We are thrilled to announce the 2026 City AM Awards, being held on the 6th May. The Awards represent one of the biggest and most keenly anticipated events in the business calendar, powered by a panel of incredible judges and offering recognition to the very best companies and leaders in the UK - whether they're based in the City or across the country. 

We invite you to join us for this celebration and an unforgettable evening at the Guildhall. A welcome Champagne reception with delicious canapés and live music will be followed by a superb three course dinner with wine and entertainment in the breathtaking Great Hall. After dinner, you'll hear from City AM's Guest of Honour before the Awards get underway. This will be a tremendous occasion and a great opportunity for your teams and clients to share in the celebratio

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  • Business of the Year

    IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SANTANDER

    This award celebrates the best of the best; businesses that have navigated the headwinds and come out stronger. Judges will be looking for exceptional leadership, great results and continued momentum.

  • City Champion of the Year

    The City of London is the engine room of the British economy and capital markets are at its heart. With debate raging over the health and future of UK equities there are those who devote their energies to promoting and enhancing this vital element of our economic infrastructure and this Award is given in recognition of stellar efforts to stand up for the City. 

  • Analyst of the Year

    A good analyst is worth their weight in gold - and this award champions those whose insights, expertise and clarity make them indispensable to investors, traders...and journalists.

  • Wealth Management Company of the Year

    Wealth Management is undergoing a wave of change from consolidation to digital disruption, and standing out in this ultra competitive field requires insight, profile, world class tech, differentiation and a confident strategy. Who's leading the pack?

  • Consultancy & Advisory Company of the Year

    The consultancy, advisory and audit sectors are a vibrant part of the UK's professional services scene and this category seeks to celebrate the businesses that demonstrate exceptional success alongside innovation, growth and creativity.

  • Insurance Company of the Year

    Insurance is a powerhouse sector in the City with businesses ranging from the ancient and venerable to the new and boutique, whether public or private. This year the government is looking to insurers to help power growth while new technology continues to shape the market. Who's leading the way?

  • Innovative Company of the Year

    Innovation is far from the preserve of start-ups, with smart ideas and new thinking essential to businesses of all sizes. This award recognises a new approach or a bold idea that changed the game for customers, employees - or the bottom line.

  • Law Firm of the Year

    Technological change and the battle for talent continue to shape the London market and the City continues to attract the brightest and best players. The sector has seen its fair share of disruption and innovation, and this award recognises those who continue to go for growth.

  • Investor of the Year

    If it was easy to deliver returns amid economic slowdowns and political upheaval then everyone would do it, and this award celebrates investors - whether VC, PE, stock pickers or wealth managers - who show the rest of us how to do it. goes here

  • Entrepreneur of the Year

    The UK is home to some of the greatest entrepreneurs in the world and the next generation of enterprising talent. This award celebrates the resilience, creativity and success of our vital entrepreneurial leaders. goes here

  • Bank of the Year

    With digital challengers coming of age and high-street lenders adapting to a wave of change, this is a tough category. Often at the mercy of economic conditions and policies, banks need to fight hard for their success and this award celebrates those that have navigated the obstacles and come out in front.

  • Personality of the Year

    City AM's most prestigious award honours a leader who has shaped the debate, set the weather, banged the drum for business or led by example.

Meet our Judges

As we prepare for the City AM Awards 2026 we are excited to introduce our panel of Judges who will bring their experience and insights to the process. The Awards are judged by an independent panel of experts, with voting taking place after vigorous debate.

Nominees for each category are determined by a group of experts including the senior operational and editorial leadership team at City AM, drawing on the input of external experts and the insights of our Judging Panel. This year, Judges will also evaluate and consider external nominations. The shortlist will be determined by Friday 7 March. And please note, due to the potential volume of submissions it may not be possible to respond to each application, but rest assured all submissions will be evaluated as part of the shortlisting process.

As with all City AM awards, we work to ensure a fair, independent, transparent and rigorous judging process. The Judges will meet before the Awards for a session chaired by our City AM Editor Christian May. Judges will review a comprehensive explanation of all nominees and will debate the shortlists. Following the discussion, a vote will take place and the winners of each category will be agreed, ready to be unveiled on the night.

CHRISTIAN MAY
Editor in Chief City AM

Editor of City AM from 2015 to 2021 before resuming the role in 2024, Christian has played a key role in solidifying the publication’s position as a voice in London’s financial and business communities. Known for his sharp insights, he ensured City AM remained relevant and influential, delivering high-quality journalism during a time of significant change for the country and the media sector. As well as Journalism Christian also has experience in communications and corporate

JOHN BALDWIN
CEO Corporate & Commercial Banking Santander

John Baldwin is CEO of the Corporate & Commercial Banking (CCB) business at Santander UK, having joined the Group in 2013. He has had a long career in Corporate and Commercial Banking, as well as enjoying roles in Retail Banking, Strategy and Corporate Venturing during his time with Lloyds Banking Group. John has extensive relationship management, credit and risk experience. He previously led the Commercial Clients coverage and Client Services teams in CCB where he drove an ambitious tech and data-led change agenda, alongside market leading levels of client satisfaction. In addition to extensive banking experience, John also has an entrepreneurial background; he founded and ran a directly regulated finance business and has led the development and transformation of new businesses in both FTSE10 and SME environments.

JOANNA JENSEN
Entrepreneur and Chair
of the EIS Association 

Joanna Jensen founded the UK’s multi award-winning baby & child personal care brand Childs Farm in 2010 and sold it for £40 million in 2022.

Joanna is now a passionate advocate for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and a prolific Angel Investor. Her opinion is valued and sought after nationwide and she is a regular contributing writer for The Sunday Times & The Times, and a regular business guest on the Jeremy Vine Channel 5 TV shows and Radio 5 Live’s ‘Wake up to Money Show’.

Joanna is making a credible difference to UK businesses through her influential role as Chair of the UK’s Enterprise Investment Scheme trade body, EISA, as well as working with Buy Women Built and Female Founders Rise who support female founders on their journey’s.

She is an Ambassador for the British Library’s BIPC centres, Chairs the philanthropic arm for Paralympics GB’s Parallel Club and is a mentor with Imperial College.

NATALIE CAMPBELL MBE
Entrepreneur, Co-CEO of Belu Water & Chancellor of the University of Westminster

Natalie Campbell MBE ran as an independent candidate for Mayor of London in May 2024. She is Co-CEO of Belu Water, which has donated over £6.1m to WaterAid for clean water, toilets, and hygiene. Natalie is an award-winning social entrepreneur, broadcaster, and Chancellor of The University of Westminster, where she launched the 'Chancellor's Circle' to connect businesses with students. Previously, she led insight and innovation for The Royal Foundation, founded Kensington Creates, and co-founded A Very Good Company, working with brands like Virgin Media and Marks & Spencer on sustainability. She advises FTSE businesses, including PwC and Stonehage Fleming

CHARLOTTE KEENAN
Head of Corporate Engagement
at Goldman Sachs

Charlotte is a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs and leads the Office of Corporate Engagement's international responsibilities.  Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, 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..”

IAN KING
Financial journalist and broadcaster

Ian King has been a business and financial journalist on national newspapers and television for more than 30 years. He is currently a contributor and occasional presenter at CNBC, for which he writes a weekly newsletter, CNBC UK Exchange. He is also a regular contributor to The Times and Times Radio. For 11 years, he was business presenter at Sky News, anchoring more than 2000 live editions of the channel’s daily business programme.

SALLY OSMAN
NED and former Director of Communications for the BBC, Sony & The Royal Household

Sally is a NED, a Senior Advisor and leadership coach. A board member of Our Future Health, now the world’s largest health research programme, she is also a Governor of the Courtauld Institute of Art and a trustee of English National Opera. She is also Non Exec chair of Echo Research, which focuses on corporate reputation analysis and valuation including Britain’s Most Admired Companies and the Reputation Dividend annual reports in the UK and USA. An alumnus of Wharton Business School, she is the former Director of Royal Communications for Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She also headed Corporate Affairs at the BBC and for SONY Europe. Sally has significant experience in managing reputational risk and crises, institutional change and purpose, and the practicalities and impact of soft power and storytelling to help address leadership challenges and build corporate resilience.

BIM AFOLAM
Former City Minister, Chief of Strategy at Acrisure, Board HSBC 

Bim Afolami is a former City Minister and former Conservative MP. He served in Parliament from 2017 to 2024, prior to which he worked as a corporate lawyer at Freshfields and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, then as a senior executive at HSBC. Since leaving Parliament, he joined Acrisure, the large American financial services business,  as Global Head of Strategy and Execution, and also joined the board of HSBC UK and the board of the Quoted Companies Alliance

MARTIN GILBERT
Chairman of Revolut

Martin Gilbert has been one of the most prominent figures in the City for decades. He is currently the Chairman of Revolut. He co-founded Aberdeen Asset Management in 1983 and served as its Chief Executive Officer from 1991 to 2017. He is the Senior Independent Director at Glencore and has previously served as Deputy Chairman of Sky.

Our Partners

City AM is delighted to announce its collaboration with an exceptional lineup of partners and supporters for the highly anticipated City AM Awards 2026. We are proud to be working alongside these industry leaders, whose support and commitment help make this prestigious event possible and ensure that the Awards continue to celebrate the very best in business.

  • Santander UK is a financial services provider in the UK that offers a wide range of personal and commercial financial products and services. The bank serves its customers via a nationwide branch network, telephone, mobile and online banking. Santander UK is subject to the full supervision of the FCA and the PRA in the UK. Santander UK plc customers’ eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS in the UK.

  • GetGround helps property investors build lasting wealth through AI-driven insights, specialist expertise, and a digital platform that simplifies an increasingly complex industry.

    At its core is an intelligent hub for every portfolio. The platform processes market and property data to deliver projections, forecasts, and performance analytics, giving landlords the clarity to make confident strategic decisions.

    GetGround connects each stage of the investment journey in one place — from company setup and property acquisition to compliance, financing, tax and accounting. As an HMRC-recognised Making Tax Digital (MTD) provider, it offers compliant digital tax tools built specifically for landlords.
    Investors can choose one-off Setup Packages to structure and purchase efficiently, or ongoing Subscriptions that keep portfolios organised, compliant and scalable.

    Today, over 30,000 landlords across 80+ countries trust GetGround to manage and grow more than £2 billion of UK property assets.

  • Launched in 2017, Tide is the leading business management platform in the UK. Tide helps small businesses save time and money by not only offering business accounts and related admin services, but also a comprehensive set of highly usable and connected administrative solutions from invoicing to accounting and adjacent commercial services such as web-site building.

    Tide has nearly 800,000 SME members in the UK (14% market share) and more than 1 million SMEs in India. Tide launched in Germany in May 2024 and France in September 2025. Tide has also been recognised with the Great Place to Work certification three years in a row. Tide has been funded by Anthemis, the Apax Digital Funds, Augmentum Fintech, Creandum, Salica Investments, Latitude, LocalGlobe, SBI Group, Speedinvest and TPG, amongst others. It employs more than 2,500 Tideans worldwide. Tide’s long-term ambition is to be the leading business management platform globally.

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