Handed the accolade at a packed Paris ceremony today, the founder of Europe's largest digital marketing agency almost didn't make it to the European Business Awards event. Less than an hour before the bigmouthmedia CEO was due to arrive; the taxi he was travelling in was written-off in a motorway accident.
Crowned RSM International Entrepreneur of the Year by a judging committee assembled to recognise business innovation, excellence and ethics, Leach emerged as winner ahead from a tough field of competitors representing 25 of the 27 European member states. He was selected after the panel identified him as having demonstrated exceptional vision and leadership qualities alongside an innovative approach that has been backed up by his company's strong business performance.
"This is a tremendous honour. We've come a long way since first launching the company in an Edinburgh basement a decade ago and receiving this award is a landmark moment for me personally and a tribute to talented team of people who made bigmouthmedia what it is today," said Leach.
"Having just experienced first-hand the terrors of a French motorway smash, to be honest I was just delighted to have made it to the ceremony at all."
Presenting the award in front of an audience of European dignitaries, Jean Stephens, CEO of category sponsor RSM International, said: "Steve thoroughly merits the accolades he's achieved, and we offer him our wholehearted congratulations on winning The RSM International Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Bigmouthmedia is about the here and now. Like RSM, it has global offices partnering international companies, and advising them on how to succeed in the ever-developing modern business world."
The win comes on the back of a host of awards for Leach and the team at bigmouthmedia. In the last 12 months he has been crowned Entrepreneur of the Year for both Scotland and the UK, while the company he founded is also short listed for honours at both the Fast Growth Business Awards and the UK Technology and Innovation Awards.
