Dow Schofield Watts shortlisted for Professional Services Company of the Year

Dow Schofield Watts will compete against 149 UK businesses, including household names, global giants, innovative UK SMEs, and family businesses, at this year’s British Business Awards, which feature special guest George Clooney at a star-studded ceremony in Edinburgh on April 30, 2026.

We have been shortlisted in the Professional Services Company of the Year category and will now go up against AFS Group, Graham + Sibbald, Grant Thornton UK, Henderson Loggie, MDDUS, Murgitroyd, and Selway Joyce.

Shortlisted companies will also form the inaugural British Business Leaders List, a new designation recognising the organisations setting the benchmark for modern enterprise and shaping the UK’s economic future.

This year’s shortlist features some of the most recognisable and influential names in British and global business, including AstraZeneca, Moderna, Iceland, Warburtons, Nando’s Dishoom, and Holland & Barrett, alongside a dynamic mix of high-growth scale-ups, family-owned firms, and innovative SMEs from every corner of the UK.

A record number of more than 400 companies entered the awards this year, with those selected for the shortlist independently evaluated across five core pillars: business performance, innovation, workforce and culture, customer impact, and contribution to society and the wider economy.

Those achieving the highest combined performance across these metrics have secured their place on the shortlist, with the strongest performers now going forward to the independent judging panel, comprising 18 key figures from British industry, chaired by the former CEO of Unilever Alan Jope CBE and Emma Crystal, CEO of Coutts Bank.

The awards are set to be bigger than ever with the announcement of a special guest appearance and conversation with award-winning actor and humanitarian George Clooney, plus the return of keynote speaker Sir Bob Geldof and co-hosts Rob Brydon and Elaine C. Smith.

To be held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) on 30 April, tables at the awards are in high demand, with up to 2000 business leaders set to attend. The awards will once again be raising funds for UK homelessness charity Social Bite, with a target of helping to raise over £1 million, alongside a fundraising dinner held by the charity the night before the awards event at Gleneagles Hotel.

Alan Jope CBE, chair of the judging panel, said: “The calibre of companies on the shortlist is extraordinary, and our job as judges is simply to maintain the highest standards and ensure that truly outstanding businesses emerge as the winners. From global innovators like AstraZeneca and Moderna to much-loved brands such as Nando’s, Warburtons and Iceland, this year’s cohort represents companies that are truly shaping Britain’s economic future”.

Shru Morris, CEO of DSW Capital, added: “Being shortlisted for this award is fantastic recognition of what we’ve built at DSW, a platform where talented professionals can do their best work, on their own terms, backed by a supportive and collaborative culture. This continues to show in the quality of work our teams deliver and our continued growth in existing and new practice areas”.