Shelim Hussain, from Eurofoods Group, and Nathan Bowles, from Smart Solutions, which are both based in Newport, each won an award at EY’s London & South Entrepreneur Of The Year awards last night.

Eurofoods Group is a leading international manufacturer and distributor of frozen and fresh foods, serving the restaurant, catering and specialist supermarket sectors.

Smart Solutions is a quality provider of business outsource services, from recruitment, delivery of managed labour services, flexible workforce, process consultancy to staff training, based in Newport.

The overall winner of London & South Entrepreneur Of The Year was Richard Steeves, founder and chief executive of Synergy Health.

Headquartered in Swindon, Synergy employs 2,200 people in the UK and Ireland and operates across the Americas, Asia and Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Synergy processes more than 150 million reusable medical and surgical instruments a year and makes daily deliveries of sterile reusable gowns, towels and set up packs.

Winners were selected by an independent judging panel chaired by JustGiving chairman Jonathan McKay from a short-list of 35 businesses that collectively turnover £2.8bn and employ more than 32,000 people.

The eleven London & South winners, along with those from Scotland, the North, and Midlands region, will progress to the UK finals in October, where they will vie for the title EY UK Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015 and a chance to represent their country at a global awards ceremony in Monte Carlo in 2016.

Now in its 17th year in the UK, EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year brings together dynamic business leaders of fast growth companies who are creating growth, confidence at pace and generating positive impact in their markets at home and abroad.

Other London & South winners were:

Jason Bannister, Oakfurnitureland – retailer of solid hardwood quality furniture, originally web based but now with 60 showrooms nationwide - based in Swindon.

Matt Isaacs, Essence - a digital marketing group encompassing a leading global digital agency and an advertising technology business - based in London.

Robert MacMillan, HH Global - a global marketing supply-chain outsourcing provider, evolving print and digital marketing process by reducing cost and increasing quality - based in London.

Ashok Lakhani, Kolak Snack Foods – a leading manufacturer of crisps and snacks - based in London.

Mark Smith, The Car Finance Company – provides car finance facilities to consumers and small businesses – based in Portsmouth.

Taavet Hinrikus and Kristo K??rmann, TransferWise - an international money transfer platform, using peer to peer technology to cut the hidden fees charged by banks and brokers – based in London.

Dilshad Hothi and Barinder Hothi, The Knowledge Academy – provides business and IT training to individuals and businesses – based in Bracknell, Berkshire.

Dai Powell, HCT Group - a social enterprise, safely providing more than 20 million passenger trips on their buses every year. They deliver a range of transport services – from London red buses to social services transport, from school transport to Park and Ride, from community transport to education and training - based in London.