The Midlands' financial elite gathered in force on Thursday, 6 November 2025, for a night of celebration at the ICC Birmingham. The prestigious Midlands Finance Awards, now in its eighth year, played host to over 400 of the region's most accomplished finance professionals, teams, and businesses.
The ceremony, held in partnership with Robert Walters, ACCA, Mills & Reeve, and RSM, honoured exceptional achievement across 14 fiercely contested categories. Winners on the night included major names such as Aston University, XPO Logistics, and BNP Paribas, showcasing the depth of talent within the Midlands business community.
A Celebration of Financial Excellence and Community Spirit
Hosted by the comedian Lucy Porter, the exclusive event was more than just an awards ceremony; it was a reflection on the vital role finance professionals play in driving success and innovation. The evening also had a strong charitable focus, raising more than £3,400 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital. This generous contribution brings the total donations raised since the awards began to an impressive over £30,000.
Partners of the event shared their enthusiasm for the region's talent. Habiba Khatoon, Director of Robert Walters Birmingham, stated she was proud to see the awards continue to showcase the exceptional talent across our region. She described the efforts of the individuals, teams, and organisations as "truly inspiring".
Honouring the Winners and Highly Commended
The competition was notably high across all categories, from the wisdom-packed 'CFO of the Year' to the hotly contested 'Rising Star' awards, making the judging process particularly challenging this year.
The full list of winners and highly commended finalists includes:
- Finance Director/CFO of the Year (up to £100m turnover): Winner: Joe Hyland, Attraction World Group
- Finance Director/CFO of the Year (over £100m turnover): Winner: Nicky Thomas, Wolseley UK Ltd
- Finance Director/CFO of the Year Not-for-Profit: Winner: Zoe Rossi-O'Callaghan, St Basils
- Financial Controller of the Year (up to £100m turnover): Winner: Lara Parkinson, Arvato SCM UK Ltd | Highly Commended: Phil Walton, Rem3dy Health Ltd
- Financial Controller of the Year (over £100m turnover): Winner: Tom Kavanagh, Cyncly | Highly Commended: Kelsey Masters, Wolseley
- Finance Team of the Year (20 people or less): Winner: Wabtec UK Ltd | Highly Commended: J&J Global Fulfilment
- Finance Team of the Year (over 20 people): Winner: XPO Logistics | Highly Commended: Lloyds Clinical Limited
- Finance Team of the Year Not-for-Profit: Winner: Reliance Social Housing CIC
- Finance Transformation & Change: Winner: Cyncly | Highly Commended: XPO Logistics
- Finance Transformation & Change Not-for-Profit: Winner: Aston University | Highly Commended: Reliance Social Housing CIC
- Rising Star of the Year (Qualified): Winner: Jeremy Cooper, BNP Paribas
- Rising Star of the Year (Non/Part-Qualified): Winner: Jordan Anderson, XPO Logistics | Highly Commended: Irene Boateng, GXO
- Transactional Finance Team of the Year: Winner: Cadent Gas | Highly Commended: Aston University
- ESG Excellence: Winner: DRPG | Highly Commended: AHDB
A Bright Future for Midlands Finance
The Midlands Finance Awards 2025 successfully underscored the critical role that finance professionals contribute to every sector in the region. As Jayne Hussey, Partner at Mills & Reeve, noted, the awards serve as an excellent reminder of their impact. The event not only celebrated past achievements but also set the stage for continued innovation and success, proving that the financial heart of the Midlands is beating stronger than ever.
