Morning Wire Awards 2022: Business of the Year
The City is back, and so are the Morning Wire Awards, recognising the best of the Square Mile, Canary Wharf and London’s business community – which has shown shown resilience, innovation and adaptability like never before over the past year. We’re delighted to host what will be a wonderful celebration of the capital’s rebound, but we need your nominations to do it. After months of uncertainty, it’s time to look forward – and say well done to those who came to the fore in the most difficult of circumstances.
Celebrating the best in business
From a firm leading the way in one of Britain’s most exciting new industries to a global company that helped to turn the tide agains the pandemic, British business has plenty to shout about despite ongoing global uncertainty. These five companies represent the best of the best.
AstraZeneca
Saving the world, one jab at a time? Astra’s bosses will now know that no good deed goes unpunished, with their Covid-19 vaccine pilloried by European and global leaders – without any justification. The decision to give the jab away at cost looks commercial madness next to the record profits enjoyed by firms like Pfizer, but it’s hard to argue Astra did anything but the right thing.
BP
What goes down must come up – that seemed to be the case for BP at least, which like all oil majors felt the pain of a global slowdown in 2020. Record profits came back in 2021, however, and the firm has led the way on making the case for transitioning to net zero in a way that keeps the economy powering ahead. Though not within the 2021 scope of this award, the firm deserves credit for a swift reaction to Russian aggression this year.
finnCap
A stockbroker with a difference, finncap is on the charge. The firm has delivered a host of record numbers, playing a key part in IPOs including ParsleyBox and serving as broker on a whole host of placing and open offers. CEO Sam Smith has also made noise in the City with her management style, including offering staff unlimited holiday to prevent burnout. The firm showed particular performance in equity capital markets.
Oxford Nanopore
A UK-based biotech which has set tongues wagging as one of the country’s genuinely worldleading businesses. Having executed a (rare) successful float in 2021 the company looks set for bigger and better things as it uses the capital to develop a host of life science technologies.
Wise
Another firm which floated in 2021, Wise formerly TransferWise – are the poster child of London’s fintech revolution. Having disrupted the cross-border transaction market, Wise have now set their eyes on bigger prizes – and as a home for great young talent, is proving a valuable part of the new financial ecosystem. Unlike some of its competitors, it’s profitable, too.
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