Claire Watson, managing director of North West Airmatic, is the latest confirmed speaker for the launch event for the second annual GM Rising Stars of Business list.
She’s overseen growth at the Bury-based manufacturer from £3m to £5.7m and will be sharing the secrets of their success.
Watson was included in BusinessCloud’s Northern Leaders Futures list and will be joined by Matillion CEO Matthew Scullion and Kids Planet founder Clare Roberts OBE.
KPMG’s Manchester office will host the event on the morning of 1st May, which will showcase some of Greater Manchester’s most exciting companies.
Nominations for this year’s list have now closed, which has been expanded to include more high-growth firms.
Last year the inaugural list focused on four key growth sectors but the 2025 list has been extended to include all companies which are harnessing technology for growth or making a name for themselves as leaders in innovation.
BusinessCloud has again joined forces with GM Business Growth Hub to compile this year’s GM Rising Stars of Business list.
The list is open to firms based in Greater Manchester’s 10 local authority areas of Bolton; Bury; Manchester; Oldham; Rochdale; Salford; Stockport; Tameside; Trafford; and Wigan.
The 2025 list will be published online on BusinessCloud in early April, while a launch event will be held at KPMG’s Manchester office in St Peter’s Square on 1st May – register here – to showcase several of the businesses on the list.
Companies on the list must be headquartered or have a significant presence in Greater Manchester, and be able to demonstrate how they are using technology to aid their growth; or how they are at the forefront of an innovation.
They may be early-stage, scaling or well-established. Judges will look for ambition and evidence of growth.