The shortlist is out for the UK’s top boardroom performers in the 2026 Non-Executive Director Awards https://www.nedawards.co.uk/2026-shortlist.

Organised by Peel Hunt and The Sunday Times, the annual prizes celebrate non-executive talent across the FTSE 100, FTSE All Share, AIM, private companies and the not-for-profit sector.

Shortlistees for the FTSE 100 chair award are George Culmer of Aviva; Andrew Fisher, Rightmove; Sir John Kingman, Legal & General; Sir Nicholas Lyons at Phoenix Group; and Martin Scicluna of Sainsbury’s.

Contenders for the FTSE 100 NED prize are Laura Wade Gery of Legal & General; Catherine Hughes at Shell; Yasmin Jetha from NatWest; Tanuj Kapilashrami, Sainsbury’s; and Jayaprakasa (JP) Rangaswami who serves at Admiral Group.

In the FTSE ALL Share category the shortlist comprises Aubrey Adams OBE of Tritax Big Box; Robert Noel of Hammerson; Baroness Kate Rock of the Keller Group; John Tutte, Bellway; and Leslie Van de Walle from the Greencore board.

In competition for the FTSE AIM award are Gary Bullard of AFC Energy; Carol Chesney of IQE; Lisa Fretwell of Restore; Ilse Howling at Frontier Developments; and Dianne Walker of Victorian Plumbing.

Candidates for the Dame Helen Alexander NED to Watch accolade are Rosie Bailey, Moonlight Energy; Alys Carlton at the Football Association of Wales; Monica Collings OBE of Dalcour Maclaren; Kate Methuen-Ley at the Development Bank of Wales; and Lisa Scott, a board member at Margetts Fund Management.

For private equity honours the shortlist is Suzanne Clark of The Exeter; Serena Joseph at Kroo Bank; Phil Male of Miss Group; Nicholas Thain at Amerge; and Lord Adair Turner for work at OakNorth Bank.

Lastly, challenging for the not-for-profit/public service category are Hetti Barkworth-Nanton CBE of Refuge; Sir Lloyd Dorfman CBE at the Royal Ballet and Opera; Karen Frank, British Heart Foundation; Alina Kessel of Fight for sight; and Beth Knight at the British Tourist Authority.

The judges panel is chaired by Dame Ruth Cairnie who will oversee awards night on 19 March.