Private equity firms were behind almost one third of the fastest-growing, privately-held UK companies between 2006 and 2009, according to a new report that reveals some of the success stories to emerge from the sector in the years running up to, and after, the financial crisis.

The Profit Track 100 report, compiled by research company Fast Track, compiles an annual list of the 100 privately held UK firms with the fastest growing profits based on the last three years of available accounts (2006-09).