Jean-Claude Juncker awarded "European Leader of the Year" Award

by EBR

As he prepares to leave the Presidency of the European Commission, this award recognizes the impact Jean-Claude Juncker has had on an ever-changing Europe.

Jean-Claude Juncker received the award at a gala ceremony concluding the first day of the European Business Summit at the Egmont Palace in Brussels. The other nominees in the European Leader of the Year category were European Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom and the Commission’s Chief Negotiator for Brexit Michel Barnier.

The other winners of the awards are:

· European Personality of the Year: Zuzana Caputova, President of Slovakia

· European Innovator of the Year: Yvan Bourgnon, CEO of the Sea Cleaners

· European Corporate Social Initiative of the Year: Saori Dubourg, Senior Vice President of BASF’s global Diversity and Inclusion project

· European Entrepreneur of the Year: Markus Kessler & Vincent Zimmer, Kiron Open Higher Education

European Business Summit Managing Partner Jean de Gheldere said: “We are proud to present these awards to outstanding individuals who strengthen the core values of European Union and shape the future of Europe and its citizens”.

Euronews CEO Michael Peters said: “We are proud to partner with the European Business Summit in these prestigious awards recognizing a diversity of remarkable European leaders. The choice of Jean-Claude Juncker as ‘European Leader of the Year’ is a natural one, as he prepares to leave the European Commission. Over five years, he presided over an institution, which has had to deal with many challenges, not least of which Brexit. I want to congratulate each of the winners tonight.”

The European Leadership awards ceremony recognizes outstanding achievements in business, politics, entrepreneurship and innovation. The winners were selected by a jury of experts from business, academia and media, including Pierre Gattaz (BusinessEurope), Ann Mettler (EPSC), Gardenia Trezzini (Euronews), Bart Becks (Euractiv) and Celia Moore (CSR Europe).

The event – attended by high-level decision makers, business leaders and key partners of EBS and Euronews – was broadcast live by Euronews, streamed on Facebook and the European Leadership Awards website.

European Leadership Awards

The European Leadership Awards is a prestigious and reputable awards ceremony recognizing outstanding achievements in business, politics, entrepreneurship and innovation. Begun in 2018 as a joint venture by Euronews and the European Business Summit, every year winners are chosen by a jury of experts from business, academia and media.

European Business Summit

European Business Summit is a well-known organization which creates and supports networking and debating events in Brussels, including our biggest and most prestigious event – the annual European Business Summit. Our principal goal is to bring business and politics together and stimulate thinking on the most challenging European issues. Through its events and publications, EBS delivers an inspired and informed contribution to policy-making in Europe. EBS is supported by the FEB (Federation of Enterprises in Belgium) and BUSINESSEUROPE. The EBS is also proud to acknowledge the high patronage of His Majesty the King of the Belgians.

European Leadership Awards 2019 jury

The jury for 2019 includes Pierre Gattaz (BusinessEurope), Ann Mettler (EPSC), Gardenia Trezzini (Euronews), Bart Becks (Euractiv) and Celia Moore (CSR Europe). Award categories include European Leader of the Year, European Personality of the Year, European Innovator of the Year, European Corporate Social Initiative of the Year, and the European Entrepreneur of the Year.