Leading law firm Ward Hadaway has launched its annual North East Fastest 50 Awards, backed by The Journal.
The awards, now in their 22nd year, highlight the privately owned businesses enjoying rapid growth in the North East and celebrate outstanding business achievement. The Fastest 50 Awards also take place in Manchester and Leeds where Newcastle-based Ward Hadaway also has offices.
The Fastest 50 was established in 1998 to celebrate privately-owned businesses showing the strongest annualised average growth in turnover, with the aim of acknowledging the success of high achieving companies and inspiring others to follow.
Since then, many of the region’s most successful businesses have had their achievements recognised with an appearance in the annual list of the fastest growing 50 companies, with the top performers receiving awards for their efforts.
As in previous years, the 2019 Ward Hadaway North East Fastest 50 has been compiled and verified using publicly available information from Companies House.
The search for winners will culminate at the prestigious Fastest 50 Awards ceremony in October, which is a highlight of the regional business calendar.
Awards will be presented to the fastest growing small, medium-sized and large privately-owned businesses in the North East. One of these three winners will go on to be named the overall fastest growing company in the region. Killingworth-based The NBT Group, a family owned business with a heritage built on innovation, took the top spot last year.
Jamie Martin, senior partner at Ward Hadaway, said; “The Ward Hadaway Fastest 50 celebrates the achievements of those progressive businesses who are constantly innovating and driving change.
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“We know that the region has some tremendous businesses that not only contribute to the economy, drive productivity and create jobs, but also make the area an exciting place in which to live and work.
“The Fastest 50 gives us an excellent opportunity to recognise the changemakers in our business community, many of whom we have the pleasure of working with.”
Winners over the years have included nursery providers, health and fitness clubs, specialist recruitment agencies, retailers, hotels, manufacturers and marine and offshore companies.
As well as charting the successes of the region’s fast-growing businesses, the Ward Hadaway Fastest 50 has seen some distinguished guest speakers, including BBC Breakfast business reporter and North East native Steph McGovern, Sir Vince Cable and Ed Balls.
Damien Charlton, a partner in the commercial team at Ward Hadaway, said; “For more than two decades The Ward Hadaway Fastest 50 has showcased the achievements of businesses large and small across the region.
“Being in the final 50 is an achievement in itself and has always depended on a company’s financial performance, which means that every business which makes it into the list in any given year gets there purely on merit.
“Year after year we see companies who innovate, challenge and invest, who don’t let the challenges of their times dampen their ambitions, make it onto the list. I’m looking forward to seeing which of our North East businesses have demonstrated those qualities this year.”
The 22nd Ward Hadaway North East Fastest 50 awards ceremony will take place on October 11 at Baltic, the Centre for Contemporary Art, in Gateshead, by invitation only.