Rising Star Awards 2026: Nominees revealed and entries open!

Congratulations to all the individuals and organisations that have been nominated this year.

Professional Pensions will now be contacting those who have been nominated with details of the categories they have been nominated in, as well as next steps in the process.

Nominees will be asked to complete an entry questionnaire, which is required to progress to the next round. The deadline for the questionnaire to be submitted is 25 June. There will be no extensions granted this year.

Nominees can now start their entry here.

An expert panel of judges will decide the winners in each category taking into account achievements in the workplace/role, challenges faced, evidence of contributions to support and inspire women, and the overall quality of the submission.

Further information about the awards can be found here.

For table booking and sponsorship enquiries, please contact Liam Barrett at [email protected] or go to the contact us page on the website.

To find out more about the awards, criteria and categories, visit the Rising Star Awards website.

If you have any queries, please contact Vania Dias at [email protected].

The individual category nominees are as follows:

A-E

Aadam Naveed (RSM), Aaron Bashir (Hymans Robertson), Aaron Whyman (Isio), Aashav Shah (LCP), Abbie McColl (Broadstone), Abbie Rice (Barnett Waddingham), Abby Kemp (Barnett Waddingham), Abi Cooke (Hymans Robertson), Abigail Finegan (Independent Governance Group), Abigail Maxwell (Mercer), Abigail Pearson (Hymans Robertson), Abigail Steers (People's Pension), Adam Baksh (Isio), Adam Lacey (Russell Investments), Adam Lees (Addleshaw Goddard), Adam Robertson (Hymans Robertson), Adefehintola Ade-vincent (Avon Pension Fund), Adrian Marchant (Isio), Aeriq Aqmal Adnan (Barnett Waddingham), Agnes Milolo (XPS Group), Aisling Kerr (Mantle Services), Ajay Dhillon (BT Group), Akosua Osei Owusu (Mercer), Alan Greenlees (Zedra), Alex Beck (Isio), Alex Crowther (Timeline), Alex Duxbury (Aon), Alex Howes (Hymans Robertson), Alex Kelly (Hymans Robertson), Alex Lane (Eversheds Sutherland), Alex Sharman (Broadstone), Alex Westenberger (LCP), Alexa Shanks (Mercer), Alexandra Matei Matie (LCP), Alexia Evangelou (WTW), Alfie Jinks (Trafalgar House), Ali Asghar (LCP), Alice Hopper (Hymans Robertson), Alice Lane (RSM), Alice Waddell (Deloitte), Alicia Taylor (First Actuarial, a Gallagher Company), Alison Corris (Mercer), Allan Da Silva (Isio), Alyssa Kanaris-Sotiriou (Broadstone), Aman Kang (LCP), Aman Ruper (Mercer), Amanda Croly (XPS Group), Amar Jethwa (TPT Retirement Solutions), Amber Caple (Brightwell), Amelia Abbott (PwC), Amelia Burdett (LCP), Amy Graham (TPT Retirement Solutions), Amy Hallihan (The European Pension Fund Investment Forum), Amy Noble (Aon), Amy Regan (XPS Group), Ana Newman (Isio), Andre Clarke (Gallagher), André Kerr (XPS Group), Andrea Bryan (Isio), Andrea Roe (Brightwell), Andrei Paraschiv (TPT Retirement Solutions), Andrew Aston (RSM), Andrew Munro (Mercer), Andrew Murphy (Mercer), Andrew Ward (Mercer), Angela Whatmuff (Aon), Ani Nguyen (WTW), Anna Aikman (RSM), Anna Bradbrook (Pinsent Masons), Anna Bujok-Stone (WTW), Anna Huo (PwC), Anna Kersey (Mercer), Anna King (Barnett Waddingham), Anna Simmonds (Gallagher), Annabel Fredericks (Barnett Waddingham), Anthony Frith (Dalriada), Anvita Jain (Aptia), Aoife Farrell (Spence & Partners), Aoife Healy (XPS Group), Archie Pritchett (PensionPay), Arnav Jhanji (Russell Investments), Arran Dickson (XPS Group), Asef Uddin (Hymans Robertson), Asha Arun (Mercer), Asha Patel (RSM), Ashleigh Blacklock (Capita), Ashleigh Holmes (Capita), Ashton Horler (WTW), Avinash Harkison (Isio), Banlun Liu (RSM), Bea Loveridge (Hymans Robertson), Ben Hitchen (Barnett Waddingham), Ben Hodgson (Brightwell), Ben Hodgson (TWM Financial Planning), Ben Holden (Aptia), Ben Murtagh (Isio), Ben Phipps (Mercer), Ben Salmons (Vidett), Ben Taylor (Dalriada), Ben Thompson (Hymans Robertson), Beth Currie (WTW), Beth Dunne (Brightwell), Beth Evans (Surrey Pension Team), Bilal Patel (Mercer), Billy Richards (Pinsent Masons), Billy Waugh (TPT Retirement Solutions), Bogdan Oprea (Pinsent Masons), Brandy Opey (L&G), Brian Kinlan (Aon), Briony Kloet (Aviva), Callum Duffy (Insight Investment), Calum Edgar (Van Lanschot Kempen), Calum Linton (LCP), Cam Naylor (XPS Group), Cameron Cherry (Barnett Waddingham), Cara Boyd (Aon), Cara Gordon (Mercer), Carla Errington (TPT Retirement Solutions), Carly Thornton (Ocaris Wealth Management), Cerys Cherry (XPS Group), Charlotte Cassidy (LCP), Charlotte David (Mercer), Charlotte Gale (LCP), Charlotte Moran (Dalriada Trustees), Charlotte Watson (Barnett Waddingham / Howden), Chenji Meng (Hymans Robertson), Chiara Beaton (Hymans Robertson), Chiara Seed (Isio), Chirag Jasani (Isio), Chloe Ludden (Aon), Chloe Taylor (ZEDRA Inside Pensions), Chris Gettings (Brightwell), Chris O'Bryen (Hymans Robertson), Chris Ogden (Brightwell), Christina Dimitrova (Mercer), Christina Williams (Hymans Robertson), Christy Wharton (WTW), Ciara Brennan (PwC), Claire Miller (CMS), Clare Freeman (Aon), Clodagh Howe (Royal London), Coca Hall (XPS Group), Connie Walker (Aon), Conor Shea (XPS Group), Conrad Whitcroft (Aviva), Constantine Sanford (EQ), Cora O'Connell (The European Pension Fund Investment Forum), Corey Lewis (WTW - LifeSight), Daisy Stickings (Pinsent Masons), Dale Archer (WTW), Dan Guest (Hymans Robertson), Dan Nutland (WTW), Dan Walding (XPS Group), Dan Walsh (Zedra), Daniel Biggins (TPT Retirement Solutions), Daniel Coombes (People's Partnership), Daniel Hunter (Barnett Waddingham), Daniel Muir (WTW), Daniel Newman (Broadstone), Daniel Nilsson (Isio), Daniella Meenaghan (TPT Retirement Solutions), Danielle Potter (TPT Retirement Solutions), Dav Bhabra (Barnett Waddingham), David Govier (LCP), David Jervis (Quantum Advisory), David Nguyen (Aon), Davinder Sira (Vidett), Debbie Howell (Lawrence Clarke), Dennis Ricci-McElhone (London Borough of Enfield Pension Fund), Diane Cadden (Isio), Dianthi Edirisooriya (LCP), Donna Macauley (Mantle Services), Douglas Hogg (Mercer), Duncan Cameron (WTW), Dylan Hughes (XPS Group), Dylan Mackie (Dalriada), Ed Beavis (Dalriada), Edward Burns (Aon), Edwin Wilson (Isio), Eilidh Black (WTW), Eilish Paterson (Royal London), Ejiro Scott (Hymans Robertson), Elaine Topp (Aviva), Ele Lovering (Eversheds Sutherland), Eleanor Garside (Isio), Eleanor Richards (Aon), Elizabeth Edwards (Mercer), Elizabeth Hartree (Law Debenture), Elizabeth Murphy (Isio), Ellie McNally (Isio), Ellie Taylor (WTW), Ellie Tunstall (TPT Retirement Solutions), Elliot Jeffrey (XPS Group), Elliott Rivers (RSM), Emily Acton (LCP), Emily Hudson (Brightwell), Emily Savory (RSM), Emily Stone (Barnett Waddingham), Emily Sturgess (XPS Group), Emily Webster (Capita), Emma Birch (LCP), Emma Kyte (Hymans Robertson), Emma Roberts (Dalriada Pensions Management), Emma Wojcik (Eversheds Sutherland), Emmie Harrison-West (Aegon UK), Estelle Vroom (Nest), Ethan Morrell (XPS Group), Eva Simmonds (Isio), Eve Littlewood (Isio), Eve Zemaityte (Mercer)

F-K

Faye Clark (XPS Group), Fergus Creton (Aon), Ferzana Rana (Capita), Ffion Davies (Barnett Waddingham), Fiona Polley (XPS Group), Frances Deakin (LPPI), Francesca Rutt (WTW), Fraser Laidlaw (Hymans Robertson), Fred Turner (Dalriada Trustees), Fred Yu (RSM), Freya Nobbs (WTW), Gabi Watt (Dalriada), Gareth Davies (Mayer Brown International), Gareth Fittes (Barnett Waddingham), Gareth Turner (Nest), Gargi Tendulkar (WTW), Gary Gallacher (Isio), Gary Huddless (Brightwell), George Bassnett (LCP), George Clare (People's Partnership), George Cooper (XPS Group), George Dollner (Pensions UK), George Greenslade (Russell Investments), George Vinod (Van Lanschot Kempen), Georgia Sangster (Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management), Georgia Smith (Nest), Georgina Barker (RSM), Georgina Gayles (Aon), Gerard McKenna (Aon), Grace Leggatt (Mercer), Grace O'Mahony (Hymans Robertson), Grace Reynolds (Barnett Waddingham), Graham Collman (Brightwell), Gregory Hall (Mercer), Haaris Giga (Mercer), Hannah Blofield (LCP), Hannah Hammond (Border to Coast Pensions Partnership), Hannah Toal (Isio), Harry Birch (Independent Governance Group), Harry Bleanch (TPT Retirement Solutions), Harry Bowers (Isio), Harry Dance (XPS Group), Harry Stenning (XPS Group), Harvey Spencer (CMS), Hayden Hutchinson (Aon), Heather Addison (Hymans Robertson), Heather Bathgate (Aptia), Heather Lucas (Pinsent Masons), Heather Macri (LCP), Heidi Tyler (Goldman Sachs), Helen Chapelhow (Surrey Pension Team), Helen Hord (RSM), Helen Prior (Mercer), Helen Scothern (Dalriada), Helen Toner (Isio), Helena Demetriou (Mercer), Henna Ruparelia (Barnett Waddingham), Henry Corrigan (Mayer Brown International), Henry King (Isio), Henry Parker (WTW), Henry Roberts (RSM), Henry Spencer (Aon), Hettie Scriven-Seager (L&G), Hikmatali Shariff (Mercer), Holly Haynes (Barnett Waddingham), Holly Wardell (Independent Governance Group), Hugh Carrington (XPS Group), Humphrey Galbraith (WTW), Ibrahim Naizam (Aon), Ilaria Brachet (LPPI), Imogen Rooney (Isio), Imogen Shelley (Burges Salmon), Inderjoht Nahal (RSM), Ingrid Liu (RSM), Ioana Manole (Mercer), Irma Taylor (TPT Retirement Solutions), Isabella Dalpat (Hymans Robertson), Isabella Gardiner (PwC), Ish Nakagawa (Hymans Robertson), Isha Shah (Isio), Isla Gamble (Hymans Robertson), Isobel Roberts (RSM), Isobel Seeley (Gallagher), Jack Ashurst (Mercer), Jack Brammar (XPS Group), Jack Jardine (Mercer), Jack Kurtulus (Aon), Jack Maile (Mercer), Jack McKenna (Aon), Jack McNiff (RSM), Jack Stanley (Barnett Waddingham), Jacob Rubin (Mercer), Jacob Shah (LCP), Jade Walker (Isio), Jaid Longmore (Hymans Robertson), Jake Churchill (Independent Governance Group), Jake Molesworth St Aubyn (Isio), James Collier (Aon), James Derry (Penny), James Farnham (Isio), James Fitzsimmons (Dalriada), James Gillespie (Timeline), James Johnston (XPS Group), James Kay (Brightwell), James Lee (Dalriada), James Maynard (WTW), James Myers (Brightwell), James Reynard (Aon), James Rickards (Law Debenture), James Rogers (PwC), James Turner (Quantum Advisory), Jamie Neath (Pensions UK), Jamie Pippard (Law Debenture), Jamie Queen (XPS Group), Jananie Janarthan (Pensions UK), Jared Rose (TPT Retirement Solutions), Jarod Snade (Broadstone), Jasmine Lau (Aon), Jason Gadd (Surrey Pension Fund), Jay Holley (LCP), Jay Malkani (Isio), Jemma Slingo (Fidelity International), Jenna Hull (Van Lanschot Kempen), Jenna Nash (Capita), Jennie Adams-Fossey (Eversheds Sutherland), Jennifer Atthey (Isio), Jennifer Cheng (RSM), Jenny Knowles (RSM), Jenny Smith (Quantum Advisory), Jim Rogers (PwC), Joe Betts (Aon), Joe Condy (Quantum Advisory), Joe Cooke (XPS Group), Joe Ireland (Independent Governance Group), Joe Jewell (Hymans Robertson), Joe Osborne (Pensions UK), Joel Clarke (Eversheds Sutherland), Joel Curtis (XPS Group), John Greaves (Railpen), John Plenderleith (Quantum Advisory), Jonathan Cooney (Aptia), Jonny Duggan (LCP), Jordan Allen (Isio), Jordan Henning (Just Group), Josh Andrew (WTW), Josh Jenkins (Barnett Waddingham), Josh McCann (Van Lanschot Kempen), Josh Pickard (Aon), Josh Potter (Pinsent Masons), Joshua Blackman (Quantum Advisory), Joshua Greaves (TPT Retirement Solutions), Josie Vince (Allspring Global Investments), Julie Tweddle (XPS Group), Kai Bradshaw (WTW), Kai Langley (Barnett Waddingham), Kamel Mallat (Railpen), Kareena Majithia (RSM), Karen Blandford (WTW), Karen Tasker (RSM), Karthica Underwood (Timeline), Kate Lloyd (Dalriada), Kate Marshall (Quantum Advisory), Katelin Murray (RSM), Katherine Harnett (CMS), Katherine Lodge (Pinsent Masons), Katherine McLoughlin (LCP), Katherine Patel (Aon), Katie Becher (CMS), Katie MacKinnon (TWM Financial Planning), Katrina Morrison (WTW), Keith McInally (WTW), Kelsey Cox (RSM), Kieran Laybourne (Isio), Kieran Tierney (Isio), Kim Curle (Trafalgar House), Kirsty Bain (Dalriada), Kirsty Henfrey (TPT Retirement Solutions), Kirsty McLay (Aon), Kitty Woodham (LPPI), Koko Lotharukpong (LCP), Kyran Waterhouse (RSM)

L-R

Laetitia Anstee-Parry (LCP), Laura Kingston (Brightwell), Laura Maginn (XPS Group), Laura Smith (Dalriada), Lauren Aitchison-Turner (Pension Protection Fund), Lauren Spencer (Barnett Waddingham), Lauri Leinonen (Russell Investments), Laurie Jones (XPS Group), Lauryn McColl (Hymans Robertson), Leah Butt (Dalriada), Ledo Manolis (Isio), Lee Pill (Isio), Lee Taylor (Brightwell), Leigh McLevy (CMS), Leo Smith Robinson (RSM), Levente Nagy (XPS Group), Lewis Drew (Independent Governance Group), Lewis Mackay (Pinsent Masons), Lia Licietis (LCP), Liam Broderick (Isio), Liam Dillon (Isio), Liane Carter (Dalriada), Liina Kink (Pi Partnership Group), Lisa Hall (Dalriada), Lisa Suares (Pinsent Masons), Lizzie Hawkins (Aon), Lottie Burdon (Brightwell), Louis Holland (Hymans Robertson), Louis Tejano (WTW), Louis Vickery (Aon), Louise Douglas (Mercer), Louise Givans (Isio), Lucy Bignell (Barnett Waddingham), Lucy Clasper (Hymans Robertson), Lucy Kerley (Tesco), Lucy Mearns (Aon), Lucy Smith (Dalriada), Lucy Steele (Isio), Lucy Wilkinson (TPT Retirement Solutions), Luka Koshionis (Barnett Waddingham), Luke Bennett (TPT Retirement Solutions), Luke Burford (Mercer), Luke Stoker (Barnett Waddingham), Luke Tandy (Aviva), Lydia Jackson (RSM), Mair Bunyan (WTW), Maisie Hill (Aon), Maria Espadinha (Pensions UK), Maria Gawrych (LCP), Marianna Hunt (Fidelity), Marie Mulligan (XPS Group), Mark Engelbretson (Independent Governance Group), Mark Stansfield (Hymans Robertson), Marlene Mpezeni (WTW), Matt Gadsby (Isio), Matt Keating (XPS Group), Matt Mandelbaum (LCP), Matt Pegg (Broadstone), Matthew Brown (Mercer), Matthew Chadaway (Barnett Waddingham), Matthew Dickson (Hymans Robertson), Matthew Mayhew (TPT Retirement Solutions), Matthew Raymond (Barnett Waddingham), Matthew Rimmer (LCP), Matthew Stewart (Mantle Services), Matthieu Le Moign (Mercer), Mausam Shah (Aon), Max Thomas (LCP), Megan Barlow (Isio), Megan Burdon (Brightwell), Megan Scott (WTW), Melissa Short (Mercer), Mia Bingham (Hymans Robertson), Mia le Fleming (Aon), Mike Coulson (WTW), Mike Harmer (RSM), Miles Ronchetti (RSM), Milly Hayton (WTW), Miranda Bond (CMS), Molly Ayling (Mantle Services), Molly Round (Isio), Molly Yates (Isio), Morgan Burt (Mercer), Morgan Edwards (Barnett Waddingham), Natasha Overlaet (Smart Pension), Nathan Bulstrode (PwC), Nathan Smith (XPS Group), Naz Aguado (Mercer), Naz Nostrati (Ocaris Wealth Management), Nebojsa Martinovic (Pensions UK), Neil Patience (Aviva), Nhung Pham (TPT Retirement Solutions), Niamh Gordon (Mantle Services), Nick Walker (Barnett Waddingham), Nick Whippey (Mercer), Nicki Hinton-Jones (Timeline), Nimisha Sodha (Independent), Nirojana Shanthakumar (WTW), Nish Shrestha (LPPI), Oli Rogers (WTW), Oliver Liddington (Mercer), Oliver Shaw (Mercer), Oliver Thomassen (Aon), Olivia Sizeland (Pensions UK), Ollie Turner (XPS Group), Owen Rogers (Mercer), Paul Hamilton (XPS Group), Pauline Rourke (Brightwell), Paulo Neto (TPT Retirement Solutions), Pete Miles (Aon), Peter White (Law Debenture), Priya Patel (LCP), Priyam Bhakta (Gallagher), Priyanka Patel (WTW), Przemek Soczynski (Aviva), Rachael Butler (Aon), Rachel Binnie (Isio), Rachel Stewart (PwC), Rachika Cooray (LCP), Rajni Rughwani (Smart Pension), Rebecca Edwards (XPS Group), Rebecca Elnaugh (XPS Group), Rebecca Robson (Capita), Rebekah Hill (Mercer), Reece Taylor (XPS Group), Rhiannon Leaver (Isio), Rhys Williams (Quietroom), Rich Ingham (Vidett), Richard Davies (Barnett Waddingham), Richard Meers (Arc Pensions Law), Rishi Klair (Isio), Rob Armstrong (Aon), Robbie Sinnott (Mercer), Robert Hughes (Isio), Robert Stefanescu (Broadstone), Robyn Connolly (Travers Smith), Rory Clark (CMS), Rosanna Picken (The Money Map), Ross Greig (Isio), Ryan Al-Hassani (Isio), Ryan Hampton (XPS Group), Ryan Simmons (RSM)

S-Z

Saanvi Vasudevan (LCP), Sally Crudge (Aon), Sally Ronald (Border to Coast Pensions Partnership), Sam Blumsom (Lloyds Banking Group), Sam Hill (Mercer), Sam MacLean (Hymans Robertson), Sam May (Mercer), Sam Panagrosso (Rothesay), Sam Taylor (Dalriada), Sam Townsley (XPS Group), Sanam Mehta (Gallagher), Saniya Singh (PwC), Sanpreet Aujla (Isio), Santi Bicchieri (CMS), Sara Fisher (Dalriada), Sara Nazir (Aon), Sara Summerscales (Pinsent Masons), Sarah Irving (Pinsent Masons), Sarah Puttock (People's Pension), Sarah Vanhouse (XPS Group), Sasha Bravery (WTW), Scott Pinder (Law Debenture), Sean Richmond (Dalriada), Shakila Zomorrodpoush (TPT Retirement Solutions), Shan Abdullah (BT), Shem Fair (Hughes Price Walker), Shiv Handa (Gallagher), Silindile Tshuma (RSM), Simon Dadd (Lawrence Clarke), Simon Moss (TPT Retirement Solutions), Sinead Conway-Belcher (WTW), Sokratis Androutsos (CMS), Sonia Sandhu (Mercer), Sophie Caldwell (Barnett Waddingham), Sophie Carter (LCP), Sophie Hodgson (Hymans Robertson), Sophie Morgan (Mercer), Sophie Smith (Pensions UK), Sophie Stewart (Isio), Sophie Young (Mercer), Stefan Chilom (Hymans Robertson), Stephen McIlwraith (Hymans Robertson), Sterling O'Donohue (Mercer), Steve Blackmore (PwC), Steve Holmes (Border to Coast Pensions Partnership), Struan Paton (Hymans Robertson), Suchi Dench (Mercer), Suhaib Riaz (Surrey Pension Fund), Suraj Thakrar (Isio), Susan Rooke (LPPI), Taj Gill (Isio), Tamannah Begum (Mercer), Tamara Leonard (WTW), Tanmeet Singh Sethi (Hymans Robertson), Tasneem Rahman (Mercer), Thiviyaa Subramaniam (WTW), Thomas Bates (CMS), TJ Kearney (RSM), Tom Cunningham (WTW), Tom Hughes (Mercer), Tom Trennery (L&G), Tony Luong (Pension Protection Fund), Tracey Mullen (Trafalgar House), Tristan Fripp (Royal London), Troy Andrews (Aviva), Tyler Hayden (PwC), Victoria McKneeman (Aptia), Victoria Roberts (Zedra), Vritika Mehta (PwC), Will Bennett (Barnett Waddingham), Will Gateley (Hymans Robertson), Will Harris (WTW), Will Platt (LCP), Will Wormald (Aptia), William Goudie (Barnett Waddingham), Wojciech Busz (Brightwell), Yaaseen Cadinouche (LPPI), Yathurshika Balendran (Aptia), Yatin Arora (Eversheds Sutherland), Yuri Madhoo (Isio), Zahrah Docrat (Dalriada), Zander Kasparian (Hymans Robertson), Zane Zhang (RSM), Zuman Miah (Barnett Waddingham)

The Team of the Year category nominees are as follows:

Aon, Brightwell (Onboarding Team), Broadstone, EQ, Hymans Robertson (Defined Benefit Member Valuations Team), Independent Governance Group, Isio (Belfast Actuarial & Consulting Team), Isio (DC Investment Team), Isio (i-FLO Secondaries Team), LPPI (Responsible Investment Team), Nest (Behavioural Analytics Team), Pensions UK (Policy and Advocacy Team), PwC (Pensions Risk Transfer Team), RSM (Pensions Audit Team), Russell Investments (Client CIO Team), Standard Life (Pension Risk Transfer Deal Team), Timeline, TPT Retirement Solutions (Covenant Services Team), TPT Retirement Solutions (Investment Team), TPT Retirement Solutions (Member Experience Team), Trafalgar House (Pension Payroll Team), XPS Group (Actuarial Core Team), XPS Group (BAU Ministry of Justice Team), XPS Group (Blue Light Administration Project Team), XPS Group (Ministry of Justice Team)

The nominees for the organisational categories are as follows:

Aon, Brightwell, CMS, Hughes Price Walker, Isio, Mercer, Quantum Advisory, Royal London, RSM, TPT Retirement Solutions, WTW, XPS Group