WSM Advisors celebrate with the best of the best at the MBBA 2022

WSM Advisors have been proud headline sponsors of the MBBA for ten years and during those years we have had the pleasure of not only meeting the best of the best of the Merton Community, but also had the privilege to present them with such prestigious awards such as Best Enterprising Business and Overall Winner of the Awards.

This year was a celebration of not only the Merton business community, but also the resilience of it’s people. Simon opened the evening with a welcome speech ( see below ) highlighting the many factors that have challenged us all during the year but also recognised that we were surrounded by people who have proved that they know how to meet the challenges, how to innovate and use creativity, flair and ingenuity to grasp the opportunities and to excel. A huge congratulations to all the winners and runners up of the MBBA 2022.

Simon Marsh – Welcome speech MBBA 2022:

“WSM Advisors have been sponsoring the Merton Best Business Awards for ten years and WSM have been a big part of the Merton business community for much longer – of the many local initiatives we have been part of the sponsoring these awards is a particular pleasure – providing as it does a showcase for all of us in the Merton business community and the opportunity to celebrate all of you – the very best in our Borough.

It is difficult to host an evening such as our Awards tonight without recognising the significant challenges we all face in a very rapidly changing post pandemic world –

Some challenges we have known about for quite a while – global climate change and its impacts have been with us for decades – although there were several weeks this summer when I think we were all a little more positive about it – and the sad but not unexpected change in our head of state following the passing Her Majesty Queen Elizbeth II – is anybody else still struggling with having Charles III on the throne

Some of the challenges we might have expected – the supply chain disruption to our globalised economy as the countries of the world lifted Covid restrictions was always going to be challenging

And some challenges are more difficult to see coming – the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis and impact on food prices have brought home with a bang how connected we are all in the global markets and had a substantial and rapid impact in the UK and across the EU.

And as our new PM and Chancellor have amply demonstrated in the last few days government policy can have a significant and rapid impact and not always in a good way!

These challenges have combined to provide all of us with a new landscape of inflation, zero growth or outright recession, rising interest rates, labour and skill shortages, strikes and labour unrest and most recently a weak pound and unstable stocks and bonds markets.

But changing to meet these challenges is what we do as entrepreneurs and business people

– working out how we can achieve net zero carbon businesses, switching to greener energy and minimising the resources we need to drive our businesses

– investing in our teams so we can attract the best talent and help all the team become more productive

– and looking for the markets and products and services which will help us to grasp the opportunities that will come from these challenges require all of us in the business community to embrace the changes.

And that in truth is the reason we are all here tonight – to showcase all of you in the Merton business community who have proved you know how to meet the challenges, how to innovate and use your creativity, flair and ingenuity to grasp the opportunities and to excel.

So from the record number of entries for this year’s Awards you and your businesses are – to quote Top Gun Maverick – the best of the best. We are delighted to have the opportunity to applaud all of you here tonight as finalists and celebrate with you all“.

WSM Advisors  – Awards presented:

Simon presented The Best Enterprising Business Award to the company Desk Pro.

Wendy Patterson presented The Overall Winner of the MBBA went to Rainbow Productions.

For a list of all the winners please visit www.mertonchamber.co.uk