• Clear winner is wireless IT services provider MX Telecom Ltd of the UK, with average five-year revenue growth of 57,939 percent
• Average five-year revenue growth for all companies is 1,396 percent, double that of  last year
• Survey of Fast 500 CEOs reveals that 87 percent of CEOs are either very confident or extremely confident that they will sustain their growth rates over the next year - the most confident EMEA CEOs have been in the six years since the ranking began.

The full list of EMEA’s 500 fastest-growing technology companies was announced on November 27 during the 2006 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA awards.  Deloitte also released the 2006 Technology Fast 500 EMEA CEO Survey & Ranking - a comprehensive analysis of the business trends and background statistics of the winning companies and a summary of the key concerns and expectations of sector CEOs.

Top five ranked companies and % growth

Key trends observed in this year’s ranking were:

• Software firms continue to dominate the ranking, providing 44 percent of all listed firms, followed by communications and networking, with 16 percent;
• Proportional to population numbers, technology firms in Norway, Israel and Ireland are most successful in the ranking;
• The UK has the most ranked companies with 91 of the 500, closely followed by France with 84. 

Deloitte Technology Fast 500 CEO Survey overview

In addition to compiling the Technology Fast 500 ranking, Deloitte today published a survey of the Fast 500 CEOs in EMEA. Some of the key trends are:

• Confidence in sustaining future growth has reached an all time high in the region, with 87 percent of CEOs either extremely or very confident that their company will sustain its growth over the next year;
• Personnel concerns dominate: high-quality employees are the key to growth for around a quarter (24 per cent) of CEOs;
• Finding, hiring and retaining qualified employees is the biggest operational challenge for 38 per cent of CEOs.

“I am delighted to see that not only is confidence at an all-time high in the region, but Fast 500 growth figures back this confidence up,” said Igal Brightman, Global Managing Partner of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) Industry group. “Because it lends itself to an easily scalable global business model with low overheads, software continues to be the highest growth sector. And it will be a relief to the UK that it has reclaimed its position as the leading provider of ranked companies this year, driven to a great extent by growth in mobile and web-based B2B services.”

“This is the sixth year of the ranking in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and we always see interesting data emerging” said Eric Morgain, Deloitte’s Partner in charge of the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA. “Our ranking and the CEO survey which we conduct at the same time give us unprecedented insights into what drives successful growth, and we feel it is important to celebrate and share these with the wider business community.”

- Ends -

Notes for editors

Awards ceremony and interview opportunities
The 2006 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA Award Ceremony will take place on 27th November during a dinner at the Palais Brongniart, in Paris.  The dinner will be preceded by an afternoon Business Forum (3.00 pm to 6.15 pm) for CEOs featuring speakers from across the EMEA region, contact TMT Media Relations (below).

Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA CEO Survey & Ranking 2006
This report is a comprehensive analysis of the business trends and background statistics of the winning companies as well as a summary of the key concerns and expectations of sector CEOs. It can be downloaded from www.deloitte.com/fast500emea after the awards, or please contact us (see below) for advance copies.

About Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA
The Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA programme is the region’s most objective industry-ranking standard to focus on the technology field.  It was created in 2000 to recognize the effort and dedication of the 500 fastest-growing technology companies in EMEA and includes all areas of technology, from Internet to biotechnology, from medical and scientific to computers/hardware.  It includes both public and private companies. The awards, which have been running in EMEA for six years, are based on five-year average percentage revenue growth. Frequently asked questions are answered on www.deloitte.com/fast500emea.  Details of the winning companies including breakdowns by country, industry sector and ranking will be available at www.deloitte.com/fast500emea after the event, or please contact us (see below) if you need information in advance.

About Deloitte Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT)
The Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (DTT) Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) Industry Group consists of the TMT practices organized in the various member firms of DTT and includes more than 5,000 member firm partners, directors and senior managers supported by thousands of other professionals dedicated to helping their clients evaluate complex issues, develop fresh approaches to problems and implement practical solutions. There are dedicated TMT member firm practices in 45 countries and centers of excellence in the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific. DTT’s member firms serve nearly 90 percent of the TMT companies in the Fortune Global 500. Clients of Deloitte’s member firms’ TMT practices include some of the world’s top software companies, computer manufacturers, wireless operators, satellite broadcasters, advertising agencies and semiconductor foundries – as well as leaders in publishing, telecommunications and peripheral equipment manufacturing.

About Deloitte
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, a Swiss Verein, its member firms, and their respective subsidiaries and affiliates. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu is an organization of member firms around the world devoted to excellence in providing professional services and advice, focused on client service through a global strategy executed locally in nearly 140 countries. With access to the deep intellectual capital of approximately 135,000 people worldwide, Deloitte delivers services in four professional areas—audit, tax, consulting and financial advisory services—and serves more than 80 percent of the world’s largest companies, as well as large national enterprises, public institutions, locally important clients, and successful, fast-growing global growth companies. Services are not provided by the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Verein, and, for regulatory and other reasons, certain member firms do not provide services in all four professional areas.

As a Swiss Verein (association), neither Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu nor any of its member firms has any liability for each other’s acts or omissions. Each of the member firms is a separate and independent legal entity operating under the names “Deloitte”, “Deloitte & Touche”, “Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu”, or other related names.

Further information
For further information, interviews or to attend the awards ceremony please contact:
Craig Fowler
Director of EMEA TMT Marketing
Deloitte & Touche LLP
crfowler@deloitte.co.uk
Direct: + 44 (0)20 7303 5293
Mobile: +44 (0)79 6731 3846