Adrian Binks, chairman and chief executive of leading global energy and commodity news and price reporting agency Argus Media Group, was honoured last week with the prestigious EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award in the international category. 

Binks bought a partnership in a small newsletter business called Europ-Oil Prices in 1984 from its founder Jan Nasmyth. Taking management control that year he proceeded to adopt the Argus name, develop an international business and expand services continuously over the next three decades without the use of leverage. 

The first debt on the business was raised in September 2016, when Argus was sold to global growth equity firm General Atlantic for almost £1bn, enabling the Nasmyth family to exit the business. Binks kept his entire shareholding in the business as did many other employees.

Today, Argus has offices in 20 countries and employs more than 850 staff in all the key commodity trading, producing and consuming centres. Argus has customers in more than 140 countries and produces over 23,000 price assessments on a daily basis covering energy, fertilizer, petrochemical and metal markets. 

In presenting the UK award, the EY judges praised Binks for his integrity, vision and perseverance in building an international business over many years, primarily through organic growth. 

Adrian Binks said: “I am particularly pleased to win the award in the international category. The commodity business is truly global and we have only been able to succeed as a company because we committed to that vision and expanded internationally to provide the services our customers need.” He added: “I would like to acknowledge and thank the highly skilled and loyal colleagues who have been with me at Argus over the years. They have all worked tirelessly on our mission to bring transparency to opaque global commodity markets.”