7. Maritime Assurance & Consulting (MAC)

Founder: Graeme Reid
Founded: January 2012
Website: www.mac-l.com

Reaching the top 10 for the second year running, the service-led maritime consultancy has continued to make impressive strides as a challenger brand in what is a notoriously closed sector. The firm now has more than 90 global customers in the oil, gas and renewables markets including multinationals such as BP Exploration, Centrica, Total and Chevron; if founder Graeme Reid ever worried about being taken seriously by major players, it’s safe to say he can put those fears to bed.

Whilst Reid admits it is challenging getting customers to change supplier in a market known for being resistant to change, the firm’s £3.5m predicted turnover for the year ending June 2014 paints a rosier picture, with MAC having secured £750,000 worth of work in January alone. The company will focus on building its lucrative Gulf of Mexico client base across the next 12 months, as well as developing the burgeoning social arm of the business – raising money for safety awareness initiatives and helping severely disabled children.