Celebrate your firm’s contribution to the industrial strategy
PBS Growth Awards 2025
Celebrate your firm’s contribution to the industrial strategy
One of UK Government’s central missions is to grow the economy given slow GDP and productivity growth since the financial crash of 2008. In this context, the recent Industrial Strategy green paper designates PBS (professional & business services) as one of eight ‘growth-driving’ sectors.
The PBS Growth Awards, organised by the Managing Partners’ Forum and the Centre for Professional Services Research, in association with knowledge partners Harvard Business Review and the Financial Times and known as the ‘MPF Awards’ for the past 20+ years, spotlight the leaders, rising stars, and initiatives that are driving growth in the UK’s largest, fastest-growing, most profitable, export-leading sector (15% of GDP).
The Awards Ceremony is an integral part of the inaugural PBS Growth Summit (Black-tie dinner, Awards ceremony, Overnight stay, Full-day CEO conference). Shortlisted firms (three per category) and Rising Star category winners are eligible to join 100+ CEOs and 30+ presenters for the conference, which focuses on developing and implementing coherent growth strategies.
Submissions and shortlists:
29 November 2024
Shortlist announcement:
Leader/Management Team shortlists will be announced on 15 December 2024.
No Rising Star shortlists with winners only revealed at the Ceremony.
Black-tie Summit dinner and Awards ceremony:
27 March 2025
Venue: Crowne Plaza Marlow, Bucks
( Only 120 places available in total for those from shortlisted firms)
Submission deadline
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Full-day CEO conference:
28 March 2025
Venue: Crowne Plaza Marlow, Bucks
(Representatives of shortlisted firms (three per category) and Rising Star category winners are eligible to attend)
Award categories
Leadership theme
Excellence in innovation
Excellence in social impact
Excellence in strategic leadership
Brand theme
Excellence in client service
Excellence in client solutions
Excellence in marketing & BD
Excellence in thought leadership
Productivity theme
Excellence in research
Excellence in skills development
Excellence in technology deployment
All 10 categories are eligible for ‘Leader/Management Team’ and ‘Rising Star’ submissions.
Reasons to participate in the PBS Growth Awards and Summit
Hear ideas from Award winners, experts and peers on optimal and original ways to grow a professional services firm. Award winners will be interviewed live on stage by the MC.
Break out of silos such as law and accountancy to network with CEOs from across the professions, conference presenters and Award sponsors such as the CBI and IoD.
Get close to Government and be seen to help deliver its industrial strategy.
The journey to an Award
Anyone can nominate a leader, management team or Rising Star. Rising Stars show exceptional performance, are leaders among their peers and exceed expectations – the ones to watch. They must also be aged 35 or under at the submission deadline (40 for leadership & strategy categories).
On receiving a nomination (must be online), the Forum contacts the appropriate person:
leaders/management teams must self-enter; Rising Stars can either self-submit or be entered by someone else (for example their team leader) with or without their knowledge. If shortlisted for an online interview, they can then decide whether to participate.
Evidence of achievement is critical. You must supply tangible ‘proof points’.
The average time to complete a quality submission is 15 minutes.
The same initiative or Rising Star cannot be entered for more than one category.
Reflect on the initiative or the Rising Star in the round and over time. Success seldom happens overnight. Provide sufficient detail to allow the judges to grasp their achievement, considering the journey, challenges and milestones.
Treat it like an elevator pitch - share everything that you are most proud of in a succinct way. Stick to the point and avoid unnecessary information.
Stay within the word limits. Responses that are significantly below are unlikely to progress; those that significantly above will be penalised.
Plan ahead and take time to optimise the content before the deadline.
Judging Process
The PBS Growth Awards judging is rigorous, transparent, and focused on growth impact. Each category has a dedicated panel of experts who assess entries on criteria designed to measure growth contributions, ensuring fair and comprehensive evaluations.
Leader/Management Teams Judging Criteria:
- Strategic alignment
- Active leadership engagement
- Innovation in services, markets, methods or systems
- Effective education of stakeholders
- Positive impact on business growth
- Measurable impact against goals in a reasonable timescale
Rising Stars Judging Criteria:
- Impressive metrics – targets, percentage increases/decreases, retention statistics.
- Examples of dynamism and daring to be different or challenging the status quo.
- Cutting-edge inventions, process improvements or digital innovations.
- Technical or creative excellence that has been recognised internally and/or externally.
- Positive impact on business growth
- Achieving success beyond immediate business objectives, expectations or targets.