2025 Awards

“I’m delighted to help judge the sustainability category again. Judging last year was truly inspiring and what I loved most was the range of sustainability excellence amongst the entrants across business size, sector and geography.”

Dax has worked in corporate sustainability at board level for 23 years across NGO and business sectors advising different kinds of companies on their sustainability and innovation strategies. He has been highly active as CSO and advisor – advancing and implementing ESG strategies in home improvement, manufacturing, food and beverages, fashion, FMCG, retail, technology, energy and other sectors.
Dax has developed and executed comprehensive plans across core ESG issues - labour protections, decent work, nature-positive, net zero, the circular economy and responsible sourcing across high-risk commodities.
He was the business lead at WWF-UK and Trustee at Earthwatch. Dax is advisor to the British Fashion Council’s on advancing sustainability in the sector. His Masters is in Sustainable Development, he works with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership program and he is trained in leadership at the Ashridge Business School.

Sid Baveja is the Vice President of Operations for Central Europe + UK/IE at Too Good To Go, bringing nearly 15 years of leadership experience in scaling global technology companies. Sid excels in driving sustainable growth, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration, having led large teams and managed P&Ls across multiple geographies. His expertise spans product, marketing, sales, and operations, positioning him as a versatile and strategic leader.
Before joining Too Good To Go, Sid held senior roles at Just Eat Takeaway.com, where he managed global commercial growth products, delivering over €100 million in annual revenue, and spearheaded initiatives like the acquisition and integration of CityPantry. Prior to that, at viagogo, he led the company’s international expansion, launching 25 new markets and establishing operations in major territories like the US, Japan, and Brazil. Early in his career, Sid was a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs, where he gained valuable experience in corporate finance and investment banking.
An entrepreneur at heart, Sid also founded Humanery.com, a pioneering e-commerce platform for men’s self-care, raising significant venture funding. He is passionate about building high-performing teams, solving complex problems, and creating value for stakeholders.
Born in India and raised in Indonesia, Sid is a graduate of Middlebury College, where he majored in Economics. He now lives in London with his wife. Sid thrives in multicultural, fast-paced environments and brings a wealth of experience to Too Good To Go’s mission to fight food waste and promote sustainability.

Amanda has enjoyed 35 years with Lloyds Group Banking with 25 years’ experience within the SME&MC Division of the Business in various including Relationship Management and Leadership positions.

For the last 4 years, Amanda has been a Regional Director, formally in Midlands and South Wales and more latterly in the South West .

Amanda leads a team of locally based relationship managers spread from Bristol to Cornwall The Teams role is to support and work with local businesses ranging from £3m to £100m turnover to help the business owners deliver on their goals and aspirations.

In addition, Amanda is the Head of Inclusion and Diversity for the Business and is committed to ensuring that the division is an inclusive place for all Colleagues to work in.

The BBEAs are a great opportunity for businesses across a range of size and sectors, to profile the great work they do, share their progress with others and network with numerous other businesses as part of the awards process.

As part of the judging, there is also an opportunity to be introduced to a locally-based LBG specialist who can be on hand to help with any areas the business may want support on.”

Denise Myers, is Founder & CEO of recruitment firm Evenfields, Founder of the Black Talent Awards and an award-winning DE&I Champion.

Denise has committed 20+ years espousing workplace diversity and providing job opportunities for all as a recruiter, particularly within corporate services, the public sector, education, engineering and manufacturing.

To expand this work Denise launched the Black Talent Awards in 2022 to champion relatable professional role models and tackle employment discrimination. The annual awards continually receives enormous support from major brands including Lloyds Banking Group, Merlin Entertainments, Serco, Haleon and EDF Renewables UK and is expanding rapidly as it enters its 3rd year.

Denise's exceptional leadership and accomplishments have been recognised repeatedly. In 2022, she emerged victorious in a pitching competition at the Black Business Show, sponsored by Lloyds Bank. Additionally, she was a finalist in the Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards for Diversity Champion of the Year.

Further, Denise’s thought-provoking articles across DE&I have been featured in renowned national publications such as The Independent, Diversity Q, Elite Business, and The Voice, among others.

As well as being founder of Murray Myers and Evenfields recruitment consultancies, Denise supports the employability of young people through her affiliated grassroots scheme. Evenfields Community is providing young people with the opportunities to develop skills in enterprise through apprenticeships and work experience placements, rapidly enhancing their career prospects.

Denise is inspiring positive change and equal opportunities for all through her work with blue-chip organisations and communities on the ground, in the pursuit of a truly inclusive and diverse world of work.

Emma-Jane Hendry is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in the global media and entertainment industry, delivering strategic partnerships, digital innovation, and inclusive growth across leading organisations including the BBC, Microsoft, 20th Century Fox, and Rakuten TV.

In her current role as Director of Business Development at BBC Studios, Emma-Jane is a leader for global news distribution and streaming partnerships, driving commercial success and expanding the BBC’s international footprint. She has also played a key role in shaping the BBC’s Diversity and Inclusion strategy, leading initiatives that support underrepresented talent and foster inclusive workplace culture.

Emma-Jane is deeply committed to charitable and social impact work. She serves as Board Member for Partnerships & Philanthropy at UN Women UK, where she supports initiatives that advance gender equality and empower women and girls globally. She is also a Trustee and Director on the Board of Frensham Heights Educational Trust, championing progressive education and youth development. Additionally, she chairs Women@theBBC, the organisation’s largest staff network, advocating for gender equity and inclusive leadership.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Member of the National Society of Psychologists, Emma-Jane is widely respected for her strategic insight, collaborative leadership, and unwavering dedication to purpose-driven innovation and community engagement.

Miles Nolan started his career as a financial journalist, working for the Financial Times publication the Investors Chronicle as a staff writer before moving to the position of Smaller Companies Editor.

He later moved on to be the Editor of Growth Company Investor.

He has worked as an analyst and fund manager and has held the role of Head of Communications for a wealth manager. He is FCA regulated and works as a Partner/Director at Sterling Investment Management – a fund management company focused on growth companies.

In addition he works as a Board Adviser at a private clinical trials recruitment business and also runs a private property company which focuses on both commercial and residential property.

Nick Bates had a distinguished and successful career in the law (including being a managing partner) working across mutiple sectors, seeing the first hand the challenges facing business leaders.

For the last decade, using that experience, he has been coaching business leaders, facilitating award winning peer groups and running interactive and entertaining speaker sessions.

His purpose is to help businesses thrive and to enable business leaders to be more effective, successful and happy in all aspects of their lives.

He works in conjunction with Vistage, the worlds largest peer to peer coaching organisation and for many years has been recognised by Vistage as the leading chair in the UK.

He is adopted and from an Afro-Caribbean background and is a strong believer in opportunities for all.

Annisha stands out as a pioneering advocate for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB), celebrated for her role in instigating transformative change within some of the UK’s most prominent organisations. With a solid history of integrating inclusive leadership and systemic equity across public, private, and volunteer sectors, she has influenced cultures and practices that yield enduring effects at both organisational and industry levels.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion champions are the catalysts that transform businesses. They foster environments where creativity thrives, innovation flourishes, and every voice is valued. By championing inclusive business, we not only reflect the richness of the world around us but also unlock the full potential of our people. This leads to more resilient, adaptable, and successful organisations that can tackle the complex sustainability challenges when helping Britain prosper.”

Claudine Reid MBE is a multi-award-winning consultant, practitioner, and former UK Government advisor with over 30 years of expertise in social enterprise, leadership development, and strategic community transformation. Since 1995, Claudine has advised senior leaders and policymakers on the development and implementation of social entrepreneurship initiatives, contributing to inclusive economic growth and sustainable impact. Her professional background includes co-leading a multi-award-winning organisation since 1992, employing over 10,000 people and delivering essential care services to vulnerable adults and children. Claudine is known for her strategic insight, values-driven leadership, and ability to engage diverse stakeholders—from government and corporate executives to grassroots entrepreneurs. She specialises in designing and delivering mentorship and capacity-building programs. Her experience and work is under pinned by the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals where she champions social innovation and enterprise as tools for long-term transformation. Whether facilitating high-level partnerships, coaching executive teams, or leading sector-wide initiatives, Claudine brings a unique blend of vision and corporate strategy, making her a trusted voice at the intersection of business, purpose, and impact. 

Natasha Devon is an activist, writer and presenter. She tours schools, universities and events throughout the world, delivering talks as well as conducting research on mental health, body image, gender & equality. Between 2015 and 2016 Natasha was the government’s first ever Mental Health Tsar for schools. She has also received an MBE for services to young people.

Natasha has a weekly show on LBC (Saturdays from 6pm). She is a regular guest host on the Papercuts podcast and writes for a newspapers and magazines as well as appearing as a pundit on tv and radio discussing social and political issues. She co-presented channel 4’s ‘Naked Beach’ alongside Professor Keon West and features as an expert in ‘How to Live with Women’ (BBC 3), ‘Why Do I Earn Less Than a Man?’ (BBCiWonder), Gok’s Teens (Channel 4), Cherry Healey’s Sex Knives and Liposuction (W), and ‘I Am Gen Z’ (Amazon Prime).

Natasha has written a number of nonfiction and fiction books. Her most recent novel ‘Babushka’ explores coercive control in relationships, the impact of the media on body image and teenage pregnancy.

Professor Paul Morrison is a multi-award-winning, globally recognised leader in technology. He currently serves as the UK & Ireland Education, Non-Profit, and Charities Lead for Zoom, where he drives strategic innovation and digital transformation across the public and third sectors.
Renowned for his impactful work at the intersection of education, technology, and community development, Professor Paul has been appointed an Ambassador for The Open University and a Global Ambassador for Elevate Africa — a non-profit organisation founded by His Royal Majesty, The 21st Olu of Warri Kingdom, Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR, and Her Royal Majesty, Queen Consort Olori Atuwatse III. Elevate Africa is committed to amplifying African excellence and empowering the next generation through education and leadership development. In 2024, Professor Paul was honoured with a Global Ambassador Award by HM Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR in recognition of his exceptional contributions.
Professor Paul also serves as a judge for numerous awards, reflecting his unwavering commitment to equity, inclusion, and innovation. He is the Chair of the Professional Advisory Board and a Professor at the University of the West of Scotland, where he plays a key role in shaping future leaders and educators.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Professor Paul is deeply committed to mentoring and leadership development. He actively supports emerging leaders through various programmes and initiatives, including mentoring the special adviser to a former Prime Minister. He is also the founder of iDare2Inspire, a dynamic programme designed to raise aspirations and empower young professionals through personal and professional development.
Professor Paul’s work continues to influence and inspire individuals and institutions across the globe, making him a distinguished voice in education, leadership, community, and business advancement.

Xavier White has dedicated the past 15 years to advocating for minorities, beginning with founding an award-winning LGBTQ+ rights in education charity at 17. Currently Head of EMEA Social Purpose at Verizon Business, he leads pioneering campaigns and impact initiatives, such as those with Unloc, empowering over 100,000 young people with entrepreneurial and leadership skills. He co-founded the ChangeMaker Alliance, a cross-business alliance including Burberry, Palo Alto Networks, Juniper Networks, and GRP Solutions, with the goal of improving prospects for young people. Outside of work, Xavier is an activist, and artist, and sits on the advisory boards of DIAL Global, BITC, and Unloc.

Chris Norman MBE, Founder and CEO of GOOD Agency, has been a pioneer in Purpose and sustainability driven marketing and communications for 30 years. He is an expert in helping businesses create commercial value from purpose and sustainability, brokering transformational partnerships between business and not for profit organisations and developing powerful campaigns to engage and inspire all internal and external stakeholders.
Chris's breadth of experience is with the largest global corporate brands, including Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Kingfisher, Vodafone, Elemis, Howden Insurance and mid-sized businesses such as Land + Water, Quorn, Appello and First Port, as well as international NGO's including Save The Children International, Humanity Insured, WWF, National Oceanography Centre, National Trust, RSPB and many more.
Chris was included 2019 Progress 1000 as one of the 25 most influential people in London in media and was awarded an MBE in 2024 for his services to the business and charitable sectors.

David sits on a number of Boards, assisting entrepreneurs to scale and grow sustainable businesses. He helps them focus on what they are good at as all too often entrepreneurs take on tasks that are outside of their core competencies. For companies to be successful in the current business environment, David believes that they must have a clear message and a high level of expertise which is underpinned by best in class processes. Modern technology creates greater transparency in customer and employee engagement and these have created new challenges and opportunities to develop better business models. Embracing change propels companies into the future. However, David still maintains that his fundamental beliefs of hard work and investment in training are the cornerstone to being successful.

“I’m really excited to help judge the Mid-Sized Business of the Year Award this year. MSBs are the engine room of real economic growth, creating jobs, growth, prosperity and value across every sector and region in the UK. I can’t wait to hear from some inspiring business leaders in this category.”

“Mahmood heads up the mid-market audit business at Blick Rothenberg, the London based Tax, Accounting and Business Advisory firm. As well as heading up the fast-growing mid-market division, Mahmood looks after a varied and exciting portfolio of clients in this space, enjoying the varied nature of his role as he supports clients’ growth plans with highly personalised service. Mahmood spent the first 20 years of his accountancy career at Grant Thornton in the South East, with a spell working as one of its internal finance leads.”

I am head of Audit and Assurance at Blick Rothenberg with a focus on dynamic mid market businesses – providing a sounding board and helping them navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with fast growth and entering new markets.

Nick is a partner at leading tax, accounting, and business advisory firm Blick Rothenberg. Nick has spent his career working with mid-market businesses and their owners.
At Blick Rothenberg, his focus is on empowering technology-driven businesses to navigate global markets and compliance landscapes, enabling companies to establish a robust presence in the UK and beyond, fostering growth through informed decisions and proactive advice. His role as a chartered accountant and advisor extends to delivering keynotes on value-building and fundraising in the tech space, leveraging a wealth of knowledge gained from hands-on experience. At the core, his mission is to mentor and propel entrepreneurs towards sustainable success, capitalizing on opportunities in an ever-evolving digital economy.

Paul Hemsley is Director and Platform Lead, Cash Management at Lloyds Banking Group. He has over 25 years experience of strategy, change and technology roles in transaction banking, both in the UK and Asia Pacific.

Alex Evans is Managing Director of TALiNT Partners, which brings together a global network of HR, Staffing, Talent Solutions & HR & Recruitment Tech leaders to learn, share and connect through a year-round programme of events, awards, and advisory services. Alex has specialised in executive networks, business media, events, and awards to raise industry standards and inspire innovation for over 25 years. Alex heads up the membership programme for leaders of the UK's biggest and most innovative Recruitment and Talent Tech firms, curating insights from TALiNT Partners' global TIARA awards campaigns and providing access to leading industry experts and business advisers to help them make better strategic decisions.

I work closely with companies who wish to claim R&D tax credits in the UK and my goal is always to provide a seamless service that helps companies to both navigate and understand the increasingly complex R&D tax landscape
I am an R&D tax relief specialist with nearly 10 years of experience advising clients across all sectors. I am passionate about helping companies to access R&D tax incentives and seeing the positive impact that R&D tax credits can have on a business.
I joined Blick Rothenberg in 2023, having previously worked for start-ups and SMEs, up to FTSE100 globally recognised companies. This has given me a unique perspective and has allowed me to seamlessly engage with hundreds of companies across (almost!) every sector, regardless of their size.
Outside of my day-to-day work, I am an Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) Council Member and sit on the Professional Standards Committee Steering Group.

Leah is not just the founder of Enablists, she's a visionary leader whose entire career has been committed to enhancing organisational effectiveness.
With a robust portfolio of successful projects and programmes, Leah has proven her prowess by steering companies through large-scale, complex transformative changes. She excels at refining and implementing strategies that significantly boost organisational performance with simplicity. Leah's passion for excellence shines through in her dedication to equipping clients with cutting-edge methods and strategies, ensuring they not only keep pace with change but lead it.
A testament to her leadership, Leah spearheaded the Silver Command for NHS Professionals’ response to the Covid pandemic, one of the most challenging portfolios. Just one of the initiatives was launching a vital Test & Trace service, resulting in 10,000 people being hired and work-ready in just 21 days, a remarkable feat that underscores her skill in managing critical, high-stakes initiatives. This was alongside many other initiatives as part of the NHS Professionals Pandemic response.
Enablists provides tailored, expert solutions with ongoing support, accountability, and strategic insight. Unlike other Consultancies Enablists offers agility and measurable outcomes without the overhead and rigidity. Leah’s approach ensures lasting impact, empowering businesses to unlock their full potential with minimal risk and maximum results.

Sabby Gill is a globally recognised business leader and thought leader in accountancy, financial technology, and SaaS innovation, with a track record of transforming organisations and shaping the future of digital finance.
As CEO of Dext, a market-leading SaaS platform serving over one million users worldwide, Sabby champions the power of AI and automation to revolutionise accounting and financial workflows for SMEs, accountants, and bookkeepers. His vision empowers businesses to reclaim time, streamline operations, and focus on growth.
Previously, Sabby led as Managing Director of Sage UK&I, and influenced UK government policy on AI, SME growth, and digital adoption. He also steered Thomas International through digital transformation and held senior executive roles at HP Software, IGT, Oracle, and CA Technologies, managing multi-billion-dollar businesses and global teams across EMEA, APAC, and Latin America.
A respected Chairman and Board Member, Sabby advises on governance, digital transformation, and market expansion, and also served as a member of the UK Digital Economy Council and spent 5 years as the Chair of the Digital Leaders Advisory Board.
Widely regarded as a forward-thinking voice in AI, SaaS, fintech, and accountancy, Sabby continues to inspire through his leadership, advocacy, and commitment to driving innovation that shapes industries and empowers people worldwide.

Nick is a partner at leading tax, accounting, and business advisory firm Blick Rothenberg. Nick has spent his career working with mid-market businesses and their owners.
At Blick Rothenberg, his focus is on empowering technology-driven businesses to navigate global markets and compliance landscapes, enabling companies to establish a robust presence in the UK and beyond, fostering growth through informed decisions and proactive advice. His role as a chartered accountant and advisor extends to delivering keynotes on value-building and fundraising in the tech space, leveraging a wealth of knowledge gained from hands-on experience. At the core, his mission is to mentor and propel entrepreneurs towards sustainable success, capitalizing on opportunities in an ever-evolving digital economy.

Viviane Paxinos is a transformative CEO and board director with a proven track record of driving growth and delivering successful business turnarounds across global markets. As former CEO of AllBright and Everywoman, she has demonstrated exceptional ability to reimagine business models, drive digital transformation, and build high-performing global teams. Her expertise lies at the intersection of consumer, tech and community. Awarded the prestigious Freedom of the City of London and recognized as one of the Most Influential Women in Business by Start Up Magazine, Viviane is a passionate advocate for diverse and inclusive leadership and a sought-after keynote speaker who champions thriving workplace cultures. With a post-graduate degree from London Business School, she combines empathetic leadership with decisive execution to deliver extraordinary results.

Heather’s career spans over 40 years across Financial, Professional & Technology Services, with a specific focus on international trade, entrepreneurship and corporate banking. Heather is a business thought leader and an innovator with a notable track record of building high performing diverse teams.

Heather has acted in an advisory capacity to FTSE CEOs across a multitude of industries and sectors. She is a highly respected and sought after public speaker, having addressed C-Suite leaders, senates, royalty, and global business audiences worldwide.

Heather has won many accolades, including being listed on the Black Powerlist, as one of the 100 most influential black people in the UK. She is a member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), whose purpose is to open channels of opportunity for black executives to positively impact business and communities, and the CFO’s Diversity Forum for Business in the Community (FTSE100).

Heather is also Patron of Women in Banking & Finance (WIBF) and in June 2024 she became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers.

In 2017 Heather was awarded an OBE for her services to Banking and Financial Services. In 2022 Heather was inaugurated as the Chancellor of the University of York.

Heather has acted as a Senior Advisor at Teneo, a Global CEO Advisory Firm, as well as a Trustee on the Board of Enfield Enterprise and until recently (following a 7-year tenure) was a Trustee on the Board for the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). She now sits on the committee for Companions and has recently been elected to join the Everyone Economy Committee.

Rebecca is the Managing Director of Vistage UK & Ireland, bringing a proven track record of driving growth and transformational leadership. With expertise in scaling businesses and improving sales effectiveness, Rebecca has delivered impactful results at renowned organisations such as Chief and LinkedIn. Most recently, as General Manager at Chief, she helped shape a thriving executive membership network, empowering female leaders. She also played a pivotal role in advancing LinkedIn’s platform’s business solutions.
Throughout her career, she has placed a dedicated focus on creating opportunities for all and has personally invested in several technology businesses in the Talent, Education and Impact sectors. She also built internal and external communities to drive positive and inclusive change.
Now at Vistage, Rebecca is dedicated to elevating the brand across the UK and Ireland, supporting CEOs and executives in making better decisions that positively impact their businesses, teams, and communities.

Sara-Louise is a Director and the Head of Business Development at Aquis Stock Exchange: a UK-based primary and secondary market for equity and debt securities which focuses on listing and developing growth companies on the public markets.Passionate about helping companies to find the scale-up capital they need to develop and grow, Sara-Louise has assisted several hundred dynamic businesses to navigate the complex requirements of a primary market and capital markets journey.Sara-Louise has over 20 years’ experience in public markets, with roles spanning events and marketing as well as her primary focus on relationship management, business development and strategy for the exchange. She is a UK market expert, having spent the majority of her career based in London, but has also overseen international dual-listings and spent time working on international account management from Hong Kong. Sara-Louise is a supporter of companies who deliver social and environmental impact alongside their financial performance, and champions the role of public markets in ensuring companies manage and disclose their broader responsibilities to all stakeholders. A vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion, Sara-Louise has led multiple formal and informal Women in Business networks and initiatives.

Alexandra (Alex) Leader is Head of SME Delivery at the City of London Corporation and has recently spearheaded the first SME Strategy for the Square Mile, ensuring that support for start-ups and SMEs are at the forefront of driving economic growth in the City and London.
In her 10 years at the City of London Corporation, Alex has developed and expanded the support services for SMEs. Through increased collaboration and connectivity within the SME ecosystem, she is consistently looking to find new ways to support small businesses.
Alex has a strong career background in entrepreneurship, employability, and skills development and is particularly passionate about supporting founders from diverse backgrounds and driving social mobility. She wants everyone, regardless of their background, to feel empowered to start their own business.
Over the past three years, Alex has been invited to judge numerous SME awards, including the Lloyds’s Bank British Business Awards and the London Chamber of Commerce SME Awards. She has also actively supported the Startup Magazine Awards and Elite Business Live SME Awards.

Athos Rushovich brings over 30 years of experience in financial services across health, life, wellness, and investments in the UK and South Africa. Currently overseeing Vitality Health’s Key Intermediary and D2B businesses and serves on the Executive Committee, Athos is recognised for his leadership in distribution channels and advocacy for health and wellbeing. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys running, and is married with two adult children.

Liz Barclay is an entrepreneur, broadcaster, journalist, writer and author specialising in small business, personal finance and consumer affairs. She is currently working with the IoD as Small Business and Entrepreneurship lead, with technology firms on the adoption and effective use of technology for small and micro businesses, and with businesses of all sizes on strategy, governance, employee engagement, inclusivity and communications. This follows a four-year role as the UK’s Small Business Commissioner with the remit of resolving payment disputes and improving practices.
Liz is an experienced Chair and NED with Boards in the private and third sectors, is Chair of the Fair by Design Campaign (to tackle the poverty premium) and a NED at Trustmark. She also speaks at and chairs UK and international conferences and panel sessions. She has started and run several businesses.

Sophie Milliken MBE is founder and CEO at Moja Group. Moja work with entrepreneurs and senior executives to amplify their personal profiles and become known authorities in their industries. A multi award-winning businesswoman and proud mum, Sophie also enjoys supporting the North East region. Sophie is co-founder of City Ladies Networking a networking group for women in business running monthly breakfast events in Newcastle, London and Paris. She is Chair of Smart Works Newcastle and has achieved huge success delivering the aim of doubling the number of unemployed women supported with interview clothing and coaching across the North East. In June 2021, Sophie became a Founding Ambassador for Every Child Needs a Mentor. Sophie hosts the hit marketing podcast, Beyond the Bio and her third book, From Unknown to Unforgettable: How to build a personal brand that goes beyond the bio is out now. Sophie was awarded an MBE for services to Business and to Education in the 2023 New Year honours list.

Charlotte leads the Office of Corporate Engagement's international responsibilities and serves as global head of 10,000 Women. She is a member of the EMEA Inclusion and Diversity Committee. Charlotte joined Goldman Sachs in 2015 as an executive director in the EMEA Office of Corporate Engagement and was named managing director in 2019.

Prior to joining the firm, Charlotte was chief executive of Tony Blair's Foundation. Previously, she worked in Investment Banking at JPMorgan Cazenove in London and Jefferies and Co. in Houston.
Charlotte serves as chair of the Expert Advisory Council for the UK government’s Help to Grow: Management program for small businesses.

Charlotte earned an MA from Oxford University in 2003. She was a Frank Knox Fellow at Harvard University from 2003 to 2004, and earned an MA in International Affairs from Columbia University.

Award-winning entrepreneur and bestselling author, Donna O’Toole, is the founder of August Recognition - a top global awards agency and part of the Dent Global group, which helps entrepreneurs to stand out, scale up and make a positive impact in the world.

Named one of the world’s Top 25 Customer Experience Influencers and an award-winning national and international awards judge, Donna has helped hundreds of businesses from start-ups to FTSE 100 organisations, brands, entrepreneurs, and leaders across the world to raise their profile by achieving valuable awards and recognition for their achievements.

Donna is renowned for achieving an outstanding success rate in the most highly regarded awards such as The King’s Awards for Enterprise, and bestselling author of WIN! - the ultimate guide to winning awards.

Simon has a proven track-record for scaling-up businesses, from big corporates including O2 Business, through to the portfolio of ventures he helped co-found as a serial entrepreneur, including One Water, Yoti.com, and Zopa.com. His venture portfolio has raised more than half a billion pounds in capital finance.
Simon served as Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR) for the UK Government for three and a half years and now works across a portfolio of interests including being the EiR for the National Physical Laboratory and also the Institute for Cancer Research, and he is a Non-Exec Director of Mercia’s VCT and an NHS Health Trust.

Having held Senior Leadership roles in businesses ranging from start-ups & SME’s to World Class organisations such as Orange and Samsung encompassing sectors such as Financial Services, Marketing, Retail, Telecoms & Consumer Electronics, Simon has been a Group Chairman for Vistage, the World’s leading Peer Group organisation for Chief Executives & Managing Directors, for the last 8 years.
There he works with a diverse range of successful SME leaders in and around Hampshire, Surrey, Dorset, Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex, helping them to sustainably improve their businesses and achieve their aims through input from subject matter expert Speakers, harnessing the power of a Peer Group and 1:1 coaching.

Segun Akinwoleola is a first-class Business Management graduate with over 15 years of experience in sales and marketing for brands such as Revlon, John Frieda, Up&Go and The Black Farmer. Segun is only one of a few black entrepreneurs in FMCG having launched his own brand The Gym Kitchen. The Gym Kitchen sells a range of healthy food in retailers such as Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons, Asda, Co-op & Ocado. Segun is extremely passionate about entrepreneurship and diversity within FMCG.

Tariq Attia, CEO of IW Capital and member of its Investment Committee, has built a broad network of HNWIs, Wealth Managers, Family Offices, and IFAs, and has facilitated investments worth hundreds of millions into UK SMEs.
With over 14 years at IW Capital, Tariq played a central role in the firm's evolution before leading a management buyout to become CEO. He has also held roles in the Treasury Department at National Australia Bank and has deep expertise in venture capital and private equity.
Tariq holds a BSc in Economics from Henley Business School, the Investment Advice Diploma, and is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI).

Yvonne Nagawa is a Founding Partner and Chief Operating Officer at Black Seed Ventures, the UK’s first venture fund created by and for Black founders. She leads on fund operations, investment execution, and strategic growth, helping shape a new institutional standard for inclusive investing in the UK.

She also holds governance and advisory roles across platforms advancing entrepreneurship and capital access, including as a trustee and judging panel member for Tech Nation’s Libra, the Everywoman Awards, and Startups Magazine’s Hustle Awards.

André Spence is a social entrepreneur, author, and mentor, who has been in the
entertainment industry for over 10 years. Finding youth fame on a reality show on MTV,
he presented and blogged for MOBO and organised events, bringing together global
brands, and world-class talent in support of charity

Finding the power of mentorship on his journey, in 2017 he founded Global Purpose
Enterprise, which exists to level up young black people and help them walk in
purpose through events and mentorship. His organisation has worked with top-tier
firms from EY to the highly sought-after private members’ club, Soho House.

Now Andre and his team are on a mission to impact the lives of 1 million young Black
and underserved people in the next 5 years through their upcoming app PRGRSS that
connects mentees to mentors through 12-minute video calls to help them navigate their
careers.

The Deputy Director for Strategy and Analysis in the Small Business Growth Directorate at the Department for Business and Trade. As a senior Economist Angelina leads a large multi-disciplinary team of strategy, trade, policy and analysis professionals to drive forward the government’s overall strategy for supporting SMEs to grow and prosper. This includes co-leading the delivery of the Government’s ‘Backing your Business: Our Plan for Small Business and Medium Sized Businesses’ published in July 2025. Also the chair of the OECD Committee on SMEs and Entrepreneurship, working alongside global leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to shape international best practices and policies that foster small business growth and entrepreneurship.

John is co-founded Lintbells, the UK’s leading pet health supplement company almost two decades ago to provide pets and their owners with scientifically supported nutritional supplements, and is the inventor of YuMOVE, the UK’s number one joint mobility supplement for dogs and cats. Following a successful exit to US private equity last year, John now pursues his personal and business interests, including being a Deputy Lieutenant to the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, a board member on Hertfordshire Futures, a Kings Trust Patron & Enterprise Fellow and a development council member at Wadham College, Oxford University.

​Tom Bohills is the Founder of Founders Law, a law firm based in the UK and UAE that specializes in providing bespoke in-house legal services to high-growth companies. With a background in IP/IT and Technology law, Tom has significant experience in the technology sector, having qualified at White & case before going on to develop the legal practices of two award-winning UK FinTech companies. In late 2022, following a strategic investment, Founders Law became part of the Founders Forum group.

Allyson Stewart-Allen is CEO and Founder of International Marketing Partners, established in 1991.

An award-winning educator, advisor, broadcaster, NED, author and speaker who’s a recognized expert on global retailing, international marketing and cross-border expansion.

Originally from Los Angeles and now based in London for over 30 years, Allyson earned her MBA with Dr. Peter Drucker and learned her craft while working for PwC, PA Consulting Group and Hay Management Consultants.

She has advised over 280 businesses across 27 countries including BAE Systems, BBC Studios, Burberry, Chanel, Electronic Arts, HSBC, Lufthansa, Meltwater, NBC Universal, Pandora, Ricoh, SAB Miller and many more while also serving as a Principal Consultant for the Professional Services Firms Institute (PSFI).

She’s the author of both editions of the best-selling book Working with Americans and is a regular TV, radio and print expert including her five seasons on BBC’s The Apprentice, CNN, The Financial Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. She is also the creator of the recently-launched LinkedIn Learning course Leading International Growth.

Allyson is a Member of the Advisory Board of The Chief of Staff Association, the Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards and recently served as a Non-Executive Director for the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

When she’s not busy doing all these interesting activities, she serves as a mentor to a range of corporate leaders and organisations.

To see Allyson's keynote talks and other public appearances, visit her speaker website allysonstewartallen.com

Amanda oversees all aspects of Vodafone Business’ global marketing strategy including brand, creative, sponsorships, media, insights, go-to-market, and digital.

Vodafone Business is the €8bn enterprise division of Vodafone, a leading European and African telecoms company.

Vodafone serves over 340 million mobile and broadband customers, has operating networks in 15 countries, with investments in a further five, and partners in over 40 more. Vodafone’s undersea cables transport around a sixth of the world’s internet traffic, and Vodafone are developing a new direct-to-mobile satellite communications service to connect areas without coverage. Vodafone runs one of the world’s largest IoT platforms, with 205 million IoT connections, and provides financial services to around 88 million customers across seven African countries – managing more transactions than any other provider.

Amanda's team helps business decision-makers around the world discover and harness technologies to innovate and succeed in the digital economy.

Amanda has been a member of the Vodafone Business Senior Leadership Team since November 2021, and as a seasoned tech executive, she has held senior roles at Oracle, Dell, Cisco, Sage, and Infor. Amanda is also a Non-Executive Director at Cirata and Pairpoint.

Known for championing innovation and sustainability, she’s a frequent keynote speaker and has been recognised in the tech industry with numerous awards, most recently being named one of the Top 100 Global B2B CMOs in the Technology Sector by HotTopics.

Amanda is judging the Female Founders category of the 2025 awards. 

Caroline is responsible for strategy development and execution at Ricoh Europe across EMEA as well as all commercial functions including – Sales and Sales Operations, Portfolio Management, Product Development, Strategic Alliances, Marketing and Customer Value Management.

Caroline also leads Ricoh Capital, the leasing and finance business. In leading the EMEA commercial P&L, Caroline is focused on driving sustainable, long-term profitable growth and future proofing the business by driving strategic alignment and embedding a customer first-culture.

Caroline joined Ricoh in 2019 and has almost 25 years’ B2B experience and a strong track record in market-led business transformation. Prior to Ricoh, Caroline has held multiple senior commercial roles, including Global CMO, Managing Director (Eastern Europe) and Business Development Director.

She has also served as a Senior Management Consultant advising C-Suite leaders across a wide variety of B2B industries on strategy, transformation, organisational design and how to drive market impact. Caroline holds an MBA (Distinction) from Warwick Business School and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Politics from the University of York.

Caroline is passionate about inspiring people to succeed and grow, building high performing and empowered teams who, under Caroline’s leadership, have a strong and clear sense of purpose that people can get behind. This year she is judging the Female Founders category of the 2025 awards. 

Caroline lives with her husband and two sons just outside London.

David Crichton-Miller joined SQW Group in June 2015 as Chief Executive and main Board Director.

Prior to joining SQW Group, David's career has been with consulting and support service organisations, serving both public and private sector clients.

His career started as a strategy consultant with McKinsey & Company and has since included being Chief Operating Officer of WYG plc, Managing Director of the Environmental and Planning Consulting Division at WYG, Director for Business Development and Strategy at Mouchel, Managing Director for Amey Technology Services, and most recently Executive Director at A4e, one of the main operators of UK Government employability and skills outsourcing contracts.

David is a judge of the Female Founders category in 2015.

A communications expert with deep experience of broadcast, Naomi heads up Studio, SEC Newgate’s home for creative content. She has more than a decade of experience working as a TV journalist at Bloomberg, Sky News and CNBC.

Before TV news, Naomi was a corporate access originator for Goldman Sachs bringing together institutional investors and corporate clients in the FTSE 100.

She is an advocate for social justice, access and equality through her podcast Show Me The Way, which profiles women making a difference to the lives of others; as a judge for the Veuve Clicquot BOLD awards; an ambassador for Asia Women of Achievement Awards and a founding advisor for OK Mentor.

Naomi started her professional life as an actress in the West End, on TV and Radio and is this year judging the Female Founders category. 

An organisation's success depends on good leaders, but good leaders aren’t born. They’re made. In 20+ years as a people centric business leader, I’ve found the key to thriving lies in collaboration and learning.

As a Vistage Chair I’m compelled to ‘pay forward’ the benefits I experienced as a Vistage CEO Advisory Board member, accessing impartial and diverse perspectives, world class insight, accountability and support. Leadership can be lonely, but as 45,000 members in 36 countries will tell you, you get far more from work and life with a Vistage peer group by your side.

As a Board Advisor I also support SME business leaders in the areas of strategy planning and execution; value creation; leadership team composition and capability; succession planning; and talent attraction, recruitment and retention.

On a personal note, I have three grown up sons and recently welcomed my first grandchild into the family – another boy! I love the outdoors, particularly getting outside for a run, cycle, or swim, sometimes combining all three with the occasional triathlon. I’m an advocate for the value of looking after both body and mind in achieving overall wellness and happiness.

My achievements include:

• 20+ years board, MD / CEO experience in privately owned and FTSE listed organisations.
• Delivering ownership succession of private company to Employee Ownership - embedding purpose and values with employee owners and establishing new governance model.
• Shaping and executing company strategy, creating strong and vibrant cultures and teams.
• Business model transformation, doubling revenue to c.£5m and increasing EBITDA to 20%.
• Growing a specialist technology and digital practice to circa £1m revenue in three years.
• Championing diversity, equality and inclusion. Gaining Department of Business, Innovation and Skills recognition for UK board diversity impact.
• Hosting speaker events and roundtables on subjects such as ‘Women in the Chair’ and ‘Board Composition and Diversity’.
• Board accountability for FTSE 100 telecoms customer division (800+ colleagues and c.£250m revenue).
• Led high-growth SME telco to £53m exit, managed integration and supported £90m group exit within 2 years.
• Charity fundraising - completing two marathons (London and Venice); overseas long-distance cycle challenges in Cuba, China, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Vietnam and Cambodia; and the Anglesey Sandman triathlon a number of times.

Adam Walsh is a seasoned CEO known for combining family business values with steady, hands-on leadership throughout a career of more than 20 years. Based in Hessle, East Yorkshire, he has worked across a range of SMEs and family-owned companies, bringing practical expertise, integrity and an approachable style to every role.
Adam’s leadership is centred on people. He focuses on building capable teams, fostering clear communication and driving positive changes that last. Over the years, he has helped companies adapt through periods of transition, guiding them to invest wisely, grow sustainably, and navigate complex family and business dynamics with fairness and respect.
As a CEO and board chair, Adam has overseen capital investment, acquisitions and new ventures. His achievements include supporting companies through substantial revenue growth, gaining industry-leading accreditations, reducing staff turnover and strengthening community ties.
A strong advocate for responsible leadership, Adam champions Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) priorities and ensures that staff development and wellbeing remain at the forefront. He has also helped to deliver career programmes for the long-term unemployed and those leaving the justice system, enabling businesses to create meaningful social impact.
During a career filled with recognition and results, Adam has stayed true to his roots in family business. He values long-term relationships, practical outcomes and trust above all else, with a track record of guiding organisations to sustainable success whilst balancing commercial goals with people and purpose.

​​Katherine has partnered with entrepreneurs, senior business leaders and their families throughout her time at HSBC and RBC Wealth Management.

Over the last 5 years within her role of Head of New Business at RBC, based on her own successful client relationships she refined a repeatable strategy for others to ensure deeply personal relationships with clients providing them with the right plan and advice.

Katherine can be relied on for her knowledge, experience, her candour, empathy and intuition. Having mentored and led a team of relationship managers she is no stranger to the importance of asking sometimes challenging questions. She is certainly not one who would ever be forgotten after a meeting.

Katherine has a love for travelling with her family to explore new cultures, foods, and wines! Katherine believes strongly in the beauty that neuro diversity affords. Curiosity, reliability and delivering is of utmost importance to her.

Empowering entrepreneurs with bespoke tax and strategic advice, I turn complexities into clear, actionable insights, helping both founders and their businesses to thrive and reach their full potential.

Malli provides tax advice to entrepreneurs (across their personal and company matters), other high-net-worth individuals, shareholders, trusts and family offices and is also the lead for the entrepreneurs practice at the firm.

Although Malli is a tax specialist at heart, he spends much of his time acting as a sounding board for clients on both tax and non-tax/commercial matters.

In addition to giving his clients access to the Blick Rothenberg suite of services (through one point of contact) he will look at the wholistic picture to introduce them, as needed, to his third-party network of advisors such as debt advisors, investors, corporate financiers, lawyers, trustees and bankers.

Before joining Blick Rothenberg as a Partner in March 2024, Malli spent over 15 years in the Big 4 (PwC and EY) within their London private client teams. Prior to that, he had an entirely different career as an orthopaedic surgeon in the NHS.

Miles Nolan started his career as a financial journalist, working for the Financial Times publication the Investors Chronicle as a staff writer before moving to the position of Smaller Companies Editor.

He later moved on to be the Editor of Growth Company Investor.

He has worked as an analyst and fund manager and has held the role of Head of Communications for a wealth manager. He is FCA regulated and works as a Partner/Director at Sterling Investment Management – a fund management company focused on growth companies.

In addition he works as a Board Adviser at a private clinical trials recruitment business and also runs a private property company which focuses on both commercial and residential property.

Declan is a well known financial journalist and regular contributor to LBC.

He spent two decades at the BBC, across both TV and Radio. He is possibly best known for BBC Breakfast where he presented the business section daily from the London Stock Exchange, and 'Wake Up To Money' on BBC 5 Live as well as the business debate programme 'Show Me The Money' on the BBC News Channel.

He co presented BBC 2's daytime business programme "Working Lunch" , which he co-presented with Naga Munchetty

He has interviewed chief executives, trade union leaders, stock market watchers and economists, along with individual workers and investors. He has also broadcast his own personalised reports on the stock market and investing.

Declan has also appeared coast-to-coast across the United States each morning, with a live business and news report for the US network ABC as well as writing a regular diary column for ABC's news website, ABCNews.com

A proud Northerner, Hamish is passionate about the growth of the North West region. Using 30 years of experience from a successful career in business, Hamish focuses on growing people, who grow companies, that grow opportunities for the benefit of our children.
Hamish has operated at board level since qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1993, initially working for a company that was a member of Vistage. He has extensive experience within high-growth, award-winning, entrepreneurial, and VC-backed companies, spanning multiple sectors, including automotive supply chain, house building and leisure. Having helped many rapidly growing companies, one stand-out success was helping a company grow from a turnover of £45m and an operating profit of £4.5m, to a turnover of £191m and operating profits of £37.5m.
As a Vistage member, Hamish valued its approach and member development. In 2014, Hamish became a Vistage chair and now runs private advisory groups for CEOs and Key Executives in the North West region. These groups provide support, challenge, and growth for CEOs, MDs, and business owners from a wide range of non-competing industries.
In addition to his Vistage members, Hamish works closely with growing businesses as a Non-Executive Director, provides angel investment and coaches key decision makers on a one-to-one basis.
As a passionate and accredited speaker, Hamish gives talks on business finance for private events, business meetings and Vistage groups across the country.

Julie Devonshire is the Director of the Entrepreneurship Institute at King’s College London supporting students, alumni and staff to learn entrepreneurial skills, develop entrepreneurial mindsets and, perhaps, create start-up and spinouts of their own.
King’s College London engages an audience of +30,000 in entrepreneurship annually, helping to start and scale about 40 ventures each year in health, technology, creative industries and many other areas. Julie leads accelerators at King’s for start-ups and spinout along with the King’s Investor Network.
Before joining King’s Julie was the Director of Ventures at UnLtd supporting exceptional, early stage social entrepreneurs across the country to scale and to raise investment. Julie and her team delivered support in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund, the Cabinet Office, Santander, Coutts and many others.
Julie is an award-winning social entrepreneur and business-scaling expert; she scaled One Water, a range of bottled mineral water donating 100% of its profits to build water pumps in Africa. During Julie’s time with One Water, the business grew from £0 profits to £8.2m, donated to build hundreds of water pumps across sub-Saharan Africa.
Julie is an ACCA fellow who is passionate about early-stage entrepreneurs. In 2016 Julie was awarded an OBE, in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours List, for her service to entrepreneurship

Liza Tullidge is a serial entrepreneur, seasoned Non-Executive Director, and strategic advisor with a track record of building, scaling, and exiting ventures across industries and geographies. Having founded her first business at 19, Liza has since launched multiple ventures and now serves as Founder and CEO of Netā, a boardroom-focused platform equipping directors with the tools, insights, and network to integrate sustainability, technology, and risk into corporate strategy.

An active investor and board member, Liza works at the intersection of innovation, governance, and impact. Her career has been defined by identifying early-stage opportunity in emerging sectors and translating bold ideas into resilient, purpose-driven growth. She serves as a strategic advisor to companies innovative organisations, helps boards to lead and thrive in a volatile, fast-changing world, and empowers dynamic, forward-thinking leadership teams.

Liza is also the host of the OnBoard and Humaning podcasts, where she explores the intersection of leadership, impact, and what it means to thrive in a fast-changing world. An avid outdoorswoman, she is equally at home in the boardroom or on remote adventures—from mountaineering in Pakistan to conservation work across Africa.

Alex Evans is Managing Director of TALiNT Partners, which brings together a global network of HR, Staffing, Talent Solutions & HR & Recruitment Tech leaders to learn, share and connect through a year-round programme of events, awards, and advisory services. Alex has specialised in executive networks, business media, events, and awards to raise industry standards and inspire innovation for over 25 years. Alex heads up the membership programme for leaders of the UK's biggest and most innovative Recruitment and Talent Tech firms, curating insights from TALiNT Partners' global TIARA awards campaigns and providing access to leading industry experts and business advisers to help them make better strategic decisions.

Athos Rushovich brings over 30 years of experience in financial services across health, life, wellness, and investments in the UK and South Africa. Currently overseeing Vitality Health’s Key Intermediary and D2B businesses and serves on the Executive Committee, Athos is recognised for his leadership in distribution channels and advocacy for health and wellbeing. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys running, and is married with two adult children.

Listed in the 2024 and 2025 E2E Female 100, Sara is passionate about designing the future of work for C-level talent and organisations. As well as publishing the first research on the Access Economy for C-suite professionals in her second book, Strategy and Leadership as Service, she has helped thousands worldwide build successful team-based portfolio careers in the access economy.

Steve is a Board Director of Tensei and oversees General and Commercial Management. With a background in business strategy, he has over 40 years in industry working with some of the world’s largest brands and some of the most interesting start-ups. He owns the Global Executive Headhunt business 360xec. He is Chairman at Hubly (preventing online abuse) and a Board Director at DNApal.me (Personalised Health). Steve was also Chairman of IOTG – now Silver Bullet Data Services Group Plc. He led a PLC Group flotation onto AIM in 2008 whilst purchasing one of the most regarded Publishing recruiters, and was Chairman of the REC Recruitment Trade body for Marketing, Media and Creative; the MMC. In his Advertising agency years, Steve was a member of the founding team that launched what became the largest media agency in the world; Zenith Media and was Head of Strategy on the UK Board serving clients that included B.A. Land Rover, BT, News International, Mars and Mondelez. His full-service agency days were at Saatchi & Saatchi and at FCB prior to this.

Allyson Stewart-Allen is CEO and Founder of International Marketing Partners, established in 1991.

An award-winning educator, advisor, broadcaster, NED, author and speaker who’s a recognized expert on global retailing, international marketing and cross-border expansion.

Originally from Los Angeles and now based in London for over 30 years, Allyson earned her MBA with Dr. Peter Drucker and learned her craft while working for PwC, PA Consulting Group and Hay Management Consultants.

She has advised over 280 businesses across 27 countries including BAE Systems, BBC Studios, Burberry, Chanel, Electronic Arts, HSBC, Lufthansa, Meltwater, NBC Universal, Pandora, Ricoh, SAB Miller and many more while also serving as a Principal Consultant for the Professional Services Firms Institute (PSFI).

She’s the author of both editions of the best-selling book Working with Americans and is a regular TV, radio and print expert including her five seasons on BBC’s The Apprentice, CNN, The Financial Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. She is also the creator of the recently-launched LinkedIn Learning course Leading International Growth.

Allyson is a Member of the Advisory Board of The Chief of Staff Association, the Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards and recently served as a Non-Executive Director for the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

When she’s not busy doing all these interesting activities, she serves as a mentor to a range of corporate leaders and organisations.

To see Allyson's keynote talks and other public appearances, visit her speaker website allysonstewartallen.com

Carl joined UKEF in September 2019 from Lloyds Banking Group, where he spent 31 years in a variety of roles. He was a Relationship Director, managing and developing a portfolio of customers within the Manufacturing & Industrials sector. Prior to this he was Head of Cash Management and Trade Finance, delivering cash and trade products to large London corporates.
As Co-Head of Business Group, he is responsible for the Short Term Business Division and Export Development & Inclusive Trade business functions. These incorporate various underwriting units helping UKEF grow its support for smaller exporters with a range of Guarantee and Insurance products whilst being supported by a business development function through UKEF’s 27 strong team of Export Finance Managers (EFMs), as they drive the uptake and adoption of the export credit agency’s products across the country. Additionally, the Marketing & Communications team sits within his remit, delivering UKEF’s external press and communications, driving external stakeholder relationships and creating Events and Marketing material to help raise awareness of UKEF’s stated objectives.

Dr Nik Kotecha is an internationally renowned businessman, scientist, influencer and serial entrepreneur. He founded and led the inspirational growth of leading Midlands-based developer and manufacturer of generic medicines, Morningside Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and is Founder and Chairman of RandalSun Capital.
Arriving in the UK (1972) with his family as a refugee, Dr Kotecha’s family settled in Leicester. After academia, his career moved into drug discovery, focused on type II diabetes and infection. Next steps drew on his love of science, knowledge of pharmaceuticals and his passion for affordable, accessible and high-quality healthcare for all. Starting from a home garage in 1991 as a 100% export business, when he divested his interests (2022), Morningside Pharmaceuticals had exported to 120+ countries, with a global product range of over 300 generic and branded EU and UK licensed medicines.
Growth was driven by an unrelenting approach to innovation, new markets, new jurisdiction product registrations and international commercial partnerships within a socially focussed business model, where key contracts included those supplying global aid agencies.
Dr Kotecha holds many national and regional roles on boards as diverse as The King’s Trust Council, (formerly known as The Prince’s Trust), Chair of the Fundraising Advisory Board for The King’s Trust and a Director for the Centre for Social Justice. Closer to home, he’s been a long serving board member for the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) until it closed in March 2024; he is the former Chair of the Loughborough Town Deal Board and he has held the position of Chair for the successful Leicestershire Innovation Festival since its inception. He has represented the region in diverse roles including Deputy Lieutenant for Leicestershire, and as both Export Champion for over 10 years, and Trade Policy Advisor for HM Government Department for Business and Trade.
Dr Kotecha was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, for International Trade in 2012. He accompanied the then Prime Minister Teresa May on a trade mission to India in 2016 and in 2018 he received a Board of Trade Award, issued by the then Department of International Trade.
He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science by the University of Leicester in July 2023, formally recognising his contribution to science and the scientific community. In 2022 he was recognised by De Montfort University, where he is Pro Chancellor, by being awarded the role of Professor of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Philanthropy. In 2022, he also received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Imperial College, London.
His current global business portfolio is wide ranging and includes investments from start-ups to patient capital, with retained interests in health, life sciences and high innovation, IP rich businesses.
In 2017 he and his wife Moni established the Randal Foundation CIO, giving it powerful worldwide reach (www.randalfoundation.org.uk). The Foundation works with aligned partners and organisations to deliver its central ambition: to save 1 million lives, globally.

It’s a real pleasure to judge this year’s British Business Excellence Awards, celebrating the incredible achievements of business owners and entrepreneurs across the UK.

I’ve spent nearly 20 years in commercial banking, starting out on a graduate scheme in a Lloyds branch on Oxford Street. Since then, I’ve held roles in Bristol, London and Singapore, including Head of Finance for our Asia hub, and supporting the launch of Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets.

Most recently, I worked as Chief of Staff to the Business and Commercial Banking (BCB) CEO, giving me a unique role in the evolution of the of our transformation journey to ensure Lloyds is the best bank for business.

Today, I lead the BCB Commercial Performance & Enablement team, where we focus on helping businesses grow, adapt and thrive in a fast-changing environment.

Outside of work, I live in Wokingham with my partner and daughter. Community is very important to me and I volunteer at our local foodbank and enjoy heading back to Wolverhampton to watch the Wolves with my dad - a tradition we’ve kept going for nearly four decades.

With all this in mind, I’m looking forward to celebrating your successes and hearing more about the journeys that brought you here.

I’m keenly aware of the role businesses play in our communities and society. Whether it’s creating jobs, driving innovation, or supporting local causes, your impact is felt far beyond the bottom line. That’s why events like this matter, they shine a light on the dedication, resilience and innovation that define British business.

www.lloydsbank.com/business/

Customer loyalty is the heartbeat of every successful business—a powerful win for customers, employees, and financial performance alike. In an exceptionally competitive year, the outstanding finalists wowed the judges with their unwavering commitment to customer and employee satisfaction, driving impactful and sustainable success across their organisations.

'Rob Burgess is the editor and founder of travel loyalty website Head for Points.

Founded in 2012, it is the UK's dominant source of news and information on the airline, hotel, rail and credit card loyalty industries.

With 33 million page views in 2024 and over 65,000 newsletter subscribers, it is required reading for business travellers, premium leisure travellers and those working in travel and travel loyalty.

He also runs the Head for Points Travel & Loyalty Awards and the UK's largest annual frequent flyer party, attracting over 500 guests.

Rob is a familiar face in the UK media discussing business travel and loyalty issues. He is a past winner of 'Editor of the Year' at the UK Business Travel Journalism Awards."

Safiyah Bennington is a talented Brand and Talent Director at Connect Management, specialising in influencer management and digital campaign delivery across fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.

Her impressive career has seen her work with some of the world’s most recognised brands, including Coca-Cola, SKIMS, Good American, Adidas, and Barbour.

At Connect Management, Safiyah plays a key role in leading the company’s diversity and inclusion strategy, helping to champion underrepresented voices and drive meaningful change across the creative industries. Her work also extends beyond the private sector, consulting with No. 10 on government strategies to promote diversity and talent development on a national scale.

Passionate about nurturing creative talent, Safiyah is dedicated to helping individuals unlock their full potential.

With her unique combination of strategic insight, creativity, and a results-driven approach, she is helping shape a more inclusive and innovative future for the industry and is delighted to judge the Customer Loyalty category of the awards.  

"Abdul R Shiil is Co-founder and Director of Sahan Cares CIC, a multi-award-winning social enterprise delivering care services whilst creating employment pathways for refugees. Through measured leadership and operational focus, Sahan Cares demonstrates how organisations can achieve social impact alongside financial sustainability.
Abdul's approach centres on workforce innovation, inclusion, and operational resilience. He serves on the board of ActionAid UK, contributing strategic insight to one of the UK's leading international development organisations, and is pursuing part-time doctoral research exploring how older adults engage with digital health communities.
Through building an organisation that addresses real challenges with sustainable solutions, Abdul understands what it means to put purpose before profit, not as an ideal, but as a guiding principle rooted in execution."

Ezekiel Johnson is a distinguished University of Warwick Politics graduate, visionary Director, and dynamic Property Manager. Renowned for his captivating speaking engagements, Ezekiel has addressed esteemed audiences at venues such as No. 10 Downing Street, the House of Commons, Microsoft, EY, HSBC, and Soho House.

In his role as Director of Community and Engagement at Global Purpose Enterprise, Ezekiel leads transformative initiatives that foster inclusive environments, drive community engagement, and create pathways to success for young black and underserved individuals. His dedication to these causes has made a profound impact on countless lives, demonstrating his commitment to youth empowerment and social change.

Ezekiel’s real-life experiences and corporate expertise uniquely position him to bridge the gap between Gen Z and older generations in the workplace. He understands the complexities of creating a harmonious, multi-generational work environment and is adept at fostering connections that enhance productivity and mutual understanding.

A powerful orator and innovative leader, Ezekiel inspires audiences with his compelling vision and actionable insights. His ability to resonate with diverse groups makes him an invaluable speaker for corporate audiences seeking to engage with the next generation of leaders and cultivate a forward-thinking organizational culture.

Lucy is a social entrepreneur and senior purpose and transformation leader. She previously led the Purpose strategy for Deloitte UK, and has supported many major UK businesses to discover and embed purpose, delivering ‘value beyond profit’ for employees, customers and society. She is currently writing a book celebrating everything purpose- in life, business and society. In her spare time, she is training for the London Marathon 2026, which she is running to raise money for a wonderful Multiple Sclerosis charity.

Ollie has spent his career advising business leaders and entrepreneurs on their wealth journey. He spent eleven years with the Royal Bank of Canada in relationship management roles, where he created and led a strategy focused on management teams backed by private equity. Prior to his time at RBC - where he was a member of the UK Senior Leadership Team - he spent four years with Citi Private Bank, starting out as an alternative investments analyst before moving into relationship management. Ollie brings a distinctive outlook influenced by a deep interest in psychotherapy. His commitment to understanding the intricate layers of human behaviour, combined with his professional experience, enables him to provide clients with insights that extend beyond the traditional. Ollie comes from an Anglo-French background, is father to two, and is a self-confessed Beatles obsessive. He read Arabic and French at the University of Exeter, during which time he spent an eventful year living in Syria and travelling around the Middle East - a part of the world by which he continues to be fascinated.

Tom Rippin is a multi-award-winning, international social entrepreneur, speaker and writer. He has an unusually broad set of interests and has been published in the fields of social innovation, management, economics and cancer research.As a recovering management consultant, Tom has served global corporates and NGOs, multilateral initiatives such as the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, and several UK public services. For over a decade, Tom has focussed on developing leaders who will help transform our economy. By founding On Purpose he has helped over 1,000 professionals transform their lives and careers and – unusually for a social enterprise – scaled internationally to work in Europe’s three largest economies. Drawing on his experience as a research scientist he applies insights from systems thinking to organisational management and to paint a picture of what a truly healthy economy will look like.
Between leaving McKinsey & Company and founding On Purpose, Tom was an advisor to the CEO of Comic Relief and ran the international operations of (RED), the business founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. He chairs the board of the International Futures Forum, which develops people for the 21st century. He was the first Chair of Tempo Time Credits, probably the world’s biggest time-currency, and has been an Advisory Board Member of Big Society Capital, the world’s first social investment wholesaler and a Trustee of Global Action Plan, which connects what’s good for you with what’s good for the planet.

Fergus’s pioneering work in AI is built on over a decade of experience in tackling digital disruption. His focus on responsible innovation was honed during eight years at the Associated Press, where as their first International Social Media and UGC Editor, he developed industry-leading strategies for verification and digital newsgathering. Recognising the power of collaboration to combat misinformation, he co-founded the award-winning “Verificado” project and the Pop-Up Newsroom framework. As co-founder of Fathm, a news lab and consultancy, and the non-profit Syli, he continues to drive sustainable change, address misinformation, and fuel innovation on critical issues, including the climate crisis. Fergus is also a 2019 Reynolds Journalism Institute Fellow and a John Schofield Trust Senior Fellow a10238nd trustee.

I started Beluga to tackle the global loneliness crisis and create technology that helps rebuild community, purpose, and belonging. Our app blends AI, gamification, and real-world connection so no one feels left behind. Born through personal experience, whilst on long term sickness, her app ensures no one feels left in the lurch. We also partner with businesses to support their employees’ wellbeing , reducing burnout and absenteeism and disengagement by making sure people feel truly seen and supported.