I.), and information security through their automated trading products and compliance consulting services.

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★ Activity Centre of the Year - Essex

Rope Runners Rope Runners was founded by Kevin and Jo Ellis, a husband and wife team who discovered Parcours in France in June 2009- they loved it, their kids loved it and they were hooked. In England, Parcours is called High Ropes Adventure so they decided to set one up near our home. We spoke to them to find out more.

Company: Rope Runners LTD Name: Jo Ellis Email: info@roperunners.co.uk Web Address: www.roperunners.co.uk Address: The Secret Nuclear Bunker, Rope Runners Ltd, Ongar Road, Kelvedon Hatch, Brentwood, Essex, CM15 8RU Telephone: 01277 364470

Our philosophy is to encourage people to participate fully in high ropes adventure. Whilst our instructors are all fully practiced in rescue techniques we encourage clients to problem solve for themselves whilst out on our adventure courses. We are always on hand to give advice if required.

Our pole based Adventure Course in the tree tops is just one of the many things we offer. Whether you want to challenge yourself on our High Ropes Course, try your aim at Archery or Air Rifles, hone your paintball target shooting skills on our practice range, test your nerve in the unfinished tunnels of the Bunker in our Tunnelling system, OR be like Bear Grylls and try an adrenaline run across our Assault Course, we have something for everyone.

Our mission is to ensure that the customer goes away from us having a memorable and enjoyable day with us.

Our induction process is extensive and mandatory, this means that we are fully confident our customers are safe at all times while in our care. Our staff are not only trained to watch out for anything that might be unsafe and to rescue a customer if they need help, but each member of staff has been trained in customer welfare and entertainment. We like to ensure that our customers have a smile on their faces when they arrive until they leave.

We are a fun happy close knit team, made up of pronominally young adults of both sexes. We maintain these close relationships through team building events and staff training aswell as the end of summer awards party and staff excursions.

It is an honour to have received such an award. I have a great network of staff around me and we all enjoy working with each other and in the outdoor industry. We started as a high ropes course but have been adapting ourselves to suit the need of the public by providing other outdoor activities. It’s a great boost of morel for our business and our staff. It’s great to show everyone that the hard work and dedication we all put into our business is showing off and being recognised.

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★ Award for Excellence in Automotive Logistic Services - UK

As the leading provider of ‘on site’ logistics services, Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive specialise in removing inefficiency from your manufacturing processes. We spoke to them about how they implement this first class service.

Company: Rudolph and Hellman Automotive Web: www.rh-automotive.co.uk Address: Charter House Sandford Street Lichfield Staffordshire WS13 6QA Telephone : 01543 441670 Fax: 01543 441678

Born from the needs of a world renowned vehicle manufacturer operating in the UK, our expertise ranges from the management of large time sensitive warehouses to direct production line feed and sub assembly.

Operating with discretion and integrity, several other UK manufacturers in the automotive sector have since benefited from our ‘on site’ logistics solutions.

Since the origination of Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive in 2000, our expertise in managing efficiency extends to developing bespoke web based warehouse management systems to production site closures and relocations.

Whatever specific logistical challenges our clients face from managing downsizing to complete shut down, they can be sure Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive have the in-house expertise and experience. We help maximise your profits or help you minimise cost during your most challenging times.

Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive operate solely in the UK and is the offspring of two German parent companies.The Rudolph Group brings extensive automotive expertise and Hellmann Worldwide Logistics provides logistical solutions and a UK infrastructure. The financial stability provided by the two parent companies has without doubt provided some of the oldest UK manufacturers with high levels of confidence to work with such a young company.

However, the Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive management team operates independently of the parent companies, and is a totally separate cost centre – this freedom means that overheads are minimal, reaction times are fast and decisions can be made quickly.

With headquarters in Lichfield and Staffordshire, Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive are centrally placed to manage any mainland UK based manufacturing operation.

Currently employing in excess of 1200 personnel across a number of UK sites - including Oxford, Darlaston, Wellesbourne, Gayden, Winsford and Lichfield - we are able to manage or advise on the smallest element of your operation whilst also providing the infrastructure and capability to take on the largest.

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★ Best PR Team - California & Award for Innovation in Legal Marketing

SLS Consulting SLS Consulting, LLC has over twenty years’ experience in providing Management and Human Resources Services to the manufacturing, medical, transportation and service industries. We were in touch with them about their company and wealth of experience they provide for their clients.

Company: SLS Consulting Email: slsconsulting@sc.rr.com Address: 530 West Butternut Road Summerville, SC 29483, USA Telephone: 843.819.5129

Business executives understand that employees are their most important resource. Finding and motivating quality talent and ensuring that managers have the right skills in today’s environment is an arduous task. Government compliance and training is often confusing and intimidating. SLS Consulting, LLC provides all sizes of businesses with professional management and HR expertise to help them meet the requirements of effective employee management.

Sharon Sellers, President of SLS Consulting, has over twenty-five years’ experience as a senior Human Resources generalist. As an HR executive, she directed the HR functions for corporations covering the medical, manufacturing, government contracting and service industries. As an HR consultant, her clients range from local start-up companies to global enterprises. SLS serves clients in the United States, South America and the United Kingdom.

Sharon is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources and a Global Professional in Human Resources through the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). She is past- president of the Tri-County HR Management Association (SHRM Chapter) in Charleston, SC. She has served for the past five years on the Board of South Carolina State Council for the Society of Human Resource Management and is 2012-2013 State Director-Elect.

In terms of qualifications, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Management. She has published articles through SHRM consultant’s forum website as well as other trade magazines and has been quoted as a Subject Matter Expert in local and national HR articles. In addition to her consulting, she is an adjunct instructor at Trident Technical College in Charleston where she teaches courses in human resources certification, HR compliance, and employment law courses.

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★ Best Mid-Market Business Intelligence Solutions - USA

Solver, Inc. Solver provides BI360, the leading Business Intelligence suite for Microsoft Dynamics AX, GP, NAV, SL, Sage 300, Sage 500, Sage X3, SAP Business One, Intacct, Acumatica and other ERP systems. Solver is a Microsoft Gold ISV Partner and the winner of the Microsoft BI Partner of Year Award and has a presence on the Gartner Group CPM Magic Quadrant.

BI360 is sold through a world-wide network of resellers and is ideal for companies looking to find a user friendly, yet highly functional Reporting, Budgeting, Dashboard, and Data Warehouse solution to give them deep insight and actionable information across all facets of their organization.

Solver is honoured to receive this prestigious award. It is always nice to be recognised for the work we do, and it motivates us to achieve more with BI360. We believe awards are important, both as an individual business recipient of this award and within our industry, to acknowledge leaders, share information and drive marketplace competition.

Solver has focused on listening to customer needs for development of BI360, offering Excel and web platforms for our tools, building integrations to top ERP systems, and building secure and flexible collaboration functionality into the software. And, while all software vendors can talk highly about their own products, it is often more valuable for customers to hear it from a third party organisation.

Our customers view us not as a basic “software vendor” or “one-time project manager,” but rather as a valuable and long term partner in managing and upgrading corporate performance across their organisation now and in the future. They should be looking for a company that produces a powerful, flexible, and business user friendly software, but pairs this technology with top notch support and partnership in planning and implementing data management and analysis processes. Solver delivers exactly this kind of first rate solution.

Company: Solver Name: Nils Rasmussen Email: info@solverusa.com Web Address: www.solverusa.com Address: 10780 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 370, Los Angeles, CA 90025 Telephone: 800-281-6351 (US); 310-691-5300

Solver is comprised of Business Intelligence experts from diverse, richly experienced backgrounds and thrives because of the acknowledgment of strengths in different areas and the need for client centred collaboration.

Solver’s organisational dynamic feels like a true team, and our clients receive better service because of the teamwork.

We take pride in our balance of developing new products, while offering excellent service and educational partnership to our growing customer base. Analytics on the Web and in the Cloud has been the cutting edge for Business Intelligence, which is why we are constantly striving to innovate and develop our services.

The biggest opportunities will come from our flexibility in platform and access to customer data. Whether that is on-premises, Excel-based reporting, Web-based budgeting, and/or multiple data types consolidated and housed in the BI360 Data Warehouse. The challenge is always to take customer needs and turn them into a reality through innovation and finely tuned design, but it’s a challenge we have always enjoyed taking on for our partners and clients.

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★ Award for Excellence in HR Services - Isle of Man

Smart HR Solutions Limited Smart HR Solutions Limited (‘SmartHR’) was set up in 2010 and over the last five years it has gone from strength to strength in establishing itself as a leading provider of multi-sector HR consultancy, outsourcing and training solutions.

We spoke to Gail Yeowell, Owner & Managing Director, about their unique services and approach to their clients.

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★ Company: Smart HR Solutions Limited Name: Gail Yeowell, Owner & Managing Director Email: contact@SmartHR.co.im Web Address: www.SmartHR.co.im Address: 6 Hilltop Rise, Farmhill, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 2LF Telephone: +44 7624 478764 / +44 1624 619619

Our clients range from start-up businesses and SMEs through to global organisations and they span a broad spectrum of industries. These include: accountancy, advertising & PR, architects, audit services, aviation, banking and financial services, building services, charities, CSP/TSP, e-gaming, e-business, healthcare, investment management, IT services, manufacturing, motor industry, nurseries, nursing homes, opticians, retail, ship management and the travel industry.

At SmartHR, we partner with organisations to help them drive sustainable performance improvement, achieve their people management objectives, and minimise the risk of litigation by offering a comprehensive range of flexible and effective HR consultancy and training solutions including the delivery of professional advice or services that are ethical, responsible and value-adding.

Our clients outsource a wide range of HR management areas in order to benefit from people management expertise on a flexible basis. These include: HR strategy, audit and planning; employment documentation (reviewing and updating employment contracts, employee handbooks, HR policies and procedures); retained HR advisory services; organisational design and restructuring; redundancy and outplacement support; acquisition and due diligence support; HR coaching and mentoring; training and development; performance management frameworks; handling discipline and grievances; and other ad hoc projects such as implementing customised HR management information systems.

We believe that clients should look for an HR consultancy business with a proven track record of success in delivering effective HR solutions and HR consultants who are professionally qualified with an in-depth knowledge of employment legislation who provide a flexible, value-adding approach to tailor solutions to the clients’ needs. SmartHR meets all of these elements and prides itself in delivering a high level of client service and receiving excellent client testimonials.

All our clients are different, so we tailor our HR solutions to their bespoke business needs to provide maximum flexibility of service.

In terms of our philosophy, SmartHR is people-focused. We believe it is vital to live by our ‘PEOPLE’ values: • Professional partnerships: understanding our clients’ needs and working with them to achieve results • Expertise: ensuring our clients benefit from our expertise via the delivery of flexible, tailored solutions • Operating with integrity: showing honesty, objectivity and accountability • Providing impartial advice: to organisations and individuals on a range of people management areas • Leadership: leading by example in an ethical and responsible manner • Excellence: delivering excellence in everything we do to exceed client expectations From supporting new business start-ups and SMEs through to global organisations, we pride ourselves on our reputation for delivering a professional, knowledgeable and value-adding solutions to our clients and the excellent testimonials we receive.

Our HR knowledge and expertise gained over 20 years, together with our flexible approach, ensures that clients receive tailored HR solutions bespoke to their needs; supported by a friendly, collaborative, client-focused service.

Furthermore, SmartHR’s online ‘E-HR Shop’ is a unique resource for Isle of Man based clients. No other company provides online template employment documents that comply with IOM employment legislation.

Our online ‘E-HR Shop’ can be used by IOM and UK employers and is an easy, cost effective way for SMEs to source template documents. A number of the template documents are also useful for other organisations to use in different jurisdictions.

As for the award, it is extremely pleasing that SmartHR has once again been recognised as a leading provider of multi-sector HR consultancy, outsourcing and training solutions. I am very proud and delighted that SmartHR is the recipient of a 2015 Business Excellence Award for Excellence in HR Services in the Isle of Man. We are passionate about delivering value-adding HR services and customer service excellence. We owe our success and thanks to all the fantastic clients that have used, and continue to use, SmartHR for their HR support needs.

Awards such as the 2015 Business Excellence Awards play an important part in demonstrating to both existing and potential clients the businesses that are the leading providers of services in their industry.

Looking towards the future, we will continue to support our clients providing tailored and flexible people management, outsourcing and training solutions. Ensuring that we keep up-to-date with employment legislation is essential so that our clients can be assured that they will continue to receive the same knowledgeable services delivered to high standards.

The proposed IOM Equality Bill 2015 will have a large impact on Isle of Man based employers and should not be underestimated. Once the final content of the Equality Bill is known then we will work in partnership with local employers and businesses and strategically review their current HR infrastructure e.g. employment documents, HR policies, practices etc.; and will implement agreed changes in order that they comply with the new legislation. SmartHR can then provide any other day-to-day support on a retained or ad hoc basis as required.

We are anticipating that 2015 and 2016 will be busy years and that this will provide growth and expansion opportunities for the business. We very much look forward to a busy but challenging future.

For further details regarding SmartHR’s wide range of business solutions, and to view client testimonials, please visit www.SmartHR.co.im

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★ Best for Short Film Production - UK

Ltd The SPA Group Ltd is a marketing, PR and event management agency specialising in emotional engagement of target audiences. They have a particular skill in the writing and production of corporate film and comedy shorts.

They also write and produce plays performed by the staff of clients, to entertain each other, from a teambuilding and conference perspective. We spoke to Managing Director Simon Plumb to find out more.

I have been writing comedy since I was at school and the agency has been writing and producing both corporate and short comedy films for over twenty years. We have established a niche for using comedy in business which both entertains and engages a particular target audience. The key issue, as with all comedy, is knowing when the right moment is to use it, firstly to enhance a message and not undermine the integrity of the client or the brand in question.

I started my career as a brand manager for Vladivar Vodka, ‘the Wodka from Varrington!’ I have gone on to create hundreds of successful creative communications campaigns, spanning a 30 year career. My versatile marketing and event skill-set (including being the world’s worst ventriloquist) across innumerable market sectors is proven, building brands, developing teams and enhancing profits for a huge array of companies.

The use of comedy works at its optimum by forging a positive memory of the viewing experience, and to linger in the mind for all the right reasons. It can be the difference between building a successful brand or team and failing.

Awards of this nature both raise the profile of the company and a particular area of expertise, as well as recognise the ability and flair of the agency, in an objective and professional way.

Company: The SPA Group Ltd Name: Simon Plumb Email: simon@spa-group.co.uk Web Address: www.spa-group.co.uk Address: 2, Bridgewater Court, Barsbank lane, Lymm, Cheshire WA13 0ER Telephone: 01925 755590

We have won awards for our films in the past and hope to win more in the future. However, the important issue is to keep doing good work which gives the client a great result. Sometimes it is about persuading the client that comedy, and fun, work in business. Leap that hurdle and you are well away.

Our philosophy is to listen intently to what the client is telling you, interrogate their beliefs and aspirations and go all out to achieve them. Getting under the skin of the client is critical, and, with due modesty, sometimes helping them create their own vision for the brand, the team and the business in general. What sets us apart is personality, energy, flair and an eye for the bizarre! Find the buzz in the brand or the team and go all out for it.

The culture of a client business is very important. The most successful campaigns we have ever produced have often been the result of a deep empathy and understanding for each other – client and agency. At its best we call it ‘self-selection’, when the client takes one look at you and knows the relationship will work. The reverse is also true - not quite a love affair but there are similarities!

The three ingredients of empathy, understanding and experience may sound like a cliché but, as a supplier in a notoriously competitive commercial environment, to sustain a successful business you also need to keep your edge. In my case I produce comedy shows as a hobby. I hope and believe this means I maintain an edge in terms of what I produce for clients from a commercial perspective.

I also invite clients to come and see my shows, so they see another side of me. The response I look for is when a prospective client says, ‘OK, I see what he’s about. He can come and work for me now!’

People are people and respond to each other, both positively and negatively. Social media is crucial today but do not lose sight of the character of the people who are responsible for growing their brands or developing a team. Achieve their aspirations, reflect their inner personalities, and bring people with you by making them laugh and happy. Do that and you reach into, and touch, the inner being. That is when you are winning!

It gets to the stage in your career when you do the work you want to do and not the work you have to do to pay the overhead and feed your family. If you can get to that relaxed point in your life your work will become exceptional. It becomes a true labour of love and if a client recognises that everyone is onto a winner. Not self-indulgence but work that is motivated by being as good as it can be, for the wider benefit.

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★ Best in Healthcare Recruitment - UK

Star is a full service outsourcing and resourcing company; we introduce sales, marketing, medical and clinical people to opportunities with Pharmaceutical, Medical Devices & Technology, Clinical Research and Healthcare Communications companies in the UK and Ireland. Our tailored services include dedicated and syndicated teams, vacancy management, direct to headcount recruitment, consultancy and master vendor. We’re developing our portfolio of outsourced services at the moment to include sales force effectiveness, and outsourced call centre, nursing and commercial/CCG teams.

This award means a lot to us because it recognises the entire team’s commitment to hard work and quality, and therefore belongs to everyone at Star. We have a strong management team that’s worked tirelessly on two areas: meeting changing market and customer needs, and our internal team’s personal development.

The healthcare industry’s undergone significant structural changes in recent years in response to a challenging environment and that’s driven an increase in outsourcing; Uniphar Group plc’s (‘Uniphar’) recent acquisition of Star enables us to deliver exceptional people and commercial outcomes to more clients with even greater flexibility, using a bigger, broader portfolio of outsourced services. Uniphar is a leading pre-wholesaler, wholesaler and provider of services in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector in the Republic of Ireland. They have a diverse customer base and an annual turnover in excess of 1bn Euro, and we operate as an independent business within Uniphar’s Manufacturer Services division. Leveraging the strengths of both companies will help us achieve our shared goal, to become the UK and Ireland’s market leader in healthcare outsourcing.

Name: Tim Webster Email: solutions@starmedical.co.uk Web Address: www.starmedical.co.uk Address: Star House, 4 Kelso Place, Upper Bristol Road, Bath BA1 3AU Telephone: 01225 336 335

To further improve our business, we used the recommendations given in our 2011 ‘Investors in People’ (‘IIP’) assessor’s report as a platform for team development. This work was recognised in December 2014, as Star was awarded Gold Standard IIP accreditation, a significant achievement as only 7% of all IIP organisations achieve this standard and less than 1% are recruitment businesses. The IIP assessor’s report noted that Star’s appointment of excellent, consistently effective managers has enabled the company to maintain its positive and unique culture, and embed improvements in processes to lead, manage and develop people, despite the company’s dramatic growth. The report also demonstrates that Star has all the characteristics of a high performance team. Star’s people value the company’s reputation and commitment to do the right things; levels of trust and motivation are high, and challenge is welcomed. The report also commended Star’s succinct business strategy and goals, and the influence of the company’s deeply embedded vision and values on culture and behaviour. This award celebrates the sustained, collective commitment to success from every single person at Star.

Star and Uniphar used transparency and frequent communication to make sure the acquisition was smooth and efficient; when the time was right, both companies gathered in Dublin to meet and then celebrate. A big focus for Star now is developing the contract sales organisation side of the business, scaling the infrastructure, systems and processes to ensure we deliver a seamless service to our clients as our outsourcing portfolio grows.

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★ Data Room Provider of the Year - UK

Sterling is a service provider to corporates, law firms, banks and financial institutions globally. They provide a secure virtual data room platform, which enables corporates and their advisors to conduct M&A due diligence in a highly secure environment for asset sales or sharing of confidential information. We spoke to them about their dedicated customer services team, and focus on continually improving their services.

Name: Harry Gill Company: Sterling Data Rooms Website: www.sterlingfp.com Address: 63 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4N 4UA Telephone: +44 207 634 4900

We are focused on customer satisfaction, technology, and a continued improvement of the platform. We try to accommodate all client development requests, which are challenging but achievable with our 24/7 in-house software development.

Sterling’s philosophy is to make our clients’ lives easy. Due diligence can be a slow and painful experience and our job is to ensure that the user experience is always up to an excellent standard. To achieve this, our technology and 24/7 customer service team ensure that our clients spend less time in our data room and other platforms, which speeds up the sales process.

In our industry, there are four main features of a company that clients should look for: service, speed, simplicity and trust. Sterling’s focus is to consistently work and improve upon these areas to ensure that we provide the highest level of service for our clients.

At Sterling, all employees take ownership of their successful service to our clients. We have a relationship driven approach to business which begins with strong internal relationships. As a British based company, our focus is on the traditional qualities of customer service, security and confidentiality. Our offering includes an award winning 24/7 365 customer service support team with dedicated staff assigned for each project.

We make sure that all incoming calls are responded within three rings and e-mails responded to within 10 minutes.

We are extremely proud to have been awarded Data Room Provider of the Year. It’s our 10th industry award in the past two years and it’s down to our highly dedicated 24/7 customer services team and in parallel with an extremely focused development team. Awards are very important to our business and are a testament to our success. They prove that our platform is highly regarded by our clients.

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★ Best Alternative Education Centre - UK

StreetVibes Academy StreetVibes Media Academy is a Department for Education-registered independent school and music and media training provider. We offer a variety of courses and educational programmes, from short term creative and digital media courses to full time education for young people aged 13-19 years old. We got in touch with them about their company and the challenges they face in their alternative approach to education.

Company: StreetVibes Academy Name: Sonia Ramanah Email: sonia@streetvibes.org Web Address: www.streetvibes.org Address: 6 Eltham High Street, London SE9 1DA Telephone: 0203 031 8240

SV works with schools and local authorities across London to provide inspiring, creative and personalised learning programmes to a diverse mix of young people, ranging from vocational learners, young people with additional learning needs, teen parents, those at risk of exclusion, as well as talented musicians, singers, songwriters, artists, fashion designers, filmmakers and web designers.

As an Alternative Education Centre, StreetVibes provides high quality education to young people who cannot be accommodated in mainstream schools, sometimes due to medical needs or additional learning needs, challenging behaviour or involvement in the criminal justice system, carer responsibilities or because a school place is not available locally.

Our Alternative Education programmes are part of a wider offer that includes part time, full time pre- and post16 digital media courses; school support, mentoring and information, advice and guidance programmes; after school and school holiday creative skills courses; work skills and youth enterprise support and music, film, design and fashion vocational learning.

At StreetVibes, young people are at the centre of our organisation. As well as delivering education, StreetVibes offers training and creative learning programmes in music and digital media; work skills and preparation courses, mentoring and personalised career guidance programmes, and apprenticeships offering young people real employment prospects.

StreetVibes celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year, and the timing of this award could not be better! In our first year, we were named in the Enterprising Young Brits awards and met the Prime Minister in Downing Street. We were also recognised by the Mayor of London and we worked with the Government Office for London to set up the quality assurance framework for London’s alternative education providers.

We have continually strived to innovate, listening carefully to schools and young people to design programmes that will inspire and motivate as well as meet ever-changing educational requirements. We work with over 200 young people each year, supporting them to engage with education, achieve nationally recognised qualifications, focus on their future and prepare for work, college or training.

Over the last 10 years, that’s around 2,000 young people’s lives we’ve touched, and we owe our success and this award to the tenacity and courageousness of those young people – many of whom came to us experiencing terrible disadvantage or challenging circumstances – but who took the opportunities that we offered them and refused to let their situations hold them back or keep them down.

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★ 2015 CMO of the Year Award for B2B Innovation and Global Markets

David Desharnais Traxpay provide B2B payments, transaction data and supply chain interactions all in one place. We spoke to them about their innovation in the B2B payments and commerce market, and their customer centric approach.

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★ Company: Traxpay Name: David Desharnais Email: david.desharnais@traxpay.com Web Address: www.traxpay.com Twitter: @traxpay Address: Germany: Schleusenstraße 17 D-60327 Frankfurt am Main

Tell us about your company, your clients and the services you offer.

Traxpay (www.traxpay.com) provides the world’s first and only B2B Dynamic Payments Platform capable of executing payments and final settlement with rich data in real-time, anytime, anywhere, and with complete safety and security. What makes Traxpay a breakthrough is its patent-pending platform that uniquely combines secure, flexible, real-time 24/7/365 electronic payments with a rich communication and data aggregation facility capable of handling information of any type (whether structured or unstructured), size, or format – and its ability to use this data to transform the payment on-the-fly.

USA: 800 West El Camino Real, Suite 180 Mountain View, CA 94040

Traxpay’s mission is to transform the way that companies pay and get paid, and to supercharge supply chains globally with faster and smarter financial transactions which provide an as yet unknown level of transparency and control to trading partners.

Telephone: EU: +49 69 59 772 15 0 US: +1 360-723-0505

Our clients consist of global B2B commerce networks, B2B digital marketplaces, procurement companies, electronic invoicing firms, and all the millions of buyers and suppliers that they support.

How does it feel to have been given the award for the 2015 CMO of the Year Award for B2B Innovation and Global Markets and to what do you most owe this success?

Speaking on behalf of Traxpay and my team, we are truly honored to receive this illustrious award. Over the last three years our passion has been working to educate the market about reimagining the massive B2B commerce market segment and how supply chains can better connect, collaborate, and transact based on advancing social, economic, and technology factors. Our success is owed to taking a customer centric approach to our product development and go-to-market execution, as well as to the support of our investors and partners, my marketing team and the many editors and analysts who believe in our technology and ability to disrupt the market.

What areas have you focused on and what challenges have you overcome to be given this prestigious award?

Traxpay is bringing innovation to the insanely complex global B2B payments and commerce market segment where banks, commercial card providers, and traditional players have not dared to go. We have focused on educating the market to the many benefits they could enjoy by streamlining their processes: lower costs, faster and flexible transactions, improved cash flow and transparency.

Our B2B Dynamic Payments platform has been identified by numerous Fortune 500 companies as a driver for the next wave of innovation in the $377 trillion (Boston Consulting report Global Payments 2013) B2B commerce market – the single biggest market segment in the world. We also recently raised $15M of fresh capital, and as such, linked arms with some of the world’s largest players in banking, FinTech, and big data including Commerzbank, Software AG, and MasterCard, a validation of our vision, and the collective urgency to usher in the next wave of innovation for B2B with Traxpay as the path forward.

Tell us about Traxpay’s overriding philosophy when it comes to your clients. What do you see as the most relevant and vital areas to focus on when it comes to providing the best possible service?

Research shows that more than 60% of B2B payments are still handled manually, causing up to 25% payment mismatches; 78% of companies cannot forecast mid-term cash flow within 5% accuracy; and over 30% of B2B invoices are paid after the due date.

According to a 2014 Ardent Partners study, the average cost to process an invoice today is $14.21. With many companies processing in excess of 400,000 invoices in a given year, the overall cost of this function is enormous and businesses are looking for ways to cut costs and improve their workflows. With Traxpay our clients are now able to offer value-added services like supply chain financing, factoring, dynamic discounting, foreign exchange, and related services are now possible – all enabling accelerated global commerce which provides them with a competitive advantage, higher margins, and transaction cost savings across the board.

What should clients be looking for when seeking to work with a business in your sector and how does Traxpay go about meeting these requirements?

The inadequate, slow and costly B2B payment processes that businesses have traditionally employed have a direct impact on the bottom line. Static payments are a bottleneck in B2B transactions and are costing businesses billions in losses. Our primary focus is to help our customers conduct smarter, streamlined and safer trade, and to implement our solutions quickly and painlessly into their existing workflows.

Our platform integrates directly into existing B2B commerce network platforms, making payment a fundamental part of the actual P2P, O2C, and ERP process, instead of a disconnected process on its own. This allows for instant responsiveness to new data, changing business conditions, and event triggers in real time. As changes occur, all data, track-and-trace visibility, and details of the transaction are kept synchronized, and the payment is executed and settled accordingly.

Tell us about the culture within your company and the things you do to maintain and develop it. How does it influence your interactions with and results achieved for your clients?

From the beginning Traxpay has sought out and recruited the most talented and experienced individuals in the sector to drive forward our mission to modernize, even reinvent, B2B commerce. Three words best describe our corporate culture: creativity, tenacity, and transparency. We have an open door policy, flat hierarchies, and our employees are empowered and encouraged to think outside of the box. Despite our growth, we maintain a fast and hungry start-up culture. For our customers this means we listen carefully and work tirelessly to expand the scope of capabilities and benefits our platform brings to their businesses.

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★ Change Management Consultancy of the Year - UK

Triverto Offering a range of Change Management services, Triverto is dedicated to guiding clients through today’s complex business and technology environments. We spoke to them about their company and the philosophy behind their success.

Company: Triverto Name: Rob Mason Email: Robert.mason@triverto.com Web Address: www.triverto.com Address: 12 Dumaresq Street, St Helier, Jersey, JE2 3RL Telephone: 01534 608089

Our experience and expertise covers both the public and private sector, ranging from tactical process im¬provements to strategic transformation programmes. From major investment banks in the City, to independent island-based wealth management offices, we have worked with clients large and small, local and international to deliver effective change.

The overriding philosophy behind our company is Delivery and Value. Do the right thing, at the right price and do it well. This isn’t always as obvious as it sounds and sometimes it takes hard work to even work out what the ‘right thing’ is. As a service business we believe that putting the right people on the task at hand is essential to success – we will not be swayed from this approach We encourage all of our people to have multiple skills sets that will support the customer. Whilst you may be a project manager you will often need to be a facilitator or an analyst and the client should always feel that they can trust us to deliver beyond the standard job description. Our people are the face, reputation and biggest asset of Triverto and they are always reminded of that responsibility. Being aware that every interaction with a client is a moment of truth that continually defines the ongoing relationship ensures our people act with honesty, integrity and primarily in the client interest first.

Our focus has been to deliver effective change management for our clients during a period when projects and budgets are being cut in many industries. Consistently delivering value to the client requires a great deal of flexibility in such an uncertain time and we tore-up our existing model to ensure what we did was 100% right for the client when ‘on-paper’ it may not have seemed the right thing to do for Triverto. The clients and the referrals came in and so proved our ‘client first’ value was working.

We were honoured to have been nominated and humbled to have received this award which recognises the approach effort we have put in to delivering real value for our clients. We are proud to acknowledge that the majority of our business comes through referrals and repeat engage¬ments – testament to the high quality service we provide to our clients.

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★ Best Travel Payment Platform - USA

UATP UATP is the airline owned global payment solution accepted by thousands of merchants for air, rail, and travel agency payments. UATP provides a true low-cost alternative to the expensive cost of accepting credit card payments while still allowing airlines to keep and build their customers’ loyalty. UATP has sales in excess of USD 14 billion worldwide, which produces hundreds of millions of dollars in both savings and revenue for its owners.

UATP lowers the cost of payment acceptance, typically 100 basis points less than other card brands.

We spoke to them to find out more.

UATP offers easy-to-use data tools, DataStreamSM and DataMineSM, which provide comprehensive account details to Issuers and Corporate Subscribers for accurate travel management. DataStream is UATP’s innovative, Web-based billing system. It effortlessly organizes information on a single, centralized system. With the ability to support multiple currencies and languages, DataStream allows airline Issuers to provide incomparable customer service to clients worldwide. DataMine is UATP’s cutting edge transaction portal that provides comprehensive insight into Issuer and Corporate Subscriber accounts. Subscribers can access up to thirteen months of Level III data, and then effortlessly generate reports customized to their specific need. DataMine gives users real-time access to credit limits, balances, and available funds for all UATP account types. UATP’s data tools and solutions help make UATP the preferred form of payment for corporate travel throughout the world.

To add value to the Network, UATP partners with new processing platforms that diversify UATP’s payment acceptance and channels for airfare payment. UATP’s alternative forms of payments include Alipay, Bitnet, GiroSolution, PayPal, SafetyPay, SVS and Wirecard. UATP will continue to enhance the Network to benefit further our airline Members.

Company: UATP Name: Wendy Ward Email: Marketing@uatp.com Web Address: UATP.COM Address: 1301 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington DC 20004 Telephone: 202-626-4224

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★ Best Business Gas & Electricity Broker - UK

Utility Choice

Utility Choice delivers top results for businesses, every time

Company: Utility Choice Web: www.utilitychoice.co.uk Telephone: 0845 269 8028

At Utility Choice, a leading utility broker consultant established in 2010, we have quickly built up our business by focusing on developing strong relationships with all our valued clients. For us, it’s essential that we understand everything about your business – what makes it work, who the key people are and what the overall goals are – so that we can devise the most relevant service to fit your needs. Not knowing what you’re about, and where you’re headed, is not going to get either of us anywhere.

You can be certain that we always make good on our promise to provide our clients with the best-available information and uniquely impartial advice, so that they can always get the most advantageous deals. These are ones that are a perfect match for their business, meter type and annual usages. Along with this, we also provide a range of useful guides and tips that our clients often find invaluable.

Who are we, exactly? We’re comprised of a team of customer care professionals who are extremely committed to what they do, and extraordinarily enthusiastic about helping you. They are proud to use their in-depth knowledge of the utility market to find the deal that’s just right for each client. Overseeing all this is a dedicated and experienced management team that ensures high standards and results at all times.

We are not shy about saying that we take enormous pleasure in delivering a top-quality and reliable utility broker service to all kinds of companies – and for no fees whatsoever. When we start out with a new client, our strategy is to work closely with each of them and to establish a long-term relationship. We are not in it for the short term.

Our professional and customer focused staff not only help our clients clinch the very best energy deal available, but also can carry out assessments to determine a variety of cost saving solutions, so that they are more streamlined, efficient and therefore more profitable. A win-win all around.

Because we have done so much for our clients, our service is recommended by many of them; we’re delighted to have an ever-expanding client portfolio that we help to get the best energy packages in their areas and make it extremely easy for them to make the right choice using our expert advice.

Simply put, we help many thousands of firms achieve real savings on their electricity and gas bills every month – that’s exactly what every business wants.

To find out more about us, and to discover how we can help your company achieve higher levels of efficiency, please get in touch directly with us. We will be delighted to hear from you.

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★ Best Telemarketing Services - California

For the last 15 years, The Vanella Group have been providing tele-based sales development services to enterprise technology companies all over the world. Their customers include CA, HP, Hitachi, and many other well-known firms.

We spoke to them to find out more.

The Vanella Group, Inc.’s methodology delivers 5 times above the industry standard cited in the DMA research for outbound tele-based lead generation. Additionally, The Vanella Group, Inc. provides guidance on buyer engagement, relationship management for remote prospects, and marketing automation utilization. A critical aspect of what The Vanella Group, Inc. does is implement “social selling” with outbound engagement.

We asked the CEO and Founder, Mari Anne Vanella, what their focus has been.

She said in reply “Our focus is on identifying active sales cycles for enterprise tech sales teams. In more recent years, the buying landscape has radically changed as buyers are more astute in their vendor vetting.

They have the ability to access on their own a huge amount of data on vendors in the public domain. Our methodology operates at a level above the typical sales call, that is often now rejected, and engages buyers in more substantial ways that add value.”

Company: The Vanella Group, Inc. Name: Mari Anne Vanella, CEO Email: info@vanellagroup.com Web Address: www.VanellaGroup.com Telephone: 888-335-0340

We asked what challenges are ahead for companies in this space: “We don’t see a challenge for us as we are always aligned with current trends. We are able to stay ahead of buyer behavior changes and remain very relevant for clients by having active involvement; that helps us to understand what works and how to be in the right place at the right time with our clients’ solutions. Staying relevant in a changing market is key” If companies are looking for a provider, what would you tell them?

“I tell people that are looking for providers for outbound calling that any company they call that is trying to sell them a program before they know what they will be talking about is a company to be wary of. We make sure we are a good fit for clients, and that they are a good fit for us. Our results are very predictable and we deliver what we promise because we know when we are the right solution and when we aren’t. It’s important to know that the vendor they are talking with as potential partners are bringing solutions and thought leadership themselves to the mix to add value, not be a vendor that needs to be constantly managed for quality. We have a process that is structured and optimized at each stage and gets everyone involved, we align real-time with what we are discovering to gain added advantage for our clients.”

We asked what The Vanella Group, Inc. is known for?

“Our whole brand is based on excellence, and we make sure we bring an end-to-end solution to clients.

Personally, I feel very invested with each client. I value them as though we are directly part of their team and go above and beyond to make sure what we do is a success.”

When learning about this award, Ms. Vanella stated “It is truly an honor to receive this award. To receive acknowledgment from industry leaders really validates what we are doing and the results we get. We have worked very hard to stay current, highly relevant for today’s selling landscape, and remain in front of developing trends to be the very best option for companies to work with. These awards are very important because maintaining quality in this industry is critical. Helping companies to identify the leaders that deliver results is something these awards also facilitate by showcasing the best-in-class firms.”

118 / Business Excellence Awards 2015

BUSINESS excellence

★ Investment Company of the Year - Austria & Advisory Company of the Year - Austria

Vienna Capital Partners Vienna Capital Partners (VCP) is a leading independent corporate finance advisor and private equity investor in Central-Eastern and South-Eastern Europe.

Company: Vienna Capital Partners (VCP) Website: www.vcpag.com

With offices located in Vienna, Warsaw and Prague, we possess the critical local presence, knowledge and cross-cultural understanding required to execute transactions in a goal-oriented, time efficient and thorough manner. VCP’s regional focus is reinforced by a comprehensive network of cooperation partners, with particular footprint in the Hungarian, Slovak, Russian, Balkan and Baltic markets.

VCP is independent from large financial institutions or other external shareholders and therefore able to provide objective advice, free from the conflicts of interest.

Corporate Finance Advisory Services Through our corporate finance advisory services, we support our clients in all their essential strategic and financial decisions including both M&A and capital raising processes. We advise firms in all industries with a special focus on medium-to-large-sized enterprises and companies with a high potential for growth and value appreciation.

Direct Investments Our investment activities combine the experience and network of VCP’s partners with the capabilities of our dedicated professional team to scrutinise and identify investment opportunities. We follow a flexible and opportunistic investment approach and take proprietary equity positions in undervalued companies that promise a significant increase in value, e.g. through balance sheet restructurings and growth initiatives. Through our advisory and investing activities, VCP has gained in-depth knowledge and experience, which leads to more educated investment decisions going forward.

Recent Highlights VCP’s biggest achievement in 2014 was the acquisition of a significant Hungarian media-portfolio from Ringier AG and Axel Springer SE including eight leading regional daily newspapers, the daily sport newspaper Nemzeti Sport, the internationally recognised flagship broadsheet Népszabadság and the leading business daily Világazdaság. Through this acquisition, we formed the new publishing group “Mediaworks” which is already at start one of the largest media houses in Hungary.

The most outstanding transaction in VCP’s corporate finance advisory business during the past twelve months was our role as exclusive investment banking advisor to Banca Transilvania on the acquisition of Volksbank Romania. Our client is the largest banking institution majority-owned by private Romanian equity capital and ranks as number 3 in the Romanian banking market. The acquisition of Volksbank Romania is part of Banca Transilvania’s growth and consolidation strategy with the aim to become the 2nd largest bank in Romania.

With our dedicated focus on the CEE and SEE countries, we are a preferred advisor and partner to our clients for M&A and investment projects in the region. We appreciate the nomination as Investment Company of the Year – Austria and as Advisory Company of the Year - Austria as proof of this commitment and our success.

The partners and the entire team of Vienna Capital Partners are proud and understand the nomination as encouragement for continued good work.

Business Excellence Awards 2015 / 119

BUSINESS excellence

www.acquisition-intl.com/business-excellence

★ Best for Production Equipment - UK

Zen Production Equipment Limited Zen Production Equipment Limited are proud to be able to offer the UK Electronics industry some of the most respected equipment for manufacturing. Among their partners include, Asscon Vapour Phase, Heller Industries Reflow and Curing ovens, Inertec selective soldering, EPM wave soldering, PBT Works stencil and PCB cleaning, Getech de-panelling systems and i-tronik component storage. We spoke to them about how they deal with the challenges facing them in their industry, and remain a competitive option for their clients.

Company: Zen Production Equipment Limited Name: Peter Clarke Email: peter.clarke@zpel.co.uk Web Address: www.zpel.co.uk Address: Unit C6, Business Centre Beeston, Technology drive, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 1NN Telephone: 0115 9221378 07943829566

Our focus is to provide new and used equipment at a market price that we feel is extremely competitive. We need to remain competitive because one of the major challenges has been the economic outlook over the past 12 months where customers perhaps haven’t had the confidence to invest in new equipment.

Our philosophy is to provide a fast, efficient and cost effective service that a customer can rely on is what we like to pride ourselves on. What we ensure is that we will never say a piece of equipment will do what it clearly will not. Furthermore, we will never sell a piece of equipment knowing it will not match our customers’ expectations.

As for the major trends in our industry, Vapour phase reflow is making a come back with customers who are looking to solder high mass products. Selective soldering is being taken on as a replacement to hand soldering.Vacuum reflow be it vapour phase or convection reflow is going to be growth area in the medical, military and automotive industries.

We are extremely proud to have won this award which reflects the level of service and support we give all of our customers no matter how small. I feel these awards are worthwhile and valid to any supplier who is striving to be the best in their market place.

120 / Business Excellence Awards 2015