The bosses shortlisted for the Entrepreneur category of the PLC awards have tackled challenges as varied as creating a commercial future for a tired metals company and starting up new businesses in payments processing and buildings management.

Transformation has been a simple matter of commercial survival for Ian Williamson, chief executive of Carclo. When he joined the Yorkshire company in 1995 it was a long-established wire and steel business whose management was equally long in the tooth. Now, at 56, he is the oldest manager by 15 years.