by
Dorota Szostek-Rustecka
Prezes Fundacji Citi Handlowy im. L. Kronenberga
A family business assuming the proportions of a world-class player; environmentally friendly energy technology for the development of the Polish economy and, finally, a giant of the footwear industry spectacularly successful online – these are the stories of this year’s winners of Emerging Market Champions Award. It was a special edition due to a new category in the competition – champion of new economy, i.e. an e-commerce company.
The jury acknowledged CCC for its creative and consistent use of the Internet and new technologies to maintain high-quality services for the client and high growth rate. (...) The company has become the biggest retail company and the biggest footwear producer in Europe.
Our annual Emerging Market Champions Awards gala is an excellent complement to the ongoing discussion on the idea of free trade. We indicate leaders for whom geopolitical borders did not pose an obstacle to developing their businesses – to the benefit of local communities, their clients and growth dynamics of enterprises, says Sławomir S. Sikora, President of Citi Handlowy. This year, the winners were joined by one more champion – one from the e-Commerce industry. Digital economy is changing trade, services and production, thus making globalization and international expansion become merely a footnote to the changes awaiting us in the 21st century.
Rewarding the best and inspiring further development of the business environment – that is the goal of the Emerging Market Champion competition. Initiated by Sławomir S. Sikora, President of Citi Handlowy, the award has been granted by the Kronenberg Foundation at Citi Handlowy for five years to leaders of world expansion. Out of almost 100 nominees, only three made it to the podium – Wielton in the category of Polish companies developing their businesses abroad, and CEZ in the category of emerging markets companies investing in Poland.
Wielton S.A. was awarded for its organic business development. It is an example of a company that developed from a small family business into one of the world leaders on a highly competitive market. Its consistent improvement of production processes and well considered international acquisition strategy allowed Wielton to become one of the three biggest providers of trailers, semi-trailers and body conversions in Europe.
CEZ was acknowledged for its consistent investments in Poland in the environmentally-friendly energy sector. The company has operated in Poland for 13 years, investing nearly PLN 600 million in gradual improvement of activities efficiency while ensuring compliance with restrictive ecological norms. It is also consistent in supporting the development of the strategic branch of the Polish economy – energy sector.
The winner in the new category of the Emerging Market Champions was CCC S.A. The jury acknowledged CCC for its creative and consistent use of the Internet and new technologies to maintain high-quality services for the client and high growth rate. Thanks to the dynamic development of its traditional business and effective implementation of electronic and mobile sales channel, the company has become the biggest retail company and the biggest footwear producer in Europe.
The idea of the Emerging Market Champions competition is to promote positive practices in business activity in the global scope, as well as to build up the image of entrepreneurship in the public awareness. Nominees are appointed by the Council of Experts, composed of persons from various environments, who are respectable representatives of public and economic life in Poland, among others, former and current ministers, mayors of cities, rectors of universities, ambassadors of emerging markets states to Poland, representatives of chambers of commerce and the media. This year, the Council of Experts composed of 100 members nominated almost 100 entities. The selection was based on, among others, the analysis of the scale of operations, geographical reach of investments and in the case of foreign investors the key issues were the scale of investments and the number of new jobs created in Poland. . When selecting the e-commerce champion, on the other hand, the Council took into account the efficiency of the implemented digital technologies in the production and sales processes.
