The Sunday Times 100 list of Britain’s fastest-growing private businesses includes lead generation specialist TGG as well as fashion brands
Chris Niebel, founder and CEO at The Genius Group (TGG)(Image: TGG)
A Greater Manchester marketing and lead generation specialist has been named as the North West’s fastest-growing private company.
TGG, based in Altrincham and trading as The Genius Group, has been named the third-fastest growing company in the UK in the Sunday Times 100 list of Britain’s fastest-growing private businesses. It’s also the highest North West entry. The company reported an average annual growth of 269.94% over the last three years, and made £210.5m in sales in 2025.
Digital and creative marketing firm TGG was founded by Chris Niebel, 41, and Mark Shephard, 60, in 2017. It has seen huge growth in its work generating leads for law firms that specialise in claims for mis-sold products such as motor finance, running campaigns on platforms such as TikTok and Facebook, while its Valid8 business specialises in checking applicants’ IDs, credit files and car finance history.
Fashion and sportswear brands are also well represented in the Sunday Times 100 ’s North West list. Manchester fashion retailer Murci is ranked second, followed by Wilmslow’s Run North West and Liverpool’s Montirex.
The list is published today online at thesundaytimes.com/100 and available as a supplement with the print edition of the newspaper this Sunday, June 7.
Chris Niebel, founder and CEO at TGG, said: “We’ve achieved this growth by consistently looking for opportunities others have overlooked and by creating genuine value for both consumers and our partners.
“I always believed we could build something significant. What I couldn’t have predicted was the incredible team, partners and technology that would help us achieve that vision.
“As someone who comes from a working-class background, I’ve always believed that success should be shared. We work hard to create an environment where people genuinely enjoy coming to work and feel part of something bigger. Whether that’s through employee experiences, team events, access to our Co-op Live suite, Old Trafford hospitality, personal development opportunities or other staff benefits, we want our people to feel valued for the contribution they make.
“Giving back has also become an important part of who we are as a business. My wife, Roxsan, leads many of the charitable initiatives we support and together we’ve helped raise and donate hundreds of thousands of pounds to causes that are close to our hearts.
“I’m particularly proud that we’ve built this business in Altrincham – we believe businesses have a responsibility not only to create commercial success but also to make a positive impact on the communities around them.
“Being recognised by The Sunday Times as one of Britain’s fastest-growing private companies is a huge honour, not just for what we’ve achieved as a company, but for what we’ve achieved as a team.
The Genius Group (TGG) moved in 2025 to its headquarters at Foundation in Altrincham(Image: TGG)
“Our focus has never been on volume alone; it’s been on delivering measurable outcomes and building long-term trust.”
The North West is the most successful region outside London, with 14 firms in the top 100. Some 45 of the firms are based in London, with 10 in the South East, eight each in the East of England and the Midlands, five in Yorkshire and the Humber, four in Wales, three in the southwest, two in Scotland and one in the North East.
A record 33 firms of the 100 firms nationally have female founders or CEOs, including Michelle Laithwaite of FuelHub and Megan Rossi of Bio&Me.
Some 72 of the top 100 firms were founded in 2015 or later. The oldest firm is Leeds-based Wilson Power Solutions, which was founded in 1946 and is now in its third generation. The list’s youngest companies were founded in 2022 – including the top-ranked firm, podcast producer Goalhanger.
Jon Yeomans, business editor of The Sunday Times, said: “Celebrating five years of The Sunday Times 100 shows the amazing variety of British businesses, led this year by the media producer Goalhanger taking the number one spot. The biggest trend over the last five years is the rise of consumer brands, with food, drink, fashion, and beauty companies now making up nearly half the list.
“Several businesses who have featured in the past, such as Huel and Applied Nutrition, have continued to grow and find huge success, from launching on the stock market to being bought out by global giants.”
Mohammad Kamal Syed, head of Private Bank and Wealth Management UK and Crown Dependencies at Barclays, said: “Britain’s fastest-growing private companies are built by founders with ambition, resilience, and a clear vision for the future. As founders scale, achieving the right outcome is about more than value – it’s about securing the long-term success of the business and its people.”
He added: “Our continued support for The Sunday Times 100 reflects our commitment to backing Britain’s entrepreneurial businesses at every stage of their growth and celebrating the innovation and impact that they bring to the UK economy.”
The top 14 firms in the North West
1 TGG
Description: Legal claims services
HQ location: Altrincham
Annual sales growth over three years: 269.94%
Latest sales: £210.5m*
2 Murci
Description: Fashion retailer
HQ location: Manchester
Annual sales growth over three years: 140.34%
Latest sales: £9.3m*
3 Run North West
Description: Running shoes retailer
HQ location: Wilmslow
Annual sales growth over three years: 139.48%
Latest sales: £11.4m*
4 Montirex
Description: Sportswear brand
HQ location: Liverpool
Annual sales growth over three years: 103.95%
Latest sales: £129.8m*
5 CAPO
Description: Fashion brand
HQ location: Accrington
Annual sales growth over three years: 99.44%
Latest sales: £14.2m*
6 P. Louise
Description: Beauty products retailer
HQ location: Stockport
Annual sales growth over three years: 98.84%
Latest sales: £111.0m*
7 FuelHub
Description: Meal delivery service
HQ location: Warrington
Annual sales growth over three years: 98.69%
Latest sales: £6.4m*
8 Just Bee Honey
Description: Honey manufacturer
HQ location: Manchester
Annual sales growth over three years: 78.89%
Latest sales: £9.4m*
9 Bio&Me
Description: Food brand
HQ location: Chester
Annual sales growth over three years: 77.44%
Latest sales: £15.9m*
10 FutureMeds
Description: Clinical trial site management
HQ location: Liverpool
Annual sales growth over three years: 73.37%
Latest sales: £37.6m*
11 Claimsline Group
Description: Claims handler
HQ location: Manchester
Annual sales growth over three years: 72.04%
Latest sales: £21.6m*
12 Car.co.uk
Description: Low value car marketplace
HQ location: Preston
Annual sales growth over three years: 62.51%
Latest sales: £26.6m*
13 Think Hire
Description: Temporary energy provider
HQ location: Oldham
Annual sales growth over three years: 54.54%
Latest sales: £15.1m*
14 Adanola
Description: Fashion brand
HQ location: Manchester
Annual sales growth over three years: 54.48%
Latest sales: £102.7m
*Figures supplied by company to the Times
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