8:37am Thursday 8th October 2009
THE head of a company that developed revolutionary airport scanners has won a national award.
Arnab Basu, of Kromek, has been named Ernst and Young’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
Sponsored by the Confederation of British Industry and hosted by Joanna Lumley, the awards ceremony was held at The Park Lane Hilton Hotel, London.
A spin-out company from the physics department at Durham University, Kromek, based on the NetPark science park, in Sedgefield, County Durham, pioneers digital colour x-ray detectors that can identify liquids in bottles – including explosives, alcohol and narcotics – without opening them, in under 20 seconds.
The scanner could revolutionise airport security and help fight terrorism and drug smuggling.
Guests at the awards were told that Mr Basu had moved the business from a two-man operation in 2003, with a value of £500,000, to a £48m business employing 42 people.
Ernst and Young Newcastle senior partner, Mark Hatton, said: “Arnab Basu is a great leader and manager, a supreme innovator with great vision. He has developed ground-breaking, unique technology for an existing market set to boom.
“The judges were unanimously impressed.
“Arnab possesses a rare combination of intuitive commercial sense, pioneering technical expertise and a flair for motivating others.”
Other North-East finalists were Graeme Lowdon, chief executive of Nomad Digital; Greg Phillips, managing director of North-East Bakery; Neil Stephenson, chief executive of Onyx Group; Ian Edge, managing director of Quantum Specials; and Steve Nelson and Richard Vertigan, of 4 Projects.
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