Scottish Financial Enterprise awards celebrate success
Among the many winners was Dame Susan Rice, who was presented with a lifetime achievement award for her services to the financial services industry, writes Gareth Edwards
Dame Susan Rice, one of Scotland’s pioneering business leaders, has been celebrated for her achievements at the Scottish Financial Enterprise awards.
Hundreds of leading figures from across the Scottish financial sector gathered at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow for the lavish black-tie gala event on Thursday night.
The 2026 Scottish Financial Services Awards, sponsored by EY, come in SFE’s 40th year and recognise the contribution of firms and individuals to Scotland’s world class finance industry over the past year.
This year’s awards were especially significant as Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) marks its 40th anniversary. Founded in May 1986, the representative body for Scotland’s financial services industry advocates for a stronger, more inclusive and sustainable sector that plays its part in solving the big challenges of the time, locally and globally, on behalf of its members.
There were eight awards categories, celebrating achievements in Innovation, FinTech, Skills and Inclusion, Changing Customer Needs, Business Growth and Net Zero, as well as recognising this year’s Rising Star and the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Among the winners were Baillie Gifford for the UK’s first fully native tokenised fund and Aberdeen for its landmark transaction with Stagecoach’s pension scheme, demonstrating that Scotland remains at the forefront of innovation for financial services.
This year also saw the inaugural fintech award, highlighting Scotland’s leadership in this emerging field, with the award going to Addepar.
Guests gave a rousing ovation for the biggest award of the night, as Dame Susan Rice was given the lifetime achievement award.
Dame Susan made history by being the first woman to lead a European clearing bank as chief executive of Lloyds TSB Scotland, and has held a number of other senior roles across a 40-year career in the industry.
Sue Dawe OBE, Chair of SFE and EY Scotland Managing Partner said: “Few people have shaped Scotland’s financial services sector from so many perspectives: banker, board director, public servant, policy adviser and champion of higher standards. Dame Susan Rice has brought leadership, sound judgement and unwavering integrity to some of Scotland’s most important institutions.
“Long before purpose and sustainability became boardroom priorities, she understood that successful businesses must earn trust, support communities and prosperity.
“Susan’s career has not merely run alongside the advancement of the sector; she has helped shape it and continues to do so. I am delighted to present her with the Scottish Financial Enterprise Lifetime Achievement Award.”
The award was a fitting close to a day which had seen the SFE launch its landmark Gender Equality Network report highlighting both the huge progress made towards gender equality in the sector and also the challenges that remained.
The event was supported by Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney who said: “These awards recognise the outstanding people and businesses whose talent, innovation and leadership help drive Scotland’s financial services sector forward.
“I congratulate all this year’s winners, finalists and nominees, and thank them for the contribution they make to Scotland’s economy and communities.
“As we celebrate 40 years of Scottish Financial Enterprise, we can be proud of Scotland’s financial services sector and the people whose expertise and ambition continue to drive its success.”
The evening was hosted by comedian Rory Bremner, who also helped present the awards. The Innovation Award was shared by Aberdeen Group, recognised for their work on the 2025 Stagecoach Pensions transaction, and Baillie Gifford, recognised for their launch of the Enhanced Yield Fund.
Nationwide were presented with the award for Changing Customer Needs, a reflection of its investment in Scottish bank branches and the support it is providing for vulnerable customers.
The inaugural FinTech award was presented to Addepar, a global data and AI company whose Scotland operation is helping to redefine wealth management.
The Skills and Inclusion award went to Future Asset for their work encouraging female participation in financial services roles.
And the Rising Star award was presented to Shannon Macnamara, Aberdeen Group, who was the company’s first apprentice to rotate into the front office and progress to investment analyst and who has worked to champion social mobility and invest in her own professional development.
The Business Growth award went to the Royal Bank of Scotland – the Accelerator, which was hailed for transforming Scotland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, supporting 5,000 start ups in 2026.
The Net Zero award was presented to UK-based digital assets and crypto infrastructure provider Zumo for pioneering work to align digital assets with net zero principles.
Sandy Begbie CBE, CEO of Scottish Financial Enterprise, said: “The exceptional quality of this year’s entries reflects the strength, innovation and impact of Scotland’s financial and professional services sector. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit a nomination and congratulate all our finalists on their achievements.
“Reaching the shortlist in such a competitive field is a significant accomplishment and a testament to the talent and expertise that make our sector such an important contributor to Scotland’s economy.”
This year’s charity partner for the awards was Childline, which is also marking its 40th anniversary, and guests gave generously to raise over £20,000 after a moving speech about the impact the service continues to have.
Childline provides a free, private and confidential counselling service where young people under the age of 19 to talk about anything online or on a call with trained staff and volunteers committed to helping.
THE WINNERS
Innovation
Shortlist:
Aberdeen Group - in partnership with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Aberdeen Group - Stagecoach Pensions Transaction
Baillie Gifford
BlackRock
Lloyds Banking Group – Fraud Protection with Agentic AI
Co-Winners: Aberdeen Group - Stagecoach Pensions Transaction & Baillie Gifford
Aberdeen’s landmark £1.2bn transaction with Stagecoach, in Q4 2025, was hailed as “redefining the pension endgame landscape”, supporting improved pensions for 22,000
people and influencing government policy. The launch of the Baillie Gifford Enhanced Yield Fund created the first publicly available, fully native UK-authorised tokenised fund, using public blockchains to drive operational efficiency and new possibilities for issuing, transferring and using fund shares.
This Scotland-led project sets a precedent not only for the UK but globally, demonstrating that a 118-year-old Scottish institution can pioneer the next generation of financial infrastructure.
FinTech Award
Shortlist:
Addepar
Baillie Gifford
Scottish Building Society & MaltedAi
Zumo
Winner: Addepar
Addepar is redefining wealth management through its AI-powered investment platform, combining trusted financial data, intelligent automation and innovation developed in Scotland to help leading financial institutions make better investment decisions at global scale. The platform has demonstrated significant commercial traction, with more than $9 trillion in assets managed and an average of $25 billion in new assets added each week.
Skills and Inclusion Award
Shortlist:
Barclays - Military Talent Strategy
BlackRock
Future Asset
HSBC Scotland - Financial Education Team
Morgan Stanley - Glasgow Young Professionals Network
Winner: Future Asset
Future Asset is leading positive change by encouraging female participation in financial services roles. Since 2017 through competitions, seminars and conferences, it has empowered thousands of schoolgirls from all backgrounds to build skills and unlock opportunities, benefitting firms and society.
Changing Customer Needs Award
Shortlist:
Bank of Scotland Community Bank Digital Ambassadors
Edinburgh Futures Institute & Young Scot
Mylo from Aegon
Nationwide
Tesco Insurance and Money Services
Winner: Nationwide
Through its 2030 Branch Promise, Nationwide is responding to changing customer needs by investing in its 80 Scottish branches. As Scotland’s largest branch network, it is strengthening face-to-face banking while providing tailored support for vulnerable customers and local communities. Its Branch Promise safeguards all 80 Nationwide and Virgin Money branches in Scotland until at least 2030, supporting customers who rely on face-to-face banking and promoting financial inclusion.
Business Growth Award
Shortlist:
Bank of Scotland Foundation
Hampden Bank
Scottish National Investment
Royal Bank of Scotland – The Accelerator
Winner: Royal Bank of Scotland – The Accelerator
The Royal Bank Accelerator is transforming Scotland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, supporting 5,000 start ups in 2026 through expert growth support, strategic partnerships and inclusive programmes, delivering proven business growth, increased investment, and stronger pathways for founders to start, scale and succeed.
Rising Star Award
Shortlist:
Aarron Martin - BlackRock
Gabriel Kane - 2i
Jason Stewart - Barclays
Shannon Macnamara - Aberdeen Group
Will Rigg - Rathbones
Winner: Shannon Macnamara - Aberdeen Group
Breaking a long-standing graduate-only route, Shannon became Aberdeen’s first apprentice to rotate into the front office and progress to investment analyst. She continues to champion social mobility, support early careers talent and invest in her own professional development.
Net Zero Award
Shortlist:
Aberdeen Group - in partnership with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Lloyds Banking Group
Zumo
Winner: Zumo
Through its work in Scotland, Europe, and further afield, Zumo has cemented its position as a pioneer of ESG-led crypto. The company has worked with the World Economic Forum and introduced the game-changing Oxygen solution into the global market.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner: Dame Susan Rice
Few people have shaped Scotland’s financial services sector from so many perspectives: banker, board director, public servant, policy adviser and champion of higher standards.
She made history as the first woman to lead a European clearing bank becoming Chief Executive of Lloyds TSB Scotland.
Through senior roles at Lloyds Banking Group service on the Board of the Bank of England and leading the Banking Standards Board and Scottish Fiscal Commission she has shaped standards, governance and trust across the sector.