A Night for Recognising Business Development Excellence
Propeller was proud to return as a partner of The BD100 Awards this year—an evening dedicated to celebrating the people driving growth and new opportunities across the UK’s agency landscape.
Spotlight on Inclusion and Equity
We were especially pleased to see inclusion and access high on the agenda, thanks to the involvement of Brixton Finishing School. Propeller is proud to support BFS with PR, and it was brilliant to see them partner with The BD100 to help ensure our industry becomes more open and equitable. Big thanks to Lubeto Kalwa, Marvin Kakooza and Davis Boateng, who brought fantastic energy on the night.
Founders Leading the Way
Our Chief Growth Officer, Jody Osman—who co-founded The BD100 with Richard McHardy—also took to the stage to celebrate the growing community of business developers across the industry. The pair have played a central role in building The BD100 into a platform that champions the talent shaping agency success from the inside out.
Recognising Standout Talent in Business Development
From rising stars to seasoned pros, this year’s winners showcased just how diverse, creative and mission-driven the business development discipline has become.
Business Developer of the Year
Winner: Oya Mustafa, Director of Business Development, Recipe
Oya’s entry stood out for its blend of commercial savvy and deeply values-driven leadership.
“Oya has commercial acumen AND a clear sense of vision. They radiate passion and leadership, they are deeply purpose-driven with integrity-led decision-making.”
In a moving reflection on the award, Oya shared:
“This award meant more than I can say. As someone who grew up hustling, whose work has always been a part of their identity (sometimes too much), who sometimes wonders if they’ve just blagged it… this felt like a moment of real validation. I wish my mum, who broke every expectation to push me toward a career, could have seen it—but no doubt she enjoyed the evening from the best seats in the house. I know you’re proud angel. I miss you every minute I’m blessed to walk this earth.”
Rising Star
Winner: Becky Hipkiss, New Business Director and Associate Board Director, We Are Futures
Becky impressed the judging panel with her purpose-led approach, tenacity and results-driven mindset.
“Becky blew the judges away with her purpose-driven mindset, tenacity, and clear success. One to watch!”
Becky responded to her win with gratitude and humility:
“Beyond grateful (and still a bit speechless). I’ve learnt so much over the last year at We Are Futures and I couldn’t have done this without the team cheerleading me through the highs and lows. Let’s face it—you’ve gotta be pretty tenacious to be a BD. But as I always say: manifest it, and have a whole lot of belief that the relentlessness will pay off. Eventually.”
New Business Win of the Year
Winner: TMW
TMW took home this award for a standout new business win that was backed by strong strategy and client validation.
“A beautifully crafted entry featuring strong client endorsements. The energy and insight of this submission reflects exactly why the agency was successful. Bravo!”
Business Development Team of the Year
Winner: TMW
TMW also took top honours as BD Team of the Year—making it a double win for the agency. The judges praised their teamwork, focus and ability to balance commercial success with positive societal impact.
“What an inspiring team dynamic – this New Business team exemplifies what it means to build with intent and scale with soul. Their ability to ride momentum, open fresh doors, and deliver societal impact whilst maintaining a fierce commercial edge is truly impressive."
Industry Impact Award
Winner: Martin Jones
We were especially proud to support the newest addition to the BD100 line-up: the Industry Impact Award. This new category was introduced to recognise those who have made a lasting, positive contribution to the business development space.
The 2025 award went to Martin Jones, who was presented the honour by Propeller CEO Kieran Kent. With a career at AAR spanning almost 30 years—and involvement in over 1,000 agency pitches—Martin’s influence on the industry is significant. His win recognises a career defined by insight, generosity and deep commitment to the craft of building strong agency-client relationships.
Looking Ahead
The evening was a celebration not just of results, but of resilience, collaboration and long-term thinking. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners and nominees—you continue to shape the future of our industry for the better.
Photos by Bronac McNeill.