The European Business Awards 2010 is on the hunt for Europe’s premium business talent and is now open for entries across the EU*. The European Business Awards sponsored by HSBC Commercial Banking is now in its 4th year and deadline for entries is noon (GMT) on 16th April 2010 www.businessawardseurope.com. The Awards provide an unprecedented opportunity for European businesses to represent their country and win a coveted Ruban d’Honneur.

The Awards, are widely recognised as the hallmark of innovation, success and sustainability and ten ‘Ruban d’Honneur’ trophies will be handed to winners in each of the Awards’ eight categories**. The Awards Ceremony will be held at a premier European location before an audience of over 400 of Europe’s top politicians, business leaders, entrepreneurs, business commentators and media.

Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards says, “Over the past 4 years we’ve received an incredibly high standard of entries from businesses who are passionate about their role in driving the economy of the nation they reside in. This year we’ve partnered with HSBC Commercial Banking, the world’s largest trade bank and we’re encouraging businesses across the EU to assert their point of difference at a time when global economic competition is proving tougher than ever before. For European businesses to thrive and stay at the forefront of economic growth it is vital that we invest in enterprise, innovation and excellence”

Alan Keir, HSBC Group General Manager and Global Co-Head Commercial Banking, comments, “As we start to turn the corner from what has been an unprecedented chapter for businesses, we believe it is essential that we both acknowledge and celebrate the ingenuity that has enabled many companies to survive and often thrive across Europe during this time.

“The financial uncertainty and fragility of the last two years has left businesses with a great many challenges to overcome, but we are seeing many take valuable lessons from these experiences and employ new strategies to build better, stronger business models for the future. The European Business Awards provide an excellent platform to highlight these strategies and demonstrate best practice and we encourage organisations across EU countries, sectors and business size to get involved.”

Past judges for the European Business Awards have included Wim Kok, former Dutch Prime Minister; Petar Stoyanov, former President of Bulgaria; and Emil Constantinescu, former President of Romania.

José María Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain says, “I have the highest opinion of the European Business Awards. It is a great initiative to promote the values and principles we believe in: liberty, democracy, freedom of speech, open markets and open societies.”

If you want to join the crème de la crème of European business and would like to register your interest in the awards, please contact our entries team on + 44 (0)20 7234 3535, or email info@businessawardseurope.com

About the European Business Awards 2010:

The European Business Awards recognises and rewards excellence, best practice and innovation in companies across the European Union. The competition is free to enter and open to organisations of all sizes and from any industry sector.

The European Business Awards programme serves three purposes for the European business community:

• It provides examples for the business community to aspire to
• It celebrates and endorses individual’s and organisation’s success
• It provides case studies and content for learning from these exceptional organizations

An innovative, strong and thriving business community makes a successful and prosperous Europe.

*Entries are being encouraged from across the European Union and emerging states

**There are eight categories:

• The Infosy Business of the Year Award
• The RSM International Entrepreneur of the Year Award
• The UKTI Award for Innovation
• The HSBC Growth Strategy of the Year Award
• The Award for Customer Focus
• The Award for Corporate Sustainability
• The Environmental Awareness Award
• The Employer of the Year Award

Images available upon request

HSBC Holdings plc
HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 8,500 offices in 86 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,422 billion at 30 June 2009, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as ‘the world’s local bank’.