Business Awards motivate entrepreneurs

Additional categories attract contestants

An increasing number of businesses say that the Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards 2009 (IBA 2009) is a strong motivator to improve their performance and put in place better strategies and plans.

Education, Trade and Technology Alliance NZ (ETTANZ) Inc president Satish Sharma said he and his organisation were convinced of the importance of IBA 2009.

“The Awards are a great source of encouragement to small, medium and large enterprises and an opportunity for Indian owned, managed and operated companies to be recognised for their vision and business promotion,” he said.

The organisation’s founder-chairman Harish Bajaj confirmed the participation of ETTANZ as sponsor of this year’s awards.

Mr Sharma said that segregation of entries to qualify under three categories for small, medium and larger companies and the introduction of awards for Best Marketing Excellence and best Sustainable Business were appropriate.

“Members of the Indian community are increasingly making their mark as professionals, business owners, franchisees and managers of immense value to the economy and hence these categories will serve to recognise and reward the best.

“The Awards scheme itself will evince the interest of other business houses towards the Indian business community,” he said.

The award categories account for ten sectors namely Best Exporter to India Business, Best Large Business, Best Medium Business, Best Small Business, Best Professional Services Business, Best Retailer Business, Best Restaurant Business, Best Business Innovation, Best Marketing excellence and Best Sustainable Business. The overall winner will qualify for the Supreme Business of the Year Award.

Companies owned, operated and managed by people of Indian origin can participate in all the categories, while organisations owned and managed by all New Zealanders exporting products and services to India can enter in the Exporter to India category.

A panel of judges, led by Chad Wilkie, independent of this newspaper will evaluate the entries and decide on the winners. Their decision will be final and not subject to debate or correspondence.

Mr Wilke said completing the awards entry form will be a wake-up call for businesses and their business planning.

“Many businesses don’t have a plan and simply going through the process of completing the entry will get you thinking about the strategies necessary for success.

“Entering the IBA will also provide a rare opportunity for you to be rated alongside your peers, and to get feedback from the very experienced business people on the panel of judges,” he said.

Waitakere City Council and Waitakere Enterprise are the principal supporters of IBA 2009 and Mayor Bob Harvey had said that the Awards Night 2008 had showcased some of the very best of not only the Indian business community but also businesses from throughout the country.

“The number and standard of entries was exceptional,” he said.

Mr Harvey said the potential for business relations between New Zealand and India was huge and that all the entrants to the Awards scheme this year would be part of an exciting future.

“I am certain that the awards will grow in both size and significance,” he said.

Entry forms must be in electronic form sent as email attachments before 5 pm on September 11, 2009 to indianbusinessawards09@ignitionpartner.com

The last date will not be extended and forms should not be sent by post, fax or courier. The forms can be downloaded from www.indiannewslink.co.nz

The names of finalists will be announced in Indian Newslink November 1, 2009 issue and winners will be declared at the IBA 2009 presentation night with a gala black tie dinner, details of which will be announced in due course.

Further information can be obtained on phone (09) 5336377 or email at info@indiannewslink.co.nz

Award Categories

1.     Best Exporter to India Business

2.     Best Large Business

3.     Best Medium Business

4.     Best Small Business

5.     Best Professional Services Business

6.     Best Retailer Business

7.     Best Restaurant Business

8.     Best Business Innovation

9.     Best Marketing excellence

10.  Best Sustainable Business

Supreme Business of the Year (Chosen from the above)

Our Panel of Judges

1.       Chad Wilkie, Executive Director, Ignition Partner Limited (Convenor)

2.       Nevil Gibson, Editor-in-Chief, The National Business Review

3.       Vijaya Vaidyanath, Chief Executive, Waitakere City Council

4.       Adrian Dixon, Consultant, CBA Consultants

5.       Steve Corbett, Chief Executive, e-Centre Ltd, Massey University

6.       Tony Bacon, Sector and Partner Manager, Vodafone NZ

7.       Tim Livingstone, Senior Partner, UHY Haines Norton, Chartered Accountants

8.       Clair McGowan, Managing Director, Commercialisation Advisers Ltd

9.       Chip Dawson, Managing Director, International Business Management Ltd

10.    David Hawkins, Associate Professor, Unitec School of Design