Mike Jatania, Chief Executive of Lornamead Group, received a top accolade at the UK final of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year awards held this week.

Mike fought off competition from 40 of the country’s finest business men and women to receive the award for Retail and Consumer Ernst & Young UK Entrepreneur Of The Year.

Since becoming CEO in 1990, Mike has transformed the family owned business into a world class personal care company by successfully acquiring and investing in heritage brands such as Harmony Hairspray, Yardley of London and Vosene. Lornamead today has a portfolio of over 40 brands selling in 82 countries.

Kevin Harkin, lead partner of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards commented: “The judges described Mike as a ‘chief entrepreneurial officer’ in his business, encouraging and inspiring his team to be ambitious, take risks, and to have fun in the process of growing the company.

“He is a truly inspirational leader with great strategic vision and will no doubt continue to take Lornamead Group from strength to strength over the coming years.”

Receiving this award at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Monday 6 October 2008, Mike commented: “It is an honour to have received an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award and to be part of such a prestigious programme.

“Awards like these are so important, as they recognise the importance of enterprise in the British economy. Not only do they reward the hard work of many businesses across a wide variety of industries and sectors, but I hope they can also inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to realise that they too can achieve their aspirations and play their part in the British economy.”