The award will go to a dynamic, creative and visionary leader. The individual will be an example of what an enterprising individual can achieve in business, demonstrating the highest levels of growth and financial performance. The finalists for the Entrepreneur of the Year award are –

Mike Tobin - TelecityGroup

Malcolm Bell - Zaggora

Caroline Redman Lusher - Rock Choir

Lawrence Jones - UK Fast

David Spencer Percival - Spencer Ogden

Mark Pearson - MarkCo Media

John Kearon - Brain Juicer

Colin Stevens - Better Bathrooms

Jamie Waller - JBW

Nigel Botterill - Nigel Botterill

Finalists will now prepare presentations, which will be judged by independent expert juries at London’s iconic Gherkin, to determine the overall winner – which will be announced at the awards ceremony on 13th November.

Alex Evans, Editorial Director, the National Business Awards said: “Busting the myth that entrepreneurs are simply people who invest in their own ideas, finalists for Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 are cultivating creativity, ambition and commercial nous in their teams for sustained success.”

All National Business Awards finalists represent an annual turnover in excess of £135 billion and collectively employ over 700,000. They cover activities as diverse as digital marketing, international road haulage and logistics, water engineering and life sciences: sectors that reflect key areas of UK capability with high potential for international expansion. The diverse size of the companies entering is also huge – ranging from a business with an annual turnover of less than £50k to high growth and high value companies with multi-billion revenues.

Baroness Virginia Bottomley, Chair of Judges said: “This year has been a challenging environment for British businesses: these finalists demonstrate how companies are succeeding in the current climate through innovation, originality and tenacity. It’s good to see a broad range of companies both in sector and size – an impressive representation of the potential British businesses have. Congratulations to all our finalists.”

Visit www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk for a full list of all finalists and to book a table at the event.

The National Business Awards supports Help for Heroes, a charity that offers support and advice for wounded soldiers.