IN our series Meet The Boss we profile East Lancashire's movers and shakers. We spoke to Matthew Riley, chief executive of Daisy Communications.

NESTLING in the shadow of Pendle Hill is one of the fastest growing technology companies in the UK.

Daisy Communications is the latest venture of Matthew Riley, 33, who left school at 16 and is now the nation's young entrepreneur of the year.

Based on the Lomeshaye Industrial Estate, Nelson, Daisy is the fourth company that Mr Riley has formed.

Following the sale of his previous businesses he founded Daisy in September 2001 after identifying a gap in the market to resell communications to businesses in the UK following the deregulation of the industry.

Products the firm offers include fixed line calls, line rental, broadband, data and other mobile services.

Daisy now has over 17,000 business customers and recently reported turnover of £23.7m, an increase of 8,021 per cent on its first results.

It was this rate of growth that saw the company ranked 28th in Deloitte's Fast 50 chart of the fastest growing technology firm of the past five years.

In 2005 it was also named Britain's fastest growing private technology company in the Sunday Times Tech Track 100.

The company also won the Lancashire Telegraph New Business of the Year in 2004 and was shortlisted for Business of the Year in this year's Lancashire Telegraph Business Awards.

Mr Riley said the company's success had been partly due to its loyal workforce.

He said: "It was incredibly important to me that the company was based in Pendle.

"Having grown up here I really wanted the local area to be part of the success and share in the triumphs the company has had over the years.

"I think we've achieved that." In 1990, aged 16, Mr Riley left Fisher-More High School, Colne, and joined Burnley-based FH Brown to undertake a YTS, servicing and repairing fax machines.

By 22 he had carved out a career as a successful salesman in the same company.

However, wanting to broaden his experience and further his career, he joined German communications firm DeTeWe.

In 2000 he left the German company and went on to establish what he refers to as "the big one", Daisy Communications.

As well as Daisy receiving plaudits, Mr Riley was also crowned Ernst and Young entrepreneur of the year earlier this year.

Mr Riley is currently planning Daisy's expansion strategy over the next 12 months which will include organic growth and continuing its acquisitions programme.

He added: "The development of the company over the last 12 months has been achieved without a proportional increase in staff.

"As Daisy looks to progress with its expansion, with revenue expected to double over the next 12 months, 2008 has been earmarked for further recruitment."