A night of excellence at the BRCC Awards Gala 2025

The British Romanian Chamber of Commerce organized the 3rd Edition of the BRCC AWARDS GALA on the 19th of February, at JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel, after the success of the previous editions aiming to recognize the champions of 2024 in business, NGO’s and Education, and continuing to provide excellent services for their members and community.

The gala recognized seven outstanding winners for their ambition, resilience, and innovative efforts in strengthening their communities, tackling environmental challenges, and enhancing UK-Romania relations. Over 150 international guests came together last Wednesday to celebrate the achievements of the 2024 BRCC Awards recipients. This year’s Gala honored outstanding achievements within the BRCC network, with the esteemed presence of His Majesty’s Ambassador of Great Britain to Romania, Giles Portman and the Royal Family, represented by Constanta Iorga – Head of Her Majesty’s Household, Royal Family of Romania.

The winners of this edition are:
• Start-up of the year – Businessverse
• Sustainability and Environment Award – Remesh
• NGO Initiative of the year – Youth Cancer Europe
• BRCC Special Award – Airbus
• Community Impact Award (CSR) – Provident
• Best Innovation in Technology – Andel Environmental
• BRCC Champion – A_BEST Foreign Language Center

“It really was a truly exceptional evening with our BRCC members and His Majesty’s Ambassador Giles Portman to celebrate the outstanding achievements of 2024 and to highlight the ever growing opportunities for bi-lateral business. I look forward to, what we hope will be, a fruitful and peaceful 2025 for everyone particularly as we navigate this current challenging time for our dear neighbours in Ukraine. As stated in my opening words, we do hope that sensibility prevails,” said Colin Lovering – BRCC Chairman.

“It was as ever a great pleasure to attend the BRCC gala on 19 February. I was honoured to join the jury and then be asked to present the NGO Initiative of the Year Award award to Remesh, who I know well via Ateliere Fara Frontiere. The evening was punctuated by some great entertainment from the IBSB singers, and the Alice in Wonderland fashion parade. All in all a most enjoyable evening, the only downside is that I leave Romania in the summer so will miss it next year so have to say “it’s goodnight from him”! Good luck and may you go from strength to strength,” added Chris Frean – Head of the Prosperity Team at the British Embassy in Bucharest.

“It’s fantastic to see BRCC hosting this event and recognising the contributions of both for-profit and non-profit entities to the Romanian-UK bilateral landscape. The UK has had a profound influence on Romania’s non-profit sector since the 1989 revolution, shaping civil society and driving progress in key areas. At the same time, UK companies have consistently led the way in corporate social responsibility, setting high standards for community engagement and social impact. Having a platform that acknowledges these contributions is invaluable. Youth Cancer Europe was born out of Little People’s expertise in youth cancer advocacy and has since become a powerhouse across Europe—empowering, advocating, lobbying, inspiring, and leading the way in the youth cancer space. The scale of what Youth Cancer Europe has achieved in such a short time is remarkable, redefining the landscape and setting new standards globally. We thank BRCC, for recognising and awarding Youth Cancer Europe,” stated Shajjad Hadier Rizvi MBE – CEO of Resysten International Ltd.

“The third edition of the British Romanian Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala was a great event where we celebrated our members’ amazing accomplishments. I would like to congratulate again all the applicants for the Awards as there were many inspiring projects which we, the jury, learned about and thank them for their continuous support for our bilateral chamber. With the third edition of the BRCC Awards Gala, we can proudly say that we have now established a tradition within our business community, which has shown an ever-growing enthusiasm for competing for these prestigious awards,.” said Mihai Marinescu – Head of Jury and Business Transformation Director at EY Romania

“This Community Impact Award is a testament to our commitment to support young artists from vulnerable environments and to the power of education and culture to transform lives. Through the stART Scholarships, we have supported talent beyond barriers, proving that every dream deserves a chance. This recognition fuels our promise to continue investing in the next generation of Romanian artists, ensuring their voices and creativity shape the future.” stated Ciprian Sandu – Senior Public Affairs & CSR Manager, Provident Financial Romania.

“We are glad for the opportunity to participate as a Diamond Partner at this prestigious event and to be part of the Romanian-British business community. We strongly believe in long-term partnerships, they bring inspiration, impact and develop a favorable context for everyone involved. Congratulations to all companies and organizations that have entered projects in the competition and encourage them to continue to bring change in the environments they operate. We look forward to maintaining this partnership and we are open for future, strong and successful collaboration,” said Elena Pap – Director Europe at Up Group.

“Attending the BRCC Gala and receiving this recognition was a true honor. A_BEST has been a proud member of the Chamber for many years, and this special award is a testament to our shared commitment to high-quality education and professional growth. At A_BEST, we believe that language is more than communication, it is a bridge to opportunities, connections and business success. I also look forward to continuing our work within the BRCC community, especially in advocating for gifted education in Romania. Together, we can build a future where education, in all its forms, really opens doors to new opportunities!”, stated Aura Icodin, CEO & Founder of A_BEST Foreign Language Center.

“Proud to be the Strategic Partner of BRCC for another outstanding Gala event, and many congratulations for the Superbrands status, which was recently awarded to BRCC, confirming its major role in moving forward the business and investments in our market” said Catalina Rousseau, President&CEO, BDR Associates and Country Manager Superbrands.

“We are extremely pleased to win this award and we would like to thank the BRCC for all of their support. Since establishing ourselves here in Romania 3 years ago, we have had lots of support from the BRCC team, other business members and also from the British Embassy. Andel was established in the UK over 30 years ago and we manufacture some niche products that are designed to prevent water wastage and other products that help protect properties from damage caused by water leaks or flooding. Our main focus has always been around water but our systems can also monitor for oil and gas leaks. It has been tough trying to develop the market in Romania but events like the Awards Gala really help to get us recognised and allow us to showcase what we can do,” stated Peter Double – Managing Director at Andel.

BRCC congratulates all nominees and winners across various categories, celebrating business success stories from across the UK and Romania. The night started with the soulful melodies of live jazz, featuring a captivating saxophone performance, complemented by a warm welcome of exquisite prosecco, courtesy of Moldova’s renowned Castle Mimi. Throughout the evening, the guest enjoyed two captivating special moments. The first one represented a talented choir of children from the International British School of Bucharest, adding a touch of elegance and inspiration to this unforgettable evening. The second one was a dazzling fashion show „Alice in UNArteLAND”, inspired by Tim Burton’s movie “Alice in Wonderland” and created by students from UNArte Bucharest, Fashion Design Department.

The BRCC Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in business, innovation, and education by honoring companies that have made significant contributions to their communities. These awards recognize programs that uphold the highest standards, organizations that have actively fostered business growth both locally and internationally, and those that have played a vital role within the BRCC community, making a notable impact in 2024. The award winners stand as inspiring leaders, embodying the core values of dedication, excellence, and commitment to success.

More details here: https://brcconline.eu/brcc-awards-gala-2025/

About BRCC
The British-Romanian Chamber of Commerce is the leading business organization promoting bilateral trade and investments between the United Kingdom and Romania. Its mission is to facilitate and enhance trade between these two countries through business dialogues. The British-Romanian Chamber of Commerce plays a significant role in creating and sustaining an environment in which free trade and investments can flourish. By facilitating partnerships and having an extensive network of corporate members and key personalities, BRCC provides essential support through resources, knowledge, and infrastructure, crucial for UK companies to make the most of emerging opportunities in Romania and for Romanian companies. Established in 1998, BRCC is an independent organization wholly owned by its members, with offices in London, Bucharest, Cluj, and Sibiu.