I've been shortlisted for Businessman of the Year at the Birmingham Awards 2026. The finalists were announced on 22 September, and I'm one of nine in the category.
The awards run across 23 categories, from Start-Up and Small Business to Tech For Good and Young Achiever. Birmingham City University is the headline sponsor and Love Brum is the charity partner. The winners are announced at the ceremony on Saturday 7 November.
Birmingham is where I've built pretty much everything. Nick Morgan and I co-founded Big Cat here in 2000, and the city has been home to most of my work since. So being shortlisted by Birmingham, for Birmingham, means a lot more to me than the average lanyard.
It's been a good year for it. In March I was named Marketing Leader of the Year at the BusinessDesk Leadership Awards 2026.
It's also good company. The other finalists run technology firms, recruitment and finance businesses, a kitchen and bedroom design company and a family support organisation - a fair picture of how broad the city's business base is. Congratulations to all of them, and to the finalists across every category.
Public voting is open now. The judges look at the strength of each application, the evidence, the achievements and the impact, so votes are one part of the decision rather than all of it. If you'd like to add yours, you can vote on the Birmingham Awards website.