The Ward Hadaway Yorkshire Fastest 50 awards are returning for 2020

Over the last decade, The Yorkshire Post and the top 100 law firm Ward Hadaway have joined forces to organise the Yorkshire Fastest 50, which honours the innovative and dynamic entrepreneurs who are bringing jobs and investment to our region.

The event has attracted a host of famous speakers, including the leading Labour politician Sir Keir Starmer, who spoke at the 2018 awards.

Gareth Yates, a Partner at Ward Hadaway. said: “As leaders finalise their plans, establish objectives, assess risks and determine the best routes to growth; it’s clear that Yorkshire remains a hotbed for creative, dynamic and progressive companies that have what it takes to succeed. 

“As the entrepreneurial world looks forwards, top 100 law firm Ward Hadaway, in partnership with The Yorkshire Post, will soon celebrate the annual Yorkshire Fastest 50 Awards.”

The winners of this year’s award will be announced at a glittering ceremony on Friday March 20. 

Mr Yates added: “In 2020, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the awards, which recognise the region’s fastest growing, privately owned companies, where turnover has continued to increase year after year.

“As we examine data from the past nine years of Fastest 50 Awards, we see that manufacturing and retail businesses have experienced particularly strong success despite the stories of decline we often hear these industries face.

Mr Yates added: “Poundworld Retail Limited, for example, has appeared in the Yorkshire Fastest 50 more than any other company within the region, which is no mean feat.”

Construction, wholesale and business services are other sectors experiencing steady growth, as they expand their client base and number of employees to meet the growing demand for work.

Mr Yates added: “Technology companies are also flying the Yorkshire flag; Azzure IT won the fastest growing small company award in 2017 and 2018.”

Since Ward Hadaway, backed by The Yorkshire Post, established these awards, 335 companies have made the top 50, many of them multiple times, across nine years of awards.

Between them, Yorkshire’s fastest growing firms have recorded more than £17bn in turnover over the last decade.

Mr Yates added: “Business is booming across the region. The last three years of Yorkshire’s Fastest 50 winners experienced no less than 95 per cent growth; an incredible achievement, especially during tough and unpredictable trading conditions. 

“Wholesalers have continued to go from strength to strength especially those involved in the wholesale of foods.

“For example, household name HECK! won last year’s fastest growing medium business and between 2012 and 2014, MSM Foods Limited was consecutively named fastest growing small business of the year.”

The full list of nominees will be unveiled in The Yorkshire Post in February, with our annual supplement featuring all the winners and action from the awards published on 24 March.

Greg Wright, The Yorkshire Post’s deputy business editor, who will speak at the awards said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Ward Hadaway and announce that we will be hosting the Yorkshire Fastest 50 awards again this year. These awards honour the brightest and the best.”

Here is a report on last year’s list: The Yorkshire Fastest 50 2019

Each year Ward Hadaway compiles a list of the 50 privately-owned, profitable organisations that have seen the biggest average annual growth rate in their turnover.

They then crown the fastest growing small, medium, large and overall company at an awards ceremony which is held in March in Leeds.

Gareth Yates, a partner at Ward Hadaway, said: “Growing businesses are the lifeblood of the economy and we want their efforts to be recognised and celebrated on a wider scale, which is exactly what the Fastest 50 does.”