32 NATIONAL PUBLIC CHAMPIONS CHOSEN AFTER NEARLY 160,000 VOTES FROM THE PUBLIC

32 businesses have been named as their country’s ‘National Public Champion’ after almost 160,000 people voted for their favourite business in The European Business Awards, sponsored by RSM.

In this 1st phase of public voting, 159,206 votes were received for the video entries posted by over 400 companies online at the European Business Awards website www.businessawardseurope.com for the period between 11 January and 26 February 2016.

These 32 companies will now go head-to-head in a second public vote that opens 7 March and runs until 26 April. The company from across Europe with the most votes at the end of this period will be announced as the ‘European Public Champion’ at the Awards Gala Final on 17 June in Milan.

Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards said: “It is a fantastic achievement to be voted best in class by so many people. Our National Public Champions have secured thousands of votes from clients, staff, stakeholders, and potential new customers through their creative communications strategies, highlighting their business success. Well done to them all.”

Jean Stephens, CEO of RSM, the sixth largest network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms and the lead sponsor of the European Business Awards, said: “For almost 160,000 people to cast a vote in the first round is incredibly impressive. The companies and people involved must be highly encouraged by this level of public confidence. Congratulations to all the successful companies and we wish them well in the second and final round.”

The European Business Awards was created to celebrate and promote business success, and support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe. Additional sponsors and partners of the Awards include UK Trade and Investment, ELITE and PR Newswire.

For more information on the Awards, winners by country and the public vote please visit www.businessawardseurope.com and follow us on twitter at @rsmEBA

The National Public Champions for 2016 are:

Italy - TEC.INN. - INNOVATIONS

Bulgaria - Hydroenergy Company JSC

Austria - Bellaflora

Belgium - iText Group

Croatia - Rimac Automobili d.o.o.

Cyprus - OXFORD MANAGEMENT LTD

Czech Republic - Kaufland Česká republika v.o.s.

Denmark - NETCOMPANY

Estonia - Loodusvagi OÜ

Finland - nLight Oy

France - Lexmark International

FYROM - X3M Labs

Germany - Putzmeister

Greece -LOUX MARLAFEKAS AVEE

Hungary - Mozaik Education

Latvia - Rigas Kreslu Fabrika SIA

Lithuania - Avia Solutions Group

Luxembourg - Element Six Group

Malta - OzoSystem Ltd

Norway - Fjordkraft

Poland - Sii Sp. z o.o.

Portugal - Castelbel - Artigos de Beleza S. A.

Romania - Teamnet Group

Serbia - Bel Medic

Slovakia - Virtual Reality Media, a.s.

Slovenia - Postojnska jama d.d.

Sweden - Climeon

The Netherlands -YoungCapital

UK - Misys

Ireland - KCC Architectural

Spain - Grup Ametller

Turkey - YEDAS

ENDS

For further press information or for case studies/interviews, please contact:

EBA: Vanessa Wood at the European Business Awards on +44 (0) 796 6666 657 or email vanessa.wood@businessawardseurope.com

RSM: Gillian Hawkes at the RSM Executive Office - gillian.hawkes@rsm.global

About the European Business Awards:

The European Business Awards’ primary purpose is to support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe. For all citizens of Europe, prosperity, social and healthcare systems are reliant on businesses creating an even stronger, more innovative, successful, international and ethical business community - one that forms the beating heart of an increasingly globalised economy.

The European Business Awards programme serves the European business community in three ways:

• It celebrates and endorses individuals’ and organisations’ success

• It provides and promotes examples of excellence for the business community to aspire to

• It engages with the European business community to create debate on key issues

The European Business Awards is now in its 9th year. It attracted over 32,000 businesses to the competition last year and in the two stage public vote generated over 170,000 votes from across Europe. www.businessawardseurope.com.

About RSM

RSM is the sixth largest network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms, encompassing over 120 countries, 760 offices and more than 38,000 people internationally. The network’s total fee income is US$4.64 billion.

RSM is the lead sponsor and corporate champion of the European Business Awards promoting commercial excellence and recognition of entrepreneurial brilliance.

RSM is a member of the Forum of Firms, with the shared objective to promote consistent and high quality standards of financial and auditing practices worldwide.

RSM is the brand used by a network of independent accounting and advisory firms each of which practices in its own right. RSM International Limited does not itself provide any accounting and advisory services. Member firms are driven by a common vision of providing high quality professional services, both in their domestic markets and in serving the international professional service needs of their client base. www.rsm.global

About UK Trade & Investment:

UKTI works with UK based businesses to export to international markets and supports overseas companies to look at the UK as the best place to set up or expand their business. If you are a company interested in expanding in to the UK, please contact Lisa.Greig@mobile.ukti.gov.uk or visit www.gov.uk/ukti

About ELITE:

ELITE is an integrated service designed to help SMEs prepare and structure for the next stage of growth through access to long term financing opportunities. ELITE targets SMEs with a sound business model, clear growth strategy and a desire to obtain funding in the near future.

ELITE offers an innovative approach, including a training programme, a working zone supported by a tutorship model and direct access to the financial community through dedicated digital community facilities. It is “capital neutral” to any financing opportunity, providing access to Private Equity and Venture Capital Funds, debt products, etc.

ELITE was successfully launched in Italy in 2012 and in the UK in 2014. It now accounts for more than 200 companies of different sizes and sectors, more than 150 partners and more than 70 long term investors. It is a European platform deeply rooted in each domestic market, through partnership with local institutions combined with the opportunity to access international support and advice.

It will be a community of excellence: companies, advisors, investors and stakeholders with an interest in supporting SMEs. The larger the community, the wider the range of business and growth opportunities offered to ELITE members.

About PR Newswire PR Newswire is the leading global provider of PR and corporate communications tools that enable clients to distribute news and rich content. We distribute our client’s content across traditional, digital and social media channels in real time with fully actionable reporting and monitoring.

Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimisation network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in Europe, Middle East, Africa, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region.

For more information on PR Newswire please visit www.prnewswire.co.uk