Jorma Ollila, CEO of mobile-phone giant Nokia Corp., was named European Business Leader of the Year 2003 for his excellent track record over the last five years. The independent judges considered that his leadership and long-term vision were behind Nokia's continued success in one of the most difficult market sectors.
Helmut Panke, CEO of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, was voted Customer Value Champion for excellence in customer-focused strategies and new product development. In the opinion of the judges, Dr. Panke has placed customer focus at the forefront of everything BMW does. Flexible manufacturing practices mean that the majority of the company's European customers have their cars built to order. As a result, BMW has remained a clear industry leader, delivering excellent growth and profitability during a challenging economic cycle.
Paul Polman, president of Western Europe for household product behemoth, Procter & Gamble, was named European Business Leader of the Year Global-Local. This award honours the top European manager of a non-European based global company. Polman, who has been with the company since 1979, has built a strong company culture focused on innovation. This has led P&G's European arm to produce excellent sales growth, exceeding that of the company as a whole and beating its competitors. Europe is seen as fertile ground for new product launches and a leading marketer in its sector.
"Increasingly, business leaders in Europe have to compete on a global playing field. We've established this award to reward those who do this best," said Frederick Kempe, editor and associate publisher, The Wall Street Journal Europe. "We at The Wall Street Journal Europe and CNBC Europe, who make it our business to track their work on a daily basis, are delighted to work in partnership with IMD to honour the vision and energy of these global players. It's in no small part a result of the personal drive and commitment of business leaders such as Messrs. Ollila and Panke that European brands are recognised the world over and are at the forefront of innovation. Mr Polman typifies the dynamic European manager who successfully runs a giant operation for an American-based global player."
Peter Lorange, president, IMD, added, "Today, more than ever, leadership is about choices. At IMD we believe that it is strategically imperative to have leadership that is able to make tough choices."
Editor's Note
The European Business Leader Awards
The inaugural European Business Leader Awards are designed to recognise and honour the achievements of some of Europe's top executives who have demonstrated their leadership abilities during challenging economic times. They have continued to grow their businesses and create corporate value, building customer loyalty for their products, inspiring employees with their vision and innovating in their fields.
The results are published in The Wall Street Journal Europe on Monday 24 November.
The judges :
Hans-Paul Bürkner, CEO, Boston Consulting Group,
Bill George, Professor, SPFL,
Didier Vuchot, Managing Vice-President, Korn Ferry International,
Kenneth McLennan, Consultant, The Change Partnership and
Marianne Nivert, Chairman of the Swedish Post.
The Wall Street Journal Europe (Www.Wsj.Com)
Founded in 1983, The Wall Street Journal Europe has a daily circulation of 95,082 (ABC January - June 2003).
Its incisive, impartial coverage of leading business and financial stories has won many accolades, including the Wincott Award for the UK Business Journal of the Year 2001, the first time the award has been given to a non-UK publication.
According to the European Business Readership Survey (EBRS) 2002, The Wall Street Journal Europe was the "fastest growing international title" in Europe. Readership of The Wall Street Journal Europe increased by nearly 26% since the last survey conducted in 2000, more than double the EBRS 2002 population growth of 11.7%.
The Wall Street Journal Europe is printed in six countries -- Germany, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, the U.K. and Spain -- and is distributed in more than 50 countries in the region.
For further information, please contact:
Helen Hawkins, Dow Jones & Company, tel + 44 (0) 20 7842 9607, email:
helen.hawkins@dowjones.com
CNBC Europe
CNBC Europe is the only pan-European real-time financial and business channel dedicated to the European CEOs and senior corporate executives, the European financial services industry and the European investor. Today the channel is available in 85 million homes, 1,400 banks and financial institutions and 340,000 hotel rooms (4* and 5*) throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. CNBC Europe is a service of Dow Jones & Company and NBC. NBC is the broadcasting unit of General Electric Company (GE).
CNBC Europe is the only pan-European real-time financial and business channel dedicated to the European CEOs and senior corporate executives, the European financial services industry and the European investor. Today the channel is available in 85 million homes, 1,400 banks and financial institutions and 340,000 hotel rooms (4* and 5*) throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. CNBC Europe is a service of Dow Jones & Company and NBC. NBC is the broadcasting unit of General Electric Company (GE).
For further information please contact:
Charlotte Blenkinsop, CNBC Europe, tel +44 (0) 20 7653 9448, email charlotte.blenkinsop@cnbceurope.com
IMD
IMD is an independent not-for-profit foundation located in Lausanne, Switzerland. For over 50 years IMD has helped leading international companies attract, develop and retain top managerial talent. IMD's proven
"Real World. Real Learning" philosophy is designed to enhance leadership in every area of management. IMD helps executives and their organizations, individually and through team programs, find new and innovative ways in which to sustain their global competitiveness.
For further information, please contact:
Philip Ellison, Director of Communications, IMD, tel: +41 21 618 0436, email ellison@imd.ch