The Member categories for the Chamber Awards 2005 are:
Innovation Through Technology  Is your business technology-led? Do you always look to IT to solve problems and increase efficiency? If so, this is the award for you! The judging panel will be looking at the industry that the business operates in, what new technology has been implemented and the issue or goal that it addressed, and the impact that the technology has had on all aspects of the business. Most Promising New Business  If your business has been operating for three years or less, why not enter the Most Promising New Business award? By detailing the background to the business, the markets it operates in, the business vision and the research that was undertaken when the business was in development, you could receive the reward you deserve for successfully setting up your business. Award for Skills Development New for 2005!  This award will be given to the company that demonstrates excellence in its approach to workforce development. Entrants will be asked to demonstrate why workforce development and training is important to the organisation, how training needs and skills requirements are assessed, and the direct benefit gained by both individuals and the organisation. Business Commitment to the Community New for 2005!  Does your business have schemes, initiatives or policies which have a positive impact on your local community or environment? Whether you provide employment opportunities for local students, support a local charity or contribute towards community recycling schemes, make sure you enter! Business of the Year The Business of the Year award will be given to the company that demonstrates all-round excellence in business. The judging will focus on financial performance and future objectives, the competitive advantage of the business, and will especially look at examples of specific strategies which have driven business growth. If your business achievements are impressive then this award is for you. Entrepreneur of the Year  This is the award for an individual who has been instrumental in the success of a business. It will take into consideration the overall business performance of the business over the last three years, what the entrepreneur believes makes them different, and their vision for the future of the business. So if you stand out from the crowd and think you've got what it takes to be Entrepreneur of the Year, enter now! Export Business of the Year  Does your business have a history of exporting products and services abroad? Or have you recently set up an export operation that has had a profound effect on sales? Enter this award and provide evidence of the export strategies that were developed, examples of how your products and services have been tailored for export markets and how your company has been structured to deal with export trade. Export Communicator of the Year The Export Communicator of the Year award will be given to the business which demonstrates the best strategy for overcoming language and cultural differences in relation to its export business. Entrants will need to demonstrate the research that was undertaken into export markets, the steps that have been taken to address and overcome challenges and the impact that they have had.
Chamber Awards 2005 Judging Panel Biogs The national judging panel for the Chamber Awards 2005 includes: Professor Stephen Hagen, Chairman of the Chamber Awards 2005 Judging Panel. The Mercia Institute has the mission to encourage enterprise and entrepreneurship across the nine universities and university colleges. The Institute is organised in two groups; the Enterprise Group, which focuses on technology transfer and spin-outs; and the Education Group, which develops innovative Enterprise curricular at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Professor Hagen was Chairman of the 13 UK Science Enterprise Centres Network (UKSEC), which includes the Oxford Enterprise Centre, and the Cambridge Entrepreneurship Centre from December 2001 to February 2003. Professor Hagen’s research area is business language and international trade, in which he has a Personal Chair. He has also co-founded two small businesses and has been an adviser to British Trade International and is a member of the Advantage Technology Fund of venture capitalists, and the Regional Finance Forum. Microsoft The SME and Partner group focuses on Microsoft's small and medium-sized customers and strives to improve the way that Microsoft and its partners engage with this sector. This involves the delivery of first-class sales, marketing and services programmes and drives partner education and support schemes to ensure the best possible customer experience. A major focus for Natalie will be to lead a partner focused business plan, at the centre of which is the newly launched Microsoft Partner Programme which allows Microsoft to build a segmented channel that delivers complete solutions based on customer business needs. Another key area for Natalie will be to extend the capacity of Microsoft's dedicated partner channel. Natalie has had great success during her 12 years at Microsoft. She joined the company in 1991, and has earned a reputation for building strong teams that drive innovative, world-class services to customers through connected sales and marketing. Prior to her appointment Natalie most recently led the Platform Strategy team in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Before this she held several sales management positions within the OEM Division, including Director of the EMEA wide Multinational OEM team and Northern European OEM operation. During this time, Natalie's reputation for delivering results whilst driving strong customer relationships has been role modelled in the division and many of the strategies were so successful and achieved such significant growth that they remain company best practice today. Natalie's early career saw her working in a range of sales and marketing positions at Dell and at Xerox where she also ran their training division. Natalie has two children, and when time allows, is an avid water skier. She holds a BA Hon Degree in Business Studies. BT CILT Linda qualified in psychology with a research interest in communication. Her career has been varied and has always featured a pan-European dimension, including working for a major corporate hospitality company as the Marketing Director of UK and worldwide events. Linda owned and ran a language training business for 12 years for major private and public sector companies in London prior to joining the National Centre for Languages. Travelex Zoe Duncombe, Marketing Manager, Travelex Commercial Foreign Exchange, EMEA.
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