He leaves the cameras to others, concentrating instead on the complex software and associated hardware that streams footage from a mass of cameras on to a single recorder and screen. That is now the fastest-growing part of his business. But he didn't listen when doubters said that remote viewing of CCTV over ISDN lines would not take off.

As business owner, he could make decisions quickly and move on from mistakes as a techie, he could talk to his researchers as an equal. Here, Newton's strengths as an entrepreneur came into play. It was a modest success, but in 1985 he invented a multi-channel CCTV recorder, which was an instant hit. Originally, Newton produced a device that timed how long snooker players spent at the table. It's a far cry from the early days when, as a 22-year-old graduate in 1982, Newton begged ú6,000 from friends and family to start up Dedicated Micros, from which Anglo Design emerged five years ago. But how did this Manchester University computer sciences graduate manage to build a business for which he has had offers in excess of ú400 million? It helps that he fully owns his Cheshirebased business, Anglo Design Holdings, and is not beholden to outside investors. 'I have been known to say my business is not a democracy, but I wouldn't go so far as to call myself a dictator, says Michael Newton, Britain's king of CCTV.

1: MICHAEL NEWTON - Anglo Design Holdings

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