Average growth rates highest since Fast 500 began in 2001, confidence high despite economic uncertainties.

• The UK has the most ranked companies with 81 of the 500, closely followed by France with 68.
• Israeli firms take first, second and third place.
• Average five-year revenue growth for all companies is 1443 percent, the highest since the awards began.
• Survey of Fast 500 CEOs reveals that 79.5% of this year’s CEOs were extremely or very confident of managing the same growth rates over the coming two years.

The full list of the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA is announced today, Tuesday November 27.  This ranks public and private technology companies from 21 countries in EMEA with a minimum revenue of €50,000 in year one. It is the most objective industry-ranking standard to focus on the technology sector. The Fast 500 is researched by Deloitte’s Global Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) Practice.

Key trends observed in this year’s Fast 500 are:

• The software sector continues to dominate the ranking, making up 200 of the 500 companies.
• However, as evidenced by the exceptional performance of Israel, tech-acceleration nations are emerging. Proportional to population numbers, technology firms in Norway, Israel, Sweden, Ireland, Finland and Holland are in a class of their own when it comes to technology acceleration, with high-growth technology firms between 2 and 5 times more common than anywhere else in the region.
• While the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA shows a consistent increase in average growth rates year on year, this is in stark contrast to that of the North American Fast 500, where average growth rates have been falling since 2001. Fast 500 North America shows average five year revenue growth rates falling from a peek of 6,772% in 2002 to 1,823% in 2007.

Top Five Ranked Companies in the 2007 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA:

Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA CEO survey 
Deloitte is also announcing the 2007 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA CEO Survey - a comprehensive analysis of the business trends and background statistics of the winning companies and a summary of the key concerns and expectations of technology sector CEOs. Some of the key trends are:

• Despite wider economic turbulence, confidence is high. 79.5% of this year’s CEOs were extremely or very confident of managing the same growth rates over the coming two years, which is the second highest level in seven years.
• Good technology people are becoming harder to come by. Finding, hiring and retaining qualified employees is the greatest operational challenge for just under half of CEOs, significantly up on previous years.
• Offshoring of key functions is on the cards. While 13.4% of firms currently employ over 15% of their workforce abroad, CEOs see this figure rising to 46.6% within 5 years.

“The current financial turbulence and economic uncertainty does not appear to have made the front-runners in the technology race in EMEA either slow their pace or lose their focus,” said Igal Brightman, Global Managing Partner of Deloitte’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) Industry group. “These businesses are successfully managing exponential growth and, in particular, finding the right people in the right places to drive that growth.”

“This is the seventh year of the ranking in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the more data we have the more interesting trends emerge,” said Eric Morgain, Deloitte’s Partner in charge of the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA. “The UK led again this year in terms of overall numbers, closely followed by France. But we are also seeing a club of technology acceleration nations emerging, which includes Israel, Scandinavia, Ireland and the Netherlands – where successful technology businesses are many times more likely to succeed.”

- Ends -

Notes

Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA CEO Survey 2007
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 from 00:01 27 November (GMT) or please contact Jason Leavey on +44 020 7303 7030 for an advance copy.
Igal Brightman, Global Managing Partner, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Deloitte will be available for interview on Monday 26/11 and Tuesday 27/11.

About The 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 seven 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.  This year the program has been supported by UK Trade & Investment.

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 centres 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.

About UK Trade & Investment
UK Trade & Investment is the Government organisation that helps UK-based companies succeed in an increasingly global economy. Its range of expert services are tailored to the needs of individual businesses to maximise their international success. We provide companies with knowledge, advice and practical support.

UK Trade & Investment also helps overseas companies bring high quality investment to the UK’s vibrant economy – acknowledged as Europe’s best place from which to succeed in global business. We provide support and advice to investors at all stages of their business decision-making.

UK Trade & Investment offers expertise and contacts through a network of international specialists throughout the UK, and in British Embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world.

For further information please visit www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk or telephone +44 (0)20 7215 8000.