48 hours for verdict on best of best
Oct 10 2007 by Iain Laing, The Journal
THE excitement is mounting as the countdown continues to this year’s Ward Hadaway Fastest 50 Awards.
In two days’ time, the winners of the annual survey of the North-East’s fastest growing businesses will be revealed at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead.
More than 130 guests, including representatives of this year’s Fastest 50 companies and members of the region’s business community, will be in attendance when the awards are announced from 12.30pm.
Friday’s event marks the 10th anniversary of the awards, sponsored by leading North law firm Ward Hadaway and supported by The Journal.
This year’s Fastest 50 has been compiled with the help of researchers from Durham Business School, making it more authoritative than ever.
Head of commercial law at Ward Hadaway, Colin Hewitt, said: “The Fastest 50 is acknowledged as one of the key events on the region’s business calendar.
“As well as acting as a barometer of the North-East economy, it is a great occasion to celebrate the achievements of our companies on a national and international scale.” The Fastest 50 rewards privately-owned companies and organisations which have shown the strongest sales growth over the past two years and have generated profits for the same period.
On Friday, awards will be given to the fastest growing small, medium and large companies in the region.
An overall award will also be handed to the North-East’s fastest growing business of the year.
The Minister for the North-East, Nick Brown, will be guest of honour and give the keynote speech at the awards.
Mr Brown described the Fastest 50 as “a great showcase for dynamic modern enterprise in the North-East”.
Journal editor Brian Aitken will introduce proceedings at Friday’s event.
Mr Aitken said: “Like The Journal, the Fastest 50 really does put North-East enterprise on the map.
“All the companies in attendance on Friday deserve our congratulations as we celebrate the wealth of business talent we have in this region.”
Full coverage of the awards will be in Monday’s edition of The Journal.
There will also be a special supplement celebrating the 2007 Fastest 50 in the paper on Wednesday, October 17.
