Supplier of the Year
Winner – Kate Stevens – LIVE Agency
Some awards are close run decisions. Most cause pause and reflection moments. This one was quite the opposite, a shoo-in. Once the suggestion was put out there – by LIVE client PrettyGreen, that Kate might be an award winner in the making, the support just kept coming. The support also tallied with things we knew at FMBE – about award winning campaigns staffed by LIVE.
They were plaudits that came from a series of agencies and businesses, from agencies including Sense, Sway, Agile Retail, Backlash, Zeal, Nine Productions, BWP, We Are Collider, M&C Saatchi and Mindshare and accountancy firm Galloways.
“Relentless in championing diversity, authenticity & advocacy with constant focus on campaign audience and ROI” – Adam Shoemark, PrettyGreen
“She encapsulates what leadership should be, and leads with compassion in an industry where that is not always the case.” Sammy Bryceland – We Are Collider
“Her role volunteering for Pride London, a vibrant and dynamic organisation that relies on the passion and commitment of their staff sees her share a common goal of advancing equality and diversity. She is connected, compelled and committed. Clearly I’m biased but I genuinely believe she is a winner and I would be so pleased to see the official recognition she deserves.” Leyton Ede, LIVE
“If you need something, she gets it done. Her speed of response and finding a solution to your problem is truly amazing. I swear the woman never sleeps!” Chris McCrae, Sense
“She’s helped us recruit the best staff for our activations and is always just a phone call away if you ever need advice or help.” Carmen Lai, Backlash
“Kate is a tour de force, talented, dedicated and an incredibly lovely person which matters a lot” Ross Minton, Mindshare.
Supplier of the Year
Winner – Lester Wolstenholme – Reflex International
At FMBE we get a lot of insight into award winning campaigns, but some suppliers barely get a mention in award entries. Promotional merchandise and staff uniform suppliers certainly barely get a mention in the entries so it is hard to get a picture of who is who.
But I did get to experience Lester’s Reflex International for my own adventure, last year’s 2000 mile Tour of England.
Lester’s original nomination came from one of our newest Hall of Famers, Helen Hanson:
“Where would we be without him? having worked with him for over 20 years, he has always been there, finding a way, making a deadline work, fixing mistakes, solving problems, always brilliant, always available and always with humour – he is who you need in your (branded) backpack – the perfect nominee for this BEst recognition award” Helen Hanson, HEL’s.
Asking around the industry it is clear that Helen’s recommendation is shared. We shared the same experience during my won ultrarunning event last summer, Frank’s Big Tour of England which saw Lester at his supportive best, stepping in when most needed and adding value to the event and to the charity.
As well as the uniforms – we needed running shirts, there is a wide array of options. There are product selectors including ‘eco’ or ‘Made in the UK.
An anonymous citation added “The products are always merch that adds value. Reflex International is easy to work with.”
Supplier of the Year
Winner – Joe Sheppard – Elevate Global
Joe Sheppard has been a leading figure at FMBE Awards for many years with team Elevate being the staff provider for many award winning campaigns. Those successes come from across multiple international locations but in the UK the staff lead is UK MD Joe Sheppard.
In recent years one highly successful team has been through agency Hopper who have seen an array of award wins that never fail to credit Elevate for their contribution.
Hopper’s director Andy Harrison says: “Working with Joe means that we can have total confidence in the people that he and his team will provide for our events”
“Joe is equally at home being hands on as he is driving strategy and business development. He recently came over to see us and his staff at a crucial event for our agency. He knew it was an important activation, so he made the trip to ensure that we as the client, and the team he supplied, had everything we needed; he also made time to speak to everyone working at the event, whether his staff or not, to motivate them as an integrated team. I have worked with Joe for almost 20 years, as a leader in the staffing industry, he is the BEst.”
Joe’s citations came from agency, brand and brand ambassadors.
“He genuinely cares about the employees as a whole not just the business side, very approachable and understanding Managing Director, who is very down-to -earth with a heart”, brand ambassador – Jonathan Prempeh
“He is an outstanding operator in a congested world. I’ve been privileged to work with him over the years and his knowledge, understanding of his and his teams abilities and unique skill to solve problems on the ground make him the best at what he does.” Terry Heath – News UK
“During live projects, he keeps me updated on all activities, ensuring I feel involved.” Nick Sweeney, Figure of Eight
“An inspirational leader Joe is a true giant of the staffing world.” Anthony Lees, Senior Account Director, F1 Puma.
Sustainability Champion
Winner – Selina Donald – The Bulb
[Selina’s colleague from The Bulb collected the award for Selina Donald]
Selina Donald rose to prominence as her eco-consultancy took the early lead in helping event’s industry body isla to create common ground in addressing sustainability issues.
The Bulb has since gone on to add eco-credentials post takeover to events business Trivandi.
Selina received plaudits from within the sustainability sector:
“She is a passionate advocate for a better world. She’s straight talking, clear-headed, and is always looking for a way to improve the way things are done. I couldn’t think of a better candidate!” Colin Curtis, MD of TBL, a sustainability consultancy.
“I am truly impressed with the skill, dedication and leadership Selina has shown in building up her company, The Bulb, and the way she and her team are striving to help event organisers build sustainability practices into their planning and operations. Her approach is refreshingly practical and straightforward, yet full of energy and ambition.” David Stubbs, director, Sustainability Experts.
We also had a nomination from TRO some of whose award winning campaigns this person has worked on. This from Louisa Daley.
“They are the embodiment of the best partner to introduce a new sustainability strategy to run deeply into all areas of such a diverse business as TRO. The Bulb have a great variety of tools to introduce and drive success of initiatives with all stakeholders and teams at TRO.”
Selina Donald is duly the first Sustainability Champion for BEst Connected and a high benchmark has been set.
Agency Innovator
Winner – Charlotte Turns – Foster
Agency innovation is the lifeblood of FMBE and there are many new ideas being implemented. When we asked our readers for nominations for a true innovator we couldn’t guess who would be suggested.
We found an exceptional winner
“The pure energy, disruption and tenacity to change our industry make a difference in our industry and for challenger brands”. Andy Buck, Reach
This one from a big client of the agency:
“She has created a fantastic business in Fosters. A few years ago, we took a bet on a new up and coming field sales agency who offered a differentiated product vs many other agencies in the market. Her dynamic approach, creative flair and leadership have been key tools in building her business.”
And here is one from one of the challenger brands that Foster is growing with. Anjna Mistry, Brand Controller, Boost Drinks.
“Charlotte has created an agency that merges marketing and sales objectives in the brand activation space. More companies are looking for ROI on their marketing spend and sometimes marketing / brand metrics like awareness, reach and conversion don’t register as a physical measures of success. At Foster, Charlotte has used her years of expertise and knowledge to break the barriers of traditional approaches and created a service which takes sampling and activation to the next level.”
Foster is clearly doing what it promises to deliver – a dynamic, influential and responsive brand acceleration business, using expertise in urban, digital and retail activation.
Hall of Fame
Winner- Amanda Chandler – Field Sales Solutions
FMBE Awards started in 2004. At that point Amanda Chandler had already completed 11 years with agency FMCG, then a year and a half with Ellert Field marketing. As the nascent FMBE’s took their first steps, today’s Hall of Fame recipient was adding to her agency experience at FDS and at Reach before coming home to roost with Field Sales Solutions in 2006 – some 19+ years ago.
From the citations Chandler might be an abbreviation for Client Handler for this champion yet unassuming Business Unit Director.
Andrew Elsey, Senior Retail Execution Manager, P&G: “I am delighted to endorse Amanda Chandler for the Hall of Fame award.
Her unwavering integrity and data-driven decision-making set her apart as a leader in our industry. Amanda approaches every challenge with compassion and fairness, fostering an environment where her internal team and clients feel valued and heard. Her clear and honest communication not only guides her team but also strengthens relationships with clients, making collaboration seamless and effective.”
“Amanda’s contributions have left an indelible mark on our industry. Her reliability and commitment to excellence create a culture of accountability that inspires those around her. Recognising Amanda with this award would honour her remarkable accomplishments and inspire others to follow in her footsteps. I wholeheartedly support her nomination and believe she is truly deserving of this prestigious recognition.”
Chris Cook has been client side and agency side at Field Sales Solutions and is currently field operations manager, Ferrero.
He eulogised: “I am honoured to nominate Amanda Chandler for induction into the Field Marketing Hall of Fame in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the industry. With over 20 years of dedicated service at Field Sales Solutions, Amanda has played a pivotal role in shaping the field marketing landscape, particularly through her work on Ferrero and P&G accounts. Her expertise, leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence make her a truly deserving candidate for this prestigious honour.”
Industry consultant David Louis stated: “Amanda is a true legend of the industry and leader within it, ensuring always the best standards utilised for the wellbeing of staff and clients equally.”
Hall of Fame
Winner – Helen Hanson – HEL’s
[team HEL’s at BEst Connected]
Helen Hanson, an FMBE ever-present. In all the years we have found her a beacon of positivity. Events revolve around her. You never seem to hear a rival staff or event supplier offer up anything but respect.
Through the years HEL’s as a business has broadened but never lost its core focus in creative staff who add a unique dynamic to experiential marketing. Award entries from HEL’s lean naturally towards brand ambassadors, but the agency definitely takes a teamwork dynamic from its founder.
Team of the Year has seen some exceptional entries from HEL’s with the agency often making a hard to quantify case studies quantifiable as with the 2023 category gold win with the superlative StoryTrails.
Unsurprisingly praise came in for Helen from a range of people, starting with actor Kate Magowan:
“The teams that she pulls together for each job are all a testament to her years in the business. She really is the best of the best”
Client Aaron Valente, Director, Key Health said: “She’s a legend, but for good reason. An unflappable, super creative, consummate professional, there’s nothing she hasn’t seen so if I’m having an event, she’s running it. End of story!”
And Sarah Baggaley, Finance Director, Selective Asia adds “In all my experience of working with her, I have known her to be a truly empathetic and kind individual she works to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. A truly knowledgeable, capable, versatile and innovative individual.”
As well as these high standards Helen enjoys a reputation for driving best practice and HEL’s colleague Claire Brind articulates:
“Beyond transforming the industry, Helen has always been a driving force for people. She has dedicated her time to mentoring programmes, judging industry awards, and championing women in leadership, building an all-female leadership team within her own business. Her selfless commitment to connecting people has changed careers, shaped futures, and fostered an industry where collaboration and support thrive. Years later, people still return to Helen, recognising the lasting impact of her guidance.”
“Her unwavering commitment to staff welfare, excellence, and innovation has ensured the business not only survived the pandemic but is now thriving nearly 30 years on. This is reflected in long-standing client relationships, exceptional staff feedback, and a collection of prestigious awards”
Hall of Fame
Winner – Claire Grecian – Circle Agency
The Circle Agency started at the same time FMBE did and we have celebrated successes together with industry successes ever since.
According to once client the agency and its founder are practically synonymous: “in a league of their own when it comes to experiential. Having worked with them on multiple brands – their enthusiasm, innovative ideas, ability to push boundaries and creative thinking is second to none. They approach each project with such passion and energy and continue this to the end delivery – creating impactful and memorable events. She and her team relish a challenge and know how to tailor their approach to the client, the customer and the budget and are always prepared to go above and beyond. Every individual at the agency lives and breathes the agency ethos and this is down to the leadership and vision. They are an absolutely superb partner and I feel very lucky to have them on my agency team!” (Kirstey Elston, Subway EMEA brand and UK marketing director.)
And here is one, kept anonymous, that was really evident in the 2020 FMBE Awards – “The development through covid was truly remarkable. When a tsunami happens some people run, some try to swim and then there is Claire who grabs a surfboard and with pure determination, creativity and innovation not only rides the wave, she creates a new tide!”
Truly there was no agency in the whole of FMBE who turned COVID into a period of unrivalled progress. The agency won FMBE agency of Year that year.
Here’s another citation that mentions COVID – before bringing us up to today:
“We first started working with Claire and The Circle Agency during Covid when we were looking for alternative ways to run our kick-off conference. We thought we were taking a risk with a new agency, but nearly 5 years later, the relationship just gets stronger and with Claire at the helm, Circle fast became our preferred event agency. Claire is never short of ideas and creativity and is constantly looking to improve the next event. She has such a wealth of knowledge and experience which fills me with calm and trust – we just know she will deliver, no matter what we throw at her! It is clear to see that she is an inspirational leader, and I’ll always be in awe of her passion, motivation and work ethic”. Somerset Hughes, Events Manager, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Hall of Fame
Winner – Mark Waddington – Staffwise
Staffwise is truly a service that reaches agencies of all types and sizes. We heard from so many!
Before Staffwise our winner was the brains behind FMBE data collection tool, Handmedia, going back to 2011 and he was an entrepreneur back before then. He has certainly been in and around FMBE for many years.
It is the success of Staffwise that really paves the way for this Hall of Fame recognition, a product that furthers the UK ‘s reputation in FMBE on a global scale.
We were inundated with support from around the globe – with about 6 nominations just from one business – IML in Dubai. And here is a citation from another agency, same emirate, Nizzar Melki, Head of TA, JAM Event Services
“He embodies the qualities of a truly connected and visionary leader. Under his guidance, Staffwise has transformed into a trusted partner for 100s of clients across the UK and internationally, including Europe, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and the USA. His innovative approach to SaaS technology has redefined staffing solutions, earning the respect and trust of clients, partners, and peers alike. His dedication to fostering meaningful relationships is unparalleled. He has cultivated a vibrant community of engaged clients, demonstrating his commitment to collaboration and mutual success. His ability to unite clients, agencies, and suppliers through unique solutions for workforce management, data collection, big data analysis and bespoke software solutions such as gamification, showcases his role as a bridge-builder within the FMBE ecosystem.”
Staffwise functions well for all types of FMBE agency and here is one from the UK agency Storey’s Victoria Philips.
“I’ve worked with Mark across two agencies and introduced him to Storey 18 months ago. Today we couldn’t deliver without him or his team – Staffwise has elevated our business performance though productivity and increased user experience, and Mark is always a joy to collaborate with. He’s dynamic, innovative and has a great team, proving that he’s a great leader, coach and mentor.”
At FMBE we liked that one as Storey is a current Team of the Year gold winner, with client BskyB.
The team from Acosta Europe agency Disrupt also shared their support:
“Mark strives to always be ahead of the game, truly listening to what his clients need to drive performance in the Field Marketing industry. He is a problem solver, challenges ideas + is solution lead. He works with pace to help us package + deliver outstanding results. He definitely deserves this nomination!” Kristi Agency, Account Director, Disrupt UK” And “Nothing is a no its always tell me more so I understand your needs and what you need to gain from it” – Zoe Campbell.
We also saw agency testimonials from Rapscallions, Yes People, Salt and Pepper Events, Ted Experience, Kreate and others and praise from clients Imperial Brands and Pinterest.
The final word though goes to Kaylie Briggs, Client Service Director, Contact Field Marketing:
“Mark Waddington is an exceptional candidate for the Best Connected Award due to his outstanding contributions in streamlining efficiencies and elevating our Field Marketing campaign management. Through the Staffwise system, Mark has revolutionised the way we organise, track, and optimise our operations, significantly improving workflow and overall campaign execution. His solutions-driven approach has eliminated inefficiencies, ensuring smoother processes and better results.
Beyond technology, Mark embodies a “can-do” attitude, consistently tackling challenges with enthusiasm and determination. He not only welcomes feedback but also acts on it immediately, demonstrating his commitment to continuous improvement. His deep understanding of our business has been transformative.”
Hall of Fame
Carina Filek – Elevate Global
Quite often a BEst Connected Hall of Famer will use their position of influence in a people led business to strive for more and Carina Filek certainly fits that bill. Her colleague Tamara Olori summarized her career and beyond:
Tamara Says: “With an impressive career at Elevate Global going from Staffing Director to COO over the past 15 years at Elevate Global, she has been nothing short of a trail blazer. Always challenging the status quo she has launched several purpose driven initiatives in Elevate Global with a focus on sustainability, personal development, and diversity and inclusion following her own passions for use our platforms to positively impact our people.
This includes ElevatingPurpose (our social and action environmental plan to give back to local communities and look after our planet, ElevateHER to drive gender equity and minimise gender discrimination, and Elevation: our mentoring program designed to help those internally and our event staff to reach their career goals.”
Tamara adds “Her role driving new market launches and maintaining business health has seen Elevate on track to grow an extra 65% by end of March 2025.”
There were quite a few long citations. One, from Paula Cuneo, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Fierce inc reads:
“We have worked together for over a decade now and it is not an overstatement to say her work in supporting the growth of a global product demonstration program for Virtual Reality with Oculus, Facebook and then Meta, has changed the trajectory of the business and company understanding about product market fit, customer engagement and content development. It was no small feat and it took us around the world with dozens and dozens of folks under her leadership to deliver on tight timelines, modest budgets and under extreme pressure as we launched a new product category.”
Florencia Giampaoletti, Business Analyst, Pret a Manger told us: “Carina is a strong leader, passionate about innovation, progress, growth. She has a presence, inspires, and leads teams towards a greater goal. She listens, communicates clearly and lifts people up. She is a role model to many, and should be celebrated.”
In the last few years Elevate Global has had many FMBE reasons to celebrate with the international reach coming to the fore. Recognition that started with the Team award for the aforementioned Occulus campaign has been followed with more recent successes including a gold win for Elevate in France at the Paris Olympics last year.
Hall of Fame
Winner – Tim Fletcher – Carlsberg Britvic
Tim is a long time judge of FMBE Awards and has also been a regular entrant alongside multiple agencies. His nomination for Hall of Fame recognition came from the FMBE team as we have been the best placed to see his industry support thorough many years as well as seeing the results he drives in Grocery for Carlsberg-Britvic. Tim is above all one a great example of how to be a BEst Coonnected client, taking a very keen interest in the ambassadors and representatives of the brands he oversees, and keen to learn from them by going to stores with them.
Here’s what FMBE’s Frank Wainwright said about Tim.
“When people ask me what makes FMBE Awards the success that it is, I say that it is the judging process. I stated FMBE Awards having already been a judge on many panels. Invariably the judges came from marketing agencies, quite often the key entry beneficiaries sitting in judgment of their own and rival’s work. I knew we needed people who were credible, held budget and were above bias, people who we thought could see beyond their next piece of work and push for the same best practice issues we stand to champion.
So here is a man who has been with the same FMCG company for 21 years. He was first winning high achievement awards as Field Operations Manager back in 2008. For ius he has been on and off our judging panel since then, originally focused on field sales categories and more recently anchoring a category that is my favourite – brand ambassador of the year.
His insight in the is invaluable. In 2020 he joined me online to prove to the brand ambassadors that their work was fully understood by the huge business that he works for.
His work is currently across multiple agencies and his interest is always people first.”
Lifetime Achievement
Winner – Stephen Gordon – Advantage Smollan
Stephen Gordon stepped down as People Director at Advantage Smollan in March 2025. Already a Hall of Famer, we invited Stephen to come and speak about the awards to our guests at our BEst Connected Event. He attended with his wife Caroline Harper, herself a field marketing leader who works on campaigns for agencies including Avidity Group agency McCurrach.
Stephen kindly spoke about his career and the value FMBE Awards bring to client relationships.
He reaches retirement following a career that went from brand representative to agency with agency director jobs dating back to his time at Aspen Field Marketing, a business he joined in 1996. Spells at FDS and PDQ followed before joining REL as Business Unit Director in 2007. He was MD at REL 2015 – 2021 before becoming People Director for the Advantage Smollan group.