dotDigital Group Ranked 284th Fastest Growing Technology Company on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA 2009

Digital marketing company jumps 174 places in a year

London, 26th November 2009: The dotDigital Group PLC today announced that it ranked number 284 on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA 2009, a ranking of the 500 fastest growing technology companies in EMEA, based on percentage revenue growth over five years. The full service digital marketing company, which is quoted on the PLUS market, grew 607% during this period, having put in place an organic growth strategy that has achieved outstanding levels of sales, profit and market share improvement.

Over the last three years, the dotDigital Group PLC has transformed itself from a niche website design agency and email service provider into one of the UK’s leading full service digital marketing agencies. In that time, a series of new business units have been created and the Group is now made up of four main brands: dotMailer, dotCommerce, dotEditor and dotAgency.

Peter Simmonds, CEO, dotDigital Group PLC said:  “The last five years has seen the company grow very quickly, despite a challenging economic climate. We have seized the opportunity to take advantage of the growing digital marketing industry by creating high quality products and services that are geared towards meeting a business need. This strategy is helping us to build deeper relationships with our customers, to deliver unprecedented revenue growth and significantly increase the company’s profitability.

“This accolade builds on an impressive recent annual report and the 2009 National Business Award for Growth Strategy we picked up last week. The Deloitte ranking is further recognition for the whole dotDigital team, who have worked so hard to meet the company’s growth ambitions.”

David Halstead, partner in charge of Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 EMEA program, said: "Making the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 is commendable in today’s highly competitive technology industry. We congratulate the dotDigital Group on being one of the 500 fastest growing technology companies in the region."

The dotDigital Group, which previously ranked 456 on the 2008 Deloitte Technology Fast 500, has recently announced strong growth figures for 2008-09. The Group revealed a revenue increase of 91% to £4.7m, driven by an aggressive expansion and new business strategy. Customer numbers also increased 113% from 1,072 to 2,282 over the last 14 months, with the Group adding a roster of high profile clients including DHL, Kodak, Nationwide and EDF Energy.

Technology Fast 500 EMEA selection and qualifications
The Technology Fast 500 list is compiled from Deloitte’s EMEA Technology Fast 50 programs, nominations submitted directly to the Fast 500, and public company database research.  To qualify for the Fast 500, entrants must have had 2004 operating revenues of at least €50,000 and 2008 operating revenues of at least €800,000.

Entrants must also be public or private companies headquartered in EMEA and must be a “technology company,” defined as a company that owns proprietary technology that contributes to a significant portion of the company's operating revenues; or devotes a significant proportion of revenues to the research and development of technology.  Using other companies' technology in a unique way does not qualify.