The FINANCIAL — On September 5, company CEOs featured in the report will be welcomed at the European Parliament by European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, Xavier Rolet, CEO, London Stock Exchange Group, Roberto Gualtieri MEP, Markus Ferber MEP, Kay Swinburne MEP and Ramon Tremosa MEP to launch the second annual edition of London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Europe report, celebrating Europe’s most dynamic and fast growing SMEs.
Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice-President for the Euro and Social Dialogue, also in charge of Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union:
“Europe needs more fast-growing and innovative companies as they are the backbone of our future economic development and job creation. This is why improving the ability of dynamic SMEs to access finance is one of my priorities. We need to make sure that our rules are proportionate and fit for purpose. We should remove barriers to cross-border provision of financing and ensure that SMEs can tap capital markets across Europe.”
Kay Swinburne, MEP for Wales, Conservative Party (ECR), Vice-Chair of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, European Parliament:
“Many congratulations to the Welsh companies and also to those from the rest of the UK for being identified by ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Europe 2017’ report as among the fastest growing companies in Europe. This is an excellent recognition to their hard working and innovative approach. As policymakers, we are working on delivering a deeper Capital Markets Union (CMU) – improving the access to finance and diversity of funding options so that high growth companies like these can keep growing and creating new high quality jobs”
Xavier Rolet, Chief Executive, London Stock Exchange Group:
“If Europe is to have a sustainable economic future, it must back its engines of economic growth and only real source of potential job-creation: its 23 million SMEs. It is critical that we continue improving access and cutting the cost of finance for fast growing companies, giving them access to long-term patient equity capital to fund their enormous potential. This is an ambition we share with the EU Commission and applaud its initiative to develop deeper and more connected capital markets across the continent through the Capital Markets Union project.
“LSEG has long been committed to supporting high growth companies. Together our 1000 Companies to Inspire Europe reports, international growth market, AIM, and business support and capital raising programme, ELITE, shine a light on the fastest growing companies across the continent and their critical importance to innovation, job creation and Europe’s future economic resilience. ”
Simon Lewis, CEO, Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME):
“We are delighted to be supporting 1000 Companies to Inspire Europe again this year, which highlights Europe’s SME success stories. SMEs are at the heart of the European economy and supporting them to grow and innovate is vital to Europe’s long-term economic future. However, Europe continues to face a shortage of risk capital for high-growth businesses.
“Raising finance and retaining investors to enable the next generation of high-growth and innovative companies like those featured in this report should be a top priority for industry and policymakers alike.”
LSEG’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Europe report has received international political support with contributions from Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, Toomas Tõniste, Roberto Gualtieri MEP, Markus Ferber MEP, Kay Swinburne MEP, Ramon Tremosa MEP, Sirpa Pietikainen MEP, Othmar Karas MEP, Cora van Nieuwenhuizen MEP and Jonas Fernandez MEP.
The report is produced with support from AFME, Bureau van Dijk and IBM. Further support and contributions from leading business bodies in the EU include European Banking Federation, Invest Europe and Centre for European Policy Studies, according to London Stock Exchange.
1000 Companies to Inspire Europe is part of LSEG’s broader support campaign for fast growing SMEs which includes its international growth market, AIM, and innovative business support and capital raising programme, ELITE, now counting over 600 international businesses. ELITE companies represent 25 countries across 34 sectors, generating almost €50 billion in combined revenues and account for over 215,000 jobs across Europe and beyond.
