Nominations for the annual GTR-BExA Young Exporter Award, now in its 15th year, and Young Export Financier, new in 2019, are now open.

The awards are open to candidates aged 35 or under, and employed in the export or export finance department of a manufacturing, trading or financial services company registered in the UK. Candidates need not be members of the British Exporters Association (BExA).

With financial support being key to the exporting community, BExA is keen to recognise success in this field with the new Young Export Financier category. “In addition to the young exporters, we are eager to also encourage the new generation of export financiers coming through,” says Geoff de Mowbray, co-chair of BExA. “We urge companies from across the UK to get involved and nominate their young exporters and export financiers. The winners will be a source of inspiration to the exporting community, irrespective of age and industry.”

The winning candidates, selected from a shortlist of interviewed applicants, will have typically played a key role in winning or closing financing for a significant order, achieving a series of smaller orders, or establishing a new business process which has led to increased export competitiveness.

Last year’s winner of the Young Exporter Award was Jonathan Moyce, owner and director of Loving Pets UK, which designs and exports pet products to 11 countries and sells to multinational vendors, including Walmart, Costco Europe and Pets at Home. Second place was awarded to Alessia Borrini, bid manager for Francophone Africa at NMS Infrastructure, an EPC project developer specialising in fully-funded infrastructure projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, which credits Borrini with making a significant contribution to the winning of major contracts in the region.

In 2017, Alastair White, deputy chairman of Biwater International, was named the winner, and the runner-up position was awarded to Jack Holmes, vice-president of business development at Winch Energy.

“What this award proves, year in and year out, is that – regardless of the geopolitical context – the spirit of export in the UK is well and truly alive,” says de Mowbray.

The deadline for nominations is June 14, 2019. Visit www.bexa.co.uk/export-award/ for more information.