Two very high-profile entrepreneurs are set to star at the annual business awards event in Aycliffe. Peter Wilcock and Andy Preston will be keynote speakers at Aycliffe Business Park Community’s third annual Make Your Mark business awards ceremony. They’ll both share their insight and colourful business careers during the black-tie event at the Xcel Centre on March 1st, which singles out the business park’s stars recognising outstanding performances in 2016. Yarm-based Peter Wilcock worked in sales for Unilever, Seagrams, InWear and Initial before he was one of the founding directors of Comcast UK in the 1990’s. He launched Comcast UK with no customers, but left it with a workforce of 12,000 people and 6.5 million customers. He now runs Carpeo Call Centre in Swindon, and marketing consultancy Growth Machine.
As well as being a conference speaker, he is a published author. Peter, is encouraging businesses to enter this year’s competition. “For a business it’s about profile and brand and there’s a discipline entering for an award, but if you’re even short-listed that creates a good reputation. I also think you can underestimate the value of awards to employees. Andy Preston, from Middlesbrough, was a high-profile City trader and ran a $5.5bn international hedge fund business. After retiring, he returned to the North-East where he has been involved in several charities. The first charity he founded, in 2011, was the Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation, which raises and distributes funds to boost communities across Teesside. Preston launched a new charity 2 years ago called CEO Sleepout, which holds events in the UK to raising funds to combat homelessness and poverty. In December 2016 Preston launched a charity restaurant, The Fork in the Road, in Middlesbrough, providing employment opportunities for exoffenders, recovering addicts and long-term unemployed. Andy is chair of Tees Valley Education, a three-school academy trust which operates in disadvantaged areas.
He also invests in start-up businesses and commercial property. Preston is also urging Aycliffe businesses to enter this year’s Make Your Mark competition. He said: “Success in business comes down to a range of things, but one of the biggest and most important areas is marketing and getting your message out. Entering the awards is one of the best, most effective and most affordable ways of promoting your company. ABPC chair Kerina Clark said: “We’re delighted to have secured two highprofile speakers in Peter and Andy for this year’s event. A lot of planning has already gone into this year’s awards and we’re confident it will be successful.” An independent panel of judges decide on 11 awards for this year’s event, including Apprenticeships, Employer of the Year, Apprentice of the Year, Engineering and Manufacturing, Export, Heart of the Community, Innovation, Newcomer, Service Business, Small Business and Company of the Year.
The deadline to enter is Monday February 20th, and businesses can enter online easily at www.aycliffeawards.co.uk Tickets for the evening itself have been subsidised, priced just £29.95 each. Sponsorship packages are available from www.aycliffeawards.co.uk or by emailing hello@aycliffeawards.co.uk
