MOBO, PIZZAEXPRESS AND CLIMATE INNOVATORS AMONG 2026 BOLD AWARDS FINALISTS
In a year marked by economic uncertainty and heightened scrutiny of corporate leadership, the 2026 Veuve Clicquot Bold Awards shortlist reads as a snapshot of modern British enterprise — spanning hospitality, music, sustainability, climate technology and consumer brands.
Among those nominated are Paula MacKenzie, chief executive of PizzaExpress; Kanya King CBE, founder and chief executive of the MOBO Group; and Marisa Poster, co-founder of matcha brand PerfectTed. They join a wider field of entrepreneurs and corporate leaders recognised for commercial performance, innovation and social impact.
Now in its 54th year, the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Awards are the longest-running international honours dedicated to women in business. The programme recognises established leaders through the Bold Woman Award and emerging entrepreneurs through the Bold Future Award.
Established leaders reshaping industries
In the Bold Woman Award category, Paula MacKenzie is recognised for steering PizzaExpress through a period of operational transformation. During her tenure, the restaurant chain has recorded its highest customer satisfaction scores, undertaken a nationwide refurbishment programme and launched new concepts, including the PizzaExpress Pod. The group has also expanded internationally, opened dozens of new restaurants and launched PX Records, its own record label. Over the same period, the brand has raised more than £1m for charity.
Kanya King CBE, who founded the MOBO Awards in 1996, is shortlisted for turning what began as a fringe celebration of Black music into one of the UK’s most influential cultural exports. The MOBO Awards will mark their 30th anniversary in 2026. King recently launched House of MOBO, a cultural hub in south London, and spearheaded MOBOLISE, a career development platform that in late 2024 introduced a UK-first initiative to equip 100,000 Black talents with AI literacy and career opportunities.
Smruti Sriram OBE, chief executive of Bags of Ethics (Supreme Creations), completes the trio of finalists in the category. Under her leadership, the company has become a global supplier of reusable packaging and merchandise, working with brands including Dior, Harrods and Nike. The business claims to have helped eliminate more than 30bn single-use items worldwide, while operating a vertically integrated supply chain with an 80 per cent female workforce and delivering consistent annual growth of between 15 and 30 per cent.
The next generation of Founders
The Bold Future Award highlights high-growth entrepreneurs tackling structural challenges.
Alisha Fredriksson, chief executive and co-founder of Seabound, has developed a modular carbon capture system that retrofits onto existing ships and reduces CO2 emissions by up to 95 per cent. In fewer than four years, she has taken the company from concept to commercial partnerships with tier-one shipping companies, assembling a team of 18 and securing £8.5m in funding and grants.
Josephine Philips, founder of SOJO, has built a technology-enabled clothing repair service that integrates proprietary software, logistics and an in-house repair centre. The company now partners with major fashion retailers including Ralph Lauren, Selfridges and Marks & Spencer, positioning itself at the centre of the circular fashion movement.
Marisa Poster, aged 28, has scaled PerfectTed into a £50m annual recurring revenue business. What began as a kitchen-table venture has become one of the UK’s fastest-growing founder-led retail brands, stocked in more than 30,000 retail and café locations across over 50 countries, as matcha gains traction among health-conscious consumers.
A legacy of audacity
Previous winners of the awards include Dame Julia Hoggett DBE, chief executive of London Stock Exchange plc; Professor Sarah Gilbert, recognised for her leadership in developing the Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine; and Anne Pitcher, former chief executive of Selfridges.
Thomas Mulliez, president of Veuve Clicquot, said: “Madame Clicquot was just 27 when she took the reins of her husband’s Champagne house, in an era where women were excluded from the business world. She led Veuve Clicquot to become a brand of excellence, proving that courage, vision, and relentless determination can break barriers and rewrite the rules.
“This year’s shortlist truly embodies the legacy of Madame Clicquot. They are redefining what business can be, from tackling plastic pollution and fashion waste, to cementing Black music at the heart of British culture. Bold, inventive, and unafraid to challenge convention, they show that innovation and ambition can create both commercial success and lasting societal change.”
Sian Westerman, board member of the British Fashion Council and a judge for the awards, said: “The path for women in leadership roles remains disproportionately steep. Many face hurdles from ingrained biases to a lack of funding for female founders.
“However, the women on this year’s shortlist refuse to simply endure this difficult ascent. Through their work, tackling some of today’s most pressing challenges. They don’t settle for the way things have always been done – they challenge, disrupt, and ensure the door remains firmly open for those who follow.”
The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 20 May 2026, in what is expected to be one of the most high-profile gatherings of female business leaders in the UK calendar.
