MCA announces timeline for 2022 Awards
The timeline for the 2022 MCA Awards has been announced. The 25th annual ceremony will take place on the 14th of November 2022, at the traditional Park Plaza venue.
The Management Consultancies Association (MCA) has been the industry’s collective voice for more than six decades. Its members make up more than 60% of the UK’s £12 billion consulting industry, and employ roughly 45,000 professionals. Each year, the organisation puts on an awards ceremony, celebrating the best and brightest of the industry – as well as their impact on the broader economy and society as a whole.
As the MCA prepares to host its 2021 awards gala, preparations for next year’s event have already commenced. As was the case last year, the organisation is still proceeding with its showpiece event in a new autumnal slot.
Until now, the London based awards night traditionally took place in spring – however, the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic has seen the MCA make a major shift on its annual calendar. In 2022, the Awards Ceremony and Dinner at Park Plaza will occur on the 14th of November.
Tamzen Isacsson, MCA Chief Executive, said, “For a quarter of a century the MCA Awards have been a remarkable opportunity for the industry to come together with clients and demonstrate the true value of consulting and the outstanding individuals that work in our firms… We look forward to working with all firms to champion this work in the 25th MCA Awards.”
Since 1996, the awards have grown year on year and currently there are 22 categories, four more than in its inaugural year, with 12 project awards, seven individual awards and three overall awards. The new timeline follows a decision to permanently change the MCA Awards calendar following the disruption caused to the hosting of face-to-face events last year. Despite the impact of COVID-19 which the MCA Awards experienced, there were a record number of entries this year with an increase of 50% from the previous year.
Purchase entries for the 25th awards will open on November 22nd 2021, running until the 28th of January. Firms will then have until the 11th of March 2022 to provide their written entries for consideration by an independent panel consisting of over 45 judges drawn from a variety of backgrounds including academia, the media industry, government and the private sector. Finalists will then be announced on the MCA Website on the 23rd of May.
Each judge has to sign a strict code of conduct and follow a marking and interview process with clear guidelines and criteria. Judges include Lord Victor Adebowale, Chair of the NHS Federation; Bev Thaker-Fell, Category Director for Barclays and Chris Giles, Economics Editor of the Financial Times highlighting the range of expertise on the panel.
BBC journalist and judge for the 2021 MCA Awards, Maryam Moshiri, commented, “It’s always an honour to judge these awards. The candidates are simply incredible, so impressive and full of ideas and creativity. The world of Management consulting never fails to surprise and impress me, so much variety and talent - I am so looking watching the winner of the category I judged receive their award and hope to be asked to judge again next year.”
In total, 32 consulting firms and 65 individuals from across the UK have been short-listed for prizes at the 2021 MCA Awards, which this year include two prizes for servicing clients amid the Covid-19 crisis. The winners will be announced at a gala on the 1st of November 2021.
