More than 400 companies, some from as far away as Hong Kong, entered this year's programme and many attended the awards ceremony during this week's EC98 event at Olympia.

Accepting the premier BT Award for Innovation in e-business 1998, Patrick Harrison, Head of Sales, Thomas Cook Commercial Foreign Exchange (CFX), commented: "Winning this award firmly establishes Thomas Cook as a leading force in the world of business finance and supports our belief that this system really will change the face of business foreign exchange forever." Afshin Mohebbi, Managing Director, UK Markets BT, said: "I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone who entered. We received over 400 entries and the quality was exceptional. BT e-business is all about evolution. Mobile phones, ISDN, electronic organisers, lap-top computers, modems ad the Internet have all played a crucial role in the development of many small businesses."

Overall standard continues to improve David Brunnen, Managing Director of Awards organisers ABFL, commented: "The Awards began six years ago, when e-business was most apparent as traditional EDI for supply chain management. The Awards case studies show how business ideas have evolved and how e-business now reaches across all parts of the economy - and particularly amongst small businesses. "This year's entrants in all sectors, are better in terms of numbers and quality than we have ever seen - which in part is a reflection of how fast the whole e-business scene is growing and maturing."

Simon Champion, Head of Electronic Commerce at BT, this year's premier sponsors said: "Electronic business knows no boundaries, either geographically or politically. As a global business itself, BT knows the problems which companies can encounter, as their business reach and trading partners stretch around the globe. BT is delighted that so many British, Continental and North American companies entered for the awards."

Rosalie Zobel, Head of Unit, DGIII of the European Commission and Head of Electronic Commerce, told the audience during the awards programme: "One of the greatest challenges we face in Europe is to work together to achieve our common goals. We have an abundance of initiatives and creative activity and overlapping enthusiasms - but we are often weak when it comes to common pooling or transfer of skills and expertise. "It is always encouraging to visit the UK and see how various vibrant organisations are pursuing the dream of the digital economy. It is also, of course, vital that governments at all levels - European, national and local - join forces with industry in this area. "Such enthusiasm is also evident all across Europe - and I am delighted that the premier sponsor, BT, together with Hitachi Europe and NewsDesk International are playing their part in this pan-European business development. "I have seen an extremely impressive list of entrants and finalists for this Awards Programme. As a representative of the European Commission, it is also encouraging to see that you have got a number of entries from beyond the UK - which shows that people are realising the importance of collaboration at a European level in order to get a competitive advantage in the rapidly integrating European market, and indeed on the global stage."

The winners in each category were:
* The BT Award for Innovation in e-business 1998: Thomas Cook Commercial Foreign Exchange (CFX)
* The Hitachi Europe Award for Innovation in e-business in the Finance Sector, in association with ECA: Thomas Cook Commercial Foreign Exchange (CFX)
* The Express/BT e-business award for small businesses, in association with the British Chambers of Commerce: Mansfield Motors
* The Award for Innovation in e-business in Media & IT, in association with NEWSdesk International: NMTV/Silicon
* The Award for Innovation in e-business in Supply Chain Management, in association with the ANA: J. Sainsbury/Nestle
* The Award for Innovation in e-business in the Service sector, in association with the IMIS: Seaforths Travel
* The Award for Innovation in e-business in Retail, Travel & Transport, in association with Net Profit magazine: EMAP Online
* The Award for Innovation in e-business in the Public Sector, in association with SITPRO: Cornwall Health Trust
* The Award for Innovation in e-business in Europe, in association with EEMA: Quality Bakers * The ABFL Award for Collaborative Advantage: Surrey Police Special commendations
* Special Commendation for e-business applied to local economic and social challenges: Electronic Village, Glasgow
* Chairman's Commendation for the Management of Change: The Post Office
* Chairman's Commendation for Sustained Innovation: Charles Schwab Europe

Source: Press release