Deloitte & Touche, the UK's fastest growing professional
services firm, has unveiled its fifth annual ranking of London and
the South East's fastest growing technology companies. Sophos, the
Abingdon-based world leader in corporate anti-virus protection was
placed 35 in the region's rankings.
"This recognition by Deloitte & Touche further highlights
the large strides Sophos has made over the past few years,
especially in terms of increasing profitability and market share,"
said Dr Peter Lammer, joint founder and CEO of Sophos Plc. "Our
focus on developing anti-virus protection specifically for business
users, backed up with the highest levels of customer support,
underpins our success."
For the year ended 31st March 2002, Sophos's profit before tax
grew 25% to £9.8 million and its turnover grew 40% to £31.6
million. This compares with analyst group IDC's estimation that the
anti-virus market is currently growing at 15.3% per year.
Deloitte & Touche created the Technology Fast 50 to reach
out to UK technology companies and champion innovation in the
sector. The programme tracks the growth rates of technology
companies in seven regions in the UK and Ireland, culminating in a
national ranking in December 2002. This year's event is also
co-sponsored by techMARK, the London Stock Exchange market for
innovative technology companies, and supported by Intellect, the
association for the UK's IT, telecommunications and electronics
industries.
The Technology Fast 50 programme seeks out those companies that
have shown impressive growth rates in the telecommunications,
hardware, software and biotechnology markets over the last three
financial years. All companies considered for the award must be
headquartered in the London or South East region, must be
technology-intensive or use unique technology in problem solving,
or must devote a high percentage of effort to research and
development.
William Touche, Chairman of the Technology Fast 50 Programme,
said, "In a year of extraordinary adversity and when achieving
growth remained the single biggest challenge the technology sector
faces, these companies have demonstrated how to achieve excellence
in niche markets. While 2002 was a period of retrenchment and soul
searching for technology companies, during which many elected to
rethink their core business strategies, these finalists have
continued to reinvent themselves in difficult circumstances."
"It is all the more vital that the companies who continue to
demonstrate strong growth are recognised accordingly for their
strong management teams as they are the key to innovation and
employment growth in the region and the UK as a whole," added
William Touche.
About the Deloitte & Touche Technology Fast 50
Programme
The programme consists of a series of regional programmes
covering the East, London & South East, Midlands, South West
& South Wales, the North, Scotland and Ireland. Each region
will host an awards ceremony to honour the 50 fastest growing
technology companies in that area. Following the regional
programmes, Deloitte & Touche will publish a national ranking
of the UK's Technology Fast 50 companies. A report on the award
winners, with analysis of the critical factors for success in this
industry, will be launched at a national press event to be held in
London in December 2002.
The Technology Fast 50 programme was originally started in San
Jose, the centre of Silicon Valley, California in 1995 and has
expanded across the globe in the last six years. Both the regional
Technology Fast 50 and the national Technology Fast 500 were
created to recognise the outstanding contribution of fast growing
technology companies to the US economy.
Deloitte & Touche's Telecoms Media & Technology group
(TMT) brings global industry expertise and experience to its
clients through local specialist teams who understand the business
issues facing today's organisations.
Deloitte's TMT service professionals provide clients with global
integrated services and are drawn from a variety of disciplines
including: Tax, Audit & Advisory, e-Business, Human Capital
Advisory Services, Corporate Finance, Strategic Advisory,
Enterprise Risk Services, Management Solutions and Consulting.
These distinct offerings are tailored especially for telecoms,
media, and technology companies including software, hardware,
Internet and e-commerce, semiconductor, biotechnology,
communications equipment and services, broadcasting and publishing
companies.
Deloitte & Touche is the UK's fastest growing major
professional services firm in 23 locations, with over 10,000 staff
nationwide and fee income of £713.6 million in 2001/2002. It is the
UK practice of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, a global leader in
professional services with over 100,000 people in 140 countries and
fee income of $12.4 billion for the year ended 31 May 2001.
Authorised by the Financial Services Authority in respect of
regulated activities. The information contained in this article is
correct at the time of going to press. For further information on
Deloitte & Touche, you can access our website on www.deloitte.co.uk.
