Company: Patersons Global HR & Payroll
Entry Submitted By: The Devon Group
Company Description: Patersons HR and Payroll Solutions, a leading global HR and payroll software and services business delivering expert solutions to clients in more than 160 countries. Headquartered in Salisbury, U.K. with offices in the U.S., central Europe and Asia. Patersons HR and Payroll differentiates itself by; one contract, one software solution, one enterprise interface and one cohesive system approach.
Nomination Category: Individual Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Entrepreneur in EMEA

Nomination Title: Karen Paterson, Chief Executive Officer, Patersons Global HR & Payroll

1. Describe for the judges the activities and accomplishments of the nominated entrepreneur during the eligibility period (up to 500 words):

When Karen Paterson was eight months pregnant, little did she know that she’d
soon be giving birth to both a son and the world’s first truly global payroll system.
After having forged an impressive career in the banking and finance industries,
Paterson set up her own consulting practice and took on Virgin Interactive
Entertainment as a client. When that company’s HR director posed the challenge
of designing and implementing an international payroll system, she seized the
opportunity and started on the journey to what is today known as Patersons HR
and Payroll Solutions.

Unfettered by legacy computing baggage, Paterson designed a system intended
especially for the Internet from the start. Additionally, Paterson sought to resolve
what is potentially the largest problem faced by growing global organizations: the
lack of a one contract, one payroll system offering that helps companies payroll
employees while managing the inherent risks involved in fielding local and country
level tax and compliance regulations. Her technology and business acumen served
her well and – despite tremendous odds and being up against large, publicly held
competitors – she has driven Patersons HR & Payroll’s global expansion.

Much in the manner that Karen Paterson has seized the opportunity to compete
against the world’s two largest HR/payroll providers, Patersons HR and Payroll is
capturing global market share. In 2007, the company grew over 300% the previous
year and Patersons is revered as a forerunner of the next-generation of payroll and
HR management. Karen has also driven the development of an online community
that is the “one stop shop” for international HR and finance executives around the
world.

As for Karen Paterson - whose entrepreneurial hand rocked the cradle while
designing the world’s first Internet payroll management system - she has a firm
vision for her company. Headquartered in the U.K., Patersons in the past two
years, opened regional service centers, sales and support offices in Raleigh, North
Carolina, U.S.A.; Paris, France; Singapore and Shanghai, China. In line with client
demand, Patersons will open two additional offices by December of this year in
Germany and Italy.

In the beginning of 2008, Patersons released many product enhancements and
upgrades, including new Global Employee Self Service and Managers Self Service
portals; an upgrade to Cognos, the full business intelligence reporting suite
included in the Logon2 ASP solution; complete time and attendance integration
capabilities from any type of time capture hardware; a new global finance and
accounting product; and an online Global Treasury Management System.
Patersons has now established a global strategic Partnership with Citigroup
worldwide to jointly distribute the product and work on other new product ranges.
With the performance of the current business, including sales, profit and
employment growth - and the impact that it is making on the industry sector and
the wider economy. The company’s average growth rate is 360% year on year for
the past two years and booked income for the next year is also 360%.

2. List the URLs (web addresses) of any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that you would like the judges to see that support your entry. IMPORTANT: List each URL on a separate line, begin each URL with http://, and enclose each URL in square brackets. For example, [http://www.yourcompany.com/pressrelease.html]:

http://www.patersons.net/index.php?page=news&id=7d8a3653-398d-b712-f150-4860d2c12f29
http://www.patersons.net/index.php?page=news&id=8d4866b4-7831-0961-d6f4-48bd54c3f985
http://www.patersons.net/index.php?page=news&id=8d789cc9-efe8-9ce5-b38c-483bcb5399de
http://www.patersons.net/index.php?page=news&id=4be5eeee-1fb4-4ae6-f307-47de5401fcbf

3. Provide a brief biography of the nominated entrepreneur (up to 100 words):

Karen Paterson is the Chief Executive Officer for Patersons HR and Payroll. In
1996 she formed Patersons with a view to solving a real gap in the market -
international payroll. She is a thought leader in new wave software as a service
technology and the enterprise application market and also works closely with
several top U.K. universities on systems methodology. Paterson was also a
finalist in the European Women of Achievement awards in 2002.

She holds an MBA a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration, is an
Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIB) and Association of Taxation
Technicians (ATT).