Shortlist revealed for NACFB Commercial Broker Awards 2026
The shortlist for the NACFB Commercial Broker Awards 2026 has now been revealed, recognising the brokers setting the benchmark for excellence across the commercial finance sector.
Now in their seventh year, the awards continue to celebrate the achievements of NACFB Member brokers, shining a spotlight on the expertise, innovation and professionalism that underpin the intermediary market. As a valued counterpart to the trade body’s long-established NACFB Commercial Lender Awards, they remain one of the industry’s few awards dedicated exclusively to brokers.
Engagement reached new heights this year, with more than 430 entries submitted across 26 categories. The record-breaking total represents a 25% increase in submissions and a 16% rise in participating NACFB Member firms compared with last year.
A panel of 36 expert judges, each bringing specialist industry knowledge, assessed each submission against clearly defined judging criteria. To safeguard the integrity of the process, entries were anonymised wherever appropriate, with organisation-only categories judged anonymously, while categories featuring individuals or a combination of individuals and firms remained identifiable.
Following this thorough judging process, the finalists in each category are:
Asset Finance & Leasing Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers) - sponsored by Haydock Finance
• Channel Finance Group
• Full Circle Asset Finance
• GreenHearth
• Hanna Financial Services
• Kirkwood Asset Finance
• Lindsay Finance
• Skylark Asset Finance
• Swedish Asset Finance
• Synergi Finance
• UBT (EU)
Asset Finance & Leasing Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) - sponsored by Aldermore
• Alpha Asset Finance
• Charles & Dean Finance
• Claratus Commercial Finance
• Futurity Finance
• Moorgate Finance
• One.funding
• Pioneer Finance
• PMD Business Finance
• Rural Finance
• TSF Finance
Bridging Finance Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers) - sponsored by Alternative Bridging Corporation
• 978 Finance
• Alfa Mortgages
• Channel Finance Group
• Clever Lending
• Developer Money Market
• Finanze t/a Finanze Property
• Hectocorn Group
• Plutus Business Finance
• Shadowfax Funding Solutions
• Truffle Specialist Finance
• Willow Isle Capital
• Word on the Street
Bridging Finance Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) - sponsored by Together
• Aria Finance
• CFP Group
• DAS Finance
• FRP Real Estate Advisory
• Futurity Finance
• Propp
• Rainstone Money
• Real Finance
• YB Financial Advisory
Buy-to-Let Mortgage Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers) - sponsored by Hampshire Trust Bank
• 21Finance t/a Morrow
• 978 Finance
• Carter Smith Property Finance
• Dovecote Property Finance
• Drummond Finance
• GetGround Commercial Finance
• Jonathan Smith & Partners
• Leonard Curtis
• Lime Finance Solutions
• Word On The Street
Buy-to-Let Mortgage Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) - sponsored by Barclays
• Aria Finance
• GP Sales Consultants t/a DMI Finance
• Hearthstone Finance
• Real Finance
• VIBE Finance
• YB Financial Advisory
Commercial Broker Network of the Year - sponsored by YBS Commercial Mortgages
• Alfred Vaughan & Co t/a Vaughans
• Alpha Asset Finance
• Fiducia Commercial Network
• Moorgate Broker Network
• Optimum ELITE
• Synergy Commercial Finance
• White Rose Finance Group
Commercial Mortgage Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers) - sponsored by NatWest
• 978 Finance
• Clifton Private Finance
• Clever Lending
• Copper Swan
• Drummond Finance
• Finanze t/a Finanze Property
• Icthus Consultants
• Matchbox Finance
• Ross Commercial Finance
• Vistaara Global Finance
Commercial Mortgage Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) - sponsored by Lloyds Bank
• Antares Finance
• ASC Finance for Business
• Cornerstone Finance Group
• FRP Real Estate Advisory
• Propp
• Q Commercial Finance
• Real Finance
• SPF Private Clients
• Watts Commercial Finance
Development Finance Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers)
• Beta Commercial Finance
• Business Financing Solutions t/a Positive Commercial Finance
• Channel Finance Group
• Devbrok
• Finance 55
• Hectocorn Group
• Philip Meek Commercial
• Truffle Specialist Finance
• Usher Commercial Solutions
• Zoom Finance
Development Finance Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) - sponsored by Roma Finance
• Align Property Finance
• Aureum Finance
• Claratus Commercial Finance
• FRP Real Estate Advisory
• Gordon Blair Financial Services
• Mayflower Mortgage and Finance
• Pure Property Finance
• Real Finance
• YB Financial Advisory
Industry Leader of the Year - sponsored by Funding Circle
• Andrea Reynolds – Swoop Finance
• Chris Smith – Enduro Finance
• Haydn Thomas – Cornerstone Finance
• Ian Stewart – Think Business Finance
• Lee Schofield – One.funding
• Lucy Waters – Aria Finance
• Marie Cowgill – • Finanze t/a Finanze Property
• Norman Chambers – Fiducia Commercial Network
• Peter Williams – Propp
• Rahul Modasia – Rainstone Money
• Skylark Asset Finance
Industry Specialist of the Year - sponsored by Close Brothers
• Commercial Sense
• Funding Friends
• Optimum Healthcare
• ORL Finance
• PMD Business Finance
• Rainstone Money
• Rural Finance
• Skylark Asset Finance
• Snowbird Finance
• Synergi Finance
• The UK Adviser Group - Maxhim Cohen
Intermediary Excellence Award - sponsored by Momenta Finance
• Business Development Directors t/a BDD Financial Services
• Channel Finance Group
• Choice Money t/a Choice Commercial Finance
• Complete Commercial Finance
• Cornerstone Finance Group
• Fiducia Commercial Network
• Hilton-Baird Financial Solutions
• PMD Business Finance
• UMi Funding Services
• YB Financial Advisory
Invoice Finance Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers)
• Beta Commercial Finance
• Copper Swan
• Evolve Business Finance
• Go-Factor
• Open InVoice Finance
• Pinnacle Business Finance
• Plutus Business Finance
• Simply Factoring Brokers
Invoice Finance Broker of the Year (4+ brokers)
• Bathgate Business Finance
• Hilton-Baird Financial Solutions
• Leonard Curtis
• PMD Business Finance
• TSF Finance
• YB Financial Advisory
Northern Irish Broker of the Year
• Enduro Finance
• Johnston Financial Solutions
Pioneering Broker of the Year - sponsored by Allica Bank
• Charles & Dean Finance
• GreenHearth
• James Murray
• Leonard Curtis
• Lime Finance Solutions
• One.funding
• PMD Business Finance
• Portman Finance Group
• Provide Finance
• Ross Commercial Finance
• SJT Corporate Finance
• Spark Finance
• UMi Funding Services
Rising Star of the Year - sponsored by Shawbrook
• Adam Smith – Alfa Mortgages
• Bea Khoshaba – Rainstone Money
• Chelsea Stewart – Property Finance Group
• Dan Place – Balance for Business
• David Rodriguez Campo – Charles & Dean Finance
• George Sanford – VIBE Finance
• Jack McCann – Approved Business Finance
• Jacob Potgieter – Business Loans Club
• Rebecca Blaymires – Watts Commercial Finance
• Saskia Enderby – Antares Finance
Scottish Broker of the Year
• Ascendancy Finance
• Channel Finance Group
• Drummond Finance
• Futurity Finance
• Kirkwood Asset Finance
• Pathway Commercial Finance
• Ross Commercial Finance
Service Excellence Award - sponsored by HSBC UK
• Business Development Directors t/a BDD Financial Services
• Charles & Dean Finance
• Choice Money t/a Choice Commercial Finance
• Claratus Commercial Finance
• Commercial Sense
• Copper Swan
• KeySME Business Finance
• Liquid Corporate Finance
• Matrix Properties Services
• Moorgate Finance
• One.funding
• PMD Business Finance
• Risecap
• TSF Finance
• Watts Commercial Finance
Short-term Finance Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers) - sponsored by YouLend
• 978 Finance
• Panthera Consultancy
• Philip Meek Commercial
• Plutus Business Finance
• Risecap
Short-term Finance Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) - sponsored by Reward Funding
• Approved Business Finance
• Aria Finance
• Charles & Dean Finance
• Crown Business Finance
• Halo Corporate Finance
• Propp
• Pure Property Finance
• SPF Private Clients
• Think Business Finance
• YB Financial Advisory
Unsung Hero of the Year - sponsored by Ultimate Finance
• Ali Wright – Copper Swan
• Alice Manby – Charles & Dean Finance
• Barbara Curzon – Watts Commercial Finance
• Chris Campbell – SJT Corporate Finance
• Claire Hinde – UMi Funding Services
• Fiza Hussain – Rainstone Money
• Kate Spratt – YB Financial Advisory
• Maddy Clark – Think Business Finance
• Mark Kozo – Approved Business Finance
• Tony O’Callaghan – Claratus Commercial Finance
Welsh Broker of the Year
• Bathgate Business Finance
• Business Finance Trust
• Cyllid Cymru Finance
• HH Business Finance
• Pure Property Finance
Women's Advocate Award - sponsored by Cambridge & Counties Bank
• Beta Commercial Finance - Tom Wilkinson
• Canford Specialist Finance - Jenny Old
• Choice Money t/a Choice Commercial Finance
• Finanze t/a Finanze Property- Marie Cowgill
• Rainstone Money - Fiza Hussain
• Ross Commercial Finance - Emma Ross
• Skylark Asset Finance
• South West Business Finance
• VIBE Finance - Kim McGinley
• Watts Commercial Finance - Rebecca Blaymires
Commenting on the announcement, NACFB CEO Jim Higginbotham said: “Congratulations to everyone who has earned a place on this year’s shortlist. The calibre of entries was exceptionally high, making the judges’ task no easy one. My thanks go to every firm that entered and to our judging panel for the time, care and expertise they brought to the process.”
NACFB Patron lenders and Partner suppliers will now be invited to cast their votes for the Member brokers of their choice in each relevant category. To maintain fairness, each Patron/Partner firm is limited to five votes per category.
The judging panel’s scores will be combined with the Patron/Partner votes to determine both the winners and those who are highly commended in each category. An algorithm is used to calculate the final results, blending judges’ scores with the industry vote.
Winners in each category will be announced and presented with their trophies at a ceremony held at Lancashire Cricket Club, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, on the afternoon of Friday 11th September 2026.
Early bird tickets for NACFB Member brokers are now available at £140 +VAT per person or £1,400 +VAT for a table of ten, until Monday 10th August. After that, prices rise to £205 +VAT each or £2,050 +VAT per table. Subject to availability, tickets for NACFB Patron lenders and Partners will go on sale from mid-August at £230 +VAT per person or £2,300 +VAT per table. All tickets include a welcome drink on arrival, a three-course meal, half a bottle of wine per person and entertainment.