2025 Midlands Finance Awards

The Midlands Finance Awards seeks to promote and celebrate the outstanding achievements of businesses and individuals within the Midlands' finance community.

The awards celebrate the achievements of the region’s top finance professionals. The awards also recognise the outstanding local businesses that contribute to the economy and employment in the Midlands across various award categories.

Award Criteria:

Awarded to the Finance Director or CFO with a demonstrable legacy of delivery in financial performance, leadership and management. The winner will have clearly provided examples of where their strategic direction has positively impacted both their team and company.

Finance Director/CFO of the Year (Not-for-Profit)
Awarded to the Finance Director or CFO from a not-for-profit organisation with a demonstrable legacy of delivery in financial performance, leadership and management. The winner will have clearly provided examples of where their strategic direction has positively impacted both their team and company.

Financial Controller/Head of function of the Year
This award is split into two categories based on company turnover:

• Financial Controller/Head of function of the Year (up to £100m turnover)
  
• Financial Controller/Head of function of the Year (over £100m turnover)

Awarded to the Financial Controller with a demonstrable legacy of delivery in financial performance, leadership, management and development. They will be able to provide examples of strengthening financial control and processes across the organisation, driving continuous improvement and developing a team.

Finance Team of the Year
This award is split into three categories based on team size:

• Finance Team of the Year (10 people or less)
• Finance Team of the Year (11 - 20 people)
• Finance Team of the Year (over 20 people)

The Finance Team of the year will demonstrate excellence in their field, with proven examples of collective successes within the last 12 months. The winning team may have positively impacted the wider business through outstanding achievements in the delivery of projects and encompass an infectious team spirit.

Finance Team of the Year (Not-for-Profit)
The Finance Team of the year will be from a not-for-profit organisation and demonstrate excellence in their field, with proven examples of collective successes within the last 12 months. The winning team may have positively impacted the wider company through outstanding achievements in the delivery of projects and encompass an infectious team spirit.

Finance Transformation & Change
The Finance Transformation & Change award will be presented to a team that has demonstrated the successful delivery and/or implementation of activities leading to the improvement or growth of its organisation. This can be demonstrated through a range of activities with examples including (though not limited to) transformation projects, system upgrades, development of people and their careers and process re-engineering.

Transactional Finance Team of the Year
This award will go to a West Midlands based Transactional Finance Team that has demonstrated excellence in its field. They will need to have demonstrated collective successes within the last 12 months. The winning team will have positively impacted the wider business through outstanding achievements in the delivery of projects. The team should also embody a positive team spirit.

*Rising Star of the Year (Qualified)
Presented to the most passionate, driven and delivery focused person in the market. The winner of the qualified award will be a finance professional with less than 5 years of post-qualified experience. They will have provided examples of high achievement and outperforming their peer group.

*Rising Star of the Year (Non/Part Qualified)
Presented to the most passionate, driven and delivery focused person in the market. The winner of the non/part-qualified award will be a finance professional with less than 8 years of experience. They will have provided examples of high achievement and outperforming their peer group.

*After the initial application/nomination has been submitted for these four categories, a follow up form will be sent out to the nominator (or line manager if it was an application) to complete as a referencing stage. The judges will then shortlist prior to the judging stage.