Our Judges
Entries to the awards are judged by a panel of local business leaders and experts.
Our rigorous judging process involves pre-scoring to create preliminary shortlists before coming together to review collectively and determine our 2024 winners.
Entries to the awards are judged by a panel of local business leaders and experts.
Our rigorous judging process involves pre-scoring to create preliminary shortlists
before coming together to review collectively and determine our 2024 winners.
ALEX GREEN, RTW TOGETHER
Alex Green is the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Tunbridge Wells Together. Royal Tunbridge Wells Together CIC is a not-for-profit organisation that runs the RTW Business Improvement District (BID). It is funded by, and represents businesses in Royal Tunbridge Wells town centre. Alex was formerly the Chief Executive Officer of Trinity Theatre and prior to joining the BID as CEO was involved in a voluntary capacity for a number of years.
NICK MOORE, TUNBRIDGE WELLS BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Nick Moore is Managing Director of JJL Media & Marketing Ltd, publishers of Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine. Nick is an experienced Sales, Operational and Managing Director with a successful career spanning nearly thirty years working within the media, hospitality and marketing sectors. A creative and tenacious business professional, Nick has a proven track record in launching, establishing and developing businesses and teams and has spent many years working alongside, supporting and championing Tunbridge Wells businesses.
DAWN BLEE, SEVENOAKS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Dawn Blee joined as CEO of Sevenoaks District Chamber of Commerce in 2021, which has since expanded to include the Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge business communities in 2023. Dawn brings experience of working with an international hotel company as a director in Human Resources; has taken time out for a baby break; working as an associate in a small-medium sized organisation; managing the back office support for her husband’s company; developing her own company as a sole trader and most recently working with Sevenoaks District Council. Dawn was a judge at the Tonbridge Business Awards earlier this year.
NICK BRYANT, BRILLIANT BUSINESSES
Nick has interviewed over 500 businesses and business owners in the Tunbridge Wells area with his promotional platform Brilliant Businesses of Tunbridge Wells. Brilliant Businesses has grown into a thriving business with filmed podcasts and business shows dedicated in supporting and promoting businesses in and around Tunbridge Wells, focusing on the people behind the businesses with written stories about their business journeys, now with the added value of promoting the businesses and their people with filmed podcasts and interviews, discussing their triumphs and challenges. Following the success of Brilliant Businesses, Nick has launched the Tunbridge Wells Business Show which will be held at Salomons Estate on 7th November.
LYNNE GADSDEN, EIGHT WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Lynne has advised clients and businesses as a Financial Planner for 30 years. She has run her own business with husband and fellow adviser, Michael, for 22 years, first as an IFA and then with St. James’s Place Wealth Management. In December 2023 they merged the business with Eight Wealth Management. Lynne is one of the leading advisers and most qualified in her industry, becoming a Chartered Financial Planner and Fellow of the CII, together with holding the Society of Later Life Advisers accreditation. She won Financial Adviser of the Year in the South East in 2020 in the Women in Finance Awards and was a finalist in 2021 & 2022. She was a finalist for Woman of the Year for retirement planning and vulnerable clients. The practice were finalists in the Chartered Financial Practice awards within SJP for 2 years and, in 2023, won Family Business of the Year in the Tunbridge Wells Business Awards. Lynne is a past President of the West Kent Chamber of Commerce and founder of enTWine through which she passionately supports Tunbridge Wells businesses.
JESS GIBSON, THE TN CARD
With a background in marketing and events, Jess launched the TN card in 2020 as a practical way of encouraging our community to shop locally. The TN card now works with over 900 local businesses from retail and hospitality to health, leisure and professional services and promotes High Street businesses without charge through social media, photography, press, podcasts, workshops, community events and more. The TN card is a certified Social Enterprise, putting social purpose before profit. Memberships are digital via the TN card's iOS and Android app, and the TN card is being adopted as a staff benefit by local employers keen to give back. To date the TN card has donated £26,000 to West Kent Mind. Jess is a speaker, podcast presenter and a writer for two local magazines. Accolades include Entrepreneur of the Year (KWIBA 2022), Start Up Business of the Year (Times of TW Business Awards 2022), Best New Business and Best Micro Enterprise (Sevenoaks Business Awards 2023). She is the founder and organiser of the Tonbridge Business Awards and Tunbridge Wells Business Awards.
Jeremy Whittaker, Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council
Jeremy Whittaker has been the Economic Regeneration Manager at Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council since 2019, having worked at the Council since 2015. Jeremy is responsible for delivering a range of programmes aimed at supporting local businesses, as well as overseeing corporate performance management. Before working at Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council, Jeremy worked in a number of roles in both Town Planning and Regeneration across Kent.
