White Light has been identified as one of London Stock Exchange Group’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ 2020. The report recognises the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses (SMEs)*, highlighting the regional and sector diversity of the UK’s SMEs and the entrepreneurial spirit shown by these companies. This is the second year running in which WL has been featured on the list. 

To be featured in the report, businesses had to demonstrate strong revenue growth over the last three years and outperform their sector peers, creating a unique list of the UK’s most innovative SMEs. The inclusion on the list is an indication of WL’s growth pre-Covid and a recognition of how the company has been able to diversify its skills and expand into a variety of markets.  

WL’s Managing Director Bryan Raven comments: “It’s been an incredibly challenging year as a company so to receive this news is extremely welcomed. It’s so easy to just focus on everything post-Covid now and while that is the reality of the situation we’re facing, it’s important to step back and reflect on what we were able to achieve as a company prior to this. We’re incredibly proud of how we managed to grow and expand as an organisation – a position we hope we can return to once we’re through the other side of all this”. 

WL began in 1971 when five friends working at London’s Royal Court Theatre decided to quit their jobs and follow their passion for theatre lighting. As such, they formed WL – a hire company that would supply lighting fixtures to theatre shows. Shortly after this, they were asked to supply a six-week run of a new production called The Rocky Horror Show. These six weeks soon turned into six years with the play transferring and becoming an international smash. WL soon become a company renowned for supplying the latest lighting technology to the entertainment industry. 

WL recently supported the BBC’s VJ Day coverage

Almost 50 years later and WL’s beginnings remain a perfect example of what the company still is – constantly seeking new ventures, pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and operating ahead of its time. Over the past five decades, our offering has evolved and we now supply a range of technical solutions including lighting, audio and video to a variety of markets, such as broadcast, concert touring, leisure and corporate and live events. Over the past twelve months alone, the company has helped deliver a range of projects including the BBC Proms, London Fashion Week, the Six Day Series, Coldplay live at the Natural History Museum as well as continuing to be the leading lighting supplier to London’s West End.  

David Schwimmer, CEO, London Stock Exchange Group, comments:“This report highlights the vital role of SMEs in driving economic growth, leading innovation and providing jobs across the UK. In this challenging year for businesses, it is more important than ever to shine a light on these stories of resilience and entrepreneurship. The success of UK SMEs is crucial as we rebuild a post COVID-19 economy, and London Stock Exchange Group is committed to helping growth companies achieve their potential.” 

The news of WL’s inclusion in the list has come after that of a national lockdown; something which will not only affect the company but also the wider live entertainment industry. For the past few months, WL has been relentlessly campaigning for wider support within the industry, whether that’s through the #WeMakeEvents campaign, appearances on national news channels or in mainstream newspapers.   

Bryan concludes: “Whilst being included on the list is an indication of how we’ve grown in size, we also hope that, as a company, we ‘inspire’ others through our core values and the causes we fight for. We appreciate that a lot of the organisations included in this list, such as ourselves, face an uphill battle over the next few weeks and I would ask that the government continues to work with us, our freelancers and everyone else who is part of this normally thriving industry, to ensure we all survive and that we save one of the most profitable sectors within our economy”.   

A full searchable database of all of the companies along with a downloadable pdf of the publication can be found online at www.1000companies.com 

*Company data as at December 2019 is included in this report 

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