GEORGE CLOONEY PRESENTS SME OF THE YEAR AWARD TO CHAMPIONS SPEAKERS

Champions Speakers has been named SME of the Year at the 2026 British Business Awards, cementing the company’s position as one of the UK’s most successful and internationally recognised speaker agencies.

The award was presented during a high-profile ceremony at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, where Hollywood actor George Clooney handed the accolade to representatives of the business in front of an audience spanning the worlds of business, entertainment and politics.

Hosted by Rob Brydon and Elaine C Smith, the event also featured appearances from figures including Bob Geldof and brought together more than 150 shortlisted organisations ranging from family-run firms and scale-ups to major multinational businesses.

The recognition marks another milestone for Champions Speakers, which has evolved over more than two decades from a growing UK agency into what it describes as Europe’s largest keynote speaker bureau, delivering thousands of events annually across 66 countries.

A BUSINESS BUILT ON GLOBAL SCALE

The company now represents a network of more than 8,000 speakers and delivers over 5,000 events every year for corporate, public sector and international clients.

Its growth trajectory has seen it repeatedly recognised within UK business rankings and export awards programmes, reflecting both commercial expansion and increasing international reach.

Previous accolades include inclusion in the London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain, The Sunday Times Fast Track 100 and Insider’s Growth 100. More recently, the business was recognised in the Department for Business and Trade’s Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards, celebrating international growth across dozens of global markets.

The company has also been named Best Keynote Speaker Bureau 2025 – Europe and included in JP Morgan’s Top 200 Female-Powered Businesses.

For Champions Speakers, the SME of the Year award represents recognition not only of sustained financial growth, but also operational scale and brand influence within a highly competitive talent and events market.

In one of the defining moments of the evening, members of the Hayes family took to the stage to collect the award, with Sophia Hayes, Director of Sales at Champions Speakers, accepting the accolade on behalf of the business before later being pictured alongside Clooney.

Jack Hayes, Director of Champions Speakers, described the award as a landmark moment for both the company and the family behind it.

“This is an incredibly special moment for our whole team and the Hayes family,” he said.

“What began as a vision more than 20 years ago has grown into a global business, and to see that journey recognised on such a prestigious stage is hugely rewarding.”

“Receiving this award from George Clooney, in a room filled with so many inspiring businesses, is something we will never forget.”

Hayes added that the recognition would further motivate the business as it continues expanding internationally.

“It motivates us to keep raising the bar and delivering world-class speaker experiences for our clients, now and into the future,” he said.

INSIDE THE BRITISH BUSINESS AWARDS

The British Business Awards have increasingly positioned themselves as one of the UK’s highest-profile celebrations of entrepreneurship, innovation and commercial achievement.

This year’s winners included major organisations such as AstraZeneca, Octopus Energy, Warburtons and Holland & Barrett, underlining the competitiveness of the awards process.

All shortlisted companies were independently assessed across five core categories:

• business performance,
• innovation,
• workforce and culture,
• customer impact,
• and contribution to society and the wider economy.

Winners were selected by an 18-member judging panel chaired by former Unilever CEO Alan Jope and Coutts CEO Emma Crystal.

Beyond corporate recognition, the ceremony also carried a significant charitable dimension. More than £1 million was raised during the evening for homelessness charity Social Bite, supporting housing programmes, employment initiatives and social enterprise projects across the UK.

Jack Hayes said the philanthropic aspect of the evening was equally important.

“It was also a privilege to support such an important cause on the night,” he said. “The generosity in the room was truly inspiring and a powerful reminder of the positive impact British business can have.”

Josh Littlejohn, Founding Partner of the British Business Awards and co-founder of Social Bite, said the scale of participation reflected confidence in the future of British enterprise.

“The huge turnout to the awards tonight is testament to the strength in the business community, and the extremely high standard of the winners speaks to the strength and bright future of our economy,” he said.

As the live events and corporate speaking market continues evolving post-pandemic, the award also reflects growing demand for high-profile talent, leadership expertise and large-scale event experiences across international markets.

For Champions Speakers, the latest recognition signals not only industry leadership, but a business continuing to scale globally while retaining the family-led culture that underpins its growth story.