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World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2011

2011-06-08 17:36

What: World Entrepreneurial Competition
Where: Hotel Hermitage
When: 2-5 June 2011

At the beginning of June, more than fifty national finalists of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of the Year competition, from 140 cities, gather in Monaco for the 11th annual World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award.

STOP PRESS from Ernst and Young

Olivia Lum, Group CEO and president of Hyflux Limited, from Singapore, was last night named the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2011 at an awards ceremony held in Monte Carlo's Salle des Etoiles. Olivia was picked from among the 49 country finalists vying for the title, each of whom had already been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year in their home countries. This year saw more female finalists - six in total - than ever before.

Olivia founded Hyflux in 1989 with two staff and start-up capital of $US15,000. Today, Hyflux has become one of the world's leading desalination suppliers. It is publicly traded with revenues of US$450m, employing more than 2,300 people in operations and projects in Southeast Asia, China, India, the Middle East and North Africa.

Tan Sri Francis Yeoh Sock Ping, Managing Director, YTL Group of Companies and Chairman of the judging panel said, "Olivia's entrepreneurial spirit and the immense social and health benefits her work brings make her an exceptional winner of World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2011."

"I'm very happy to accept this award on behalf of all the employees at Hyflux. For me, this reinforces there are no difficulties you can't overcome when you have faced the challenges of hunger and poverty," said Olivia. "It is a great honor to have been selected from among such a fantastic group of entrepreneurs."

"As the first female World Entrepreneur Of The Year, Olivia is a wonderful role model for entrepreneurs and for women across Asia and the world. This can only accelerate the growing global trend of more and more women building great businesses," said Maria Pinelli, Ernst & Young's Global Vice Chair for Strategic Growth Markets.

Jim Turley, Global Chairman and CEO of Ernst & Young said, "This year marks a quarter of a century since the very first Entrepreneur Of The Year award, which took place in a single US city in 1986. Over the past 25 years, entrepreneurs have done more than any other group to stimulate innovation, job creation and prosperity during both periods of growth and in challenging economic conditions. Olivia demonstrates the vision and determination that set entrepreneurs apart and is very worthy of the title Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2011."

Jim Turley, Global Chairman and CEO of Ernst & Young, is in no doubt as to the reasons behind the strength and success of the competition: "We first started World Entrepreneur Of The Year ten years ago. In that time we’ve seen some real economic shifts, with globalization, the rise of the emerging markets and the internet changing the way we do business. But one thing has remained constant – the power of the entrepreneur. Their optimism, ability to spot opportunities and sheer hard work continues to drive positive change and inspire others around the world."

Nominations can be suubmitted by anyone who has an interest in honouring an entrepreneur they know or work with, such as a banker, lawyer, and even family members. Awards are based on six key criteria: entrepreneurial spirit, financial performance, strategic direction, community and global impact, innovation, and personal integrity and influence.



The competition is widely acknowledged to bring together the very best in global business practice. Last year's winner was Michael Spencer, Group CEO of the UK’s ICAP plc, one of the world’s most innovative financial services companies. Started with just $45,000 in 1986 as an interest swap broker, ICAP is now one of the world's leading inter-dealer brokers and provider of post-trade services, handling a large portion of the world’s foreign exchange and financial instrument transactions. It has an average daily transaction volume measured in trillions of US dollars and revenues of more than $2bn.

Previous winners

• 2010: Michael Spencer, Group CEO of ICAP plc (UK)
• 2009: Cao Dewang, Chairman, Fuyao Glass Industry Group (China)
• 2008: Dr. Jean-Paul Clozel, Founder and Chairman of the Board,
• Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Switzerland)
• 2007: Guy Laliberté, Founder and CEO, Cirque du Soleil (Canada)
• 2006: Bill Lynch, CEO, Imperial Holdings (South Africa)
• 2005: H. Wayne Huizenga, Chairman of Huizenga Holdings, Inc. (United States)
• 2004: Tony Tan Caktiong, Chairman, President and CEO of Jollibee Foods Corporation
• (Philippines)
• 2003: Narayana Murthy, Founder and Chairman of Infosys Technologies Limited (India)
• 2002: Stefan Vilsmeier, President and CEO of BrainLAB AG. (Germany)
• 2001: Paolo della Porta, President, Chairman and Group CEO of
• Saes Getters S.p.A (Italy)

Programme

Unless otherwise specified, events take place in the Hotel Hermitage

Wednesday 1 June
4.00pm  Registration Office opens
             'Winners’ Circle: Where Winners Meet Winners'
5.30pm Judges Introduction meeting

Thursday 2 June
7.00am   Breakfast in the Salle Belle Epoque
8.00am   Media Centre Opens
8.20am   Judges' Private Meetings with Individual Country Winners begin
12 noon  Winners Networking Luncheon
7.00pm  Welcome Reception (Hotel de Paris)
 
Friday 3 June
7.00am   Breakfast in the Salle Belle Epoque
7.35am   Judges' Private Meetings with Individual Country Winners continue
8.00am   Monaco historical lecture and tour (reservation required)
12 noon   Reception and Buffet Luncheon for all guests
1.30pm   Judges' Private Meetings with Individual Country Winners continue
6.30pm   Judges and Winners Private Reception
7.00pm   Champagne Cocktails
 
Saturday 4 June
7.00am   Breakfast in the Salle Belle Epoque
9.00am   Judges Meeting / Free time for leisure activities    
9.15am   Tour of St. Paul de Vence art centre
6.00pm   Black-tie cocktail reception   Salle des Etoiles, Sporting Monte Carlo
7.30pm   Black-tie dinner and awards ceremony   Salle des Etoiles
10.30pm Celebration reception  Salle des Etoiles
 
Sunday 5 June
7.00am   Farewell Breakfast in the Salle Belle Epoque