On Friday 21st June, the winners of the 2019 Cardiff Business Awards were announced at a lavish ceremony held at City Hall.
Hosted by the broadcaster Jamie Owen, the event celebrated the achievements of many of the capital’s businesses from across a range of sectors.
With a full house of over 400 people, 16 awards were handed out with the Cardiff Business of the Year accolade going to architectural metal building solutions business, the Euroclad Group while the Outstanding Contribution to Cardiff award went to Dr Drew Nelson OBE who, through his company IQE PLC, is building a world class compound semiconductor cluster in the region.
Now in their fifth year, the awards recognised those companies and individuals who have enjoyed impressive success over the last year and have made an outstanding contribution both to their respective sectors and to the wider Cardiff economy itself.
The Winners of the 2019 Cardiff Business Awards are:
Outstanding Contribution to Cardiff (sponsored by Cardiff Business Awards)
Dr. Drew Nelson OBE, IQE PLC
Cardiff Business of the Year (sponsored by NatWest)
Euroclad Group
Construction Business of the Year (sponsored by Cardiff Business Awards)
Euroclad Group
Creative & Digital Business of the Year (sponsored by University of South Wales)
Bad Wolf
Employer of the Year (sponsored by CPS Group UK)
Pentan Architects
Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored by Cardiff Metropolitan University)
Liam Bevan – LCB Construction
Family Business of the Year (sponsored by Cardiff Business Awards)
iRG
Financial & Professional Services Business of the Year (sponsored by Bluegg)
Rio Architects
Green Business of the Year (sponsored by Cardiff Business Awards)
Genesis Biosciences
ICAEW Community Business of the Year (sponsored by ICAEW South Wales)
FOR Cardiff
International Business of the Year (sponsored by Eversheds Sutherland)
CatSci
Leisure, Hospitality and Retail Business of the Year (sponsored by Cleartech Live)
Pugh’s Garden Village
Innovation Business of the Year (sponsored by Welsh Government)
Sure Chill
SME of the Year (sponsored by YARD)
CPS Group (UK)
Social Enterprise of the Year (sponsored by Lexon Group)
Cardiff and Vale Credit Union
Start-Up of the Year (sponsored by Spectrum Internet)
LINKS Recruitment Group
Technology Business of the Year (sponsored by LexisNexis Risk Solutions)
Object Matrix
Young Business Person of the Year (sponsored by CP Hire)
Jenny Evans – Jenny Kate
Highly Commended (sponsored by Cardiff Council)
Laura May Bridal
RCMA Social Enterprise
TerraDat UK
Wash Cycle
The main sponsor for the awards is Natwest Cymru and Barry Evans, Regional Director for Corporate and Commercial Banking at NatWest, said: “The standard of entries at this year’s awards is testament to the thriving entrepreneurial spirit of Cardiff and the important role the city plays in the Welsh economy. Every finalist has contributed to the growth of Wales’ capital city and underline the rich vein of business talent we have here.”
Liz Brookes of award organiser Grapevine Events Management said: “After five years of being involved with these awards, it is incredible to see the high quality of the fifty nine finalists that represent the amazing business community we have here in Cardiff.
From family businesses to technology firms to financial services companies, all of the entrepreneurs and organisations represented at this year’s awards have demonstrated the talent, innovation and sheer hard work that is needed to succeed in business and I congratulate all of them on their achievements”.
Commenting on the winner of the Outstanding Contribution to Cardiff, Professor Jones-Evans, chairman of the judging panel, said:
“In creating a technology-based firm in Cardiff that, from humble beginnings, has grown to a valuation of more than a billion pounds and is creating a truly world class industry here in South Wales, Dr Drew Nelson is more than deserving of this award.
“His business is now at the forefront of the development of compound semiconductors, a technology that is the foundation for next generation robotics, 5G and driverless cars. More importantly, it will, over the next few years, attract £375 million of private investment to the region and create up to 2,000 jobs.”
“Not only is he a visionary and catalyst for a business that has the potential to transform our economy, but he is a passionate advocate and cheerleader for Welsh business and someone who still spends most of his time travelling around the globe clocking up tens of thousands of miles every year selling Wales to the World”.
