Paul Gill, Executive Chairman of Stone company Pure CF, has won the prestigious title Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2017 NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
Having gone head to head with leading businessmen and women from a diverse range of industries from across the West Midlands region, Paul beat off strong competition with over 1500 businesses entering the awards nationally, to win the coveted award in the GoDo Entrepreneur of the Year category.
Pure CF celebrates 35 years in business next year, and during this time, with his Managing Director Alastair Beacon Paul has not only steered the company to being on course to achieve a record projected turnover of £9 million by the end of the year, he has also further expanded the business – now employing over 130 talented craftsmen and women at his 2 factories in Stone who manufacture bespoke furniture for leading restaurants and hotels, such as Wagamama, Cote, Pizza Express and Gaucho.
Paul Gill said: ’I am incredibly honoured to receive this award. I want to thank Alastair Beacon and all my amazing team at Pure CF in Staffordshire – I’ve said it before and I’ll tell them again – I truly believe I have the best workforce on the planet – it is them who have made this day possible and helped me to reach my goals.
I started out as an apprentice at the company I now own, it’s been an incredible journey. Pure CF manufactures bespoke furniture for some of the best restaurants and hotels around the world – but having the vision to capitalise on the opportunity in front of you is impossible without the support of a great team around you, and I’ve been extremely fortunate’’
The huge success story won the praise of the judges. In 1983 Paul joined the company as an apprentice and became General Manager after just 18 years. In 2002 he made the decision to buy the company and he’s never looked back – Pure CF is now one of the UK’s leading contract furniture manufacturers.
In the last 12 months alone, their handmade furniture has been installed in high profile restaurants and hotels all over the UK and around the world with recent projects for high profile brands in New York, Dubai and Italy.
Now in its fifth year, the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards recognise the hard work and inspiring stories of British entrepreneurs, rather than just their financial success.
Founder of the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards, Francesca James, said: “The judges this year have had an incredibly hard job in narrowing down winners from such an impressive shortlist. Each and every one of the winning entries has made a huge impact on entrepreneurship in their region and the wider UK economy.
“Not only have we had more entries this year than ever before, but the standard of entries has been amazing. We hope that winning an award will help give these entrepreneurs the recognition they thoroughly deserve.”
