Paul Oakenfold to Receive Special Award at 2014 BritWeek UKTI Business Innovation Awards, 4/23

British record producer, Trance DJ and three time Grammy Nominated Paul Oakenfold will receive a special Creative Fusion Award at the 2014 BritWeek UKTI Business Innovation Awards dinner on April 23rd 2014. Paul Oakenfold has had a career that spans over 3 decades and has opened for Madonna, U2, and Lenny Kravitz. The BritWeek UKTI Business Innovation Awards competition is now in its fifth year.

The Awards recognize exceptional innovation in the thriving business relationship between the UK and California. Companies from both California and the UK may enter the competition, and four winners out of the twelve finalists will receive awards in four categories: social impact, business services, product design, and technology.

The Creative Fusion Award is a special, additional award, given not to a company but to an individual whose creative talents and business acumen have had a major impact in the UK and California. The award to Paul Oakenfold will be the first special award that BritWeek has given since 2011, when the recipient was Simon Cowell.

"Paul Oakenfold is a very rare talent," said BritWeek Chairman Bob Peirce, "who pioneered a whole new genre of music... He continues to promote innovation in music and the music industry, and he exemplifies that great creative fusion between Brits and Americans. This award is made for him."

Paul Oakenfold has had a career that spans over 3 decades and several different fields within the music industry. Starting as a club DJ in Covent Garden, Oakenfold then moved on to work in A&R for Champion Records, signing DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, as well as Salt-n-Pepa. He also became promoter and British agent for the Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C. It was Oakenfold's residency at UK super-club Cream that brought Paul global respect as a master of his art, and the catalyst to him becoming a touring legend. Oakenfold's stature as a DJ and entertainer has taken him beyond the normal club and festival circuit, playing landmark gigs that have changed the face of electronic music. Highlights include three worldwide tours opening for Madonna and U2 (with both artists insisting on a DJ set from Paul instead of a support band); performing on the Great Wall of China and two sold out dates playing to 30,000 people at the Hollywood Bowl in California.