Troon entrepreneur scores top awrad

Jan 18 2013 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post

A Troon businessman has been crowned young entrepreneur of the year at a prestigious awards ceremony.

Forward-thinking Gavin Oattes scooped one of the top accolades at WeDO Scotland’s glittering annual event which celebrates the best up-and-coming companies in Scotland.

Gavin, 28, runs Tree of Knowledge, a motivational training company based in Fife, which provides team building courses, education resources and training courses to primary and secondary schools as well as corporate businesses throughout the UK. He said: “Winning the WeDO Scotland Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award this year is a big honour for me.

“The judging panel are very experienced and respected in business and for them to recognise something in me, and my business, is absolutely fantastic. I’m over the moon to have won.”

Gavin and co-director, Alan Burton, appeared on BBC’s Dragon’s Den in 2010, where Peter Jones told the pair they were the best he’d seen when it came to making a difference in education.

Belinda Roberts, founder of WeDO Scotland, said: “The calibre of entrants was extremely high this year highlighting the fantastic talent and business acumen present in Scotland.

“Due to the high standard the judging process was extremely difficult. However, after scrutinising entrants on achievements to date, growth plans, financial information and commercial expertise, we are delighted with the end results.”