We’re a Finalist in the British HR Awards 2026

We’re delighted to announce that we’ve been named a Finalist in the British HR Awards 2026 - Start-Up of the Year.

With a range of categories including ‘Best Overall People Experience’, ‘Culture Initiative of the Year’ and ‘Leader of the Year’, the fifth edition of the British HR Awards sets out to discover and celebrate the teams and individuals who are passionate about delivering a world-class people experience.

This year, a record 474 entries were received from organisations across the UK, and so competition to be named a Finalist was truly exceptional. Firms taking part range from start-up pioneers, tech unicorns, global titans, not-for-profits and everything in between.

Speaking on the news, Josh Payne, a Director at Regent HR said: “We’re incredibly proud to be named as a Finalist in the British HR Awards 2026 for Start-Up of the Year. Following a year of significant growth for Regent HR, it’s fantastic to see the hard work and dedication of our team recognised within the industry. This recognition reflects our continued commitment to delivering exceptional people experiences and supporting organisations to put their people first.”

We’ll find out if we’ve won at an awards ceremony in Covent Garden, London, on the 22nd April 2026.

Nate Harwood, Founder of New Possible and the British HR Awards said: "As the world changes at pace, organisations are increasingly having to learn, adapt and innovate. The British HR Awards celebrates the people teams and leaders who make that possible. Congratulations to all the Finalists."

The British HR Awards 2026 Judges include:

·      Lynn Bassett, Director of People and Organisational Development at Barbour

·      Louise Benford, Chief People Officer at The AA

·      Sharon Benson, HR & OD Director

·      Holly Cooper, People Director at Cox Marine

·      Emma Djemil, Creator of Rebellious Humans. Resourced at Be Unstoppable.

·      Wendy Doherty, Chief People Officer at TalkTalk

·      Kath Ennis, Chief People Officer

·      Mary Foulkes OBE FCIPD, Director of Equity, Inclusion and Culture at Shelter

·      Leigh Gannon, Director People & Organisation at PUMA UKI

·      Catrin Gaston-Penny, Human Resources Director at Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult

·      Julie Griggs, Deputy Chief People Officer at The Open University

·      Maria Hawley, Director of People at Fisher German

·      Melanie Hetherington, Chief People Officer at NatWest Cushon

·      Dr Tracey Leghorn, Chief Business Services Officer at SUEZ recycling and recovery UK

·      Vilma Nikolaidou, Director of People and Culture at British Film Institute (BFI)

·      Janet Roberts, Chief People & Culture Officer at Cycas Hospitality

·      Perry Timms, Chief Energy Officer at People and Transformational HR

·      Lucy Tobin, People Director at Frontier Economics