21st Century Icon Awards 2018-Global, Unique and Distinctive  

The 21st Century Icon Awards Celebrate Success of the Next Generation by helping dynamic entrepreneurs and successful individuals to keep growing and competing on the world stage. 

The winners of the 21st Century Icon Awards 2018 are unveiled on 21st September at a Gala Dinner hosted at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Knightsbridge, London. Around 300 Celebrities, Business Leaders, Socialites, Film Stars, Sports Champions, Thought Leaders and Politicians all gathered to witness these global, unique and distinctive Awards. They symbolise and embody true success and have been acclaimed internationally. London's glitterati had never witnessed anything like these Awards. 

Squared Watermelon Ltd, which hosts the Awards partnered with ELITE, London Stock Exchange Group to include a new Award Category the 'ELITE Rising Star Award'. 

 The 21st Century Icon Awards have become London's Premier Black Tie event. The ballroom was resplendent with all hues of lighting, the stage was immaculate with large screens and the awards were orchestrated with elan. These Awards are the brainchild of Tarun Ghulati, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer and Preeti Rana, Founder, Chief Creative Officer of Squared Watermelon Ltd which hosted the Awards.  

Nominees/Finalists came from 20 countries-UK, USA, Russia, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya,  India, Pakistan, Scotland, Jamaica, Hong Kong, China, Switzerland, Dubai, Turkey,  France, Belgium, Australia, Italy and Germany. A never before seen top Panel of Judges met at the London Stock Exchange on 6th September with the unenviable task of deciding winners. 

 23 Winners were carefully selected from over 400 Nominations based on research, personal meetings and Nomination papers submitted. There are 17 Award Categories and the esteemed judges include: Rt Hon. Baroness Verma of Leicester (Member of the House of Lords), David Sayer (Vice Chairman- Financial Services KPMG), Hugo van Vredenburch (Chairman of Interactive Investor Former Partner and Managing Director Goldman Sachs), Ibukun Adebayo (Co-Head Emerging Markets International Markets Unit London Stock Exchange), Surinder Arora (Founder and Chairman The Arora Group (Hotelier) and Tom Tyler (Global Head of Sales, ELITE London Stock Exchange Group), Dr. David Landsman OBE (Executive Director of Tata Limited), Denise Lewis OBE (Former British Olympic Champion), Deepak Parekh (Chairman HDFC Ltd), Dr. Amin Jaffer (Senior Curator of Al Thani Collection & Former International Director of Asian Art at Christie's), William Asprey (Chairman of William & Son). 

Tarun Ghulati President & CEO, Squared Watermelon presented to the Panel of Judges who debated, discussed and finalised the Winners. 

The Winners are: 

Sanjeev Gupta, GFG Alliance, won the Astute Finance & Investments Award handed over by Gopichand Hinduja, Co-Chairman, Hinduja Group.

Monica Kalia, Martin Ijaha & Ezechi Britton, Neyber Ltd won the Astute Finance & Investments Award handed over by Gopichand Hinduja. 

Hatul Shah, Sigma Pharmaceuticals plc won the Dedicated Stalwart Award handed over by Stephen Ball, Global Lead Partner, KPMG. 

Martin Skinner, Inspired Asset Management, won the Tenacious Property & Construction Award handed over by Stephen Ball. 

David Abrahamovitch, Grind & Co, won the ELITE Rising Star Award, handed over by Tom Tyler, Global Head of Sales, ELITE, London Stock Exchange Group. 

Ned Tozun & Sam Goldman, d.light also won the ELITE Rising Star Award handed by Tom Tyler. 

Manish Gudka, Aprirose Real Estate Investment won the Exceptional Travel & Hospitality Award handed over by Rt. Hon Baroness Sandip Verma, Member House of Lords. 

Chris Waters, Staylists, won the Exceptional Travel & Hospitality Award handed over by Rt. Hon Baroness Sandip Verma. 

Sheetal Ansal, Trustee of Ansal University won the Generous Philanthropist Award handed over by Dr David Landsman OBE, Executive Director Tata Limited. 

Tenzin Seldon, Kinstep also won the Generous Philanthropist Award handed over by Dr David Landsman OBE. 

Professor Mischa Dohler, King's College London & Co-Founder Smart Cities won the Specialist Professional Award handed over by Virendra Sharma, Member of Parliament and Sandip Sali,  Managing Director AmpowerUK. 

Brett Magrath & Brad Magrath, Zoona, won the Relentlessly Resolute Award handed over by Virendra Sharma, Member of Parliament and Arvid Pederson, Red Ribbon Asset Management. 

Ryan Palmer & Dave Pickard, London Sock Company won the Savvy Luxury Award handed over by Peter Virdee, Founding Partner B & S Property. 

Brad Barritt, Rugby Champion, Deborah Fleming, Rugby Champion and Crista Cullen MBE , Hockey Champion won the Competitive Sports Award handed over by Jacqui Agyepong,  two time Olympic and Commonwealth Games Champion. 

Anil Stocker, MarketInvoice  won the Innovator Technology Award handed over by Anton Ruddenklau, Global Co-Head of Fintech, KPMG.  

Nitin Kartikeya, Fashion Designer, won the Exquisite Art & Fashion Award handed over by Ibukun Adebayo, Co-Head Emerging Markets Strategy, London Stock Exchange Group. 

Asim Jofa, Fashion Designer won the Exquisite Art & Fashion Award handed over by Ibukun Adebayo. Hussein Kanji, Hoxton Ventures won the Squared Watermelon Award handed over by Tarun Ghulati & Preeti Rana.

Dr Ozge Akbulut, Surgitate won the Inspirational Icon Award handed over by Tarun Ghulati & Preeti Rana. 

Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Classical Musician, won the Magnificent Performing Arts Award handed over by Tarun Ghulati & Preeti Rana. 

Zanai Bhosle, Musician and Classical Dancer won the Magnificent Performing Arts Award handed over by her grandmother the legendary Asha Bhosle, officially recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most recorded artist in music history.

Key partners were ELITE, London Stock Exchange Group, Bentley Jack Barclay and Stefano Ricci. 

Tarun Ghulati, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer and Preeti Rana, Founder, Chief Creative Officer, Squared Watermelon Ltd 

“We are absolutely delighted that ambitious companies and individuals around the world nominate themselves to participate in the Awards. These include many Forbes winners, Olympic Champions, highly successful inheritors and creators of wealth.  We are now recognised as the preeminent Champions of the Next Generation internationally”.

May 22, 2018

Squared Watermelon LTD announces ELITE's support from the 21st Century Icon Awards

Squared Watermelon Ltd, which hosts the 21st Century Icon Awards, today announces that it will be supported by ELITE, London Stock Exchange Group’s business support and capital raising programme.

The 21st Century Icon Awards 2018 will include a new Award Category the 'ELITE Rising Star Award'. The winner will be awarded a place on ELITE, London Stock Exchange Group’s business support and capital raising programme for fast growing private businesses that have shown genuine innovation in realising their goals. The winner of this Award will allow an undeniable rising star business to join the leading SME growth and fund raising platform in Europe.

Tom Tyler, Global Head of Sales, ELITE: “We congratulate the 21st Century Icon Awards on their success to date. These Awards are truly global and recognise the very best across award categories. We are delighted to be part of this exciting initiative. This will further reinforce ELITE’s ability to connect the fastest growing companies to international growth capital. ELITE has become a cross-border success story, opening up funding, jobs and growth for over 850 companies, reaping benefits for them and the countries in which they operate.”

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Tarun Ghulati, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer and Preeti Rana, Founder, Chief Creative Officer, Squared Watermelon Ltd: “We are absolutely thrilled and proud to have the support of ELITE. Through the ELITE programme, we will connect to dynamic entrepreneurs, helping them to keep on growing and compete on the world stage. Ambitious companies around the world can nominate themselves to avail of this fantastic opportunity. This will allow one of them to be recognised and enhance their ability to innovate, scale and grow. This support also bolsters our standing as the preeminent Champions of the Next Generation. As we continue to expand, we will remain ardent admirers and believers in the Next Generation of successful individuals.