SCOTLAND's entrepreneurial prowess will be recognised at a dinner at the Glasgow City Hotel on 25 November when the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards are presented in front of around 500 guests.
Staged this year by Entrepreneurial Scotland in association with professional services firm Deloitte and media partner The Herald, the awards are Scotland's longest-standing annual awards for growth-oriented entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurial Scotland is an organisation for ambitious entrepreneurs, with 400 members, representing £17 billion of turnover and some 150,000 employees.
The awards fall into two categories: Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year. Among the judges this year is Peter Vardy, founder of the car dealership group which bears his name, who won the Entrepreneur of the Year award last year.
Our preview of the short-listed candidates in each category concludes with the three nominees for Entrepreneur of the Year.
Sandy Kennedy, chief executive of Entrepreneurial Scotland, said: “It is vital that we showcase the achievements of these finalists whose entrepreneurial mindset has been instrumental in their successes.”
Andrew Malcolm, Malcolm Group
Since leading the Malcolm Group off the Stock Exchange and back into private ownership in 2005, Andrew Malcolm has followed a strategy which has helped the business achieve strong growth amid often challenging conditions.
He has focused on developing the haulage side of the business as part of a logistics offering which is now the largest part of The Malcolm Group.
The Logistics Services Division provides a one-stop solution for customers, from warehousing to road and rail services. The Construction Division provides contract work, groundworks, waste management, recycling, quarrying and sports surfaces.
The Malcolm Group has a strong focus on training and innovation and maintains and owns its entire road haulage fleet.
Mr Malcolm has successfully targeted organic growth while the group’s Construction Services Division has made acquisitions.
Richard Slater, Partner and Head of Private Markets for Deloitte in Scotland, said Mr Malcolm has been the architect of the group’s success, demonstrating strong leadership since taking charge in 1994, noting: “He spotted an opportunity for the logistics side of the business to challenge large international competitors and delivered on it.”
Graeme Bone, Drum Property Group
Graeme Bone practised as a partner in a small law firm before leaving in 2003 to establish Drum Property Group. Having exited the market substantially in 2006, he felt the time was right to start again in earnest in 2009/10 and has built Aberdeen-based Drum Property Group an award winning development and investment business.
The group has a current portfolio of projects with an end value of over £1bn, and has already completed a range of significant developments.
On the renowned Prime Four business park in Aberdeen, Mr Bone has overseen the development of almost one million square feet of property in the past three years.
Earlier this year the company launched the Drum Income Plus Real Estate Investment Trust on the London Stock Exchange, an investment vehicle focused on the entrepreneurial asset management of a regional portfolio of offices, shopping centres and industrial parks.
“Graeme lives and breathes real estate. He’s an inspiring character,” said Deloitte’s Richard Slater. He added: “Despite his modesty, he’s built an outstanding business and even changed Aberdeen’s landscape through notable property developments. This year could be the company’s strongest yet.”
Mike Loggie, Saltire Energy
Mike Loggie’s early career spanned the RAF, the hospitality sector, a building consultancy, graphic design and even a betting shop.
In 1986 he spotted his first opportunity to make a mark in the oil and gas sector by applying the technology used by brewers to re-shape the filtration process used offshore.
Mr Loggie has gone on the build Aberdeen-based Saltire Energy into a leading provider of rental drilling equipment to the global industry.
While conditions in the North Sea are challenging, Saltire earns 60 per cent of its turnover in other parts of the world.
Mr Loggie is a major supporter and contributor to community interests including Aberdeen’s Sports Village and new aquatics centre. He has also established Saltire Sports for Schools, which provides enhanced opportunities for children from primary schools to participate in sports and activities and funded two schools overseas.
Mr Slater said: “Mike is a consummate, serial entrepreneur: his businesses have taken in a wide range of sectors and a consistent approach of outstanding customer focus has been the bedrock of his many successes.”
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