A Greater Manchester marketing and lead generation specialist has been named the North West’s fastest-growing private company. TGG, trading as The Genius Group and based in Altrincham, secured the third-fastest growing position nationally in the Sunday Times 100 list of Britain’s fastest-growing private businesses. It also represents the highest-ranked entry from the North West region.
The company reported an average annual growth of 269.94% over the last three years and achieved sales of £210.5 million in 2025. Founded in 2017 by Chris Niebel, aged 41, and Mark Shephard, aged 60, TGG focuses on digital and creative marketing. The firm has experienced substantial growth by generating leads for law firms specializing in claims for mis-sold products, such as motor finance, running campaigns on platforms like TikTok and Facebook. Its Valid8 division checks applicants’ IDs, credit files, and car finance history.
Fashion and sportswear brands also feature prominently in the Sunday Times 100 North West list. Manchester fashion retailer Murci ranks second, followed by Wilmslow’s Run North West and Liverpool’s Montirex. The list is published online at thesundaytimes.com/100 and will appear as a supplement in the print edition on Sunday, June 7.
Chris Niebel, founder and CEO of TGG, commented: “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. 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. Nationally, 45 firms are based in London, 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 of the 100 firms 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, founded in 1946 and now in its third generation. The 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, added: “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. 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.”
Top 14 Firms in the North West
- TGG – Legal claims services, Altrincham, 269.94% growth, £210.5m sales
- Murci – Fashion retailer, Manchester, 140.34% growth, £9.3m sales
- Run North West – Running shoes retailer, Wilmslow, 139.48% growth, £11.4m sales
- Montirex – Sportswear brand, Liverpool, 103.95% growth, £129.8m sales
- CAPO – Fashion brand, Accrington, 99.44% growth, £14.2m sales
- P. Louise – Beauty products retailer, Stockport, 98.84% growth, £111.0m sales
- FuelHub – Meal delivery service, Warrington, 98.69% growth, £6.4m sales
- Just Bee Honey – Honey manufacturer, Manchester, 78.89% growth, £9.4m sales
- Bio&Me – Food brand, Chester, 77.44% growth, £15.9m sales
- FutureMeds – Clinical trial site management, Liverpool, 73.37% growth, £37.6m sales
- Claimsline Group – Claims handler, Manchester, 72.04% growth, £21.6m sales
- Car.co.uk – Low value car marketplace, Preston, 62.51% growth, £26.6m sales
- Think Hire – Temporary energy provider, Oldham, 54.54% growth, £15.1m sales
- Adanola – Fashion brand, Manchester, 54.48% growth, £102.7m sales
