Award winner tells how businesses can learn from the shocks to grow stronger

That was the message from the winner of last year’s individual winner at the Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards, which are now open for 2012’s entries.

Kevin Whiteman, the non-executive chairman of Kelda Group Holdings and Yorkshire Water, told the audience: “Things are very tough, but my experience is that very often real shocks to business mean that businesses can thrive and even succeed on the back of them.

“If you look back at Yorkshire Water it had a horrendous reputation in the 90s.

“In 2000 we had massive price cuts. We had to make one in four of our people redundant in one year simply to avoid failing our banking covenants.

“At the time it felt like the end of the world.

“Our business today is a stronger, better, healthier business because of that pain and shock.

“You just have to get your head down, work hard, keep going because if you survive you will be better for it.”

The Yorkshire Post is welcoming entries from companies with a great story to tell. They must be headquartered in Yorkshire or have significant operations in the region.

Enter online via www.yorkshirepost.co.uk