Shanghai, Sep.1,2010 --- The British Business Awards are being held in Shanghai as part of the UK programme of Events at the Shanghai World Expo2010. It is organized by the British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai in partnership with the UK Pavilion. The winners of the awards will be announced on Tuesday, Sept.7 at the Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner. This event will kick off the celebrations for the UK National Day at Expo on the 8th of September. The Duke of York will be joining the ceremony.
The inaugural Awards were held in Beijing in 2008 and were established in order to recognize and promote a spirit of innovation, enterprise and endeavor within the British business community in China.
There are a total of eight awards, each sponsored by a leading UK business. The awards are for creativity, innovation, sustainability, financial and professional services and the most promising new business, as well as the Chinese UK Alumnus of the Year, Chinese Investor of the Year and British Company of the Year Awards. The Chinese Investor of the Year Award was a new addition this year in order to recognize the accomplishments of Chinese business operating in the UK.
There are a lot of companies that have applied, ranging from small entrepreneurial start-ups to SMEs and multinationals spread across many sectors. There were a few stipulations as to who could enter the Awards. British-owned majority companies operating in China, Chinese companies with a strong presence in the UK, and also Chinese alumni of British higher education institutions were all eligible.
Each award decision was ratified by an Advisory Panel of Judges led by Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China Sebastian Wood, CMG.
By Fang Pei