Patel, chairman and chief executive officer of Currencies Direct has been named 'Entrepreneur of the Year' while Bilimoria, CEO of Cobra Beer, was crowned 'Business Person of the Year' at the Awards ceremony jointly organised by the London Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by KPMG on Monday.
"Successful entrepreneurship is often based on a mixture of inspiration and sheer hard work and Mayank Patel has harnessed these to establish his own niche market, achieving outstanding commercial performance," said Sir Peter Davis, former chairman of J Sainsbury Plc who was on the judging panel.
"I'm very pleased as this award recognises Currencies Direct's growth from a two-man operation with start-up capital of just 8,500 pounds to employing over 70 people in four countries with a turnover of 700 million pounds, today," Patel said.
"This award is not just for me, it is a tribute to my fantastic team who have all helped make Cobra Beer a success story," Bilimoria, who was selected from a list of four outstanding business leaders, said.
The other award winners were: Calypso Rose, Clippykit -Young Business Person of the Year, SparesFinder - Business Innovation Award, G P Capital- Small Firm of the Year, G R Wright and Sons -Manufacturer of the Year, Felix Rosenstiel's Widow and Son Ltd- Exporter of the Year, Holts- Commitment to the Community Award.
