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Recognition for bold and visionary leaders

Wilson Lau

Celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit in China, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2011 China Awards recognise successful leaders of enterprises who are bold and visionary.

In its sixth year, the annual programme seeks to honour a new generation of preeminent senior business executives who leverage their innovative ideas, groundbreaking visions and outstanding energy to create positive changes in the Chinese economy, says Joe Tsang, the programme co-chairman of the awards.

'These positive changes encompass the development of new markets, creating more employment opportunities and further sharpening the competitive edge of their respective industries,' Tsang adds.

The theme of this year's awards is 'Achieving Growth through Innovation', reflecting China's role as one of the powerhouses driving the global economy, with the wisdom and efforts of Chinese entrepreneurs acting as the important pillars supporting the phenomenal growth, according to Terrence Ho, the other co-chairman.

The awards recognise enterprising business leaders who contribute to the well-being of the community through their business achievements. 'The exceptional drive of these outstanding entrepreneurs to innovate and their perseverance in achieving success are instrumental in China's global economic expansion and dominance,' Ho says. 'By innovating on products and services, they give their enterprises a competitive advantage in their pursuit of market leadership. We define innovation as fusing technology and ideas to create new products, developing new and more efficient business processes and services that enhance value, thereby accelerating the kind of economic growth that ultimately raises the overall living standards.'

The awards feature industry categories representing the main driving forces behind China's burgeoning innovation-fuelled sectors.

Tsang says the final determination of the categories and awards is decided by the judges based on the quantity and quality of nominations received.

'This year we have clean-tech, consumer products, industrial products, technology, and services and the emerging entrepreneurs categories,' Tsang adds.

A nominee must be the owner or manager who is primarily responsible for the recent performance of the company and an active member of the top management.

The nominee's company must be at least two years old.

Anyone associated with a successful entrepreneur may nominate the individual. The entrepreneurs can also nominate themselves.

Since 2006, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year China Awards have honoured 59 outstanding entrepreneurs. Past winners include Guo Guangchang of Fosun Group, Liu Yonghao of the New Hope Group, Li Shufu of Geely Automobile, Vincent Lo of Shui On Group and Robin Li of Baidu, notes Ho. The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards is uniquely global.

The winners in the China Awards will go on to represent China to compete with other country winners for the top honours in the global Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards.

This global awards programme debuted in 1986 and has since grown to cover more than 140 cities in 50 countries and territories, with awards presented to hundreds of the world's most successful and innovative entrepreneurs, Ho says.

'The international awards presentation ceremony will be held in Monte Carlo, Monaco in 2012.' China's 2008 winner, Cao Dewang of Fuyao Glass Industry Group, was named the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year in 2009.

Other winners of the global award include Jean-Paul Clozel of Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Michael Dell of Dell Computer, Howard Schultz of Starbucks and Richard Elman of Noble Group.

The awards also represent a rare opportunity for present and past participating business leaders from China and around the world to network through the Entrepreneur Of The Year Academy (EOY Academy).

Ho notes that the academy regularly organises social and business functions, including conferences and seminars, luncheons and other events for the benefit of its members.

'The EOY Academy has been designed as a forum for its members to build relationships, share ideas and generate new business opportunities through an unrivalled network of world's business elite,' Ho adds.

For instance, the EOY Academy has held the Ireland CEO Retreat and Sino-European Entrepreneurs Symposium in which the EOY winners and entrepreneurs from China and Europe discussed and shared solutions about the pressing issues in the world's economy, Ho notes.

The academy's chapter in China, the China EOY Academy organised a closed-door forum on Friday before the awards' gala dinner and awards presentation ceremony held in Beijing.

Participating business leaders shared their views on the role of Chinese companies in the slowdown of the global economy.

The forum was moderated by a top professor of the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business.

'The session was highly interactive and all the participating entrepreneurs and business leaders found the discussion highly inspirational and rewarding as they exchanged views with their peers and prominent economists,' Ho says.

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