Thames Valley 250 launched

More than 100 business leaders from across the Thames Valley met at Stoke Park, Stoke Poges, yesterday evening for the launch of the Thames Valley 250.

Directors and senior executives of diverse businesses gathered to learn about the new grouping of the top private companies in the region.

The Thames Valley 250 was launched by The Business Magazine publisher David Murray.

Full details of the 250, with all the rankings, appear in the latest, July/Aug issue, of the magazine.

Top economist Dennis Turner was the keynote speaker at the event. Turner, the chief economist at HSBC Bank, gave an expert’s insight into the prospects for business in 2010, as the economy comes out of recession.

The Thames Valley 250 is a list of the top private companies in the region. Only businesses that have their head office in the area, and are either home-grown or who have moved into the region from outside, are listed. Subsidiaries of foreign companies, and UK holding companies are ineligible, as are those that only have their registered address in the area. Companies are ranked by turnover.

Sponsored by business advisers Horwath Clark Whitehill, HSBC, law firm Blandy & Blandy LLP, and Thames Valley Innovation & Growth Team, the Thames Valley 250 will be a highly-anticipated annual listing of private businesses.

Murray told the audience: "The first thing to say about the 250 is that it is not a pecking order, and it doesn’t make any assumptions about the value of a company, the quality of its services, or the worth of its brand.

"The 250 is a listing of unquoted companies. It’s based on turnover and we’ve used Companies House records, with the last published accounts being usually 2008 or 2009.

"The 250 only lists businesses that have their head office in the area, and are either home-grown or who have moved into the region from outside. We don’t list those that are simply subsidiaries of foreign companies, or are holding companies, or those that simply have their registered offices in this area.

"We accept there will be some missing names, and while we have used Experian, OneSource and other recognised sources, some businesses will only come to light once the first list has been published in this month’s issue of the magazine and on our website.

"We intend this to be a fluid listing. The 250 will be updated at regular intervals."

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