Sir Michael Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award

Award of Entrepreneur of the year lifetime achievement award to Sir Michael Marshall CBE DL, chairman and chief executive Marshall of Cambridge (Holdings) Ltd

Sir Michael Marshall. Chairman and Chief Executive of Marshall of Cambridge (Holdings) Ltd was presented with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award at the London and South Awards Dinner for 2010 held in London on 14 June 2010.

The Award was presented to Sir Michael Marshall by Richard King, Deputy Managing Partner UK and Ireland for Ernst & Young, who said that 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards celebrated the exceptional determination, foresight and inspiration of entrepreneurs in the South East. He added: 'It is a particular pleasure to recognise the lifetime achievements of Sir Michael Marshall who heads one of the most successful privately owned and family run businesses in the country. Sir Michael is a natural leader; having gained his flying licence just after his 17th birthday, he flew in the Royal Air Force during his National Service, gained his Rowing Blue at Cambridge University and rowed for England. He joined the family business in 1955, initially building up the Motor Group Operations, expanding on a self-funding basis at the rate of 15% per annum over thirty years and looked after the Group banking, accounting and insurance relationships. He has also served as President or Chairman of many charitable activities, including The Air League. As Chairman and Chief Executive of the Group since 1990, he has overseen expansion in all activities and capabilities covering aviation, vehicle building and the retail vehicle sector, with Group sales now nudging up towards £1Billion per annum'.

Sir Michael Marshall said: 'It was an enormous honour and great privilege to accept this award on behalf of the Group of Companies, in recognition of our business success which is due to the quality of our people and their skills. Over the last one hundred years we have invested heavily in training and the development of our employees, taking in up to thirty-five apprentices and fifteen graduates per year, and we are particularly proud of the huge numbers of our employees who go on to complete thirty, forty, fifty, and in some cases, sixty years of service with Marshall of Cambridge'.