The Night Champions Met George Clooney: Family business celebrates award win with Hollywood icon
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 7 May 2026
East Midlands family business had a night to remember after being crowned SME of the Year at the British Business Awards in Edinburgh, with the award presented by none other than Hollywood star George Clooney.
Champions Speakers, which is based in Costock, was named winner at the high-profile ceremony, where the team not only collected a national business award but also shared the spotlight with one of the world’s most recognisable actors.
Sophia Hayes, Director of Sales at Champions Speakers, accepted the award on behalf of the company before being photographed with Clooney.
Sophia said:
“Working in the speaker industry means we are lucky enough to meet some incredible people, but meeting George Clooney was a very special moment.
“Although the moment was brief, George was extremely welcoming and had exactly the same natural charm you see on screen. It is a night we will never forget.”
The event was hosted by Rob Brydon and Elaine C Smith, with Bob Geldof also among the well-known guests in attendance.
For Champions Speakers, the evening marked a major milestone in a journey that began in 2003 from a spare room. The company has since grown into the UK’s and Europe’s largest keynote speaker agencies, representing more than 8,000 speakers and delivering over 5,000 events each year across 66 countries.
Jack Hayes, Director of Champions Speakers, said:
“Receiving this award from George Clooney made an already incredible achievement even more memorable for our family and the whole Champions Speakers team.
“It was a surreal moment and one we will treasure. To be recognised on a national stage, at the largest business event in the UK, in a room full of brilliant businesses and famous faces, was a huge honour.
“The award is a celebration of the hard work of our team, the loyalty of our clients and the strength of British family businesses making their mark internationally.”
The British Business Awards brought together 150 shortlisted organisations from across the UK, including major names such as AstraZeneca, Octopus Energy, Warburtons and Holland & Barrett.
The SME of the Year Award recognises a standout small or medium-sized enterprise demonstrating strong performance, innovation, workplace culture, customer impact and contribution to the wider economy.
Winners were selected by an 18-strong judging panel chaired by former Unilever Chief Executive Officer Alan Jope and Coutts Chief Executive Officer Emma Crystal.
The evening also raised more than £1 million for Social Bite, supporting its work to help tackle homelessness.
Champions Speakers has previously featured in The Sunday Times Fast Track 100, the London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain, the Insider Growth 100 and JP Morgan’s Top 200 Female-Powered Businesses.
To find out more about Champions Speakers and its work with leading keynote, celebrity and after dinner speakers, visit: https://champions-speakers.co.uk/
