)
)
The Qualities That Defined This Year’s Winners
First Wave of Winners Revealed
Simon Ellis, head of AI transformation and enterprise architecture – Pets at Home
Experienced tech practitioner Ellis is bringing his skills to bear at Pets At Home where he is leading the charge on AI. He is successfully moving it beyond theory and into day-to-day retail operations, delivering tangible efficiency gains and competitive advantage. Among the initiatives he is pushing is getting AI into the hands of the store teams via headsets. He joined Pets at Home in 2024 and prior to that worked at Boots and in various consulting type capacities over a 30-year career.
Jack & Charlie Rubin, co-founders – Purdy & Figg
Since Jack and Charlie took on the running of the family business in 2020 they have brought a digital-first mind-set, which has transformed the eco-friendly cleaning products retailer Purdy & Figg from a cottage business into a Direct-to-Consumer powerhouse. They have utilising Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok to push subscriptions that helped grow annual sales to £40 million in 2025. They recently teamed up with William Morris on a new range.
Laurence Newman, founder & CEO - The Beauty Tech Group
Newman is well versed in the field of wellness and cosmetic innovation following his creation of The Beauty Tech Group back in 2009. The business comprises the beauty device companies ZIIP and Tria along with the Currentbody LED mask operation that has been gaining significant traction recently. The strength of the company under Newman’s leadership was highlighted by its flotation in 2025 giving it a value of around £300 million.
Brian Walmsley, founder & CEO – ReBorn Homewares
Walmsley founded ReBorn Homewares in 2022 to create functional and planet-friendly homewares in the UK from recycled materials. They are circular by design in that they are also recyclable again at end-of-life. The growing range of products are sold direct from the company’s website. Walmsley is bringing extensive marketing and branding experience to re-inventing the furniture category with time previously spent at EKO, Joseph Joseph and Johnson & Johnson among other businesses.
Malcolm Carter, digital & marketing director - The Entertainer
The Entertainer is a stalwart of the high street that has been undergoing a digital transformation - to bring it in-line with younger, digital-based players – under the guidance of Carter. He joined the business in January 2023 and was promoted to his current role in December 2025. He has introduced a raft of new CX initiatives such as 30-minute click & collect and brought AI into various aspects of the organisation. He has held previous roles at Curry’s, Carphone Warehouse and Dixons.
Emma Cunliffe, group innovation manager - Tesco
She might have only been at Tesco since late-2020 but Cunliffe has already had a great impact. She specialises in identifying, evaluating and scaling emerging technologies that helps accelerate future growth at Tesco. This has included leading on Tesco’s Whoosh rapid delivery service. Cunliffe also created Tesco’s One Planet Community, a sustainability network of around 1,000 colleague members, which combines to suggest she is a serious one to watch in the sector.
Colette Laxton + Mark Curry, co-founders – The Inkey List
The Inkey List was founded by Laxton and Curry in 2018 with the view that skincare can be confusing but that better knowledge can power improved decisions. They have used their experience working for various brands to build a business that sells into many retailers including Boots and has achieved some impressive sales in the US. They also have a reputation in the industry for helping the founders of other start-up beauty brands. They continue to innovate, which includes the newly-created InkeyLab that gives them insights before betting big on any new NPD.
Aimee Connolly, founder & CEO - Sculpted by Aimee
Connolly launched make-up and skincare brand Sculpted by Aimee in 2016 and it has grown into an award-winning operation with a wide range of products sold through various retailers in a number of countries as well as through its own website. It also has four of its own stores including a unit near Carnaby Street in London. Connolly had formerly been a make-up artist running her own business.
Eli Khrapko + Georgia Granata, co-founders – Wype
Launched in late 2020 by Khrapko and Granata, Wype is a gel applicator for toilet paper that does a better job of cleaning than paper and is better for the skin than wipes. It is essentially a wet wipe in a bottle. Khrapko had done a three-year stint at Amazon before Granata approached him with the idea and since launching Wype they have attracted 300,000 customers and the products are now available in Boots and Holland & Barrett. Partnerships with the likes of Anglia Water further broaden the reach of the two entrepreneurs’ sustainable brand.
Deirdre McGettrick, co-founder & CEO – Ufurnish
After a period in finance McGettrick co-founded Ufurnish in 2019 and has built it into the UK's leading search and comparison website for home furniture and furnishings with over five million users. The platform brings together furniture and furnishings from over 100 high street retailers and smaller independents. McGettrick and the team are driving AI-led innovation in the way consumers connect with retailers and products available in the market to help furnish their homes.