ERS the brightest Rising Star

Emergency management and response firm Executive Risk Solutions has been named the Business News Rising Stars top award winner for 2014.

This year is the 11th instalment of the Rising Stars awards, which recognise the achievements of the state’s fastest growing, privately-owned companies.

The Rising Stars are judged across a number of metrics, including revenue and staff growth, as well as capability and commitment.

While headline numbers are taken into account, firms also need to show a solid growth strategy and commitment to continued growth to become a Rising Stars finalist.

Founded by ex-SAS soldier Scott Houston, Executive Risk Solutions has emerged from its infancy in 2008 to become one of Western Australia’s leaders in the highly specialised field of crisis and emergency management.

Other firms shortlisted in 2014 were diversified construction firm Monford Group, marine services group TAMS Group, and information technology consultants Velrada.

Property investment agency Momentum Wealth was named the people’s choice winner for 2014.

The awards highlight the diverse nature of WA businesses in a post-mining boom economy, with four of the top 10 coming from outside of the resources sector.

Those firms from the resources sector were predominantly involved in oil and gas projects, although Executive Risk Solutions’ success has been built on the back of a major contract at Gina Rinehart’s Roy Hill iron ore project in the Pilbara.

The first winner of Rising Stars in 2003 was advertising agency Gatecrasher Advertising, while past winners have included IT groups Datacom and Empired, as well as Geraldton’s Bhagwan Marine and engineering firms Velocious and Calibre Global.