Bespoke fine jewellery brand Vashi has announced that Founder, Chairman and CEO Vashi Dominguez has been shortlisted as a regional finalist in the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ UK 2021 programme. Dominguez is one of 31 entrepreneurs to be selected as a finalist in the London and the South East region. This is not only a testament to Dominguez’s leadership during a challenging year – with the company more than doubling in size of employees over the last year, during the Covid-19 pandemic, and on track to achieve 100 percent year-over-year growth – but also comes at an exciting moment for the brand, which has just opened its groundbreaking new flagship store in Covent Garden.

Entrepreneur Of The Year™ UK has been celebrating, supporting and connecting entrepreneurs since it launched more than 20 years ago, and its annual award programme highlights the strength of entrepreneurship across the UK. Previous winners include Gymshark’s Founder and Chief Brand Officer Ben Francis and Steve Jackson OBE, CEO of Recycling Lives. This year’s 126 UK finalists have been selected from a range of different sectors, including technology, consumer and health sciences, representing the region’s most inspiring business leaders, who are making a positive impact on the economy.

Dominguez is a true entrepreneur, bringing strategic vision to an industry that lagged far behind in the way it viewed and treated its customers. His vision to challenge a century-old business model, his desire to build an extraordinary organisation and his ambition to judge success against the biggest players in the world have made Vashi the world’s first modern jewellery brand. Over the last five years he has driven strong financial performance, growing sales by 1,700 percent and profits by 2,400 percent. In addition to financial value, Dominguez is also highly effective at developing human capital. Simply put, he takes good people and makes them great, and he does this by creating unique opportunities, providing vision and autonomy, and above all through leading by example.

Vashi Dominguez, Founder and CEO, said: “This year has been incredibly challenging for businesses and entrepreneurs, and I’m so proud of everything my team has achieved. I’m delighted to have been recognised by the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ UK 2021 programme at what is an unbelievably exciting time for Vashi. Our new Covent Garden flagship has brought our vision to life – and there’s so much more to come over the next 12 months, and beyond.”

Rich Ascott, Chief Brand Officer, said: “Vashi leads through vision, context and detail. He inspires those around him to dream bigger, gives them the autonomy to deliver and then reviews everything with a fastidious and discerning eye.”

Richard Reed, Co-Founder of Innocent Drinks and JamJar Investments said: “Vashi has the potential to do to the jewellery establishment what Airbnb did to hotels – upturn the current consumer proposition, give a better, more authentic personal experience, create an entirely new and better way.”

Virtual judging will take place on the 22nd and 23rd June, 2021 to determine the representatives for each region, and the UK finalists will be announced in September. The overall UK winner – who will go on to represent the UK at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ in 2022 – will be revealed in November.