TO SEE THE VIDEO OF THIS YEAR`S AWARDS CLICK HERE

Online DVD rental subscription service LOVEFiLM, which now boasts more than 1 million active members, was among those to receive a top honour at the 2009 Growing Business Awards in London (26 November).

Now in their 11th year, the awards ­ organised by the CBI and Real Business magazine ­ identify and honour innovation, international expansion, customer excellence and new product development among the UK`s finest small and medium-sized businesses.

Richard Lambert, CBI Director-General, presented the Company of the Year Award to Simon Calver, Chief Executive of LOVEFiLM.

The business has captured 40 per cent of the UK DVD rental market and become a household name since it was launched in 2003. It is set to take turnover past £100 million this year following successful expansion into Germany, Sweden, Norway and Denmark and the acquisition of the European DVD rental operations of online giant Amazon.

Karen Paterson, founder and CEO of Patersons HR and Payroll Solutions, was the other major winner, scooping the Entrepreneur of the Year and Global Outlook and Expansion accolades.
Patersons provides HR and payroll outsourcing services to customers in over 160 countries worldwide and was praised by judges for "an exemplary strategic approach to entering a huge number and variety of overseas markets, including the more demanding markets of China and India, in a very challenging economic climate."

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS

Entries for the 2010 Growing Business Awards open in July and close mid-September. All the details will be announced on this website in the Summer.