BEST FRENCH BUSINESSES HONOURED AT AN EXCLUSIVE EVENT IN PARIS

The best businesses from France were honoured at an exclusive event last night at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Paris, for The European Business Awards sponsored by RSM.

The 33 firms were chosen by a panel of independent judges, including senior businesses and academic leaders, to be 'National Champions' in Europe’s largest business competition.

At the event attendees had the chance to speak to leading businesses in their field and hear from guest speakers including Lord Llewellyn, British Ambassador to France, and Mr Jean-Michel Picaud CEO & Chairman of RSM France.

British Ambassador, Lord Llewellyn said: ''I was delighted to host this event for the European Business Awards to celebrate the success of the 33 organisations that were selected to represent France as National Champions in the first stage of the competition. The awards have become a showcase for Europe's most dynamic companies. The innovation and determination shown by the entrants from France is very impressive. I am sure they will help foster great business opportunities, including with the UK and across Europe, in the years to come.''

Lead sponsor RSM, is the sixth largest network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms worldwide, and has supported the European Business Awards since its inception.

Jean-Michel Picaud CEO & Chairman of RSM France said : “Every day, RSM supports middle market companies with their growth strategies. Giving successful French businesses recognition is an important part of this role. Events like this for the European Business Awards are a great way for them to create synergies and business opportunities and much can be learnt by all.”

All the National Champions are currently taking part in the Public Vote, which opened on 9 January. To vote go to www.businessawardseurope.com. Category winners and the overall winner of the public vote will be announced at the Gala Final in May 2017.

The European Business Awards was set up to support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe. This year it engaged with over 33,000 businesses from 34 countries. Further information about the National Champions and the Awards can be found at www.businessawardseurope.com and www.rsm.global

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For further information 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, 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 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