Our Judges
We have developed our judging over 18 years and our judges, all top business people within their chosen arena, have cited our awards as both the most transparent and professionally executed. Each application is scored by up to 4 different judges from a panel of up to 30 judges, all applications are seen by different members of the judging panel. The judges spend several hours and score not only their own sponsored category but several others too, this ensures transparency. The first page of questions is designed to give the judges a real feel for your business, followed by several questions that are scored from 1 to 5. It is worth noting that although all judging is computer based please ensure you upload images or screen shots of all important pages. There are no site visits or presentations involved. The finalists are chosen by adding all the scores and up to 16 entrants can make it through to the final, however if scoring is low, less entrants make it through.
Chris Davies
Founder | Snowdonia Hub
Chris and the expert team at Snowdonia Hub bring decades of senior-level experience from some of the world’s leading blue-chip IT companies, including IBM, Toshiba, Sony, and D-Link—where he consistently delivered above-target growth in competitive, high-pressure markets. During his corporate career, Chris received world-class training in leadership and team development, which he used to drive consistent high performance across his teams.
Drawing on over 40 years in results-driven environments and a full member of ABM, he now coaches business leaders and sales teams to achieve measurable improvements in both performance and self-belief. His down-to-earth methodology—rooted in honesty, accountability and a touch of fun—empowers individuals, teams and executives to uncover opportunities, break old patterns and produce lasting outcomes. In a world overloaded with rigid systems and amateur psychology, Chris’s real-world experience has transformed hundreds of careers and company results.
“Having run businesses myself, I know first-hand how tough it is—not just to survive but to excel and outperform expectations. That’s why I’m both pleased and proud to serve as a judge for these prestigious awards, recognising the grit, creativity and excellence shown by UK SMEs.”
Debbie Lewis
NatWest Accelerator Community Manager (East Midlands & East of England) | NatWest
As the Accelerator Community Manager for NatWest’s Enterprise team covering the East Midlands, Debbie is responsible for building and nurturing strategic relationships and regional stakeholder engagement opportunities to support SMEs across the region to start, scale and exit their business.
Prior to this role Debbie supported entrepreneurs as a business acceleration coach with 121 and group support and programme delivery on the NatWest Accelerator helping (sector agnostic) business owners maximise their potential and overcome challenges. Before joining NatWest, Debbie successfully founded, scaled and exited a chain of hair and beauty salons, a salon recruitment agency and a social media marketing education company, She still supports the salon industry today as a collaborative columnist for industry magazines and awards judge. Debbie is also a public speaker, host and radio/TV presenter.
James Wootton
Head of Sales and Events | Northampton Saints
With over 15 years commercial experience in professional Sport, James heads up the Sales & Events team at Northampton Saints. Previous to this he spent time at both Leicester Tigers and more recently Wasps before joining the Saints in April 2022. Much of James’ time away from the club is taken up being a Dad and trying to keep as active as possible
Amy Edwards
Partner (Employment Law Team) | Tollers
Amy is a Partner in Tollers employment team with over 16 years’ experience in providing practical and commercial advice to business both small and large on all areas of HR and employment law. She particularly enjoys getting to know her clients so her advice is tailored to meet their individual needs. Amy has 2 children and much of her spare time is taken up acting at their taxi driver and managing their social calendars.
Will Grisley
Senior Associate, Commercial Property Department | Tollers
Will Grisley is a Senior Associate in the Commercial Property team at Tollers. Having grown up in Northamptonshire, Will offers commercial and practical advice to his clients across a range of matters including buying and selling land and buildings, reviewing and negotiating leases and dealing with mortgages and other secured borrowing. Will is a recent convert to the sport of padel and is a keen supporter of Northampton Saints.
Patrick Kitson
Marketing Lead | The South Midlands Growth Hub
Patrick joined the Growth Hub in 2023. Patrick’s focus is to ensure all businesses across the South East Midlands are aware of the support, advice and resources the Growth Hub provides to the local business community. Having spent over six-years working agency side, supporting clients such as Lenovo, Zoom and Sage, Patrick brings experience in developing strategic marketing programmes for global organisations. Away from the Growth Hub, Patrick is Head Coach of Wellingborough Old Grammarians RFC.
Samantha Hunter
Partnerships & Events Manager | The South Midlands Growth Hub
Sam joined SEMLEP in August 2019, having previously worked as an Office Manager for over five years in the horticultural industry, Sam has experience in planning, organisation and executing a range of events, from trade shows to conferences. In education, Sam achieved a triple distinction diploma in Business and was awarded ‘business student of the year’ and ‘highest achiever’. In her spare time, Sam enjoys spending time with loved ones and is a competitive figure athlete.
Mike Stead
Managing Director, Rugby | TaxAssist Accountants
At TaxAssist Accountants in Rugby, I’m proud to support local individuals and businesses with clear, reliable accountancy and tax services. We provide self-assessment tax returns, limited company accounts, bookkeeping, payroll, VAT returns, and business advice tailored to your needs. What motivates us is helping clients feel confident and in control of their finances. Customer feedback consistently highlights our professionalism, responsiveness, friendly approach, and ability to explain complex matters in a straightforward, reassuring way.
Lucy Wright
Director | Four Talent
Lucy brings over 18 years’ experience across recruitment, HR, and leadership development, supporting organisations from global corporates to ambitious SMEs. A Chartered CIPD professional, she is certified in leading psychometric tools and holds ILM accreditation in Management and Coaching. Having delivered extensive change programmes throughout her career, Lucy is passionate about recruiting and developing confident, capable teams while championing people excellence across Northamptonshire’s SME community.
Rebecca Steers
Station Manager | NLive Radio
Rebecca Steers is the Station Manager of NLive Radio, bringing extensive experience in community broadcasting, project leadership, and local engagement. She has a strong background in developing impactful content, supporting volunteers, and building partnerships that strengthen Northampton’s local voice. Passionate about community storytelling and accessible media, Rebecca leads the station’s vision to inform, connect, and celebrate the people and organisations that make Northampton thrive.
Jordan Letts
CEO | Northampton Saints Foundation
Jordan Letts is CEO of Northampton Saints Foundation, bringing personal insight into the challenges faced by young people within the education system. Drawing on his own experiences, he is passionate about driving positive change through education, sport and community programmes. Jordan holds a BA (Hons) in Sport, Leisure and Educational Development from Nottingham Trent University and has extensive experience in the non-profit sector, spanning leadership, people management, safeguarding, finance and strategy.
