110 FIRMS NAMED AS FINALISTS IN EUROPE’S LARGEST BUSINESS AWARDS

110 businesses from 31 European countries have been named as finalists, and Ruban d’Honneur recipients, in the 2016/17 European Business Awards sponsored by RSM.

A panel of independent judges chose the strong and successful businesses, each displaying the core values recognised in the Awards of innovation, ethics and success, after over 33,000 businesses were engaged in this year’s competition. The finalists will now undertake an in depth face-to-face interview, and the overall winners of the 11 categories will be announced at a Gala Final on May 4 in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

The European Business Awards was set up to support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe. Lead sponsor RSM, a provider of audit, tax and consulting services to middle market businesses globally, has supported the European Business Awards since its inception.

Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards said: “To innovate, prosper and grow in the current climate as this year’s Ruban D’Honneur recipients have done is truly remarkable. Europe needs more companies like these. Well done to them all.”

Jean Stephens, CEO of RSM, the sixth largest network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms, with a presence in 42 European countries said: “At RSM, we help middle market companies to thrive and excel through their next stage of growth. These Ruban d’Honneurs are typical of those companies that RSM firms work with, and so it is encouraging to see their growth and prosperity. We wish them well in the third and final round of judging and look forward to celebrating their success at the gala event.”

In addition to this, the ‘The Public Vote’, where the public vote for ‘National Public Champions’ for each country, is still open. To vote go to: www.businessawardeurope.com. The company with the most votes in each country wins and will be announced on 6 March.

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

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 10th year. This year it engaged with over 33,000 businesses from 34 countries. Last year’s public vote generated over 227,000 votes from across Europe. Sponsors and partners include RSM, ELITE and PR Newswire. www.businessawardseurope.com.

About RSM

RSM is the sixth largest network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms, encompassing over 120 countries, 793 offices and more than 41,200 people internationally. The network’s total fee income is US$4.8 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 ELITE:

ELITE is a full-service programme designed to share best practice and increase growth opportunities for fast growing companies, with a focus on understanding the capital markets. ELITE is an innovative programme based on exclusive training and a tutorship model, supported by access to the business and financial community. Its aim is to prepare companies for their next stage of growth and investment. For further information on the programme, companies and the full list of partners, please go to: www.elite-growth.com

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