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Outstanding Contribution to Hampshire Award presented by the CBI
Above: Managing director Dave Lees collects the trophy on behalf of Southampton Airport
Left: Malcolm Hyde, South East director of the CBI, with Dave Lees and Lord Digby Jones
And so the evening came to its last award, and a very special one as Sally Taylor explained. The Solent Business Awards on its inaugural occasion wanted to recognise the legacy of the years of the Hampshire Business Awards.
“Over the past 25 years, there have been many, many successful and growing companies that have won Hampshire Business Awards. Tonight we want to present a special ‘Outstanding Contribution to Hampshire Award’ to one company that has stood out – which has been no easy task with so many companies being worthy contenders.”
Two contenders for this award received a ‘Special Mention’ from the judging panel:
Roke Manor “whose contribution to innovation and the knowledge-based economy, reaches far beyond just Hampshire.”
And, the Southern Co-op “whose business ethos goes beyond just making a profit and whose commitment, support and contribution to the community is unrivalled.”
Then, adding an air of mystery to the winning announcement, Taylor provided some laudatory and intriguing clues to the winner.
“Our winner is a business that can trace its beginnings to 1910 and one that has grown
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ever since, which through the ripple effect of its operations, provides employment far beyond its own footprint.
“Our winner is an integral part of the vibrancy and economic success of Hampshire and the UK, adding as it does, more than £100 million to the local economy and providing the gateway for our businesses to compete at home and across the world.”
To the final fanfare of the evening, Malcolm Hyde, South East director of the CBI announced the winner of this special award – Southampton Airport.
Delighted airport managing director Dave Lees said: “It feels like Christmas has come early. It’s absolutely great. On behalf of the 200 employees directly employed by the airport and nearly 1,000 different external employs, this is a fantastic accolade. We are incredibly proud to service the airport and, importantly, you the business community.”
“This is a legacy award. What might the airport offer going forward,” asked Taylor.
“You can expect growth at the airport but to grow we need to speak to you, the business community. At the end of the day, we connect people A to B, so it’s all about us understanding your businesses, to make sure that you can succeed.”
Later, Lees hinted at new routes and was
hopeful of positive news in the chancellor’s autumn statement on the airport’s application for an enterprise zone – the Southampton Airport Economic Gateway.
He also mentioned the Solent region as “becoming an increasingly improved area in terms of skillsets.”
“We take a lot of pride from sourcing people, goods, assets and services from the local region and that is increasingly important to us.”
Looking back, Lees highlighted the new terminal opening by Prince Andrew 21years ago. “That was the airport’s real start point, because since then it has grown four times its size to just under two million passengers. It’s a fantastic achievement and one of which we are hugely proud.
“Just over a third of our passengers travel for business reasons, which stands out as particularly high for the UK.” Southampton has a higher business percentage than Heathrow or Gatwick, he noted.
“We talk about the digital world and being virtually connected, but at the same time people still like to be actually connected face-to-face. People travelling are coming for important business meetings, going to close the deal. Some things you can’t do virtually; we need both. They are not competing, they are complementary.”
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – NOVEMBER 2015
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