Profiling the nominees for the Business Leader category
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The Business Leadership Award recognises the achievements of an individual at the forefront of business activity in Wales, who has demonstrated conspicuous leadership within his/her business and/or in the wider business community.
You can watch the videos of the shortlisted nominees for the Business Leader category below:
The shortlisted nominees for the IWA Inspire Wales Awards 2014 are:
Rachael Flanagan, Mrs Bucket Cleaning Services
Rachael Flanagan set up Mrs Bucket in 2005 when she was 18 years old and used £20 worth of leaflets and a hoover. Within three years, Flanagan employed 20 cleaners and took a step back from the day-to-day operations to concentrate on the strategic direction of the business.
The company is now on target to turnover £1.4m this year. In the last year alone, the company grew by 114% doubling its turnover to £1.2m and, most notably, in September 2013, Mrs Bucket Cleaning Services secured a record breaking £130,000 of new contracts.
Anne Middleton, Atradius
HR manager for the trade credit insurance, surety and collections services company, Atradius, Anne Middleton was nominated as Chairperson for the National Skills Academy for Financial Services Welsh Employer Board after recognising a skills gap and a difficulty with attracting and retaining new talent to the organisation as well as the financial services sector.
Middleton led the Board and worked in partnership with a number of companies to pioneer a Welsh Financial Services Graduate Programme, one of its kind in the UK. The Programme offers Welsh graduates to experience paid work whilst developing relevant sector, life and business skills.
Giles Phelps, Net Support UK
Giles Phelps is owner and Managing Director of Net Support UK, he studied computing at college before continuing his studies at the Plymouth Polytechnic in Computing and Informatics, with a specific focus on Systems Analysis and Design. During this time, he took additional study in book-keeping, basic accounting and began to build and sell computers to other students at the University. Phelps realised his passion for IT and established his own company.
In 1998 Phelps established Net Support UK Ltd which has grown organically and exponentially under his guidance.