“So,” asks Fiona Shafer, “how are you finding Hubbub?” Fi is the Managing Director of MDHUB - the collective of CEOs and directors’ own leader. At the start of the 2025 Hubbub awards ceremony, MDHUB’s annual gathering to celebrate leaders’ achievements, Fi notes this is my first event - an interesting one to observe with fresh eyes.

As the attendees gather, MDHUB members recognise familiar faces from their regular peer-to-peer workgroups, or from their splinter groups themed around topics as diverse as tech, succession planning and the four-day working week. This is a rare chance to get over 60 leaders in a room together, with as many taking the chance to make new connections to catch up with old friends.

I’m sitting next to Josh O’Riordan,  a previous Hubbub winner. He picked up ‘Best Supporting Act’ in 2023, and has since stepped up to Managing Director of app developer Brightec. He remarks that while he’s tried plenty of senior leadership groups, MDHUB is the only one that has stuck. When I ask him why, he pauses. “It’s the longevity… my group… Rob [Day, MDHUB Facilitator]... they know my business inside out.” Both this comfortable camaraderie and the diversity of leadership experience are in evidence as the awards are announced.

The first award is handed to Andy Ferret of secure messaging app Joyned, who is recognised with The Disruptor Award. Andy was Brightec’s previous MD before taking on Joyned, going up against some industry heavy hitters in the process. He’s the kind of leader we all want to work with - bringing out the best in people, not by demanding it but by inspiring it,” remarks Emma Hall of Nordell, who is sponsoring the award “Through Joyned, he is redefining what it means to lead with purpose, disrupting not for attention but for connection, collaboration, and community.” 

In her opening remarks, Fi acknowledges that for many businesses, the past year has presented many challenges, so it seems fitting that the next award is The Braveheart Award, sponsored by Wave Active, for a leader who has shown courage and resilience. It is awarded to Joanne Lucas of Alistair Fleming Design, who is
recognised for taking on the Lewes-based Kitchen & Interiors company from its founder-namesake.

Sometimes, a little bit of magic is needed to transform a business. The Alchemy Award, sponsored by ROCC, is won by the trio of Barney Dines, Paul Howard and Mark Rickard of Heritage Parts Centre who have seen their hard work over the past few challenging years flourish in 2025, setting them well on the way to their ambitious growth targets.

It’s clear from the energy in the room that strong personal relationships are key to the MDHUB’s ethos. The Lioness Award, sponsored by Brightec – for the leader who has created an exceptional, happy and high-performing team - was awarded to Robert Desbruslais of Desbruslais Chartered Surveyors, and it was perhaps fitting that the award was collected by his colleague Amanda Fearon, who paid tribute to the warm atmosphere created by her MD.

Many of the awards recognised not only overcoming challenges but also great success and momentum. So, when Camille Pierson of the Float Spa picked up the ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ Award, it brought a wry smile when she subtly corrected the assertion that she had “almost 30,000 clients”. “Over 30,000”, said Camille, with a big smile, “Almost 31,000,” to a big round of applause.

The camaraderie was also evident with The Best Supporting Act, sponsored by nTrust. This unique award allows the leaders present to nominate a key member of their team who has demonstrated leadership in their own right. In a fiercely competitive category, Tash Wilson of ROCC was crowned the winner, with tributes paid to her strength in adversity, her compassion and generosity, and her stellar performance.

MDHUB’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders is evident through The Kindness Award, presented in memory of Joe Mattelaer. Last year’s winner - Dylan Jones of DJ Engineering- told the assembled leaders how valuable his mentorship had been before announcing that Zoë Thompson of Quirky Gerties, a gifted illustrator and British Sign Language advocate, would receive expert guidance in the coming 12 months.

The final award of the night is saved for an outstanding achievement - The MDHUB Leader of the year, which saw Alan Margetts of TKS Group take home the prize. “Alan is one of those rare leaders who combines strength with deep humanity,” noted DMH Stallard’s Jonathan Grant, presenting the award. “He leads not from the front or the top, but from alongside, guiding, supporting, and inspiring those around him to do their best work.”

The winners from all eight categories gathered for a group photo, exchanging hugs and handshakes. The lasting impression Hubbub leaves is that, when taking a moment to step away from the day-to-day of running complex businesses, it’s nice to celebrate our individual successes, but it’s even better to experience the genuine delight at seeing friends - some whom you’ve known, worked with and respected for years - recognised for all their hard work and dedication.