POONAM Gupta, chief executive of Inverclyde-based PG Paper, was last night crowned EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 for Scotland, writes Scott Wright.
The entrepreneur, who received the accolade at the V&A in Dundee, was praised for her resilience and determination in building PG up into a £36 million turnover company.
Ms Gupta, whose firm now exports to 55 countries and will this year add offices in the US and China to its bases in India and Turkey, will go forward to compete in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year UK final, which takes place in London in November.
EY partner Mike Timmins said: “Poonam’s entrepreneurial journey is a compelling story – having faced continued rejection when searching for work, she pulled on her entrepreneurial instincts and existing network to create PG Paper from her kitchen table with only £1,000 in capital.
“PG Paper’s growth to a £36m turnover company – with aspirations of reaching £100m in the next couple of years – wasn’t without challenges but Poonam’s resilient, determined business approach ultimately won her the accolade of Scotland’s EY Entrepreneur Of the Year.”
Ms Gupta also won the scale-up award last night, one of eight presented as 28 leading entrepreneurs gathered in Tayside.
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