Each year, Yorkshire Business Insider combs Yorkshire and Humberside to find “42 under 42” – some of the region’s most exciting and dynamic young entrepreneurs who have made a difference to the local economy.
We are delighted to see that Stuart Barker, Chief Executive of our client Agenci Information Security (AIS), has made it onto the “Class of 2013” listing. Formerly working for GE Money Bank and Santander, Stuart set up Leeds-based The Agenci (now AIS) in 2010. The company offers security and business continuity, protecting companies from cyber-attacks and business outages, and has ambitions to grow turnover to £2m and employees to 11 over the two years.
Congratulations also to Jane Davies, Director of Fifty50 Hair Design & Technology, in York, who describes herself as “the Gordon Ramsay of hairdressing”. The business is based on the values of excellence, fairness and creativity, and recognising the value of staff training, her next plan is to set up an academy.
Ben Aspinall, Director of specialist chartered surveyors and town planners Aspinall Verdi in Leeds, has seen the business grow organically year-on-year since it began in 2009. Prestigious contracts have included a potash contract for Scarborough Council and a Whitby wind farm at Dogger Bank.
Helping to take family property business Caddick Group forwards is Johnny Caddick, son of the chairman, Paul Caddick. Working on some major developments across the country, he describes himself as an “ambitious rugby fanatic who loves a challenge”.
As a fellow Harrogate company, we were really pleased to see that James Cain, Managing Director of Water Brands Group, is also in the list. The company manages the Harrogate Spring Water and Thirsty Planet brands. Their biggest customer in Russia has made Harrogate Spring Water a popular name in Moscow through a massive billboard advertising campaign and it is now said to be Putin’s favourite water!
Judith Fiddler, Chief Executive of Direct Law & Personnel, provides expert HR advice to smaller businesses. Judith’s work has been recognised by the government and is helping to shape employment legislation. Her goal is to become the leading supplier of HR and employment law services to smaller businesses in the UK.
Once told by a former boss that he was “too enthusiastic”, David Cross of Coda Studios went on to found Coda with Mark Hobbs nine years ago and at Insider’s 2012 South Yorkshire Property Awards, he was named as Property Personality of the Year. Now with 17 employees, David is hoping to double turnover by the end of 2013 and open a Leeds office.
Rob Kilner, Director at 4D Contract Flooring describes himself as driven and ambitious. Supplying and installing timber flooring to the commercial market, the business is going from strength to strength.
Congratulations to everyone who made the full listing – you do Yorkshire proud and are the ones to watch for the future.
