The shipping tycoon who was managing director of the Bibby Line Group for 18 years has been honoured at the 25th annual ECHO Regional Business Awards.
Sir Michael Bibby was named the Liverpool City Region's Business Person of the Year at a ceremony at the Anglican Cathedral.
Sir Michael, whose interests stretch from ship owning to running the Costcutter chain of shops, was honoured for helping to raise millions for charity as well as for his success at family firm Bibby Line Group.
Also among those also honoured at the region’s most prestigious business awards was consultancy firm Curtins, who specialise in areas from civil engineering to transport planning. The Liverpool city centre-based organisation picked up the title of Business of the Year (over 250 employees), sponsored by Merseyrail.
Hundreds of city leaders gathered on the night to see the ECHO honour the very best of business, and those who are innovating and growing our economy - from pioneering start-ups to household names.
They were also treated to a Q&A with Everton FC chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale, who spoke to journalist and broadcaster Nicholas Owen.
Celebrating their 25th year, the awards are put on by the , Business Post magazine and new Business Live website, and sponsored by Liverpool Business School at Liverpool John Moores University.
In total, 12 awards were presented honouring the achievements of businesses both large and small from across our region.
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AlphaBiolabs, the Warrington-based firm specialising in DNA, drug and alcohol testing services, was named Knowledge Business of the Year, sponsored by Liverpool ECHO and Business Post; while Hannah Thomas, operations manager at testing laboratory Perfectus, was named Young Business Person of the Year, sponsored by United Utilities.
The Bibby Line Group won the award for Outstanding Charity Support, sponsored by BNY Mellon’s Pershing.
Carl Wood, North West and North Wales regional managing director for Reach plc, said Sir Michael had been honoured for his business success and for his charity work. Carl told the audience that more than a decade ago, Sir Michael "launched a charitable programme within his company that has since raised a staggering £10m pounds for good causes,supporting more than 1,000 charities.”
ECHO Editor-in-Chief Alastair Machray welcomed guests to the event.
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He said: “Fittingly for our 25th year we have had a rich crop of entries, both in terms of quality and quantity, which, in itself, speaks glowingly of the business acumen, enterprise and at times resilience that is obvious and evident in this very special region.”
He spoke about the ECHO and Reach PLC’s new Business Live website launched this month, set to be a “comprehensive and compelling multimedia B2B platform which will quickly become its market leader”.
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He explained how one of its first priorities was to report on the One North initiative spearheaded by the ECHO in partnership with dozens of news outlets across the region, calling on the Government to close the widening economic gap between opposite ends of the country.
Mr Machray said: “In the face of grinding austerity, this City Region continues to flourish in terms of creativity; it continues to demonstrate extraordinary resilience; we continue to provide an environment where new businesses can launch and where existing businesses can confidently remain.
“Drive, determination, entrepreneurship and creativity are the hallmarks of our private sector. In return our councils and our combined authority are defying austerity to create an environment where good businesses can flourish.
“All that remains now is for central government to recognise that this region is not a basket case, it’s a basket full of energy, resilience, ideas and innovation.”
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Timothy Nichol, Dean of Liverpool Business School, headline sponsors of the awards, said: “The ECHO and Business Post Regional Business Awards was a fantastic opportunity for us to come together from various sectors to celebrate the success of business across the region.
“Congratulations to the many businesses who were nominated and shortlisted for the awards. The standard of entrants was exceptionally strong across all sectors and the judging process was not an easy task.
“Well done to all of the winners.”
The full list of winners and the shortlist:
New Business of the Year, sponsored by BusinessLive
WINNER: PIN IoT
SHORTLISTED: Busby by K-Safe; Capture VR; Dough Liverpool
Business of the Year (up to 50 employees), sponsored by Liverpool John Lennon Airport
WINNER: OPEN Media
SHORTLISTED: NeedleSmart; Your Pet Medicine Compare Ltd
Business of the Year (51 to 250 employees), sponsored by MSIF
WINNER: Blends Ltd
SHORTLISTED: FRC Group; MSB Solicitors; Novosco
Business of the Year (over 250 employees), sponsored by Merseyrail
WINNER: Curtins
SHORTLISTED: Liverpool John Lennon Airport; Easirent (E R Travel Services)
Corporate Social Responsibility Award, sponsored by Community Foundation for Merseyside
WINNER: StedyChefs Learning Centre
SHORTLISTED: FRC Group; Walton Flooring Centre
Outstanding Charity Support, sponsored by BNY Mellon’s Pershing
WINNER: Bibby Line Group Limited
SHORTLISTED: Jaguar Land Rover Halewood; Signature Living
Creative Impact Award, sponsored by Liverpool Business School, Liverpool John Moores University
WINNER: Agent Marketing
SHORTLISTED: hi-impact consultancy; Mashbo
Knowledge Business of the Year, sponsored by & Business Post
WINNER: AlphaBiolabs
SHORTLISTED: National Oceanography Centre - WireWall Project; Perfectus Biomed Ltd
International Business of the Year, in partnership with Department for International Trade, Exporting is Great
WINNER: Inciner8
SHORTLISTED: Briggs Automotive Company (BAC); MPE LImited
Young Business Person of the Year, sponsored by United Utilities
WINNER: Hannah Thomas, Perfectus
SHORTLISTED: James Harper, Walton Flooring Centre; Katie Roberts, National Museums Liverpool; Mike Smith, Open Media
Judges' Choice Award
WINNER: Walton Flooring Centre
ECHO and Business Post Business Person of the Year
WINNER: Sir Michael Bibby