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Daniel Corby CEO 118 Group enters HSBC Bank plc start-up stars awards in bid to become Britains brightest new business


WEBWIRE

Daniel Corby, CEO and founder of 118 Group has announced it is has entered the HSBC Bank plc ‘start up stars’ awards 2006.

118 Group was founded in 2005 and now trades from offices in Chelmsford, Harlow and Salt Lake City, Calcutta. The business has grown significantly in the first year and is now a multi million £ success story, taking in brands including 118 trades, 118 telecoms, 118 gethitched and Car Auto.

“There are plenty of opportunities that await the group” said Daniel Corby on making the announcement. “We entered the HSBC startup stars awards in 2005 and got as far as the Quarter Finals – we are planning on winning this year! The business has since diversified, opened a centre in Asia, and has recently acquired the business of Car Auto, a new service to match buyers to sellers in the used car business”

118 Group is essentially a business which generates it revenues and profits from selling advertising and virtual products over the phone using Telesales as the route to market.

The largest part of the business is 118 trades, which is now the UK’s leading directory service of tradespeople and businesses with checkable references and the 4th largest directory provider in the UK today.

Recent highlights of the groups activities include the acquisition of Car Auto, which will launch in September, the planned opening of a new state of the art call centre in Chelmer Village, Chelmsford for 450 people, the appointment of Richard Allan as Chairman and a strengthening of the main board and business generally.

“We are now in the final stages of raising significant development capital through a quoted plc which will provide us with everything we need to grow the business to the next level and achieve our sales targets of £30 Million in the next 14 months”

118 Group plans to float on AIM in 2007 / 2008 when it will raise further funds to complete further acquisitions for growth across all sectors.

118 telecoms sells memorable and alphanumeric telephone numbers, 118 gethitched is a web portal for anything connected with weddings and Car Auto aims to match buyers to sellers in the used car market.

Daniel Corby took the decision to enter the HSBC start up stars awards after reading about last years winners on the internet. “I am convinced we have the product, the people and the business / will to win this competition and am looking forward to the challenge”

Notes for Editors

118 Group was founded in 2005 and employs in excess of 100 people in Chelmsford and operates a call centre in Asia

118 trades is the UK’s leading directory service of tradespeople and businesses with checkable references and has 40,000 active members already

Daniel Corby was previously Sales Director at mobile retailer phones4u and retail director at The Tanning Shop, part of Bodycare International

www.118trades.com
www.the118group.com
www.carauto.co.uk



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