SME CHAMPION – The top spot, the best large scale funder/lessor that can proudly demonstrate that its products, systems and operations, taken in the round, have delivered the best performance in the SME funding space. Sponsored by Great American Lease & Loan Insurance Services                       

SME SPECIALIST - doesn’t have to be the largest, but has SMEs as its priority focus, favours the personal approach, with demonstrable programmes, initiatives and special products and services that are continually evolving and responding to client feedback. Sponsored by Great American Lease & Loan Insurance Services                  

BUSINESS FINANCE CHAMPION - Business Finance demands a mastery of a wider range of finance products, and may include invoice finance, unsecured lending, cashflow and working capital lending, inventory, floorplan and vendor finance in order to accommodate all of a customer’s financial needs, marketed and delivered in an integrated manner.

BROKER CHAMPION FUNDER - The funder who stands out as having strongest communication and responsiveness with its panel of brokers throughout the year! This category has grown more demanding over the years, as funders have added broker training, regular webinars, broker awards, direct access to underwriters, and broker feedback forums.

OUTSTANDING UK BANK-OWNED LESSOR - Banks love to lease, and in the UK we are lucky to have an outstanding selection of challenger and mainstream bank-owned lessors that form the dynamic engine of our industry. Tell us about yours!

HIGH IMPACT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - Recognising an exceptional recent growth burst combined with a significant enhancement of capabilities, resulting in rapid expansion, breakthrough or momentum.

TOP INDEPENDENT ASSET FINANCE PROVIDER - having started from modest beginnings has built its business by broking then adding own book and a widening geographical reach, resulting in an impressive independent finance business.

ASSET FINANCE BROKER OF THE YEAR - True to the special broker tradition, with enviable swift customer service, admired for their professionalism by their funders, the classic broker model with all the latest updates! Sponsored by United Trust Bank.

NEW FOR 2026! RISING STAR BROKER OF THE YEAR – perhaps not the biggest, perhaps not with the largest contact book or lending panel, but a broker who’s full of ambition and can demonstrate exceptional potential. Let’s hear their names and get them up on stage! Sponsored by United Trust Bank.

BROKER DEAL OF THE YEAR - The best broker-introduced deal of the year. Exceptional? Yes! Sensational? Possibly! Highly structured? Maybe! Millions? Not necessarily! Perhaps it rescued an SME from a dire situation, perhaps it simply is the perfect example of what an SME deal should be, or perhaps even opens our eyes to new possibilities for our industry (open to brokers and funders). Sponsored by Allica Bank. 

TOP SPECIALIST CAR FUNDER - meanwhile, somebody’s been working overtime shifting those muscular supercars, fiery Ferraris, muscular McLarens and lustrous Lamborghinis, and they’re in the running for an equally sparkling Leasing World super-trophy.

TOP VENDOR LEASING SPECIALIST - The funder that has shown impressive commitment with imagination to vendor programmes, web based vendor service support, and committed specialists giving its supplier, dealer and manufacturer relationships the latest and the best of what asset finance sales finance programmes can offer.

COMMITMENT TO STAFF AND EDI AWARD - Recognition for a company with unquestionable internal training excellence, including onboarding and integrating new staff, Diversity and Inclusion training, training in technical, skill-specific and digital expertise, compliance knowledge, managerial development, customer service skills and possibly apprenticeship support. The presence of EDI is an essential aspect of creating a working environment where individuals feel safe and empowered to achieve their full potential – and do so for the benefit of their organisation.

NEXT GENERATION AWARD - the youth of today will be the backbone of the industry tomorrow. This one’s for young up-and-coming individuals, who show evidence of extremely hard work, a mark already made, perhaps studying in their own time to top up their qualifications and skills, leadership qualities and personality too. Today’s workhorses, tomorrow’s racehorses.

CHARITY AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT AWARD - demonstrates a whole-hearted approach to fundraising with great success, encouragement of teamwork and staff engagement to drive fundraising efforts, fundraising for supported charities or local community, and involvement with charity. The winner might have raised an impressive sum of money for a good cause, or spent a lot of time rolling up their sleeves and helping out; man hours count just as surely as pounds sterling.

TOP ASSET FINANCE LEGAL TEAM - Legal eagles whose team demonstrates the greatest commitment to the complexities of asset finance, and have helped to not only protect but also move our industry forward as a result.

OUTSTANDING OVERSEAS-OWNED LESSOR – Overseas-owned lessors are very much part of our UK leasing scene and have thrived, developing their businesses into specialist areas. 

NEW FOR 2026! PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PROVIDER OF THE YEAR - accountants, auditors, financial consultants, and legal advisers are all working hard oiling the fast-turning wheels of leasing and asset finance, and they’ve been doing it without thought of reward – until this year, with this newly-minted Going Further Gold Award that’s just for them.

TECHNOLOGY STAR OF THE YEAR - technology makes everything tick now, it keeps us going and has kept us going through thick and thin, so let’s cheer it and give recognition to the tech funding specialist who has kept everything running.

NEW FOR 2026! OUTSTANDING COMPLIANCE COMMITMENT – There’s a lot of excellent work being done by many parties in the field of compliance training and keeping pace with regulations – we think it’s time some of this work gained a bit more recognition. Everyone benefits from fully compliant processes, so compliance is a reward in itself, but it’s easier to see great compliance if you can point to the gold trophy that proves it!

NEW FOR 2026! DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD – tell us about the individual who we would otherwise miss. Got an unsung hero on the payroll? A tremendously loyal team player who’s usually content to stay far away from the bright lights and the big ballrooms? We can change that for one night only!

NEW FOR 2026! HALL OF FAME AWARD – Leasing World’s choice of an individual whose contribution to the world of leasing has been worthy of special recognition. They may already be a household name, but they needn’t be. Just as with the Editor’s Choice Award, we are not looking for submissions in this category.

THE WRAITH-CARTER AWARD FOR INNOVATION - for creating or fostering significant, innovative, and imaginative change in product, finance programme, or other approach to their business. It could be to do with finance, strategy, software, AI, or people, but it’s got to be significant, and showing success.

EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD - not every special candidate fits comfortably into one of our awards categories, yet each year there is someone or something that catches the eye of Leasing World’s editors, making them think, “Let’s use our platform to lift the bushel from this shining light!”