Nexus Vehicle Rental is “the UK's leading tech-driven business mobility provider” with nearly 20 years' experience as pioneers in developing innovative technology to make business mobility efficient and effective.

Nexus Vehicle Rental is “the UK's leading tech-driven business mobility provider” with nearly 20 years' experience as pioneers in developing innovative technology to make business mobility efficient and effective.

Its revolutionary online rental booking and management platform IRIS, developed in-house by its specialist IT team, is central to the organisation's success and growth, which led to the company's win at the 2018 Lloyds Bank National Business Awards.

With just over a month to go until the 2019 awards ceremony we spoke with David Brennan, CEO, to catch up on how business has been since winning The Elite London Stock Exchange Group Scale-Up Award.

Q. What was your initial motivation for entering The Lloyds Bank National Business Awards?

A. We're a relatively small company in Leeds, but the business has been going through a period of huge growth over the last three years. We're constantly looking for opportunities to communicate our growth to a wider audience and increase the knowledge of our brand across the UK.

That's what drew us to our category. The Elite London Stock Exchange Group Scale-Up Award was all about recognising growth – and the brand recognition of the Elite London Stock Exchange Group as the award sponsor, as well as the Awards themselves and the headline sponsor Lloyds Bank, is very strong.

All in all, The Lloyds Bank National Business Awards looked like the premium business awards to enter.

Q. We're approaching this year's Awards ceremony – can you tell us a bit about how it felt last year?

A. We were proud to be shortlisted as a finalist and to be part of a group of companies all being recognised for their growth.

With industry events, you sometimes have a feeling that you may win, but with an event like this with so many finalists across different industries, you have no idea! We had no real expectation of winning, but we were very proud to be involved and to receive the great brand recognition that comes with being a finalist.

Q. And how did it feel to win?

A. We were gobsmacked! We were very surprised and very, very delighted to be able to go up on stage and receive the award from Naga Munchetty. It felt brilliant to get recognition for our business and our growth. It's great brand recognition and we were proud to be involved.

As a board of directors we can sometimes underestimate the value of being shortlisted for an award like this, but for those colleagues working on the ground every day and who have seen the business grow, that external recognition is a powerful motivator and was very well-received. It's been useful for the recruitment process as well as staff wellbeing and mindsets.

Q. How has business been since the win?

A. We've had another very strong growth year and are continuing to flourish. Nexus Vehicle Rental is a technology platform and we're disrupting the way our industry works, which has led to us winning lots of new brands, including more blue chip and public sector clients and trebling our volumes in the heavy goods vehicle market. We've continued to win more awards after another really good twelve months; the National Business Awards was our first main award win!

Q. What advice do you have for anyone thinking of entering the awards in the future?

A. Personally I think award wins are a very powerful advocacy tool and endorsement for your business, especially programmes like The Lloyds Bank National Business Awards. As well as being judged by independent business leaders, you're being judged against your own industry and other industries at the same time – something like that really matters and has an impact on prospects when you meet them.

To be shortlisted you need very a strong story – and if you have that story you should be proud of it. Entering allows you to share it and celebrate your growth with your colleagues, suppliers, customers, investors and employees, and it's an opportunity to meet like-minded business leaders and other very strong entrepreneurs.

It's also a lot of fun!

The Lloyds Bank National Business Awards ceremony takes place 12th November at Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London. Join this year's finalists, sponsors, judges and Britain's business leaders for an unparalleled networking experience at a glamorous black-tie gala, where you'll hear from astronaut Major Tim Peake in an unforgettable keynote speech.