On the evening of Friday 12 June, 350 business leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals gathered to celebrate the very best of Oxfordshire's business community at the Oxfordshire Business Awards Dinner, marking the prestigious Awards’ 30th anniversary year.

Hosted by Peter Rhoades-Brown, Club Ambassador at Oxford United, the Awards Dinner recognised outstanding achievement, innovation and leadership across ten award categories, highlighting the organisations and individuals helping to drive the success of Oxfordshire's business community.

The evening showcased the exceptional talent, entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to excellence that continue to make Oxfordshire one of the UK's most dynamic business regions.

The Awards Dinner brought together 350 members of the Oxfordshire business community to celebrate success across a broad range of sectors, from technology and advanced manufacturing to construction, recruitment, energy, community services and professional services.

Recognition was given to Greencore Homes, which secured both the Innovation Award and the Large Business Award, while Bicester Motion capped a successful evening by receiving the prestigious Business of the Year Award.

Heather Wood, OXBA Chair said:

“What a celebration of 30 years of the Oxfordshire Business Awards! Friday evening at Oxford Brookes University was a truly memorable occasion, bringing together some of the most inspiring, innovative and successful businesses from across our county.

Reaching this incredible 30-year milestone is a testament to the strength, resilience and ongoing support of the Oxfordshire business community. For three decades, these awards have recognised excellence, celebrated achievement and showcased the outstanding talent that makes Oxfordshire such a vibrant place to do business.

A huge thank you and well done to Peter Rhodes-Brown, Oxford United Ambassador, who hosted the evening brilliantly. It was also fantastic to hear from Tim Williams, CEO of Oxford United, whose speech was very thought provoking and inspiring.”

Congratulations to all our winners and finalists, and thank you to everyone who has supported the Oxfordshire Business Awards over the past 30 years. The energy in the room was incredible, and the evening was a powerful reminder of just how much there is to celebrate in Oxfordshire. Here’s to the next 30 years of recognising and championing business excellence across our county. Since their inception, the Oxfordshire Business Awards have become one of the county's most respected business accolades, providing a platform to recognise outstanding organisations and individuals while bringing together the wider business community to celebrate achievement and success.

The Oxfordshire Business Awards 2026 Winners and Finalists are:

NEW BUSINESS AWARD
SPONSORED BY ENTERPRISE OXFORDSHIRE
WINNER
Tribela

FINALISTS
Kickstand and Tradecert

INNOVATION AWARD
SPONSORED BY THE OXFORD SCIENCE PARK
WINNER
Greencore Homes

FINALISTS
Scancell and SpecialEffect 

YOUNG BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD
SPONSORED BY MATHEWS COMFORT FINANCIAL PLANNING
WINNER
Ben Thompson, Thompson & Terry Recruitment 

FINALIST
Aaron Posey, Oxford Event Hire

CHARITY & COMMUNITY AWARD
SPONSORED BY GREATEST HITS RADIO
WINNER
Style Acre

FINALISTS
Home-Start Oxford and Sobell House Hospice

TECHNOLOGY EXCELLENCE AWARD
SPONSORED BY GRAVITA
WINNER
U-Ploid Biotechnologies

FINALISTS
After Cloud and Versantus 

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR AWARD
SPONSORED BY HAYS
WINNER
Valda Energy

FINALISTS
Airbus Helicopters UK and Response

SME OF THE YEAR AWARD
SPONSORED BY OXFORDSHIRE ADVANCED SKILLS
WINNER
Dr Cassie & Associates

FINALISTS
Boardman Hawkins & Osborne LLP and JT Interiors

LARGE BUSINESS AWARD
SPONSORED BY HOWDEN
WINNER
Greencore Homes

FINALISTS
Bicester Motion and Thame Cars 

BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD
SPONSORED BY OXFORDSHIRE BUSINESS AWARDS
WINNER
Edgar Rayner, LTi Metaltech

FINALISTS
Cathy Dunbabin, Opendoorz and Darren Aston, Aston & James

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
SPONSORED BY OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY

Bicester Motion