The Business Personality of the Year award went to Shaun Watts, owner of Chameleon Business Interiors. Shaun is also a member of the 'Hull Bondholder Advisory Board' and has recently joined the board of 'Welcome to Yorkshire'.

SOME business people aren’t only leaders within their own enterprises, but take it upon themselves to make a difference within the business community as well.
- The York Press

This is one reason why Shaun Watts, former president of the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, received the award for Business Personality Of The Year. He joined the board of the chamber in 2005 and was instrumental in the merger with Leeds Chamber in 2008. President of the organisation between 2008 and 2011, he led a complete restructuring and rebranding of the organisation, alongside building up his own business – Chameleon Business Interiors, based at York Science Park, as well as having an office in Hull.

The York Press business awards finalists

Shaun has built up strong relationships in the public and private sectors in York and North Yorkshire, as a member of the York Economic Partnership. He was also chairman of the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) steering group, leading the group through the process of recognition by Government, and is now on the board of the LEP.

After a record 200 entries, judges of The Press Business Awards 2011 have announced the three finalists for the 'business personality of the year' category.

The award will see Shaun Watts, Chameleon Business Interiors managing director and former president of Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce go up against Di Burton, of Cicada Communications and Annie Stirk of Absolutely Food PR.

The winners of each category, as well as an overall winner and Lifetime Achiever, will be announced at a ceremony at York Racecourse on the 17th of November.

"Although the location in York is ideal the existing layout afforded little room for expansion. This has been an extensive undertaking for our company but as soon as the team moved back into the re-designed space we saw an improvement in the interaction and energy amongst our employees." 

- Allan Dunn, Ioko's finance director

Chameleon refurbished all three floors including electrical work, flooring, decoration, glass feature walls and new colour schemes. The brief was to examine the building and focus on increasing capacity, improving efficiency, inspiring more interaction amongst the team and maximising useage of space in all areas.

"It is very easy to expand into available space as your company grows and this is what happened in Ioko's case, with inefficiencies in how the workspace was used developing over the years.  

Having the opportunity to start the design from scratch by looking at their current and future business needs and examining the entire space available across all floors has enabled us to introduce improved efficiency, creativity and hopefully productivity for Ioko. 

It is also great for local companies to be awarding contracts locally supporting businesses in their own region so we were delighted to secure such a prestigious contract in York." 

- Shaun Watts, Managing Director of Chameleon

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James Durbin (left) with Shaun Watts (right, holding his business card) in front of Ian Brusby’s Rough Cut Racing team P1 Panther 28SS race boat.

Powerboat P1 teamed up with the Hull Bondholders business group last night to introduce its SuperStock national powerboat racing championship to local companies on the eve of the inaugural Hull Grand Prix of the Sea, which takes place on the Humber.

Three racing powerboats along with locally born drivers Ian Brusby and John Wilson were at the Bondholders meeting outside Leonardo’s bistro in Princess Quay on Wednesday evening as SuperStock formally arrived in the city.

For one lucky local business the evening brought an unexpected bonus, as interior design company Chameleon won an impressive sponsorship package for the race weekend worth £10,000. Chameleon’s name was drawn out of a hat containing Bondholder members’ business cards and it will now adorn the side of Ian Brusby’s race-winning Rough Cut Racing boat during the Grand Prix weekend.

“Our office overlooks the race course just outside Hull Marina and we’d planned to watch the races from our own vantage point but having our name on the number one local boat is going to make it even more exciting, “ said  Shaun Watts, aged 43 from Howden, managing director of Chameleon.

“SuperStock sponsorship is the perfect prize for Chameleon as we came to Humber Quays two and half years ago and have been promoting the area to our customers and business associates ever since.”

James Durbin, Commercial Director of London-based world championship organiser Powerboat P1, commented: “I’m delighted Chameleon won the prize as it already had an affinity with the Hull Grand Prix of the Sea from its location in Hull Marina. Shaun and his guests are going to have a memorable weekend at the Grand Prix and I am sure will enjoy having a close association with a front-running team.”