PERTH, WA, 9 Aug 2019 – James Symons, CEO of Perth-based company PC Locs, named Regional Winner in the 2019 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ awards.
PC Locs is pleased to announce that James Symons has been awarded the 2019 Western Region EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™, in the disruptor category. Symons joins other outstanding entrepreneurs from across Australia who will compete for the ultimate prize of being named 2019 Australian EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™.
Perth School teacher, Paul Symons (James’ father) began the company in 1998 with a friend of his after inventing a device to lock down computers getting stolen from his classroom. The family’s back yard shed in Dianella became the manufacturing, sales, marketing and admin headquarters for the company when James began selling the devices to schools from the back of his car.
After running sales and marketing for the business, James took over as General Manager in 2006, with his father insisting he buy into the business to ensure he had “skin in the game”.
The rapid growth of the business required James to leave the company’s “backyard shed” beginnings behind and relocate to Wisconsin, USA in 2012. From here he established the US and European divisions of the business.
“It is an honour to be recognised among some of the most inspiring business leaders and entrepreneurs in the state”, says Symons.
Using the export brand name LocknCharge, the US and European units now contribute to more than 80 per cent of the company’s total revenue.
With innovation at its core, the company recently launched its new consumer brand, TechDen, which is the first product to combine software with hardware to teach kids positive habits for using their devices. With the adoption of mobile devices in the workplace, PC Locs is now transforming how businesses manage and track their digital assets through the PC Locs smart locker systems.
The company employs over 100 staff across 9 offices globally, selling products into more than 20 countries around the world. James’ father, Paul Symons remains as co-owner, director and occasional product designer.
“I have somehow convinced the incredible people that I work with that the journey is worth the sacrifice and I am so grateful for how loyal and passionate they are. They literally do the hard work. Having the support of my Dad as co-owner and business partner is more than I could ever ask for. He is the ultimate visionary, inventor and entrepreneur, and I am privileged to carry on what he started”.
PC Locs protects around two million devices for more than 22,000 business customers globally and has commercial relationships with some of the largest technology companies in the world, including Apple, Dell and Google.
James will join his fellow National finalists representing Western Australia at the regional national celebration dinner on October 24th in Sydney where National category winners and the 2019 Australian EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ will be announced.
About PC Locs and LocknCharge
PC Locs and LocknCharge are privately owned, multi-national brands, with the main headquarters in Perth, Australia. The vision is to be globally recognised as the most innovative and trusted brands in developing solutions for managing deployments and healthy use of mobile technology. The mission is to make peoples’ lives easier – those managing deployments of mobile technology and those using it.
Learn more about the brands:
www.pclocs.com.au
www.lockncharge.com
www.techden.com
About EY Entrepreneur of the Year™
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The program makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognises the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year™ celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognising them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries.
The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ program, launched in Australia in 2001, is one of the country’s leading business awards programs. It has so far recognised over 1,500 leading Australians for their entrepreneurial business success and each year, through its global program, acknowledges thousands of entrepreneurs worldwide. Founded and produced by EY, the program in Australia is sponsored by Commonwealth Bank (Principal sponsor), Qantas (Sponsor) and Austrade (Supporter).
Further information about the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ program can be found at ey.com/au/eoy