The Yorkshire Fastest 50 awards will honour the brightest and best

.Gareth Yates, of Ward Hadaway, made the comments as preparations are underway for the Yorkshire Fastest 50 awards for 2020.

The law firm Ward Hadaway, in association with The Yorkshire Post, has launched the awards in Yorkshire for the 10th year running.

Established in 2011, the Yorkshire Fastest 50 Awards celebrate the 50 fastest growing, privately owned companies from across the region.

The annual awards ceremony recognises small, medium and large sized companies, rewarding them for their success, innovation and influence.

Mr Yates said: “It’s momentous to be hosting our 10th year, marking our first decade highlighting the talent, abilities and efforts of businesses across Yorkshire.

“Over the past nine years, we have celebrated the most innovative and forward-thinking companies who have shown competitive prowess, tenacious focus and genuine ability in what they do. They have directly contributed to the regional economy; putting Yorkshire on the map as home to some of the UK’s most promising, inspiring and progressive companies.

Mr Yates added: “Each and every one of them have rightfully secured a spot in our Fastest 50 list and this is credit to their success, which has also created jobs in the region, driven growth and attracted national and international investment.

“In what is a special milestone year for the awards, 2020 will showcase Yorkshire’s crème de la crème of the business world and highlight how they’re driving change in both traditional industries and emerging sectors, fuelled by developments in technology and infrastructure.”

The winners will be announced at an invitation-only event, hosted by a distinguished guest speaker, at Aspire in the centre of Leeds. Firms are selected and verified using publicly available information from Companies House.

In the last nine years, hundreds of companies have been listed in the Fastest 50. Over a quarter of these businesses have appeared in the list more than once.

Between them, they have generated over £17bn in turnover.

In previous years, firms including ESP Systex, Advanced Forwarding Limited, Azzure IT, MSM Foods Limited, Hisense UK and Pure Transwaste Recycling & Aggregates Limited have been listed in the Fastest 50.

Mr Yates added: “2020 not only marks the first decade of the Fastest 50 awards but it also heralds a new era for the UK as we start to move into, and do business in, a post Brexit world.

“Despite volatile markets and economic uncertainty, Yorkshire businesses have continued to strive for success and showed that hard work, capability and a hunger to achieve really can pay dividends.

“Regardless of external events, the region continues to be a hotbed of innovation, creativity and development with record turnovers reached, rapid growth achieved, and increased employment enjoyed.

“Businesses across the region are thriving and it’s vital we continue to celebrate that accomplishment.”

Greg Wright, The Yorkshire Post’s deputy business editor, will also speak at the awards ceremony.