The individuals, teams and organisations securing a place on the prestigious 2026 miaList were unveiled by the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) this week.
Hosted at the East Midlands Conference Centre, the annual celebration recognised the exceptional talent, creativity and dedication driving success across the UK’s business meetings and events sector.
Among those taking home top honours were Carden Park Hotel, crowned Venue of the Year (Over 300 Delegates), and Imago Venues – Burleigh Court, which secured gold for Venue of the Year (Under 300 Delegates). Sam Glenister-Batey of University of Leeds, Conferences & Events was recognised as Inspirational Leader of the Year, an award presented this year in memory of the late Gail Tomlinson-Short.
Speaking on the 2026 miaList, MIA chief executive Shonali Devereaux, said: “As an industry, we’re brilliant at creating memorable experiences for others, but we don’t always stop to celebrate our own achievements. That’s what I love about the miaList. It’s an opportunity to recognise the hard work, ambition and sheer determination that so often goes on behind the scenes, and this year’s winners have given us so much to be proud of.
“It’s particularly exciting to see established industry names and organisations celebrated alongside those making their mark for the first time. It’s the mix of experience, fresh thinking and a willingness to challenge the norm that keeps our sector moving forward, and this years’ miaList is a fantastic reflection of exactly that. I’m hugely grateful to our judges for the time and expertise they’ve dedicated to recognising these achievements. And to all our winners and finalists, I hope you take a moment to enjoy this recognition and feel incredibly proud of what you’ve accomplished. It’s thoroughly deserved.”
From exceptional events and innovative initiatives to inspiring individuals and teams, the 2026 miaList celebrated outstanding achievements across 14 categories, showcasing the breadth of excellence across the UK’s business meetings and events sector.
The 10 individuals to secure a place on this year’s list were:
- Abbie Tindal, Access Bookings
- Gail Aldridge, The Belfry Hotel & Resort
- Hayley Hardy, Imago Venues
- Kieron Bowen, Eventurous
- Lucy Nicholls, The PS Events Group
- Matt Whiteman, The Venues Collection
- Michelle Osborne, Nottingham Venues
- Robert Mitchell, Imperial War Museums
- Susi Lennie, Crowne Plaza – Newcastle, Stephensen Quarter
- Tracey Whyte, Edgbaston Park Hotel & Conference Centre
The full list of winners also includes
Inspirational Leadership Award
Winner: Sam Glenister-Batey, University of Leeds, Conferences & Events
Rising Star Award
Gold: Tori Hodges, Edgbaston Park Hotel & Conference Centre
Silver: Isabel Harrison, The Belfry Hotel & Resort
Bronze: Scarlett Barker-Niland, The Belfry Hotel & Resort
Venue of the Year (Under 300 capacity)
Gold: Imago Venues – Burleigh Court
Silver: Crowne Plaza Gerrards Cross
Bronze: Churchill War Rooms – Company of Cooks
Venue of the Year (Over 300 capacity)
Gold: Carden Park Hotel
Silver: Hilton Birmingham Metropole
Bronze: British Motor Museum
Agency of the Year
Gold: Lemon Lane
Silver: Premier Events
Bronze: Blackberry Events
Supplier of the Year
Gold: Leopold Marketing Limited
Silver: Selling Savvy
Bronze: Just Smile Ltd
Event of the Year (Over 300 attendees)
Winner: University of Birmingham – Christmas on Campus: 125 edition
Highly Commended: Whittlebury Park – Formula 1 British Grand Prix Weekend
Event of the Year (Under 300 attendees)
Gold: Experience North East England – Media Gateway 2026
Silver: Event Essex
Bronze: Whittlebury Park – France & Ireland Women’s Rugby World Cup
Events & Operations Team of the Year
Gold: Church House Westminster
Silver: ICC Wales
Bronze: Warwick Conferences
Sales & Marketing Team of the Year
Gold: Imago Venues – Commercial Team
Silver: ICC Belfast
Bronze: Crowne Plaza Newcastle – Stephenson Quarter
ESG Initiative
Winner: Celtic Manor Resort
Highly Commended: Clean the World Global
Destination Initiative
Winner: Liverpool Hospitality Association – Agency Fam Trip March 2026
Inclusive Events Initiative
Gold: Lumiere London Underwood Flagship
Silver: MEN (Meetings and Events Network)
Bronze: University of Leeds Conference Events
The 2026 miaList entries were assessed by an expert panel of industry professionals, including The Belfry Hotel & Resort’s Katie Niland, Mark Green of the QEII Centre, DRPGroup’s Dale Parmenter, Leo Lloyd of Leopold Marketing, Cvent’s Felicia Asiedu, Sammy Connell of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, Northstar Travel Group’s Jack Marczewski, Jo Austin of Lime Venue Portfolio, Leeds Beckett University’s Glenn Bowdin, Louisa Ritchie of Selling Savvy, Melanie Cash of Melanie Cash Training & Consultancy, Meet Cambridge’s Andrew Bell, Richard Bridge of TBA Group and Nottingham Venues’ Melissa Sobo.
