Award winning Entrepreneur Hilary Devey is the Inspirational Founder, Chief Executive and Chairman of The Pall-Ex Group. A C4 Secret Millionaire and Ch 5's Business Inspector she is a highly respected business figure who has not only built up a multi million pound business from nothing but has revolutionised palletized freight distribution in the process.

Hilary Devey gained a wealth of experience in the distribution sector, having worked at Littlewood’s, followed by Tibbett and Britten, and Scorpio (part of the United Carrier network). She then spent seven years in the retail distribution sector at TNT before leaving to set up her own business.

Prior to the formation of Pall-Ex it was impossible to transport small consignments of palletised freight quickly and cost-effectively. Hilary knew that this situation needed addressing urgently and she is responsible for revolutionising distribution in this country by inventing a business model that would overcome this.

During this time she had to tackle incredible odds and face untold hardships. Her concept was completely new - untried and untested. Bankers refused to back her proposed venture and she was forced to sell her house, and downgrade her car to fund its start up.

She faced these difficult decisions with true entrepreneurial spirit. A very difficult decision for anyone let alone a single mother, she tackled them head on. Many would have given up but Hilary persisted, knowing that her idea simply had to work. After all it was she who was solely responsible for providing a home and a specialist education for her dyslexic son.

Massive obstacles lay ahead but Hilary managed to overcome every one of them. After months of abortive attempts, Hilary managed to source her first premises and eventually, on 29 November 1996, Pall-Ex was born. On the first night of operation just 117 pallets were distributed through the fledgling network – a stark contrast to the 10,000 pallets that are now regularly distributed by Pall-Ex nightly.

Today, as Chief Executive of the UK’s No. 1 palletised freight distribution network, Hilary is an inspirational role model for both male and female entrepreneurs. Having started from nothing, she now leads a network which boasts a combined turnover approaching £100m and serves numerous blue chip customers. Pall-Ex makes daily deliveries to every UK postcode as well as operating a scheduled daily service to 38 European countries.

Both Hilary and her company can boast an impressive array of firsts within the logistics sector – they are innovators, not followers as evidenced by innumerable award accolades. Hilary campaigns tirelessly for various charities including The Princess Royal Trust for Carers for whom she became a patron in 2007.

European expansion is the next target on Hilary’s radar with her new Pall-Ex Italia network which she is planning to replicate in other countries in mainland Europe.

She is hugely inspiring and her speeches demonstrate that the skills learned as daughter, wife and mother can indeed be seamlessly transferred to the Boardroom. She is also passionate about enticing females into the type of jobs which they often do not believe they are capable of.

In December, 2006, Hilary was invited to a reception held at Buckingham Palace by HM The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, to recognise people who had made a significant contribution to local or national life.

2008

Leicestershire Business Awards, Contribution to the Community – Finalists

Leicestershire Business Awards, Investing in Leicestershire Category– Finalists

International Freighting Weekly Awards, Road Freight Operator of the Year – Finalists

International Freighting Weekly Awards, Supply Chain Award - Finalists

2007

Times Online/Bank of Scotland, Entrepreneur Challenge – Finalists

National Business Awards, Regional Winner, Entrepreneur of the Year – Hilary Devey

Chamber Awards, Business of the Year – Regional Winner

National Business Awards, Business of the Year - Highly Commended

Leicestershire Business Awards, Business of the Year – Winner

Leicestershire Business Awards, Entrepreneur of the Year – Finalist - Hilary Devey

International Freighting Weekly, Environmental Award – Finalist

Prowess Awards, Inspirational Women – Winner - Hilary Devey

Ernst & Young Award, Southern Regional and overall UK Entrepreneur of the Year – Winner - Hilary Devey

2006

First Woman Awards, Business Services – Winner – Hilary Devey

Veuve Clicquot, Business Woman of the Year Award – Finalist – Hilary Devey

UK Warehousing Association, Technology and Innovation – Winner

The Chamber Awards, Entrepreneur of the Year – Regional Winner East Midlands - Hilary Devey

International Freighting Weekly, Information Technology – Highly Commended

National Business Awards, Innovation of the Year Award – Finalist

National Business Awards, Entrepreneur of the Year Award – Finalist - Hilary Devey

Growing Business Awards, Entrepreneur of the Year – Finalist - Hilary Devey

Growing Business Awards, Technology in Business – Winner

2005

Women of Achievement Awards, Business Woman of the Year – Winner – Hilary Devey

First Women Awards – Finalist – Hilary Devey

Leicestershire Business Awards, Business Personality of the Year – Winner - Hilary Devey

Leicestershire Business Awards, Enterprise through Innovation – Finalist

Leicestershire Business Awards, Business of the Year – Finalist

Veuve Clicquot, Business Woman of the Year Award – Finalist - Hilary Devey

2004

Midlands Business Woman Award – Winner - Hilary Devey

Institute of Logistics and Transport Annual Awards for Excellence, Information Management Award – Finalist

Institute of Transport Management, European Distributor of the Year - Finalist

Institute of Transport Management, European Transport & Distribution Company – Winner

Motor Transport, Supply Chain Award – Winner

Motor Transport, Environmental Award – Highly Commended

Motor Transport, Warehouse Innovation Award – Winner

2003

Institute of Transport Management, International Transport Services Company - Winner

2002

Institute of Transport Management, Jubilee Roll of Honor – Winner

2001

Institute of Transport Management, Award of Excellence – Winner

1999

Institute of Transport Management, Award of Excellence – Winner

1998

Midlands Today Newspaper, Distribution Company of the Year – Winner

1997

Institute of Transport Management, Award of Excellence - Winner