The 14th annual Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 awards dinner was held on 20 November 2018 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
The 263 guests included the founders, chairmen, CEOs and FDs of the featured companies. Guest speakers were Martina King, chief executive of Featurespace, and Mike Logue, chief executive of Dreams. John Eckbert, UK chief executive of Five Guys, spoke at a pre-dinner roundtable discussion.
Each company received a certificate, and Oliver Shah, business editor of The Sunday Times, presented the top company award to The Watches of Switzerland Group, which has grown its operating profits 36% to £37m in 2018, on sales of £685m.
Past guests
Colin Tenwick
Non-exec chairman
Addison Lee
Margaret Mountford
Chairman
Argent Group
Nick Wheeler
Founder & chairman
Charles Tyrwhitt
Matthew Streets
Managing partner
Foster + Partners
James Timpson OBE
Chief executive
Timpson
Mark Whitworth
Chief executive
Peel Ports Group
Jason Bannister
Founder & managing director
Oak Furniture Land
Larry Billett
Senior board member
Pret A Manger
Bill Robertson CBE DL
Founder & executive chairman
Robertson
Emma Lancaster
Chief executive
Study Group
Baroness Karren Brady CBE
Vice-chairman
West Ham United
Jon White
Managing director, UK
Turner & Townsend
A great opportunity to celebrate success and learn from like-minded business leaders Simon Arora, chief executive, B&M Retail
Meeting really interesting people and talking about challenges and successes is always stimulating Kim Coles, finance director, LUSH
Simply the best networking event in anyone's calendar Mike Clare, founder, Dreams
A wonderful opportunity to meet with peers and aspirational speakers Colin Tenwick, non-executive chairman, Addison Lee
Wonderful networking opportunities with very diverse business owners / CEOs Rod Bennion OBE, non-executive chairman, Mabey Holdings
Past speakers
John Eckbert, chief executive, Five Guys
Clare Gilmartin, chief executive, Trainline
Mike Logue, chief executive, Dreams