As the cut-off for entries looms, the PwC New Zealand HiTech Awards has announced the addition of Dell founder and chief executive Michael Dell to its 2009 line-up of judges.

Mr Dell started his company with $US1000 as a student, essentially following the same direct sales model as PC Direct founders Maurice Brayham and Sharon Hunter in New Zealand, only writ much larger.

After attempting retirement in 2007, Mr Dell (worth $US17.3 billion, putting him number 11 on Forbes’ list) returned to his eponymous company in July last year, where the 43-year-old chief executive has been engineering a turnaround (HP having grabbed the world number one slot in PC shipments in his absence) and diversification into new markets.

Bob Pinchin, MD of event organiser and promoter Sway.Tech, says Mr Dell will join a high-powered panel of international judges including Pat Kenealy, managing director of IDG Ventures, the venture capital wing of global IT publisher IDG; and ex-pat Andy Lark, who during his time as a vice president at Sun Microsystems popularised corporate blogging.

The international panel will be complemented by local judges, convened by IT industry veteran turned professional director Garth Biggs. The local panel will conduct interviews with finalists.

The 15th annual PriceWaterhouseCoopers New Zealand HiTech Awards cover 11 categories, including Emerging Company, innovation awards in hardware, software and services, Young Achiever and Outstanding Individual Contribution.

Winners will ba announced at an award dinner to be held at the Christchurch Convention Centre on Friday, May 1.

Entries close March 16. Find more information on how to enter on the HiTech Awards site.