How to apply

How to apply for the London & South East Finance Awards

The application/nomination process is quick and easy, with a simple online form to complete. Successful applicants will then be invited to a judging meeting with the Award partners and an industry guest judge.

AWARD APPLICATION PROCESS

Step 1. Short online application/nomination form
(Application Deadline: Friday 11th July 2025). We welcome entries from all businesses/finance teams based within London & the South East (including Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex & Kent)

An initial application form consists of a maximum of 200 words of why you (or the nominee) should win the award. Apply directly or nominate a colleague/employee/friend.

Step 2a. Referencing stage (Rising Star categories only)

For the Rising Star categories, there will be a referencing stage that has been introduced for 2025. After the initial application/nomination form is completed a follow up form will be sent out to the nominator (or line manager if it was an application) to complete in order to elaborate on the entry. The judges will then shortlist prior to the judging stage.

Step 2b. Meeting with judges
(Monday 1st September - Friday 17th September 2025)

If successful, applicants/nominees will be invited by a member of the Award Partners to join them for the second stage of the application process.

This stage will involve an informal meeting with the judging panel. The panel will consist of the Award Partners and an industry expert as a guest judge, who will discuss with you the application put forward.

The meeting will take no more than an hour and successful applicants/nominees will receive a set of questions beforehand to prepare for. The judges will score independently with the highest average winning the award.

What is the criteria?

Each award category consists of a specific criteria against which all applications/nominations will be judged. The categories and their criteria can be viewed here.