Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) has announced the shortlist for its 2026 Scottish Financial Services Awards, with Aberdeen Group, Baillie Gifford, BlackRock, Lloyds Banking Group, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Aegon, Nationwide, HSBC Scotland, Morgan Stanley, Rathbones, Hampden Bank, Scottish National Investment Bank and Zumo among the firms recognised across seven categories.
The awards ceremony, sponsored by EY, will take place in Glasgow on 29 October 2026. Categories cover Business Growth, Changing Customer Needs, Fintech, Innovation, Net Zero, Rising Star and Skills & Inclusion. Aberdeen Group is shortlisted in three separate categories, including two nominations in Innovation — a partnership with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and its Stagecoach Pensions Transaction — plus Net Zero and a Rising Star nomination for Shannon Macnamara. Baillie Gifford features in Fintech and Innovation; Lloyds Banking Group in Innovation (for Fraud Protection with Agentic AI) and Net Zero; and cryptoasset firm Zumo in both Fintech and Net Zero.
Other firms and initiatives on the shortlist include Bank of Scotland Foundation and its Community Bank Digital Ambassadors, Hampden Bank, Scottish National Investment Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland’s Accelerator programme, Aegon’s Mylo, Tesco Insurance, a joint entry from the Edinburgh Futures Institute and Young Scot, Nationwide, Addepar, a partnership between Scottish Building Society and MaltedAi, BlackRock, Barclays’ Military Talent Strategy, HSBC Scotland’s Financial Education Team, Morgan Stanley’s Glasgow Young Professionals Network, and Future Asset. Individual Rising Star nominees include Gabriel Kane of 2i, Aarron Martin of BlackRock, Jason Stewart of Barclays, Will Rigg of Rathbones and Shannon Macnamara of Aberdeen Group.
SFE said last year’s event welcomed a record 730 guests and that this year’s ceremony looks set to sell out again.
“Every year, I am struck by the exceptional calibre of talent and the ambition behind the innovative, world-leading projects being designed, developed and delivered in Scotland. These achievements demonstrate the positive contribution our sector makes far beyond financial services, and our winners, nominees and the wider industry should be proud of what they are delivering,” said Sue Dawe, Chair of SFE.
“The strength and diversity of this year’s shortlist is a testament to the talent, innovation and global ambition that exists across Scotland’s financial and professional services sector. From developing new technologies and driving economic growth to delivering meaningful benefits for communities, the breadth of work being recognised shows the important role our sector plays in shaping Scotland’s future. I would like to congratulate everyone who has been shortlisted and recognise the contribution of all those working across the industry,” said Sandy Begbie, CEO of SFE.
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Scottish Financial Enterprise is the representative body for Scotland’s financial services industry. Dawe, who chairs SFE alongside her role as EY’s Scotland Managing Partner for Financial Services, became SFE’s first female chair in July 2024. Further information about SFE is available at https://www.sfe.org.uk/overview.
The full 2026 shortlist:
- Business Growth: Bank of Scotland Foundation; Hampden Bank; Scottish National Investment Bank; Royal Bank of Scotland – The Accelerator.
- Changing Customer Needs: Bank of Scotland Community Bank Digital Ambassadors; Mylo from Aegon; Tesco Insurance; Edinburgh Futures Institute & Young Scot; Nationwide.
- Fintech: Addepar; Baillie Gifford; Scottish Building Society & MaltedAi; Zumo.
- Innovation: 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.
- Net Zero: Aberdeen Group – in partnership with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology; Lloyds Banking Group; Zumo.
- Rising Star: Gabriel Kane, 2i; Aarron Martin, BlackRock; Jason Stewart, Barclays; Will Rigg, Rathbones; Shannon Macnamara, Aberdeen Group.
- Skills & Inclusion: Barclays – Military Talent Strategy; BlackRock; HSBC Scotland – Financial Education Team; Morgan Stanley – Glasgow Young Professionals Network; Future Asset.
