ALTRINCHAM-based entrepreneur Emma Clarke has been shortlisted as a finalist in the 2016 E3 Business Awards, which will be held at the Macron Stadium in Bolton on June 3.

Emma, who is an award-winning voiceover, broadcaster, writer and businesswoman, was selected from among hundreds of nominees to become one of the finalists for the prestigious Outstanding Woman in Business Award category.

She said: “I’m so honoured to have been nominated for this award – it was a total surprise. Dave Blakey my business mentor was kind enough to nominate me. I’m very excited to have been recognised and I can’t wait to meet the judges.”

"Each year, it becomes more of an achievement to win a finalist's place," said Mubarak Chati, managing director of 1 Events Media, which hosts the E3 Awards. "Every year since we've started, we've seen an increase in nominations and a corresponding increase in quality. This year, across all sixteen award categories, we've seen an increase of around 25 per cent on last year. That's on top of last year's increase which was itself up more than 30 per cent on 2014.

"We've had nominations from throughout the North West and we've seen real strength in all areas. One of the big surprises has been the number of entries from social enterprises. We had so many, in fact, that we decided to introduce a seventeenth award category, specifically for charities. It's always been a key purpose of the Awards to celebrate the achievement of all parts of the community - not just the mainstream - so to see charities, young entrepreneurs and women coming forward in such numbers is very gratifying indeed.

"Given the number and the high standard of entries, we certainly gave the nominations panel a difficult job. They have risen to the challenge, though, and their final selections represent the very best of the whole North West region. For Emma to have been named as a finalist for 2016 is an achievement of which she should be very proud."