plc awards
Thursday 27 February 2025, Grosvenor House Hotel, London W1
celebrating 40 years of growth and success
the shortlist is announced
winners will be announced on Thursday 27 February 2025
shortlist voting panel get involved
About
40 years of celebrating success
Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the plc awards is usually held in February or March every year and is open to all those companies listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange – colloquially known as the “plc club”. The success of the awards has led to it being broadened out to include FTSE100 companies as well as the FTSE250, FTSE Small Cap and Fledgling indices. Our aim is to truly make it ‘the’ City event of the year and to allow all Main Market publicly quoted companies, of whatever size, the chance to be rewarded and recognised for their successes and achievements.
Once again, this year we have widened the criteria for each category to give full emphasis to ESG practices – covering well known environmental issues, along with social issues and governance matters. Due regard will be given to adherence to current ESG Best Practice and any demonstrable ESG policies that have directly impacted decision making.
The event is attended by plc company chairmen, CEOs, CFOs, investment bankers, fund managers, analysts, IR executives, corporate advisers and pre-IPO companies.
recent showreel
the 2024 voting panel
testimonials from the 2023 awards
Jo Gilbey, Partner & Head of Public Markets at BDO LLP and Hannah Scarborough, Head of Marketing and BD and Board Adviser, BDO LLP:
“We wanted to send a quick note on behalf of BDO to congratulate you all on another excellent plc Awards evening. Feedback collected from our attendees so far has been really positive (as ever), with lots of good things to say about Bim Afolami and Reverend Richard Coles. It was a terrific evening, so thank you all”.
Chris McVey , Senior Fund Manager, Quoted Companies, Octopus Investments:
“May I express my huge thanks to you all for organising such a fantastic event last week. The event was upbeat and much better attended from an institutional perspective than in recent years. It was great catching up with so many friends and associates and I thought both speakers were excellent. Thanks also once again for involving me in the voting panel – again a great chance to debate views with peers from across the market and a thoroughly enjoyable evening”.
James Wood , Corporate Analyst, Winterflood Securities:
“Many thanks to you all for another terrific evening, with, in my view, the best after dinner speakers yet, including Bim Afolami, who stayed around to present the awards”.
Tom Hinton, Group Director, London Stock Exchange plc:
“Well done on a great event. I thought it went very well and all of our guests thoroughly enjoyed it. Good after dinner speaker as well”.
Samantha Myers, Partner, Public Companies & Capital Markets, Gowling WLG:
“Huge thanks to you guys for last night’s plc Awards, we all had a great time. A few people mentioned how slick it was and they liked the award presentation process this year. Richard Coles was brilliant – very well received all round”.
Fraser Ramzan, Head of Investor Relations, Marks and Spencer (Award winner):
“Thank you so much for organising such a successful and enjoyable event. I know so much organisation goes into these, so I do hope the team are having a well earnt rest today!”
Bianca D’Orsi, Corporate Communications Manager, External Communications, Rolls-Royce plc (Award winner):
“Thanks for a fantastic evening. Honoured to have been awarded Company of the Year!”
Sponsors
We know from experience that publicly listed companies face a distinct set of regulatory and business challenges. As the number one auditor to UK listed companies and having completed 144 capital markets transactions in 5 years, BDO is proud to provide accounting and business advisory services to publicly quoted companies. The businesses we work with are Britain’s economic engine – ambitious, entrepreneurially spirited and high-growth businesses that fuel the economy and the owners and management teams that lead them.
Our partners and staff are specialists in their fields and have a proactive, flexible approach to helping organisations overcome the challenges they face.
BDO LLP is a key member of the BDO global network of public accounting, tax and advisory firms. The BDO global network provides business advisory services in 166 countries, with 115,700 people working out of 1,770 offices worldwide. It has revenues of $14bn. Being a member of the BDO global network allows us to meet the needs of clients who are growing and trading internationally.
Find out more about us at:
mainline sponsor:
We know from experience that publicly listed companies face a distinct set of regulatory and business challenges. As the number one auditor to UK listed companies and having completed 144 capital markets transactions in 5 years, BDO is proud to provide accounting and business advisory services to publicly quoted companies. The businesses we work with are Britain’s economic engine – ambitious, entrepreneurially spirited and high-growth businesses that fuel the economy and the owners and management teams that lead them.
Our partners and staff are specialists in their fields and have a proactive, flexible approach to helping organisations overcome the challenges they face.
BDO LLP is a key member of the BDO global network of public accounting, tax and advisory firms. The BDO global network provides business advisory services in 166 countries, with 115,700 people working out of 1,770 offices worldwide. It has revenues of $14bn. Being a member of the BDO global network allows us to meet the needs of clients who are growing and trading internationally.
Find out more about us at:
London Stock Exchange operates at the heart of where ideas meet capital, connecting companies, countries and investors in the real world to make measurable and positive differences across the globe.
Our best-in-class Issuers Services Platform creates a link between Issuer Investor Relations, Treasury teams, Investors and Advisors. The platform provides data, investor relations communications tools and insights dedicated to serving the needs of public companies, private companies and debt issuers in the UK and internationally.
in association with:
London Stock Exchange operates at the heart of where ideas meet capital, connecting companies, countries and investors in the real world to make measurable and positive differences across the globe.
Our best-in-class Issuers Services Platform creates a link between Issuer Investor Relations, Treasury teams, Investors and Advisors. The platform provides data, investor relations communications tools and insights dedicated to serving the needs of public companies, private companies and debt issuers in the UK and internationally.
Rothschild & Co is one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory groups. Our team of 4,600 talented financial services specialists on the ground in over 40 countries across the world, deliver a unique global perspective across four market-leading business divisions, advising on M&A, strategy and financing, as well as investment and wealth management.
Our Global Advisory business offers impartial, expert advice to large and mid-sized corporations, private equity, families and entrepreneurs, and governments. We design and execute strategic M&A and financing solutions for our clients and act as a trusted partner, taking a long-term and independent view on the challenges they face.
Within Global Advisory, our Investor Advisory business provides clients with strategic equity market advice and investor engagement services to help them compete for capital as effectively as possible. This includes identifying and accessing the most relevant equity capital pools for our clients, helping them to understand how the market perceives their investment case, optimising their equity story, as well as de-risking and executing M&A, bid defence and activist challenges. We have also developed a leading ESG capability.
Rothschild & Co is one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory groups. Our team of 4,600 talented financial services specialists on the ground in over 40 countries across the world, deliver a unique global perspective across four market-leading business divisions, advising on M&A, strategy and financing, as well as investment and wealth management.
Our Global Advisory business offers impartial, expert advice to large and mid-sized corporations, private equity, families and entrepreneurs, and governments. We design and execute strategic M&A and financing solutions for our clients and act as a trusted partner, taking a long-term and independent view on the challenges they face.
Within Global Advisory, our Investor Advisory business provides clients with strategic equity market advice and investor engagement services to help them compete for capital as effectively as possible. This includes identifying and accessing the most relevant equity capital pools for our clients, helping them to understand how the market perceives their investment case, optimising their equity story, as well as de-risking and executing M&A, bid defence and activist challenges. We have also developed a leading ESG capability.
Alma is an independent, partner-led financial and corporate communications consultancy offering high-quality advice and service. We work with clients ranging from ambitious growth companies to FTSE 250 firms and private companies, across diverse sectors.
Our team includes experts from investment banking, journalism, and established communications professionals. While each client has a unique story, our role is consistent: helping communicate their strategy from inception to execution to all key stakeholders.
In a complex, fast-moving landscape, you need a communications partner by your side – in both good and challenging times. Our goal is to seamlessly extend your in-house capabilities, delivering a service that shows we care about your business as much as you do.
We are trusted communications experts who deliver results that make a difference, supporting award-winning IPOs, M&A transactions, successful exits, and everything in between.
Alma is an independent, partner-led financial and corporate communications consultancy offering high-quality advice and service. We work with clients ranging from ambitious growth companies to FTSE 250 firms and private companies, across diverse sectors.
Our team includes experts from investment banking, journalism, and established communications professionals. While each client has a unique story, our role is consistent: helping communicate their strategy from inception to execution to all key stakeholders.
In a complex, fast-moving landscape, you need a communications partner by your side – in both good and challenging times. Our goal is to seamlessly extend your in-house capabilities, delivering a service that shows we care about your business as much as you do.
We are trusted communications experts who deliver results that make a difference, supporting award-winning IPOs, M&A transactions, successful exits, and everything in between.
Squire Patton Boggs is a full-service global law firm. Our multi-disciplinary team of over 1,500 lawyers in 40+ offices across 4 continents provides access to expertise and invaluable connections on the ground and a seamless service that operates on any scale – locally, nationally or globally. It encompasses virtually every matter, jurisdiction and market. We place our clients at the core of everything we do.
Our Capital Markets team is recognised as a leading adviser on the full range of capital markets and listed company transactions. With more than 100 lawyers strategically positioned across all of the key financial markets worldwide, we give clients access to an international Capital Markets team with unrivalled reach and connections. This collective capability enables us to share the insights and provide the advice our clients need to guide them to market and throughout their listed company life.
Squire Patton Boggs is a full-service global law firm. Our multi-disciplinary team of over 1,500 lawyers in 40+ offices across 4 continents provides access to expertise and invaluable connections on the ground and a seamless service that operates on any scale – locally, nationally or globally. It encompasses virtually every matter, jurisdiction and market. We place our clients at the core of everything we do.
Our Capital Markets team is recognised as a leading adviser on the full range of capital markets and listed company transactions. With more than 100 lawyers strategically positioned across all of the key financial markets worldwide, we give clients access to an international Capital Markets team with unrivalled reach and connections. This collective capability enables us to share the insights and provide the advice our clients need to guide them to market and throughout their listed company life.
RMS Partners is a specialist Investor Relations consultancy focused on helping companies to find fresh demand for their shares by proactively engaging with Private Wealth Managers, regional fund managers and under-serviced institutional investors.
RMS Partners is a specialist Investor Relations consultancy focused on helping companies to find fresh demand for their shares by proactively engaging with Private Wealth Managers, regional fund managers and under-serviced institutional investors.
Odyssean Capital is a Boutique Investment Manager and Portfolio Manager to Odyssean Investment Trust plc.
We aim to make attractive positive returns for our clients over the long term rather than beat a specific index in the short term. We manage a highly focused portfolio and take an active interest in the companies in which we are invested, often engaging with other stakeholders. The specialist investment approach, typically focused on UK smaller quoted companies, has tended to generate differentiated returns from traditional “growth” or “value” strategies.
Odyssean Capital is a Boutique Investment Manager and Portfolio Manager to Odyssean Investment Trust plc.
We aim to make attractive positive returns for our clients over the long term rather than beat a specific index in the short term. We manage a highly focused portfolio and take an active interest in the companies in which we are invested, often engaging with other stakeholders. The specialist investment approach, typically focused on UK smaller quoted companies, has tended to generate differentiated returns from traditional “growth” or “value” strategies.
Emperor is a well-established strategic creative agency focused on helping organisations communicate effectively with their stakeholders. Our expertise spans critical areas of communication, including corporate reporting, sustainability, digital media, moving image, presentations, and employee engagement.
Our team of consultants, creatives and account managers have a deep understanding of the ever-evolving trends and regulatory landscape and prides itself on building long term relationships. Our employee-owned structure fosters a strong sense of ownership and commitment.
Emperor is a well-established strategic creative agency focused on helping organisations communicate effectively with their stakeholders. Our expertise spans critical areas of communication, including corporate reporting, sustainability, digital media, moving image, presentations, and employee engagement.
Our team of consultants, creatives and account managers have a deep understanding of the ever-evolving trends and regulatory landscape and prides itself on building long term relationships. Our employee-owned structure fosters a strong sense of ownership and commitment.
Beyond Governance is a multi award-winning full service consultancy that collaborates with the c-suite, chairs, board and investors to unlock value, resulting in increased shareholder and stakeholder confidence, increased share prices and achievement of business objectives.
Our three distinct service offerings, are dedicated to addressing the most critical issues and opportunities facing our clients. Our strength lies in creating value that transcends traditional boundaries and connects the siloed elements within organisations.
Our Boardroom Advisory team specialises in strategy, organisational design, operational efficiency, technology integration, transformation initiatives, digital strategies and analytics, corporate finance and mergers & acquisitions as well as sustainability.
Our CoSec-on-demand group works with governance and secretariat teams to support them on a project basis, working with them on governance frameworks, subsidiary management, software audits, entity rationalisation as well as joining their risk registers to provide emergency cover, all done outside of IR35.
Our Training teams works with institutions big and small to help narrow the gap between theory and day-to-day practice. Industry experts had expressed concerns regarding the future outlook of the governance profession, and we felt we could help address these needs by sharing our experiences. Our training clients include members of the Big 4 and FTSE.
Beyond Governance is a multi award-winning full service consultancy that collaborates with the c-suite, chairs, board and investors to unlock value, resulting in increased shareholder and stakeholder confidence, increased share prices and achievement of business objectives.
Our three distinct service offerings, are dedicated to addressing the most critical issues and opportunities facing our clients. Our strength lies in creating value that transcends traditional boundaries and connects the siloed elements within organisations.
Our Boardroom Advisory team specialises in strategy, organisational design, operational efficiency, technology integration, transformation initiatives, digital strategies and analytics, corporate finance and mergers & acquisitions as well as sustainability.
Our CoSec-on-demand group works with governance and secretariat teams to support them on a project basis, working with them on governance frameworks, subsidiary management, software audits, entity rationalisation as well as joining their risk registers to provide emergency cover, all done outside of IR35.
Our Training teams works with institutions big and small to help narrow the gap between theory and day-to-day practice. Industry experts had expressed concerns regarding the future outlook of the governance profession, and we felt we could help address these needs by sharing our experiences. Our training clients include members of the Big 4 and FTSE.
RBC Capital Markets is the Global Investment Banking, Advisory and Capital Markets division of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). RBC is one of the world’s largest banks by market capitalisation and also one of the best rated with a credit rating of Aa1 (Moody’s) and AA- (S&P).
Recognized as a trusted and innovative partner for clients around the globe. RBC Capital Markets has been in the UK for over 100 years, with 60 offices worldwide. We are present in 16 countries, 7 of which are in Europe including London as our European Headquarters.
RBC Capital Markets Investment Banking division provides advisory and execution services to Corporate, Sponsor and institutional clients across ECM and Corporate Broking, DCM, Leverage Finance and M&A.
Its Equities division provides All Cap sales, research and trading services to institutional clients globally. Embedded within the broader team is a UK focused group of sales, research and trading professionals dedicated to both Mid Cap and Growth UK listed businesses.
RBC Capital Markets is the Global Investment Banking, Advisory and Capital Markets division of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). RBC is one of the world’s largest banks by market capitalisation and also one of the best rated with a credit rating of Aa1 (Moody’s) and AA- (S&P).
Recognized as a trusted and innovative partner for clients around the globe. RBC Capital Markets has been in the UK for over 100 years, with 60 offices worldwide. We are present in 16 countries, 7 of which are in Europe including London as our European Headquarters.
RBC Capital Markets Investment Banking division provides advisory and execution services to Corporate, Sponsor and institutional clients across ECM and Corporate Broking, DCM, Leverage Finance and M&A.
Its Equities division provides All Cap sales, research and trading services to institutional clients globally. Embedded within the broader team is a UK focused group of sales, research and trading professionals dedicated to both Mid Cap and Growth UK listed businesses.
Citi Commercial Bank provides global banking solutions to mid-sized companies that are looking to grow rapidly and expand internationally. With our global network, comprehensive solutions, and industry expertise, we help these businesses succeed across a wide variety of industries and at most stages of their growth.
Citi Commercial Bank provides global banking solutions to mid-sized companies that are looking to grow rapidly and expand internationally. With our global network, comprehensive solutions, and industry expertise, we help these businesses succeed across a wide variety of industries and at most stages of their growth.
Edison is a content-led IR business operating in all major capital markets. With our unique approach integrating analyst content, digital targeting and investor engagement, we have a proven history of increasing liquidity and valuations for our clients. By building bigger, better informed and more engaged audiences, we help our clients stand out in the marketplace.
Edison is a content-led IR business operating in all major capital markets. With our unique approach integrating analyst content, digital targeting and investor engagement, we have a proven history of increasing liquidity and valuations for our clients. By building bigger, better informed and more engaged audiences, we help our clients stand out in the marketplace.
Berenberg is the fastest growing investment bank in Europe with 100 research analysts covering over 771 stocks globally. We are privately owned, conservatively run and 2024 is our 434th anniversary.
Berenberg is the fastest growing investment bank in Europe with 100 research analysts covering over 771 stocks globally. We are privately owned, conservatively run and 2024 is our 434th anniversary.
Design Portfolio helps forward-thinking companies build trust with their stakeholders through creative storytelling, integrated communications and sustainability strategies. Our team of experts spans strategy, creative and tech, and is powered by industry-leading processes and delivery management. Our services include digital, corporate reporting, sustainability, employee experience, presentations, video and brand.
Also find us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
supported by:
Design Portfolio helps forward-thinking companies build trust with their stakeholders through creative storytelling, integrated communications and sustainability strategies. Our team of experts spans strategy, creative and tech, and is powered by industry-leading processes and delivery management. Our services include digital, corporate reporting, sustainability, employee experience, presentations, video and brand.
Also find us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
Awards
covering the period 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024
shortlist announced
click on each award below to view more information & photos
best investor communication award
Sponsored by:
best investor communication award
Sponsored by
2024 shortlist
- Babcock International Group plc
- Experian plc
- Hikma Pharmaceuticals plc
- Kenmare Resources plc
- Lloyds Banking Group plc
- ZIGUP plc
criteria
Success in communicating effectively with professional and private investors, current and potential shareholders, and all stakeholders is the main criterion behind this award. The winner of this award will recognise that communication works best when it is two-way. The winner will use a variety of communication tools to its maximum advantage including the annual report; the investor relations website; attendance at specialised investor forums, roadshows and conferences; analyst and shareholder site visits; and Capital Markets Days, etc.
The voting panel will also look for innovation and engagement on the company’s IR website, which should be intuitive to use, and contain all relevant information in one place. The winning company will also make good use of video to help communicate the investment case and have implemented a clear social media strategy.
Due to the ever increasing importance of ESG considerations, companies will now also have their ESG practices scrutinised as part of the nomination process. Due regard will be given to alignment with current ESG Best Practice and any demonstrable ESG policies that have directly impacted decision making.
2023 winner
transaction of the year award
Sponsored by:
transaction of the year award
Sponsored by
2024 shortlist
- Breedon Group plc
- Grafton Group plc
- Harworth Group plc
- Pinewood Technologies Group plc
- Volution Group plc
- Zegona Communications plc
criteria
The winner of this award will be a company that has been transformed by a significant financial or commercial transaction during the period under review, which could include an IPO, a fundraising, an acquisition, joint venture, demerger, etc. This is necessarily a wide-ranging award, given to recognise a considerable achievement by a company in transforming itself, literally at a stroke, thereby creating significant and sustainable shareholder value.
Due regard will have been given to the winner’s stated ESG credentials and how the transaction will effect the status quo. It’s not just about creating short term shareholder value; a credible and sustainable approach to creating long term shareholder value will be a prerequisite.
2023 winner
growth business of the year award
Sponsored by:
growth business of the year award
Sponsored by
2024 shortlist
- Diploma plc
- Games Workshop Group plc
- JTC plc
- Trainline plc
- Trustpilot Group plc
- XPS Pensions Group plc
criteria
The winner of this award will have achieved strong, consistent growth in turnover, profitability and EPS for at least the past three years. This growth story will have been achieved through increased market penetration, possibly market disruption, M&A, and/or clear innovation in product or service backed up by a sustainable growth and ESG focussed strategy, which has been implemented by a high quality management team.
Due to the ever increasing importance of ESG considerations, companies will now also have their ESG practices scrutinised as part of the nomination process. Due regard will be given to alignment with current ESG Best Practice and any demonstrable ESG policies that have directly impacted decision making.
2023 winner
tech business of the year award
Sponsored by:
tech business of the year award
Sponsored by
2024 shortlist
- Alfa Financial Software Holdings plc
- Baltic Classifieds Group plc
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc
- RELX plc
- Rightmove plc
- Sage Group plc
- Trustpilot Group plc
criteria
The tech business of the year award was introduced to acknowledge the emergence of tech companies driving economic growth and reshaping the way people communicate, consume information, shop, socialise, and work. The winner of this award will have developed, acquired and/or harnessed technology to produce sound commercial and financial success. The company will be a fully accountable, well-managed tech business that has gained recognition from analysts and investors, has outstanding long‑term growth potential and a sound strategy in place to ensure successful delivery of its commercial advantages. The company will also be focused on building shareholder value by embracing sustained, robust ESG practices, which will be scrutinised as part of the nomination process.
Due regard will be given to alignment with current ESG Best Practice and any demonstrable ESG policies that have directly impacted decision making.
2023 winner
transformation of the year award
Sponsored by:
transformation of the year award
Sponsored by
2024 shortlist
- Coats Group plc
- Currys plc
- Funding Circle Holdings plc
- Greencore Group plc
- International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A.
- Kier Group plc
criteria
This award recognises companies that have transformed their performance and long term prospects for the better, through strategic, operational and/or financial change. It celebrates companies that have embarked on a journey of material “self-help”, where significant progress only becomes visible after a year or more but which has become clear during the period under review.
Typically this transformation will have been initiated by boards placing sustainable long term shareholder returns at the top of their list of priorities and executed by executives who act and think like owners.
The Voting Panel will be looking for companies whose long term prospects have been transformed, with the accent on sustainable improvements in customer satisfaction, profitability, cashflow, return on capital, balance sheet strength/efficiency and organic growth prospects.
2023 winner
fund manager award
Sponsored by:
fund manager award
Sponsored by
2024 shortlist
- Andy Brough/Schroders
- Henry Dixon/Man Income Fund
- Ambrose Faulks and Ed Legget/Artemis
- James Henderson/Janus Henderson
- Laurence Hulse/Dowgate Wealth
- Alex Wright/Fidelity International
criteria
The award recognises fund managers whose stock picking ability is unparalleled in the period under review, and who also have a demonstrable track record over a longer period. They will have proven their ability to identify new disruptors and also to spot the ‘next big thing’. They will be known for their exceptional analytical skills and understanding of the macro landscape, as well as being capable of taking risks, with proven results. The voting panel will use market-standard performance measures in their decision making process.
2023 winner
Alex Savvides/J O Hambro Capital Management
corporate governance award
Sponsored by:
corporate governance award
Sponsored by
2024 shortlist
- Aviva plc
- Babcock International Group plc
- Cranswick plc
- Galliford Try Holdings plc
- Marks and Spencer Group plc
- Pets at Home Group plc
- Tesco plc
criteria
The winner of this award will have excelled in implementing groundbreaking governance practices. They will have demonstrated significant advancements in transparency, accountability, and ethical leadership, leveraging innovative technologies and methods to enhance board effectiveness or its governance framework. They will understand how the ‘G’ supports the ‘E’ and the ’S’ in ESG. Active stakeholder engagement will be crucial, with a line of sight showing the impact stakeholder engagement has had on the company's governance structure and decision-making processes. This award highlights companies throwing out bureaucracy and setting new standards in corporate governance through high-quality management and sustainable, ethical practices.
The voting panel will be looking for companies whose governance practises stand out as the backbone of their organisation, ensuring long-term resilience and trustworthiness. The winner will demonstrate how their governance practises enable them to navigate challenges and opportunities in an agile way whilst fostering an environment where sustainability and ethical practices are integral. They will understand that governance is not a box tick, it’s a way of doing business that lays a solid foundation for future growth and stability.
This is a new award for 2024.
breakthrough of the year award
Sponsored by:
breakthrough of the year award
Sponsored by
2024 shortlist
- Avon Technologies plc
- Games Workshop Group plc
- IP Group plc
- Just Group plc
- Oxford Biomedica plc
- PureTech Health plc
criteria
The breakthrough of the year award was launched in response to wider socio-economic factors that have impacted the market. The winner of this award will be the company that has achieved the most significant breakthrough during the period 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024.
The Voting Panel will be looking for a breakthrough in the broadest sense of the word. Therefore this could be a new discovery, departure or development in technology, which has added significantly to the company’s long term prosperity.
Due to the ever increasing importance of ESG considerations, companies will now also have their ESG practices scrutinised as part of the nomination process. Due regard will be given to alignment with current ESG Best Practice and any demonstrable ESG policies that have directly impacted decision making.
2023 winner
CEO of the year award
Sponsored by:
CEO of the year award
Sponsored by
2024 shortlist
- Adam Couch/Cranswick plc
- Ronnie George/Volution Group plc
- John Morgan/Morgan Sindall Group plc
- Nigel Newton/Bloomsbury Publishing plc
- Kevin Rountree/Games Workshop Group plc
- Michael Speakman/Keller Group plc
- Johnny Thomson/Diploma plc
criteria
The winner of this award will have a clear vision for the company and will have demonstrated strong and successful leadership of the business. He or she will have regard to the needs of customers, employees, investors, the law, and communities. The winner will have helped shape the strategy and ensured that, through the senior management team, it has been successfully enacted and is “owned” throughout the company from top to bottom.
The succession planning the CEO has put in place for key roles within the business, including his or her own, always with long-term, sustainable financial and societal success at its core will be taken into account.
Due to the ever increasing importance of ESG considerations, companies will now also have their ESG practices scrutinised as part of the nomination process. Due regard will be given to alignment with current ESG Best Practice and any demonstrable ESG policies that have directly impacted decision making.
2023 winner
Mike Norris/Computacenter plc
new company of the year award
Sponsored by:
new company of the year award
Sponsored by
2024 shortlist
- Applied Nutrition plc
- Canal+ S.A.
- Pollen Street Group Limited
- Raspberry Pi Holdings plc
criteria
The winner will have gone public in 2024, yet will already have demonstrated to the wider investment community that it possesses exceptional growth and management qualities and that it is a formidable growth company in the making, with the accent on long-term sustainable growth and development, and fully aware of its societal responsibilities.
Due to the ever increasing importance of ESG considerations, companies will now also have their ESG practices scrutinised as part of the nomination process. Due regard will be given to alignment with current ESG Best Practice and any demonstrable ESG policies that have directly impacted decision making.
2023 winner
company of the year award
Sponsored by:
company of the year award
Sponsored by
2024 shortlist
- 3i Group plc
- Bloomsbury Publishing plc
- Games Workshop Group plc
- Greggs plc
- RELX plc
- Rolls-Royce Holdings plc
criteria
The winner of this award will be a company that has clearly demonstrated that success is not just a short-term phenomenon. The winning company will undoubtedly be successful in share price terms, but with full realisation that share price is but one method of measurement. Improved, sustainable profitability is a given.
The winner will be cognisant of its stakeholders and supply chain and will have championed diversity and inclusion throughout the workplace. The company’s development to date will have been soundly financed in a way which supports the longevity, sustainability and resilience of the business, including effective succession planning.
Due to the ever increasing importance of ESG considerations, companies will now also have their ESG practices scrutinised as part of the nomination process. Due regard will be given to alignment with current ESG Best Practice and any demonstrable ESG policies that have directly impacted decision making.
2023 winner
Voting panel
Voting panel meeting: Thursday 23 January 2025
Ian Restall
Ford Sinclair Ltd
(Voting panel Chairman)
Roland Arnold
BlackRock Investment Management
Louise Barber
Squire Patton Boggs
Georgina Brittain
J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Oliver Brown
RC Brown
James Burt
Berenberg
Guido Dacie-Lombardo
Montanaro Asset Management
James Devon
London Stock Exchange
Philip Dicken
Columbia Threadneedle Investments
Erika Eliasson-Norris
Beyond Governance
David Farrell
Jefferies
Laura Foll
Janus Henderson Investors
Alex Hardwicke
Singer Capital Markets
Dan Harlow
AXA Investment Managers
Robert Irvin
RMS Partners
Stephen Joseph
RBC Capital Markets
Mark Lander
Deutsche Numis
Henry Lowson
Royal London Asset Management
Anna Macdonald
Aubrey Capital Management Ltd
Chris McVey
Octopus Investments
James Morris
Citi Commercial Bank
George O’Connor
Technology Investment Services Ltd
Catherine Pierre
J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Jean Roche
Schroders
Josh Royston
Alma Strategic Communications
Alex Savvides
Jupiter Asset Management
Neil Shah
Edison Group
Julie Simmonds
Panmure Liberum
Alice Squires
Rothschild & Co
Richard Staveley
Harwood Capital Management Ltd
Victoria Sugg
Emperor
Leighton Thomas
BDO LLP
Robert White
Legal & General Investment Management
Stuart Widdowson
Odyssean Capital LLP
Gervais Williams
Premier Miton Group plc
James Wood
Winterflood Securities
Ian Restall
Ford Sinclair Ltd (Voting panel Chairman)
Roland Arnold
BlackRock Investment Management
Louise Barber
Squire Patton Boggs
Georgina Brittain
J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Oliver Brown
RC Brown
James Burt
Berenberg
Guido Dacie-Lombardo
Montanaro Asset Management
James Devon
London Stock Exchange
Philip Dicken
Columbia Threadneedle Investments
Erika Eliasson-Norris
Beyond Governance
David Farrell
Jefferies
Laura Foll
Janus Henderson Investors
Alex Hardwicke
Singer Capital Markets
Dan Harlow
AXA Investment Managers
Robert Irvin
RMS Partners
Stephen Joseph
RBC Capital Markets
Mark Lander
Deutsche Numis
Henry Lowson
Royal London Asset Management
Anna Macdonald
Aubrey Capital Management Ltd
Chris McVey
Octopus Investments
James Morris
Citi Commercial Bank
George O’Connor
Technology Investment Services Ltd
Catherine Pierre
J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Jean Roche
Schroders
Josh Royston
Alma Strategic Communications
Alex Savvides
Jupiter Asset Management
Neil Shah
Edison Group
Julie Simmonds
Panmure Liberum
Alice Squires
Rothschild & Co
Richard Staveley
Harwood Capital Management Ltd
Victoria Sugg
Emperor
Leighton Thomas
BDO LLP
Robert White
Legal & General Investment Management
Stuart Widdowson
Odyssean Capital LLP
Gervais Williams
Premier Miton Group plc
James Wood
Winterflood Securities
Ian Restall
Ford Sinclair Ltd (Voting panel Chairman)
Roland Arnold
BlackRock Investment Management
Louise Barber
Squire Patton Boggs
Georgina Brittain
J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Oliver Brown
RC Brown
James Burt
Berenberg
Guido Dacie-Lombardo
Montanaro Asset Management
James Devon
London Stock Exchange
Philip Dicken
Columbia Threadneedle Investments
Erika Eliasson-Norris
Beyond Governance
David Farrell
Jefferies
Laura Foll
Janus Henderson Investors
Alex Hardwicke
Singer Capital Markets
Dan Harlow
AXA Investment Managers
Robert Irvin
RMS Partners
Stephen Joseph
RBC Capital Markets
Mark Lander
Deutsche Numis
Henry Lowson
Royal London Asset Management
Anna Macdonald
Aubrey Capital Management Ltd
Chris McVey
Octopus Investments
James Morris
Citi Commercial Bank
George O’Connor
Technology Investment Services Ltd
Catherine Pierre
J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Jean Roche
Schroders
Josh Royston
Alma Strategic Communications
Alex Savvides
Jupiter Asset Management
Neil Shah
Edison Group
Julie Simmonds
Panmure Liberum
Alice Squires
Rothschild & Co
Richard Staveley
Harwood Capital Management Ltd
Victoria Sugg
Emperor
Leighton Thomas
BDO LLP
Robert White
Legal & General Investment Management
Stuart Widdowson
Odyssean Capital LLP
Gervais Williams
Premier Miton Group plc
James Wood
Winterflood Securities
Ian Restall
Ford Sinclair Ltd
(Voting panel Chairman)
Ian is non-voting Chairman of the plc awards Voting Panel.
Ian is the founder of the plc awards, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The plc awards has been held annually, in February or March, every year, since formation.
Ian is a Director of Ford Sinclair Ltd, the event organisers.
Roland Arnold
BlackRock Investment Management
Roland Arnold, CFA, Director and Portfolio Manager, is a member of the Emerging Companies within the Fundamental Equity Division of BlackRock's Active Equity Group. He has been manager of the BlackRock UK Special Situations Fund since August 2012, Blackrock UK Smaller Companies fund since March 2015, and the Blackrock Smaller Companies Investment Trust since April 2018. Roland has been managing Small & Mid Cap UK Equity Portfolios since 2006. His service with the firm dates back to 2000, including his years with Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (MLIM), which merged with BlackRock in 2006.
Louise Barber
Squire Patton Boggs
Louise is a partner in the Equity Capital Markets team at Squire Patton Boggs. She has a wide range of experience advising public companies on initial public offerings, secondary fundraising transactions, mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, reorganisations and corporate governance.
Her work varies between the UK and cross border and she works closely with executives, in-house legal teams and general counsel both in the UK and globally. She has previously held the position of Group Legal Director at a FTSE 250 company. Louise is a member of the Regional Advisory Group of the London Stock Exchange plc for the North-West.
Georgina Brittain
J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Georgina Brittain, managing director, is a senior portfolio manager specialising in UK mid and small cap companies within the J.P. Morgan Asset Management International Equity Group, based in London. Georgina joined the firm in 1995. She obtained a MA in Classics from the University of Oxford, and earned a Diploma in Law from City University, London. She is a qualified barrister.
Oliver Brown
RC Brown
Oliver manages the institutional clients of the business and also leads our research into UK ‘primary’ market opportunities and he is lead manager of the IFSL RC Brown UK Primary Opportunities Fund whilst also heading up RCBIM’s AIM IHT Service. He graduated from Birmingham University with a degree in Money, Banking and Finance, he qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Grant Thornton, where he worked with listed clients in a variety of sectors, specialising in the construction, leisure and IT industries. He joined RCBIM in 2006 and is a former President of The Bristol Junior Chamber of Commerce.
James Burt
Berenberg
James joined Berenberg in Jan 2018 as Head of UK Sales. He has over 21 years of Equity Sales experience, previously heading UK Mid & Small Cap Sales at Barclays and JPMorgan Cazenove. His institutional clients are a mixture of UK/Pan Euro long only and hedge funds across all market cap ranges. He has a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Exeter.
Guido Dacie-Lombardo
Montanaro Asset Management
Guido is a fund manager at Montanaro Asset Management, which he joined in 2015. Focusing on small and midcap companies, he is the manager of the Montanaro UK Income Fund and co-manager of the Montanaro Global Innovation Fund. He also has research responsibilities for the Technology sector. Prior to joining Montanaro, Guido spent six years at Rothschild & Co, where he advised UK and European clients on mergers and acquisitions, as well as a range of general corporate finance issues. He graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2008 with an MSci in Experimental and Theoretical Physics.
James Devon
London Stock Exchange
James has been with the Issuer Services team at the London Stock Exchange for over seven years and has spent 22 years working within financial services and capital markets.
James spends his time helping London Stock Exchange listed companies benefit from the Issuer Services programme including telling their equity story, understanding their data and utilising the services offered by the Marketplace and Spark Live.
Philip Dicken
Columbia Threadneedle Investments
Philip Dicken joined Columbia Threadneedle Investments in 2004 and has managed the pan European smaller companies strategy since launch in 2005, and jointly manages the pan European small cap opportunities strategy. He became Head of European Equities in 2012 and Head of International Equities in 2022. He started his career with Merrill Lynch as an analyst in the corporate finance division and holds a first-class degree in Mechanical Engineering with study in Continental Europe from Bristol University. He holds the CFA designation and is a member of the CFA Society of the UK.
Erika Eliasson-Norris
Beyond Governance
Erika Eliasson-Norris is a leading governance expert with over 15 years of experience in FTSE-listed boardrooms, including Low & Bonar, InterContinental Hotels Group, Premier Foods, and KPMG. At 32, she became the youngest person in the industry to assume an executive level role as Group Company Secretary at a FTSE 250 company, highlighting her exceptional leadership.
In 2019, Erika founded Beyond Governance, an award-winning consultancy recognised for its innovative contributions to governance transformation. Her expertise was further validated with her appointment as Governance Assessor to the Chair of the Post Office Horizon IT Public Inquiry, one of the most significant inquiries in UK history.
Named Governance Professional of the Year in 2022 by the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland, Erika is also a sought-after speaker and thought leader, contributing to governance best practices and policy development.
David Farrell
Jefferies
David has over 15 years of experience covering small and mid cap UK equities. He joined Jefferies in 2021 to help expand its UK Industrials franchise and prior to that he covered Oil Service and E&Ps at both Credit Suisse and Macquarie. He started off his career on Evolution's Travel & Leisure team having graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in Economics and Spanish.
Laura Foll
Janus Henderson Investors
Laura Foll is a Portfolio Manager on the Global Equity Income Team at Janus Henderson Investors, a position she has held since 2014. She also co-manages the UK equity income portfolio of the Law Debenture Corporation plc. Laura joined Henderson in 2009 as part of the graduate scheme. She was subsequently named a global analyst and later an assistant fund manager for the Global Equity Income Team.
Laura graduated with a BSc degree (Hons) in economics and economic history from the London School of Economics. She holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and has 15 years of financial industry experience.
Alex Hardwicke
Singer Capital Markets
Alex is Head of Sales at Singer Capital Markets, having joined the firm in 2012. He has spent his 23 years in the City supporting and advising growth companies and their interactions with institutional investors including the completion of many successful IPOs and secondary fundraisings.
Dan Harlow
AXA Investment Managers
Dan Harlow is a fund manager at AXA Investment Managers based in London where he deals in UK small-caps using a growth investment style. Dan joined AXA IM in 2010 to manage the UK Smaller Companies fund. He worked alongside Chris St John on the UK Smaller Companies fund from 2010 until Nov 2011. In November 2011 he was appointed co-manager of the AXA Framlington American Growth Fund. Dan returned to the UK Desk as lead portfolio manager of the AXA Framlington UK Smaller Companies fund in June 2016. Prior to this he was a fund manager at Montanaro Asset Management. Dan graduated from the University of Southampton with a degree in History.
Robert Irvin
RMS Partners
Robert is Co-Founder and MD at RMS Partners, a specialist investor relations consultancy. He has been engaging with investors and advising companies since 2004. He began his City career at Broker Profile culminating in heading up both the investor access and client management functions with a particular focus on the FTSE100 and FTSE250 clients. Robert also established the successful Investor Analytics division. Subsequently he was a Director at Capital Access Group. Robert has an MA from Economics & Business from Edinburgh University as well as having a Graduate Diploma in Law and completing the Bar Vocational Course.
Stephen Joseph
RBC Capital Markets
Stephen joined the RBC small & mid cap equity sales desk in June 2020 as Director. He has over 20 years’ experience in the City, spent mainly at the smaller end of the market cap spectrum. Stephen started his career on the buy side at Gartmore Investment Management in 2002 before crossing to the sell side in 2006 where he went on to complete terms at institutions including Merrill Lynch and Numis Securities. Stephen holds a BA First-Class Honours Degree in Financial Economics from Kingston University.
Mark Lander
Deutsche Numis
Mark qualified as a chartered accountant with Arthur Andersen in 1997, and following this, moved into Investment Banking with James Capel.
He has subsequently worked for Panmure Gordon and Deutsche Numis.
He joined Deutsche Numis is 2008 and became Co-Head of Corporate Broking in 2021.
Henry Lowson
Royal London Asset Management
Henry joined Royal London Asset Management in 2016, as Head of UK Alpha Equities. He is lead fund manager on the RL UK Smaller Companies fund and the RL UK Mid Cap Growth fund. Henry began his investment career in 2005 at AXA Framlington, where he successfully managed the AXA Framlington UK Smaller Companies Fund. He was also responsible for co-managing a variety of segregated UK small & mid-cap mandates. Henry has an MA (Hons) degree in Economics & Geography from Edinburgh University and is a CFA Charterholder.
Anna Macdonald
Aubrey Capital Management Ltd
Anna Macdonald is an experienced private client and institutional fund manager. She began her career at Henderson Global Investors in London, where she co-managed the core UK equity product. After some time living in Kenya, as head of research for Old Mutual Asset Management, she returned to the UK and worked at Threadneedle Investors in London before moving to Edinburgh, to work for Adam & Company, in 2011. There she led research for the PAM-award winning wealth manager, relaunched the IHT portfolio management service, and managed private client portfolios, charities and family OEICs. Anna then spent five years at Amati Global Investors, co-managing their UK Small Cap OEIC, IHT portfolios and Amati AIM VCT before joining Aubrey Capital Management to head up their discretionary fund management service in 2024. Anna contributes frequently to the Today programme, BBC TV, Sky News and Reuters.
She studied Economics and Philosophy at the London School of Economics and has been a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder since 2003.
Anna is a trustee of the independent think tank Reform Scotland and a Non Executive Director of Landbay Partners Limited.
Chris McVey
Octopus Investments
Chris is Deputy Head of the Octopus Investments Quoted Companies Team. He works across all desk portfolios and is lead manager on the FP Octopus UK Multi Cap Income Fund, and a co-manager on the FP Octopus UK Micro Cap Growth & FP Octopus UK Future Generation Funds. He has been a specialist within the quoted UK Smaller Company market for over 20 years. In 2016, he joined Octopus from Citigroup where he led the UK Small and Mid-Cap Equity research team focusing across a variety of sectors. Prior to this he spent almost seven years on the Smaller Companies team at Gartmore Investment Management as an analyst and investment manager. He graduated from the University of Aberdeen.
James Morris
Citi Commercial Bank
James joined Citi in September 2024 to lead the UK Commercial Bank (CCB). CCB provides full scale banking products and services to mid-size companies across the globe delivering tailored solutions to this exciting and fast-growing client base. Commercial clients represent a significant global growth opportunity as their needs closely align with Citi’s core value proposition that enables clients to grow cross-border by leveraging sophisticated platforms and solutions. James is responsible for driving the growth strategy to capture the mid-market opportunity with an emphasis on talent investment, digital transformation, and expansion into the unique Citi global network. The UK business is organized by Industry sectors and is well placed to offer the full capabilities of Citi.
James is also a member of both the UK ExCo and CCB Global ExCo.
Prior to Citi, James spent 25 years at Barclays. He joined the British lender as a graduate trainee in 1999 and qualified as a Charted Management Accountant in 2002. His early career was spent in Strategy & Planning before moving to client coverage within Corporate & Investment banking. James spent several years as a Relationship Director covering FTSE 100 multinational corporates before advancing to leadership roles in Corporate banking. Over the past c.12 years James has led different businesses of increasing scale focusing on Asian multinationals, FIG Insurance businesses and Global Business & Professional Services firms. His primary focus has been on delivering sustainable growth and scaling businesses up through the economic cycle. James is also very passionate about developing people.
James was awarded the kindness in leadership award in 2020 which is given in recognition of the top 50 Leaders across Industry for their contribution to leadership and nurturing talent in their respective business area. James is also a mental health ambassador and active well-being champion.
James graduated from Loughborough University with a Bachelor’s degree in Management Sciences and spent a year working for the Coca-Cola company as part of his undergraduate study. He has also spent time at Harvard Business School, as a postgraduate, studying various areas of leadership.
George O’Connor
Technology Investment Services Ltd
George is a contributing analyst at Progressive Research covering UK technology plcs for UK, mainland European and US investors. A City technology analyst since the late 1990s and working at investment banks such as Panmure Gordon, Albert E Sharp and Stifel, George completed 13 technology IPOs, has been Reuters and Starmine rated and was twice voted Analyst of the Year. Prior to his City career, George spent a decade as an IT industry analyst working for public and private sector organisations and technology companies spanning the globe. George is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists. For up-to-date views follow George's substack: 'The long and the short of IT'.
Catherine Pierre
J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Catherine has more than 20 years’ experience in the banking industry. Catherine joined JP Morgan nearly five years ago after having worked at Citi in various roles including Investment Banking TMT, Leveraged Finance as well as heading various Corporate banking teams.
Catherine graduated from the London School of Economics as well as the EDHEC Graduate School of Management.
Jean Roche
Schroders
Jean is a UK small and mid-cap fund manager at Schroders since 2016.
She joined the City on the Morgan Stanley graduate programme in 1999, earned the CFA designation and became an award-winning sell-side equity analyst. She has also worked for the UK Government, including HM Treasury. Jean is a mathematician by training and speaks fluent French. She was appointed to the Code Committee of the UK’s Takeover Panel in 2024.
Josh Royston
Alma Strategic Communications
We are delighted to welcome Josh to the voting panel and further details will be available in due course.
Alex Savvides
Jupiter Asset Management
Alex is Senior Fund Manager of the JOHCM UK Dynamic Strategy. He joined JOHCM in March 2003 as Assistant Fund Manager of the JOHCM UK Growth Strategy, working together with Mark Costar (Lead Fund Manager). Alex developed and launched UK Dynamic in June 2008, in doing so becoming the first internally developed Fund Manager to launch a new and 'home grown' investment process at JOHCM, as well as the first to be backed by seed capital solely from JOHCM's own balance sheet. Prior to joining JOHCM, Alex spent his early investment career at three independent UK stockbroking firms, starting his career as a Research Associate at Astaire & Partners before moving into corporate and non-corporate sales roles at Teather & Greenwood and Numis Securities. Alex is a Fellow of the Securities Institute and holds the Securities Institute Diploma. He also holds a BA (Hons) in Politics from the University of Nottingham.
Neil Shah
Edison Group
Neil has been at Edison for the last 20 years leading the analyst teams as Director of Content & Strategy and establishing the firm as the leading issuer sponsored research firm. He has also led the firm’s thought leadership on the equity research market.
Neil is a qualified accountant (PwC) with nine years’ experience as an equities analyst at Goldman Sachs. As Goldman’s building and materials analyst in London, he was ranked second by both Institutional Investor and Reuters. He left Goldman Sachs to help set up the specialist trading hedge fund, Tusker Capital.
Julie Simmonds
Panmure Liberum
Julie has 25 years of experience in Equity Research, covering both UK and continental European companies across a wide range of healthcare subsectors including healthcare services, biotechnology and digital health. She joined Panmure Gordon in November 2015 from Canaccord Genuity. She was No.1 Extel rated 2018 and rated Analyst of the Year 2022 by the Small Cap Network Awards. She is also a panel member for NIHR i4i (invention for innovation), assessing early-stage medical technologies. Julie has a PhD in Microbiology from University of Kent.
Alice Squires
Rothschild & Co
Alice Squires is a Partner, co-head of Investor Advisory at Rothschild and Co. She also sits on the Board of Redburn Atlantic, the equities boutique owned by Rothschild and Co. She specialises in M&A support, activist defence, ESG issues and all aspects of shareholder engagement for Clients including Perception Studies, Messaging, Board engagement, remuneration support, retaining and finding new long-term buyers. Alice holds an MA (Hons) Economics and Politics from Edinburgh University and a Post Graduate Dip in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Richard Staveley
Harwood Capital Management Ltd
Richard Staveley is the fund manager of Rockwood Strategic Plc, managed by Harwood Capital LLP, where he is a Partner. Both a qualified Chartered Accountant (PwC) and Chartered Financial Analyst, Richard has over 23 years of active lead fund manager responsibility in UK small cap equities. He was a co-Founder of River & Mercantile Plc and Head of Small Companies at both Société Générale Asset Management and Majedie Asset Management. Richard is a NED at Pressure Technologies Plc.
Victoria Sugg
Emperor
Victoria has been CEO of Emperor since June 2022. With over two decades of experience in corporate communications, she has led business development and marketing to build reputations in both small boutique and large network agencies including Black Sun, SAS and MSLGROUP, part of Publicis Groupe.
Leighton Thomas
BDO LLP
We are delighted to welcome Leighton to the voting panel and further details will be available in due course.
Robert White
Legal & General Investment Management
Robert is Head of Active Equities having joined LGIM in 2018. His fund management responsibilities cover both Global and UK funds. Prior to this he was an Assistant Fund Manager at Mirabaud Asset Management and before that he worked at PWC in their Transaction Services division. He read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Pembroke College, Oxford and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Stuart Widdowson
Odyssean Capital LLP
Stuart Widdowson is the Managing Partner of Odyssean Capital, which he founded in 2017. He has spent the last 23 years investing in public and private UK small and mid-size companies and a further two years providing investment advice in the same field. Odyssean follows a highly concentrated, engaged investment strategy investing in smaller quoted companies, which Stuart has executed for 15 years. In 2018 he led the IPO of Odyssean Investment Trust plc, a closed ended fund managed by Odyssean.
Prior to founding Odyssean, Stuart became lead fund manager of Strategic Equity Capital plc in 2009 and was instrumental in driving a turnaround in the performance and fortunes of this closed ended fund over the following 7 years. He began his career as a strategy consultant undertaking commercial due diligence and strategy projects for private equity and corporate clients. In 2001 he joined HgCapital and spent five years executing small and mid-cap leveraged buyouts in the UK and Germany, including working on a number of public to private transactions of UK quoted companies. Alongside his role at Odyssean, Stuart is also a Non-Executive Director of Xaar plc, a specialist digital printing technology company.
Gervais Williams
Premier Miton Group plc
Gervais Williams is Head of Equities at Premier Miton Investors and manages a number of funds and trusts that aggregate to over £1.5bn, he joined the group in 2011. His fund management career extends over 30 years including 17 years at Gartmore Group Ltd, where he was Head of UK Small Companies investing in UK smaller companies and Irish equities. Gervais is a member of the AIM Advisory Council, and President of the Quoted Companies Alliance. He was a member of the Patient Capital Review panel with the Chancellor of the Exchequer six years ago where the recommendations were put into legislation in the subsequent budget. Gervais Williams has published three books, 'Slow Finance' in the autumn of 2011 (Bloomsbury), 'The Future is Small' published in November 2014 (Harriman House) and 'The Retreat of Globalisation' published in December 2016 (Harriman House).
James Wood
Winterflood Securities
James has 39 years’ experience in the City, initially joining the Asset Management department of Montagu Loebl Stanley (part of the Robert Fleming Group) in 1986 before going on to work at Greig Middleton, Seymour Pierce Butterfield and Henry Cooke Lumsden, followed by 16 years in corporate broking and institutional sales (latterly as Director of Equities at Charles Stanley Securities). He is also a member of the AiM Awards Judging Panel as well as the LSE AIM Advisory Group. He joined Winterflood Securities in November 2015.
Shortlist review
Read more about this year’s shortlisted companies by selecting an award below. Further award categories will be released shortly.
best investor communication award
sponsored by Rothschild & Co. Global Advisory
The 2024 shortlist:
Babcock International Group plc
London-based Babcock is an international defence, aerospace and security group providing support and product solutions to enhance its customers’ defence capabilities and critical assets.
The Voting Panel commended Babcock for its successful Capital Markets Days held in 2024, in addition to the group’s overall clarity and consistency of messaging. Babcock were observed to have a robust sustainability strategy and reporting, including recent SBT validation, and a simple and clean investor website with clear navigation.
ESG: Babcock has produced an ESG Reporting Index to complement its integrated Annual Report which provides a broader range of ESG disclosures. The group uses two ESG reporting frameworks: the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB).
Experian plc
Headquartered in Ireland, Experian is a global data and technology company. The group helps to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market.
Experian were observed as having impactful, purpose-led corporate communications. The group makes good use of QR codes and video content in the digital Annual Report and, interestingly, uses dynamic charting to present results. The website also benefits from CEO video content outlining Experian’s future strategy.
ESG: The group has created an ESG reporting hub. Its sustainability strategy is supported by Experian’s responsible business foundations and is underpinned by robust governance.
Hikma Pharmaceuticals plc
London-based Hikma was founded over 45 years ago with the mission to make high-quality medicines accessible to those who need them. The group has an extensive portfolio of generic injectable products in addition to branded generics and in-licensed patented products.
A regular on this shortlist, the Voting Panel commented on Hikma’s clear, concise, easy to navigate reporting. The group conducted an excellent 2024 site visit, which included the opportunity to ‘Meet the Management’. Hikma’s website contains a ‘one stop shop’ document hub. The group regularly posts investor focused articles on social media.
ESG: Hikma demonstrates ESG considerations in all its decision making and is committed to operating a sustainable business. The group supports local communities through its healthcare initiatives and educational programmes.
Kenmare Resources plc
Headquartered in Dublin, Kenmare is one of the world's largest producers of mineral sands products. The group operates the Moma Titanium Minerals Mine in Mozambique and its production accounts for approximately 7% of global titanium feedstocks.
Kenmare recently conducted an investor perception study to inform the group’s strategy and IR programme. The group implemented a successful investor site visit to Mozambique, which was well received by stakeholders. Kenmare recently launched an engaging new website with animation and an interactive business model.
ESG: Kenmare set itself the target of reducing its carbon emissions by 12% during the next three years. The group launched KMAD, a not-for-profit development association in 2004, which invests US$3-5m in community initiatives in Mozambique each year.
Lloyds Banking Group plc
Lloyds Banking Group is a leading UK-based financial services group, based in London. The group provides a wide range of banking and financial services, focused primarily on retail and commercial customers.
Lloyds has an integrated, purpose-led narrative across all its communications. The group believes in regular investor engagement and holds many events for the investor community. Lloyds has an embedded Annual Report page on its investor website and its half year results are well presented via video content from the CEO.
ESG: Lloyds have created a strategy entitled, ‘Helping Britain Prosper’, which aims to deliver sustainable growth and returns for the business. The group’s remuneration structures include ESG performance measures to drive progress towards its sustainability ambitions.
ZIGUP plc
Darlington-based ZIGUP is a leading integrated mobility solutions platform providing services across the vehicle lifecycle. Its clients range from the largest of blue-chip corporates and local authorities through to sole traders.
ZIGUP was commended for its regular investor engagement and analyst modelling meetings. The group recently launched a new brand and conducted a double materiality assessment to inform its sustainability strategy. The investor section of the website features an AI chat assistant, which is the first of its kind for a UK plc.
ESG: ZIGUP recently launched a new IR update newsletter, featuring ESG profiles and focus areas to keep stakeholders informed. The group is actively supporting industry engagement with government over regulations around the ZEV mandate and successfully encouraging a fast-track consultation.
transaction of the year award
sponsored by Alma Strategic Communications
The 2024 shortlist:
Breedon Group plc
Derby-based Breedon Group is a leading vertically-integrated construction materials group. Its products are used to build essential economic and social assets in structurally attractive end-markets with broad Government support and long-term pipelines.
In March 2024, Breedon completed its acquisition of US-based BMC Enterprises, a supplier of ready-mixed concrete, aggregates and building products headquartered Missouri, for an enterprise value of £238.1m. The deal enabled Breedon to launch a scalable third platform in the fragmented and growing US construction materials market and has the potential to be transformational for the business.
ESG: Breedon undertook a materiality assessment in 2020, which identified the key sustainability issues that could be most impactful. The results led the group to focus on material pillars of Planet, People and Places, underpinned by its fundamental operating Principles.
Grafton Group plc
Grafton Group is an international business headquartered in Dublin. The company operates trusted local brands with strong market positions in the distribution, manufacturing and DIY retail sectors of the building materials industry.
In October last year, Grafton Group acquired Spanish air conditioning and heating products distributor Salvador Escoda, for the sum of €132m. The transaction is consistent with Grafton's strategy of acquiring platform businesses with strong, unique propositions that can offer growth opportunities. Spain is the fourth largest construction market in the EU and is forecast to have one of the fastest growing economies in Western Europe. The transaction is expected to be earnings enhancing in its first full financial year.
ESG: Grafton has committed to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by 2050 and has received validation by the Science-Based Targets initiative of this target and the associated near and long-term targets.
Harworth Group plc
Headquartered in Rotherham, Harworth Group is one of the leading land and property regeneration companies in the UK. The group owns and manages approximately 14,000 acres across around 100 sites in the North of England and the Midlands.
In June 2024, Harworth sold eight acres of land at its Skelton Grange site, a former power station in Leeds, for a total consideration of £106.6m. The transaction comprised 48 acres of land, which were sold to Microsoft for the development of a hyperscale data centre. The sale delivered an IRR to the company, in excess of 40%, in addition to returning an estimated inward investment of c.£4bn to the local economy. Harworth was the best performing Real Estate stock in the FTSE350 last year, finishing the year up 39.9%, which was in part due to this transaction. The group has subsequently been promoted to the FTSE 250.
ESG: The group has developed ‘the Harworth Way’, as a framework for integrating sustainability and social value into both its business and the developments it creates. This commitment to integrate sustainability and social value into its business is delivered through five pillars.
Pinewood Technologies Group plc
Based in Birmingham, Pinewood Technologies is a leading pure-play SaaS business providing innovative automotive retail solutions to the automotive industry. The group helps dealerships manage their operations efficiently through its cloud-based technology.
In April last year, Pinewood sold its UK motor business to US dealer giant, Lithia Motors, for £250m. The deal was part of Pinewood’s transformation strategy to become a pure-play SaaS business with an accelerated growth plan. Following the transaction, Pinewood returned £358m to shareholders, more than half the group’s current market cap, via a special dividend of 24.5p. Shares in Pinewood, have increased by 140% over the past year as a result of the transaction.
ESG: Pinewood complies with the main principles and specific provisions of the UK Corporate Governance Code and has adopted a number of policies which further advance its corporate governance standards and statutory compliance.
Volution Group plc
Crawley-based Volution is a leading supplier of ventilation products, catering to primary markets in the UK, Continental Europe, and Australasia. The group aims to enhance its customers’ experience of ventilation by reducing energy consumption and improving indoor air quality and comfort.
Volution acquired Fantech last December for £112.9m. Fantech is a leading provider of commercial and residential ventilation in Australia and New Zealand. . The acquisition is the largest ever deal in Volution’s history, adding eight brands, 13 sites and 2,500+ customers to the group’s portfolio. The defining transaction was earnings accretive upon completion and significantly enhanced Volution’s market position in Australasia.
ESG: ESG is integral to Volution’s business model and has been a priority in all Volution’s twenty-one acquisitions since its IPO in 2014. Volution will use its expertise in ESG to effect positive change on Fantech’s sustainability practices.
Zegona Communications plc
London-based Zegona was established in 2015 with the objective of investing in businesses in the European Telecommunications, Media and Technology sector. The group is led by former Virgin Media executives Eamonn O’Hare and Robert Samuelson.
On 31 May 2024, Zegona completed the 100% acquisition of Vodafone Spain for €5.0bn. The transaction comprised €4.1bn in cash and €0.9bn in the form of redeemable preference shares and was hailed as the biggest reverse takeover in the European telecoms sector. As a result of the transaction, Zegona’s shares have soared by over 115%.
ESG: Zegona recognises its obligation to act responsibly, ethically and with integrity in its dealings with staff, suppliers and the environment as a whole. The business is committed to diversity and to meeting governance requirements.
growth business of the year award
sponsored by Squire Patton Boggs
The 2024 shortlist:
Diploma plc
London-based Diploma is an international group of businesses specialising in technical products and services across three core sectors: Life Sciences, Seals, and Controls. The group serves industries such as healthcare, industrial manufacturing and aerospace.
Diploma reported another year of impressive growth, despite the ongoing challenging environment. The group invested in six new businesses last year, which helped drive growth. Its most notable acquisition was of Peerless Aerospace, which was well received by the market and resulted in Diploma shares rising 12%, to a record high. In addition, Diploma’s revenue diversification initiatives delivered strong, volume-led organic growth.
ESG: After acquiring a business, Diploma sets it on an accelerated path to meet ESG targets, materially outstripping the positive impact it could achieve as a standalone entity. The group educates its business leaders and functional teams about sustainability by setting stretching targets.
Games Workshop Group plc
Nottingham-based Games Workshop is the largest and the most successful hobby miniatures company in the world. The group’s major brands are Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000. The company also holds a licence for The Lord of the Rings/the Hobbit tabletop battle game.
Games Workshop continues to go from strength to strength with growth in its core miniatures business, in addition to IP licensing. The group recorded its strongest ever first-half, as demand for its Warhammer brand continued, resulting in pre-tax profits increasing by a third to £126.8m in the six months to end December 2024, and turnover rising by 20.9% to £299.5m. As a testament to the group’s impressive growth, Games Workshop entered the FTSE100 last year, thirty years after listing.
ESG: Games Workshop continues to support lifelong learning and training to develop the skills needed to enable its staff to be successful, including offering apprenticeship opportunities. The group remains very active in developing orderly succession plans for senior management roles.
JTC plc
Headquartered in Jersey, JTC is a global professional services business with deep expertise in fund, corporate and private client services. The group’s success is built on service excellence, long-term relationships and technology capabilities that drive efficiency and add value.
Over the past 36 years, JTC has achieved uninterrupted profitable growth, demonstrating the group’s resilience through numerous market cycles. JTC's exceptional growth trajectory and strategic vision has underpinned its record-breaking financial performance, strategic acquisitions, and robust sustainability initiatives. The group’s achievements are supported by employee engagement initiatives, which contributed to £20.6m in new mandates in 2023—a 19.8% year-on-year increase and a new record for business wins, despite challenging market conditions.
ESG: In 2024, JTC enhanced its commitment to sustainability with initiatives tied to its core focus areas of People, Data, and the Environment. The group celebrated ‘Ownership For All Day’, where shares amounting to c.£50m in value were distributed to all eligible current permanent employees.
Trainline plc
London-based Trainline is Europe’s leading independent rail platform, selling rail and coach tickets to millions of travellers worldwide. The group operates through three business segments: UK Consumer, International Consumer and Trainline Solutions.
As the largest online retailer of train tickets with over 50% market share, Trainline is benefiting from the market, which is increasingly moving online. In the six months to end August, the group more than doubled its operating profit to £49mn. Revenue generated by UK consumers also rose by 17% in the period to £106mn, while international sales increased by almost a fifth to £33mn.
ESG: Trainline commits to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. The group commits to near-term target reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions by 55% by 2030 and has participated in voluntary offsetting since FY2021.
Trustpilot Group plc
Headquartered in Copenhagen, Trustpilot was created in 2007 with a simple yet powerful idea — to be the universal symbol of trust, bringing consumers and businesses together through reviews. Today, the group has more than 320m reviews and 70m monthly active users across the globe, with 140bn annual Trustbox impressions.
Trustpilot has performed well financially and kept its strategic promises. The business continues to grow impressively, and its business model has demonstrated high levels of growth. For the six months to end June 2024, the group reported its adjusted EBITDA margin increased to 10.6%, revenues increased 18% and bookings were up 20%. Trustpilot’s virality and brand adoption also continues to grow, supported by its strategy to focus on key sectors.
ESG: Trustpilot has a clear ambition to promote and protect trust and transparency. The group recently published its second Transparency Report, opening to scrutiny the workings of its business to demonstrate the scale of the safeguarding measures deployed as its platform grows.
XPS Pensions Group plc
Belfast-based XPS Group is a leading UK consulting and administration business specialising in the pensions sector and providing wider ranging support to insurance companies in the life and bulk annuities sector.
XPS Group has continued to deliver for stakeholders, with growth demonstrated across all its business lines. The group enjoyed numerous new business wins, securing mandates from the largest and most complex pension schemes in the UK. XPS Group has reported a 23% revenue CAGR since IPO, in addition to consistent EPS growth. As a result of the group’s exceptional growth, the share price increased by 45% in 2024, in addition to delivering a healthy 3.4%+ dividend yield.
ESG: The XPS board is 4/9 female, with 1 BAME, and 50% of employees are female. Mental health matters to XPS who have a host of in-house communities, supporting all employees. The group’s true flexible working has delivered productivity gains through the pandemic and beyond.
tech business of the year award
sponsored by RMS Partners
The 2024 shortlist:
Alfa Financial Software Holdings plc
Alfa Financial Software are the makers of Alfa Systems, used by asset finance companies worldwide. The group is headquartered in London, with offices in Lisbon, Metro Detroit, Auckland and Sydney, with customers based all over the world.
Alfa leads the way in every aspect of systems transformation projects, including data migration, extensible platforms and innovative delivery methods. The group’s world class, leading-edge technology enables it to compete with much larger global players, such as Oracle or SAP SE. During the period, Alfa’s pipeline conversion has been impressive, with total contract value surging 56% year on year to a new high of £205m.
ESG: Alfa was awarded the ‘Investors in People’ gold accreditation in 2022 and the group has been ranked in the Top 20 for Gold-accredited organisations of its size. Alfa produces a Sustainability Progress Report which summaries its achievements in the ESG space.
Baltic Classifieds Group plc
Headquartered in Lithuania, Baltic Classifieds (BCG) is the leading online classifieds group in the Baltics. The group owns and operates fourteen leading vertical and generalist online classifieds portals in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia.
BCG's online classifieds portfolio comprises four business lines – auto, real estate, jobs & services and generalist. The group’s portals are visited on average 55.8m times a month, making it one of the largest online companies in the region. BCG recently successfully implemented pricing and packaging changes for its C2C segment across all business units, resulting in a significant increase in yields across all the group’s business lines.
ESG: BCG’s portals connect buyers and sellers with pre-loved goods and give a second life to products, providing a channel of green commerce to divert secondary goods from landfill, recycling or disuse to help make the world a greener place.
Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc
Oxford Nanopore makes a novel generation of DNA/RNA sequencing technology providing rich data that is fast, accessible and easy to use. The group is headquartered in Oxford and its goal is to disrupt the way that biological analyses are currently performed.
Oxford Nanopore’s new generation of nanopore-based sensing technology is used in more than 125 countries to understand the biology of humans and diseases such as cancer, plants, animals, bacteria, viruses and whole environments. Oxford Nanopore’s technology recently played a crucial role in detecting and tracing a Listeria Monocytogenes outbreak, which can be extremely dangerous for pregnant women and people with weaker immune systems. The technology also allows surgeons to detect cancer variants real time, enabling time-critical diagnosis of potentially life-threatening diseases.
ESG: Oxford Nanopore has contributed to critical advancements to monitor environmental data (eDNA), providing valuable data for biodiversity studies and environmental assessments.
RELX plc
London-based RELX develops information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers in the Risk, Scientific, Technical & Medical, Legal and Exhibitions sectors. The group serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in around 40 countries.
Over the past decade, RELX has transformed from a print-based publisher into an information-based analytics group, employing more than 9,000 technologists. The group is harnessing data and AI to build sophisticated analytics and decision tools that deliver enhanced value to its customers across its multiple business lines. RELX’s ‘tech-first’ strategy has reaped rewards for the business, with the group reporting an increase in underlying revenue growth of 7% during the period.
ESG: RELX believes its focus on ESG gives the group long-term competitive advantage. At the end of 2024, Sustainalytics rated RELX among the top 100 globally out of more than 15,000 companies. It also achieved a AAA MSCI ESG rating for the ninth consecutive year.
Rightmove plc
Milton Keynes-based Rightmove has the UK's largest selection of properties for sale and to rent. Over 80% of all time spent on property portals is on Rightmove's platform, with 96% brand awareness among home-movers.
Rightmove employs over 300 technology professionals and data scientists, in addition to two AI squads, to maintain its market leading position. Every month, the technology teams carry out 2,000 minutes of user testing, 2,500 on-site surveys, 5,000 consumer surveys, and 1,500 conversations with account managers and directly with its partners. Rightmove has enhanced its user experience and internal efficiencies through recent AI developments, including a new AI-powered location tool, "Ask AI", which provides information about a property's surrounding area.
ESG: Rightmove has been a carbon neutral business since 2019 and works consistently to reduce its carbon emissions and increase the amount of waste recycled in its three office locations. During the year its Go Greener initiative was created to drive the group’s contribution to the UK target of NetZero by 2050.
Sage Group plc
Newcastle-based Sage Group provides cloud business management solutions for SMBs. The group offers software for accounting, finance, payroll, and human resources and its products help businesses automate processes, improve efficiency, and ensure compliance.
Sage has successfully transitioned into a global SaaS business, with a focus on innovation. During the period, the group continued to introduce new AI-powered products and services that delivered enhanced productivity, resulting in double digit ARR growth in addition to strong cash generation. Sage’s full year results reported pre-tax profit increased 51% to £426m.
ESG: Sage has supported thousands of entrepreneurs in underserved communities with loan funds and grants, in addition to helping develop STEM skills in over 10,000 young people in the UK.
Trustpilot Group plc
Headquartered in Copenhagen, Trustpilot was created in 2007 to bring consumers and businesses together through reviews. Today, the group has more than 320m reviews and 70m monthly active users across the globe, with 140bn annual Trustbox impressions.
As a leading online platform for service reviews, Trustpilot deals with significant volumes of data. The group has adopted emerging generative AI techniques to provide new ways to derive valuable insights from all this data and use it in ways to ease the workload of customers. Trustpilot has continued to grow impressively, as has its virality and brand adoption, resulting in impressive growth and increased revenues.
ESG: Trustpilot has a clear ambition to promote and protect trust and transparency. The group recently published its second Transparency Report, opening to scrutiny the workings of its business to demonstrate the scale of the safeguarding measures deployed as its platform grows.
The event
Sponsorship
Sponsorship opportunities sometimes become available, including sponsorship of an individual award, sponsorship of the official drinks reception or sponsorship of the menu. Sponsorship opportunities are, by their very nature, limited. Costs and availability on request.
Hosting a table
Reservations are available for tables of ten people. Numbers are strictly limited and reservations are taken on a first come, first served basis.
Advertising
Advertising in the digital brochure is welcomed and enables your key messages to reach a highly targeted audience. The digital event brochure is available to download on the night and contains details of all the nominees, the programme for the night and the menu. Uniquely, it also contains the names of all attendees, in alphabetical and table order. Thus it is widely used as a reference point post event for up to a year afterwards.
Bespoke sponsorship opportunities
We offer a range of bespoke sponsorship packages, tailor made to suit your marketing objectives and budget. Further information on request.
Key details for guests
Date:
Thursday 27 February 2025
Venue:
Grosvenor House Hotel
86-90 Park Lane, Westminster
London W1K 7TN
Start time:
6.00 p.m. – drinks reception
7.15 p.m. – dinner
12.00 midnight – carriages
Dress code:
Black tie
Charity collection:
A charity collection will be taken up during the course of the evening and the plc awards team will be available throughout to accept contactless donations. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Accommodation:
Grosvenor House Hotel
Guests of the event can use offer code EG4 to obtain approximately 20% discount on best available rate. You may either use the code to book online on Marriott website or you may use the below link to check availability and book. Kindly note that rates fluctuate and are subject to availability, so please book at the earliest opportunity.
Location:
Latest media
Charity
Since formation in 1987, the plc awards has held a charity collection principally for the benefit of child-focused charities. The total amount of money raised to date by attendees at plc awards dinners is over £650,000. Thank you so much for your generosity – the charities concerned are all extremely grateful.
A charity collection will be held at the plc awards 2024 and the amount raised will be split equally between our two supported charities, BCCS and Acorn’s Children’s Hospice.
One in every ten children has a diagnosable mental health disorder – that’s roughly three in every classroom. A recent survey conducted also found 22% of girls and 9% of boys were self-harming. These alarming statistics demonstrate just how important it is to look after children’s mental health.
BCCS is a children’s charity covering East London and Essex, with the primary focus of providing counselling for children and young adults whose wellbeing, mental or emotional health is at risk.
A parent never imagines their child will be diagnosed with a life limiting or life threatening condition. But when the unimaginable happens, Acorns Children’s Hospice steps in, helping families to cope at every stage of their child’s life, wherever and whenever they need it.
The charity provides a range of services tailored to each child's clinical, emotional, cultural, and spiritual needs. This includes symptom management, rehabilitative respite, emergency and end-of-life care, bereavement support, and therapeutic activities that create lasting memories for families.