Judges

Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Kingston University London

Bahare helps cultivate thinking around planning, designing, and executing forward-thinking ideas and innovations. Her thinking and practice are rooted in design thinking, adaptive planning, and light weight processes.

Her innovation experience has been shaped through great various roles, working as an entrepreneur, co-founder, and leader in various industries and markets including retail, tech, publishing, higher-education, and engineering.

Owner, LeBoo Media

Martin is the owner of LeBoo Media, a Kingston-based copywriting and communications consultancy. He joined the Kingston Chamber of Commerce in 2017, and has been a director since 2018. Martin knows what it takes to win at the Kingston Borough Business Awards, having taken the Creative Effectiveness Award last year, and is proud to be a judge this time round.

Senior Communications Manager at Unilever

Katya is an experienced Senior Communications Manager with a demonstrated history of working across the range of communications areas in the consumer goods industry. Skilled in corporate communications, media relations, issues management, change communications, internal communications and employee engagement.

Managing Director of IQinIT

Katerina is the Managing Director of IQ in IT , a cutting edge Cloud IT provider offering cloud based services.

Katerina has been an active member of Kingston Chamber of Commerce for many years and became a Director in 2015. She became President is 2020, our first one elected in a virtual AGM!

Partner, Pearson Hards Solicitors

Claire Darby specialises in all aspects of dispute resolution, including contract, negligence claims, employment matters and landlord and tenant disputes. Claire has an extensive range of dispute resolution experience, both for individual and commercial clients, and is always keen to take on new and challenging cases.

Corporate Head of Employment, Skills and Enterprise, Kingston Council

Sean brings 20 years of public sector experience working closely with business on issues as diverse as retail and town centre transition; workspace provision; skills and employment, tourism, and many initiatives to encourage and support business start-up, growth and innovation. This builds on extensive work in policy and strategy development, voluntary sector support, and early career excursions in retail-leisure management.

Managing Partner, Holland Hahn & Wills

Holland Hahn & Wills are Chartered Financial Planners and Wealth Managers. They deliver financial peace of mind, allowing clients to enjoy a worry-free retirement and concentrate on what really matters. Their focus is to build close and lasting relationships with clients. Their experience and attention to detail sets us apart as experts on the psychology of retirement.

Managing Director, Time & Leisure

As Managing Director for over 17 years, I have enjoyed building the Time & Leisure brand and establishing our trusted and much-loved magazines in the region. We have grown our print portfolio to cover ten amazing local areas across SW London and Surrey, plus our weekly Time & Leisure Weekend newsletter and the fantastically exciting Food & Culture Awards, to offer readers and businesses a complete print-digital-event media experience.  Supporting many independent businesses has given me a complete understanding of the challenges they face and the significance of their achievements. 

Skills and Employment Programme Officer, Kingston Council

Cameron is Kingston Council’s Skills and Employment Programme Officer with over 20 years experience supporting those facing barriers into employment or training, helping them to improve their life chances. Having also worked in the Civil Service with the DWP as well as coaching and mentoring in professional sports operations. 

Head of Marketing and Operations, Holland Hahn & Wills

During her career, Katie has worked with many financial planning and investment management firms, including HHW. One of her main roles was to help them to grow their businesses, develop marketing initiatives and deliver a high-quality client service. Katie has produced and organised conferences ranging from 15 to 300 people in various European locations. She also has experience in various HR functions, from interviewing to running training seminars. Katie is exceptionally organised and brings her experience of event and project management to the team.

Head of Enterprise Education, Kingston University

Martha helps people to be more enterprising in their lives and their businesses. She works with colleagues across Kingston University to encourage building problem-solving and innovation into curriculum; with students to develop their ideas for new products, services, and businesses; with both profit and non-profit organisations to help them to grow. She is responsible for incubation services in the University.

Rotary Club

Roger is the Community chair of New Malden Rotary and a member of the steering group of the New Malden Town Centre Partnership. Also chair of governors of a large school in Esher.  Former head of corporate affairs and communications for several international companies and a long time resident of New Malden. 

Roger and Rotary are key partners in the New Malden Business Forum.

Entrepreneur, Business Leader & NeD

Christian is a true entrepreneur who remains passionate about business growth through innovation,  continuous improvement and partnerships. Christian founded Genuine Solutions in 2005 which became a globally recognised, multi award winning enterprise which specialises in the recycling and re-use of Mobile phones and accessories and his successes have culminated in been acknowledged by various awards, most notably the Queens Award for Enterprise. Chris McBride has received many accolades for his business style with the most recent in 2021 where he was awarded the RBK Mayors Awards for his contribution to community.

Project Liaison Manager, Canadian and Portland

Greg is heading up the redevelopment of Riverside Walk in Kingston which is due to deliver up to three new restaurant spaces within the upper levels of the site. Each restaurant will have spectacular Riverside views. The redevelopment is due to complete in early 2025. Greg has been closely involved in the food and beverage sector in Kingston over the last 10 years as he has managed Riverside Walk for the owners of the site, Canadian and Portland.

Green Economic Recovery Lead, Regeneration & Economic Recovery, Kingston Council

Ioanna has over 25 years’ experience in sustainable economic development. Her career has focussed on socio-economic research and programme management, as well as setting up partnerships and stakeholder relations. She has developed numerous economic development and climate emergency strategies and she has experience in environmental auditing, including environmental management issues affecting business efficiency, economic development and place competitiveness. Ioanna is currently the lead officer for Green Economic Recovery at Kingston Council.

Director of Operations at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel – Kingston

Daniel runs the Hotels operations on a day-to-day basis, from bedrooms & bathrooms to bars & brasseries ensuring each check in for the hotel or Bar & Brasserie guest has an unforgettable experience. He is a competent and dynamic individual with sound organisational skills and able to work effectively with people from all backgrounds.

Partner, Russell-Cooke Solicitors

Rachel advises on all aspects of residential property law and specialises in acting for clients with high-net-worth properties in all locations but in particular in the Surrey landed estates such as Fairmile, Claremont, Crown estates and St Georges Hill among others.

Rachel also has wide ranging experience of the London market and has advised in cases involving high value estates such as Rivermead and Cadogan Gardens. She also has many years of experience of cases involving new leases, correcting defective leases, new builds and re-mortgages.

Head of Partnerships Kingston College (South Thames Colleges Group)

Sharon is passionate about Lifelong Learning opportunities and building trusted relationships with local schools and businesses.

She has lived and worked in Kingston for many years including as a Lecturer in Human Rights and Politics at Kingston University and one term as a Councillor for Kingston Council.