Jamie Oliver, pukka tycoon

Jamie Oliver is one of four high-flyers to have made the shortlist for the title of Entrepreneur of the Year at the European Business Leaders Awards.

Although the prize is open to competitors from throughout Europe, all four nominees are British. Oliver, 31, is up against the CEO of the world's biggest listed hedge fund, Stanley Fink, and Kate Swann, chief executive of WH Smith.

Oliver's success at creating a globally recognised identity offers important lessons to all would-be tycoons, said one of the competition's judges, Sean Meehan of the IMD business school in Lausanne.

Since breaking into television as The Naked Chef, Oliver has built a personal fortune of about £58m. His main UK companylast year made £5.9m in pre-tax profits.