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What Are the Finance Awards North West?
The Finance Awards North West is one of the most respected finance accolades in the region, celebrating the outstanding achievements of finance professionals and businesses across the North West. Competition is fierce: only those who score within the top percentage of applicants are taken through to the final shortlist. Being shortlisted is a genuine achievement in itself, and the judges have commended every finalist on the exceptional standard of their entry.
Shortlisted in Three Key Categories
We’ve been shortlisted in the following categories: Finance Director of the Year (Up to £100M Turnover, Manchester and Cheshire), Finance Transformation & Change (Up to £100M Turnover), and Rising Star of the Year (Qualified).
Finance Director of the Year (Up to £100M Turnover, Manchester and Cheshire)
Our Chief Finance Officer, James Pugh, has been named a finalist in the Finance Director of the Year category for Manchester and Cheshire. This award recognises Finance Directors and CFOs from businesses turning over up to £100m annually, who have demonstrated a clear legacy of delivery in financial performance, leadership, and strategic direction.
James has been instrumental in shaping Speedy Freight's financial strategy, and this shortlisting reflects the positive impact he has had on both our team and our business. We’re incredibly proud to see his contribution recognised at this level.
Finance Transformation and Change (Up to £100M Turnover)
Speedy Freight has also been shortlisted as a finalist in the Finance Transformation and Change category with up to £100M turnover. This award is presented to teams that have successfully delivered activities leading to measurable improvement or growth within their organisation, whether through transformation projects, system upgrades, process re-engineering, or investment in people and their careers.
This shortlisting speaks to the collective effort of our finance team, who have driven meaningful change within the business and continue to raise the bar for what is possible.
Rising Star of the Year (Qualified)
Finally, we’re delighted that Charlotte Conchie has been named a finalist for Rising Star of the Year in the Qualified category. This award celebrates the most passionate, driven, and delivery-focused qualified finance professionals in the market, specifically those with fewer than five years of post-qualified experience who have demonstrated high achievement and outperformed their peer group.
Charlotte is a fantastic example of the talent we have at Speedy Freight, and this recognition is thoroughly well deserved.
Why This Recognition Matters
Being shortlisted across three separate categories at the same awards ceremony is a remarkable achievement. It reflects not just individual excellence, but a finance function that is genuinely performing at the highest level, from strategic leadership and organisational transformation through to developing the next generation of finance talent.
We believe that investing in our people and continuously improving the way we operate is central to our long-term success. Being shortlisted is a strong a proud validation of that commitment.
What's Next?
The 2026 Finance Awards North West winners will be announced at the awards ceremony later this year. We will be cheering on James, Charlotte, and the wider finance team as we await the results.
In the meantime, we would like to congratulate all the other finalists across every category. The standard of talent in the North West finance community is genuinely impressive, and it’s an honour to be recognised alongside so many outstanding professionals and businesses.
Watch this space for updates and wish us luck!
