UK: SMD CEO Named Business Executive of the Year

SMD CEO, Andrew Hodgson has been named The Journal’s business executive of the year for 2012.

Hodgson, picked up the top honour at the North East Business Executive of the Year awards, sponsored by Brewin Dolphin, after one of the most successful years in the Wallsend firm’s history.

Since the former BAE Systems strategy director was brought in to lead the company in 2008 after private equity investor Inflexion acquired a 60% stake, its fortunes have been transformed, with turnover more than trebling to around £130m.

The business has witnessed significant growth and staff numbers have doubled from 250 in 2010 to more than 500 today. Hodgson is particularly committed to supporting apprenticeships, and company also run a graduate scheme.

As well as the day job at SMD, Hodgson has thrown himself into the North East business community, and holds positions on the board of the North Eastern Local Enterprise Partnership and chairs the industry body Subsea North East. His exporting prowess was recently recognised with a prestigious Queen’s Award.

Chairman of the judges, John Mowbray, said Hodgson was a deserving recipient of the honour and had been the unanimous choice of the panel. “We had an exceptionally strong field of candidates this year and the judges who went out to visit all of those shortlisted spoke very highly of what they found,” he said.

“At a time when manufacturing exports are being touted as the great hope for the future of the UK economy, it is quite fitting that the North East’s exceptional endeavours in this area are being recognised with an award for an individual who has played a key role both within his own company and the business community in general.”

[mappress]
Press Release, November 19, 2012