Fastest 50: North East Businesses On The Rise
14th October, 2025
The Ward Hadaway North East Fastest 50 Awards return in 2025 to celebrate the region’s most dynamic and successful businesses.
Taking place on Friday 17 October at BALTIC, the annual event, held in partnership with The Journal, celebrates the companies driving economic growth and showcasing the best of the region’s business community.
Damien Charlton, Head of Commercial at Ward Hadaway, oversees the Fastest 50, now in its 27th year of recognising the North East’s fastest-growing businesses, objectively compiled from Companies House data.
Damien said; “Every year the region’s business community looks forward to the Fastest 50 event and the stories of success that emerge and inspire. Entrepreneurs never stand still, and over the past 27 years, it has been fascinating to watch those changes take shape, ultimately powering the next generation of business growth.
“Today, generative AI, automation, advanced digital tools, emerging technologies, ESG, sustainable practice and the green economy are just a handful of the changes that businesses have seen over the past decade. How they adopt and harness these trends to fuel future growth is fascinating to witness, and I’m looking forward to hearing how entrepreneurs and leaders in the region are adapting and thriving.”
Although the Ward Hadaway North East Fastest 50 has always featured businesses from across the North East, this is the first campaign since Ward Hadaway added its own Teesside office, merging with well-respected firm The Endeavour Partnership in July.
This year’s keynote speaker knows a thing or two about powering growth in the region over the long term. Having founded Wilton Universal Group in 1994 with his partner Steve Glenn, Dr Bill Scott, OBE DL took the business from £600,000 turnover to £85million within the first 20 years. Eleven years on Bill talks passionately about building today to protect the future.
Not only has he attracted multi-million pound investments to the region, and created jobs and opportunities for local people from apprentices to highly skilled engineers, he continues to play a significant role in inspiring belief in the possibilities for business both in Teesside and the wider North East. In 2022, he established Wilton’s Apprentice Academy, training the next generation of engineering experts.
His determination to deliver world-class solutions for the oil and gas, subsea, marine, decommissioning, offshore wind and defence industries, and passion for supporting individuals, businesses and charities in the area, means that Bill has been awarded many accolades over the years, including an OBE in 2019 and an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration from Teesside University.
He will deliver the keynote at The Ward Hadaway North East Fastest 50 Awards where he will talk about his journey, not only in business, but as an entrepreneur and advocate for the region and its communities, and what it takes to continually move forward, build and keep momentum to deliver success over decades.
Damien continues: “Every day our regional businesses are navigating change and challenge, but they do so with a fearless spirit. We have a strong manufacturing and engineering heritage, yet we are not afraid to harness new industries such as automation and advanced robotics, health-tech and satellite technology, train our future leaders and grasp opportunities to capitalise on emerging technologies.
“From the new Space Research Centre in Durham, to Energy Central Campus in Blyth, bringing together business, academia, talent and investment, our region and its brilliant businesses have the power to deliver growth and change at pace.
“The recent announcement that the region is to become an AI Growth Zone, creating 5,000 job opportunities, and bringing £30billion of investment into the region is incredible. Just five years ago, AI as a driver for growth in our region wasn’t on the agenda. Now it is set to become a key tenet of our economic strategy. The rate and scale of change is incredibly exciting, especially when you consider the supply chain jobs and businesses that will be needed to support the sector’s growth.”
This year’s awards are set to once again create a focal point for regional business, celebrating those long-standing names that are the backbone of our economy, while championing new entrants that are capitalising on emerging opportunities.
Look out for the list on our website on 17 October 2025 here.
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