2008 Entrants & Nominations

A shortlist of eight individuals comprising the UK promotional marketing industry's most innovative entrepreneurs has been decided by a high profile judging panel of industry experts searching for the 2008 The Entrepreneur of the Industry Award - an annual initiative by the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA).

The shortlist includes entrepreneurs Paul Barrow, managing director of Pinbadge, a supplier of promotional gifts; Matt Franks, director of Eco Incentives, suppliers of promotional items and business gifts which are ecologically sound and environmentally aware; Guy Hepplewhite, managing partner of Space Marketing the marketing communications agency; Andrew Larter, managing director of Promo News, an online trade only resource for promotional product suppliers and distributors; David Long, chairman of sourcing house Sourcing City; Peter Middleton, managing director of Promotional Success TV, a television channel for the UK Promotions industry; Marc Penn, director of Blue Fish Promotions, producer of business gifts and promotional items and Kevin Ross, founder and director of Solo, wholesale suppliers of silver plated promotional and retail giftware.

This shortlist was drawn up after written submissions were reviewed by the judges including Richard Pink, former promotions manager at Kellogg's and now a leading brand licensing consultant with Pink Key Consulting Ltd; Alistair Frost, Microsoft UK's consumer marketing communications lead; Colin Lloyd, promotional marketing entrepreneur and past president of the Institute of Sales Promotion (ISP); Evan Lewis, entrepreneur and founder of Everything Environmental, the trade only supplier of eco friendly and recycled promotional gifts, and Brian Binley, Conservative MP for Northampton South and member of the Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Select Committee and Chairman of the Conservative Parliamentary Enterprise Group.

David Lebond, President of the BPMA and Chair of the Entrepreneur of the Industry Award judging panel commented: “For a third year we were highly impressed by the exceptional talent which makes up our dynamic industry. The response to this initiative, recognising innovation and creativity, has been overwhelming and we realise choosing an overall winner will be a challenging decision.

The winner of The Entrepreneur Of The Industry Award will be announced on 17 December at the BPMA Christmas lunch at the Guoman Tower Hotel, London

For more information about the Entrepreneur of the Industry Award visit www.entrepreneuroftheindustry.com