Top Business Executive
John Clough has just been named the North-East’s top business man of the year by leading regional newspaper The Journal.
In the same week the Eaga Chief Executive was also short listed for the Orange Business Leader of the Year Award, along with other corporate heavyweights including James Murdoch from Sky.
The North East Business Executive of the Year award is widely regarded as the highest and most coveted business accolade in the region.
They have been run since 1984 with previous winners including Sir John Hall , from Metro Centre and Newcastle United fame, and Paul Walker from software accountancy giant Sage.
John’s success follows a year in which Eaga completed a highly successful flotation, broke in to the elite FTSE 250 index of companies and grew to more than 4,000 Partners.
Speaking on the ceremony he said: “I am honoured and humbled to receive this award, not only because of what it represents in my native North-East but also because of the immensely impressive roll-call of previous winners.
“My nomination was, however, merely a reflection of the commitment and hard work of everyone at Eaga. It is their efforts and talents that are being recognised tonight.”
Sir Fred Holiday, Chairman of the judging panel, added: “All of the people on the shortlist are substantial achievers. They have all spoken of how their success has depended on good teamwork, but without their vision and drive their companies could not have achieved what they have.”
Runners up were Ian Gillespie, founder of Fone Logistics and Steve Hodgson of Hodgson car dealership.
Notes to Editors
- The Green Homes Service will be launched on 1 April 2008. Householders wanting to find out more can contact 08459 335577.
- Eaga plc is the UK’s largest residential energy efficiency provider. The company is a leader in the provision of innovative and sustainable services, products and solutions that address the environmental, social and energy efficiency objectives of Government and the private sector both nationally and internationally.
- Working in partnership with central and local government Eaga is positioned at the heart of policy-making and front-end delivery of social and environmental improvement programmes. Eaga operates across the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, India and Canada employing over 3,500 people.
- Eaga was established in Newcastle in 1990 to lead government funded efforts to improve the living conditions of vulnerable people living in cold, damp and energy inefficient homes across England. Since its inception, Eaga has made a positive difference to over 5 million disadvantaged households across the UK, by installing energy efficiency measures and central heating.
- Eaga holds the contract to deliver the £1.5 billion Warm Front programme in England, the cornerstone of government's target to eliminate fuel poverty by installing energy efficiency measures in vulnerable homes by 2010. Eaga also works with devolved nation governments to deliver similar schemes across the UK.
- As a co-owned business, Eaga is one of only a handful of UK organisations where every employee with over a year’s service is entitled to a share in the success of the business. Eaga’s commitment to co-ownership is an integral part of the values that define the ethos of the business and what it means to be an Eaga employee.
- The Government has set targets for all local authorities to have all social rented homes meeting Decent Homes standards by 2010. This requires homes to be fit for habitation, in a reasonable state of repair, with reasonably modern facilities and services and a reasonable degree of thermal comfort.
- Since 2000, Eaga has invested over £3 million in the independent Eaga Partnership Charitable Trust which funds research into solutions to fuel poverty.
Media Contact
Rik Kendall
Group Media Relations Manager
Eaga plc
07852 134 154
0191 245 8342