Fast Forward 15 is delighted to announce the return of the Fast Forward 15 Mentoring Awards, to be hosted at The QEII Centre in central London on Friday 24th April 2026, one of London’s most prestigious and versatile venues, situated in the heart of Westminster, in partnership with the Association of Business Mentors.

Partnership with the Association of Business Mentors

This year’s awards are in partnership with the Association of Business Mentors (ABM), one of our two headline sponsors. The Association of Business Mentors is the professional body for business mentoring. Through exceptional training, a thriving membership, and high standards of accreditation, they empower mentors and leaders to create lasting change for businesses of all shapes and sizes. ABM champions ethical, effective, and high-impact mentoring, values that sit right at the heart of the Fast Forward 15 mission to empower women in the events, hospitality and travel sectors to reach their full potential.

As part of this exciting partnership, ABM will be delivering two upcoming workshops (watch this space for more!), provide professional business mentoring expertise to the judging panel, and sponsor two very special awards, which we can’t wait to reveal (keep your eyes peeled!). These awards will shine a spotlight on the power of mentorship, leadership and the individuals driving meaningful change within our industry.

With the events, hospitality and travel industry expertise of Fast Forward 15 founder Fay Sharpe, and ABM’s professional mentoring standards and nationwide network, the partnership aims to champion impactful mentoring that drives both personal and business growth. Together, they share a vision to raise the profile of mentoring within business, recognising the mentors and mentees making a real difference, and inspiring more organisations to embed mentoring within their culture.

Reflecting on the partnership, ABM CEO Georgina Waite said:

“We had the privilege of judging at last year’s FF15 awards and were struck by the passion and dedication shown by mentors and mentees across the industry. The energy in the room on awards night and seen throughout all the entries was infectious. It was clear how deeply people cared about helping others grow through the power of mentoring. Partnering with FF15 felt like a natural step for us. Our values are aligned in celebrating and promoting the power of mentoring within business to help people grow and thrive.”

An Evening at the QEII Centre

This year’s FF15 cohort are excited to share the second headline sponsor, and official venue parter, the QEII Centre. Widely regarded as a beacon of British excellence, the 7-floor venue offers 32 adaptable conference and events spaces opposite Westminster Abbey, and hosts around 400 national and international events each year. The QEII Centre has won multiple awards including three gold awards at the Eventex Awards 2025 (in Venue, Versatile Venue and Venue Event Team categories), two gold awards at the Eventex Awards 2024 for Large Venue and Sustainable Venue and gold at the London Venue & Catering Awards 2023 (The Sustainability Award for Caterers).

Guests will enjoy a three-course dinner created by QEII Taste, the talented in-house catering team at the QEII Centre, a celebratory awards ceremony, and dedicated networking opportunities designed to inspire and connect industry professionals.

Nominations Now Open

Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, the awards continue to champion excellence in mentorship across the events and hospitality industry, and nominations are NOW OPEN! If you know of anyone who deserves industry recognition, or you would like to apply to celebrate your own achievements, then apply here!

The 2026 ceremony will once again honour the outstanding achievements of mentors, mentees, corporate event teams, agencies, and suppliers who have made significant contributions to developing talent and elevating the future of the sector. Open to all genders and organisations industry-wide, the awards aim to spotlight the transformative power of impactful mentorship.

Supporting FF15 Initiatives

As with previous years, the event will also raise vital funds to support two key Fast Forward 15 initiatives:

Fast Forward 15 Mentoring Programme – Founded by Fay Sharpe OBE, this not-for-profit, award-winning initiative provides aspiring female event professionals with invaluable mentorship from leading industry figures. Now in its eleventh year, the programme continues to empower women to accelerate their careers and shape the industry’s future.

FF15 University Challenge – A unique development programme that bridges the gap between education and employment. The challenge equips students with essential skills in creativity, project management, and networking to support their transition into professional roles within the events and hospitality sector.

Together, FastForward15 and ABM will celebrate innovation, collaboration and inspiration across the sector, and with their support, this year’s Awards promise to be our most memorable and impactful yet.

Ticket sales will open in January – date to be announced very soon!

For more information about the QEII Centre, visit www.qeiicentre.london. For more about the Association of Business Mentors, visit associationofbusinessmentors.org.

For enquiries, please contact:

Zoe Hill

zoe@fastforward15.co.uk

Prestige Events Magazine

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