Young Guns Class of 2009 revealed

The UK’s most exciting and ambitious young entrepreneurs have been named Young Guns for 2009.

Now in its seventh successful year, the Growing Business Young Guns list has a track record for unearthing phenomenal business talent.

From Innocent Drinks’ Richard Reed to Daisy Group’s Matthew Riley, who recently completed a £200m AIM flotation of his company, and Seb Bishop, who sold his advertising business for $200m, there are now well over 200 entrepreneurs who have been identified in their ascent to greatness through the scheme.

Despite the challenging economic environment, the Young Guns Class of 2009 is as packed full of fast growing, high quality businesses as ever.

“We conducted our search in one of the toughest trading environments for decades but finding gutsy young entrepreneurs was no more difficult this year, as the quality of the businesses on the final Young Guns 2009 list demonstrates,” said James Hurley, editor of Growing Business.

“The Young Guns alumni are 210-strong and many of the members of this exclusive club have already surpassed our high expectations. Congratulations are due to all of the entrepreneurs who made the 2009 list and we fully expect to be covering their success stories for years to come.”

To qualify, entrepreneurs had to be 35 or under, running a privately held business and able to demonstrate a unique and outstanding business that has experienced considerable growth and success.

The founders of the 30 Young Gun businesses, which included everything from fast growing PR firms to innovative web companies, social enterprises, and even an air taxi service, attended a lunch and photoshoot at Kensington Roof Gardens on 11 September.

Marc Boyan, chief executive Miroma Group, was named ‘Top Gun 2009’ after turnover grew from £9m last year to £20.2m for the most recent financial year at the media bartering and leisure firm.

“Marc impressed us not only with Miroma’s rapid turnover growth, but also an aggressive diversification that looks set to deliver further growth and stability as the economy recovers,” Hurley said.

Boyan has also recently acquired London nightspots Bar Rumba and Maya for the newly formed Miroma Leisure and plans to add a further 12 to 14 bars and restaurants in the next 18 months.

The Young Guns scheme was sponsored by accountancy firm haysmacintyre for the third consecutive year.