Karim Sekkat
Chairman & Managing Director
Karim Sekkat, Chairman of KAS Technologies Group has been awarded finalist in the National Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 & 2007, 2007 Regional finalist for the Midlands and East of England.
The National Business Award is the UK’s most sought after business accolade. It has fast become a leading programme in recognising excellence in business achievement, innovation and success in the UK. With coverage in over 500 publications, featured on Sky TV and referred to by the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Gordon Brown) as the ‘Business Oscars’.
The panel of judges look for achievements demonstrating exceptional vision and leadership along with creating innovation, developing growth and strong financial performance. As a finalist Karim has been identified as having created a business that is successfully exploiting its potential.
The rewards of becoming a National Business Awards winner or finalist are immeasurable in terms of media exposure, organisation’s reputation and pride amongst managers and staff.
Karim has also been awarded Business Person of the Year 2007 & 2005 runner-up at the Oxfordshire Business Awards. The awards are one of the highlights in the county's business calendar, organised and supported by a number of the county's leading organisations and are firmly established as a benchmark for excellence in today's competitive business environment.
Karim stated: “We have strived to develop and implement successful business solutions, reduce costs and improve efficiency while actively taking steps to exceed customer expectations.”.
Gamil Magal
Non-executive Director
Gamil Magal graduated from University in Israel with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 1985, following 3 years of active military service, he emigrated to England.
Gamil worked in the automotive industry as an engineer for more than 20 years, before participating in a joint management buy-out at Coventry Pressworks, where he took responsibility for Engineering and Quality Management. Coventry Pressworks became the European showcase company for the Toyota Production System.
In 1995, Gamil was appointed as Operations Director at Adwest Rearsby Ltd, a subsidiary company of Adwest Group plc. After appointment as Plant Director of GKN Hardy Spicer UK, he took the position of Managing Director of Adwest Steering Limited, part of the Dura Automotive Group, in 1998 where he implemented lean practice management.
To date Gamil has revived more than ten failing European automotive companies, some through acquisition. These companies now form Magal Engineering Limited, of which Gamil is founder and chief executive officer. The eight companies employ 650 people and the group has annual sales in the region of £65 million.
Western Thomson Plastics, losing millions before it was acquired by Magal, was awarded IMECHE 2005 Manufacturing Excellence Awards for Best Small/Medium Enterprise and Best Financial Performance. Magal Metallifacture was highly commended in the Change Management category for two consecutive years. 2006 Who's Who publication awarded Gamil with professional executive of the year in the automotive component sector and he was named as one of the country's top 100 entrepreneurs.