And the winner isaa‚¬A¦

This year's jury included: Richard Anderson, managing director of UPC Romania; Sorin Vasilache, manager of ARIS; Alexandra Gatej, president of Unilever South Central Europe; Cornel Marian, investment director of Oresa Ventures; Adrian Baicusi, GM of Siemens Romania; Paul Marasoiu, president and CEO of Peacock Hotels; Razvan Pasol, GM of SSIF Intercapital Invest; Daniel Weissman, country manager of TASC Consulting; and Camelia Horlaci, country manager partner for Ernst&Young. None of the jury members were nominated in any category of the gala.
A surprise award was given by the Lions' Arena show of the public television channel TVR2. Called the “Business angel of the year” the prize was received by Radu Georgescu, president of Gecad Group for his active involvement on the local market.
The winner of the newcomer award, Auchan, made its first investment in Romania in 2006, with EUR 40 million put into its first hypermarket. Auchan had 170,000 clients in the first week of opening – a good start to ensure the growth of turnover and the success of the different commercial policies adapted to meet consumers' needs. Receiving the award, Regis Mougel, general manager of Auchan Romania, said that his company would open other hypermarkets in the near future.
Terapia-Ranbaxy claimed the Mergers & Acquisitions award. The combined operations of the firm established the largest generic pharmacutical company operating in Romania in 2006. The opening of a new logistic center in Bucharest and the development of the R&D and quality systems platform in Cluj are the company's most important investments in 2006.
A&D Pharma took two of the prizes. As the only company in Romania currently listed on the London Stock Exchange, it took home the IPO award. The company's Global Deposit Certificates were admitted onto the official list of the Listing Authority in the UK in October, 2006. The group also won best growth strategy award. Sensiblu, the retail arm of A&D Pharma, is the largest pharmacy chain in Romania, one of the top local brands and has marked the first acquisition of a chain in the sector with the acquisition of Ideapharm. A&D Pharma is also the leader of the pharmaceutical wholesale market in Romania.
Enrico Malerba, CEO of Pirelli Romania, received the best greenfield investment award for Pirelli Tyre Romania. In 2005 Pirelli invested in the steel cord facility in Slatina – a greenfield joint venture with Continental of Germany. A year later, it invested EUR 170 million in the Pirelli Tyre Plant, also in Slatina. For Pirelli the town represents a key industrial location designed to become a commercial and logistic hub for all of Eastern Europe.
The job creation award went to Oracle Romania. Starting from 300 employees at the beginning of 2006, the Oracle team registered 900 members at the end of the year. The internship program attracted many young specialists and more than 75 percent of the trainees were hired by the departments where they worked.
The winner of the businessman of the year award, Patrick Gelin, president of BRD Group Societe Generale, talked about the ups and downs he had had to face in order to bring his institution to its current level of development. Under the leadership of Gelin, BRD posted positive 2006 financial results. Some of the most important projects are the Quattro BRD campaign and the launch of new products for SMEs. The net profit and return on equity position the BRD Group among the top ones in the Romanian banking system in 2006.
Irina Socol, president of Siveco, was chosen by the jury as the businesswoman of the year for the way in which she conducted Siveco's activity in the previous year.
This year's awards were sponsored by Mircea & Asociatii and Bulboaca & Asociatii.

Staff