Winn Solicitors’ managing director Jeff Winn is in the running for one of the most hotly contended business awards in the North of England.

Jeff, who co-founded the accident management business in 2002, has been named on the shortlist of EY’s North of England Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards 2014, which is sponsored by Credit Suisse.

Should he be successful, he will go on to vie for the title of EY UK Entrepreneur Of The Year 2014 and a chance to represent his country at a global awards ceremony in June 2015.

The awards are considered the world's most prestigious business awards and are held in more than 145 cities and 60 countries worldwide.

Jeff Winn is one of only three business leaders from the North East region to be named on the 30-strong North of England shortlist alongside Paul McEldon of the North East Business and Innovation Centre and Kevin Brennan of Stokesley-based Quorn Foods.

The award’s judging panel is chaired by Sir Peter Vardy of Vardy Group, who built his family’s car dealership company, Reg Vardy plc, into a £2bn national business employing 6,000 people, before selling the company in 2006.

He is joined on the panel by eight northern business leaders including Neil Stephenson, CEO of Stockton-based Onyx Group and 2013 North of England category winner Graeme Oram, chief executive of Thornaby-based Five Lamps.

Sir Peter Vardy said;

“Recognising and celebrating the success of entrepreneurs is so important. It is a privilege to be involved in the judging of EY’s North of England Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards 2014.

“We will be looking for the best examples of business building, scalability, innovation and contribution to the regional and national economy. I am sure we will see some amazing success stories that need to be told so as to encourage the next generation of business builders throughout the UK.”

Last year’s other North of England category winners from the North East included Geoffrey Thompson of South Shields-based Utilitywise and Steve Parkin of Cramlington-based Mayborn Group.

The North of England final will be held on 24 June 2014 at the Lowry Hotel, Manchester.