Chief executive, N Brown

As well as a record year for Alan White’s N Brown Group, the friendly Mancunian chief also tied the knot last summer.

N Brown has continued to move forward at strong pace through the downturn with its niche offer for larger ladies, really putting the home shopping group on a sturdy footing throughout the downturn.

A recent foray overseas with its Simply Be brand to Germany has proved successful and White is now planning to take the brand to the US where the substantial plus-size market is worth around $35bn (£23.8bn).

N Brown has become truly a multichannel business. The company bought the menswear business High & Mighty out of administration, therefore acquiring its stores.

White has not ruled out buying more businesses, or opening more stores for its other brands when he has examined how it works for High & Mighty.