Open Media proud to receive Internationalisation Award for launch of Essential London Magazine
Open Media, publishers of the Essential group of magazines along with other titles including the Algarve Resident, received an Internationalisation Award during the fifth UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) Business Awards ceremony held at the British Ambassador’s residence in Lisbon on May 29.
Addressing an audience of 85 guests, British Ambassador to Portugal Jill Gallard handed over the UKTI Business Awards to 12 Portugal-based companies this year.
With professional advisers across 96 international markets, the UKTI is the British government department that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy and assists overseas companies to bring their high-quality investment to the UK.
 UKTI Business Awards went to 12 Portugal based companies. Photo: SUPPLIED |
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Open Media, which was represented at the ceremony by Jim O’Neill, the group’s international sales director, saw its international expansion efforts recognised with the launch of Essential London Magazine in April.
Open Media’s founding partner and CEO Bruce Hawker said: “It’s a great honour for us to have been selected for this important award and I was sorry that, due to travel commitments related to our overseas expansion in Asia, I was unable to attend and receive the award in person.
“However, Jim O’Neill, as part of our management team, played a key role in the launch of Essential London and I am pleased he was there to accept the award from the Ambassador in my absence.
“I would like to personally extend my thanks to the Ambassador for this important recognition of our work and to all the Open Media team who pulled together to make it happen.”
The award comes at an exciting time for Open Media as the company prepares for the launch of its next international project, Essential Kuala Lumpur, in July, which is the second publishing venture in Asia following the launch of Essential Macau in 2011. The next launch is planned for Vietnam, currently one of Asia’s fastest growing economies.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Jill Gallard highlighted the importance of the UKTI Business Awards and the role the UKTI team plays in supporting and helping promote investors both in Portugal and the UK, as well as the positive attitude toward entrepreneurship during the current economic climate.
The Ambassador said: “It’s important to promote growth and restore market confidence. Through your businesses’ achievements, you can show your international partners what you are capable of.”
This year, UKTI Business Awards went to Efaflu, Gatewit, Living PlanIT, Open Media, Sacoor Brothers, Seedrs, Sogrape, South West International and Wit Software in the Internationalisation Award category, and Bi-Silque, Critical Software and EDP Renováveis in the Business Expansion Award category.
With the Olympic Games taking place in London this year, the British Embassy said it was keen to support Portuguese investors who were expanding and internationalising their businesses in the UK.
