Tomorrow (23rd April), our team are heading to Glasgow for the NG Group Awards 2026, and we're proud to be shortlisted in three categories: Technical Team of the Year, Marketing Team/Campaign of the Year, and MSP of the Year (+£2.5m turnover). For us, that is more than a moment of recognition. It's a reflection of the people across Apex who have worked hard over the last year to strengthen how we support customers, how we work together, and how we continue to grow as a business.
What makes these shortlistings feel so special is that they don't belong to one department, they reflect the combined effort of the whole business and the incredible people we have. They reflect the leadership of Chris and Daniel, the operational direction of Brandon, the marketing efforts of Rachael and the whole team that contribute to them, and the wider input from colleagues across service desk, project, operations, client relationships, and support who help make Apex what is it every day.
Whatever happens on the night, being shortlisted in these three categories is something we're hugely proud of - and we couldn't ask for a better team to celebrate!
Our MSP of the Year shortlisting recognises the wider Apex business and the service customers experience every day. At the heart of Apex is a simple goal: make IT simple. That means combining responsive support with proactive thinking, strong onboarding, strategic relationship management and real day-to-day partnership. It means working in a way that feels like an extension of our customers' teams, not just another supplier.
We have also continued to strengthen the foundations behind its service. Over the past year, we have maintained Investors in People Silver, continued embedding ISO 9001, renewed Cyber Essentials Plus for the sixth consecutive year, strengthened capability through SonicWall Platinum Partner status and three Microsoft Solutions Partner designations, and been recognised by Pax8 with its Peak Performance - Networking and Communications award.
These achievements aren't just badges, they represent a team that believes in doing things properly. A team that holds itself to the same standards it recommends to customers. A team that continues to invest in learning, improvement and long-term quality.
A great example of this approach is our Apex Cyber Security Sphere - a managed security offering that combined 24/7 monitoring, alerting and automation with human-led triage and incident response from our in-house specialists. It reflects the way we work at our best: smart technology, clean process and experienced people working together to protect customers and solve problems before they escalate.
Our shortlist for Technical Team of the Year is a celebration of a team that has continued to evolve, strengthen and support one another in meaningful ways.
Under the leadership of Brandon, Apex's technical team has focused on building a more people-focused technical culture; one rooted in clarity, accountability development, and continuous improvement. That has included refreshed values, clearer role profiles, stronger one-to-one conversations, and a greater emphasis on coaching and progression across the team; all of which has been greatly innovated and supported by our recently appointed Operations Manager, Dale, and Service Desk Manager, Simon.
One of the most important development has been the creation of a more visible route for career progression within Apex. Team members can now see more clearly how they can grow from frontline roles through to Tier 3, Projects, and beyond. Ross, one of our T3 Engineers, is a great example of that journey in action, having completed his secondment in late 2025. His progress reflects the kind of environment Apex wants to keep building - one where good people are supported to grow, develop and challenge themselves.
What makes that achievement especially important is the people behind it. These designations aren't simple badges - they're independent validation that our people, processes and delivery meet Microsoft's standards, and they were earned through months of focused effort, continuous learning and day-to-day commitment alongside customer delivery. Team members including Brandon, Paul, Luke, Michael and Josh all played key roles in that achievement, supported by the wider technical team. It's a brilliant reflection of the culture Apex is continuing to build: one where people are encouraged to develop their expertise and turn that growth into better outcomes for customers.
That investment in people is making a real different to delivery too. Our project function, formed into a fully functioning team in February 2025 with the introduction of our Projects Coordinator, Harriet, has gone from strength to strength, with more structure, better planning, daily check-ins and stronger governance throughout the delivery process, all headed up by our Project Manager, Daryl. One standout example was the successful onboarding and technical enablement of nearly 300 users, supported by Luke and Craig, and devices for a customer in India - a major project that required close coordination across time zones and third-party suppliers, and one that showed just how far the team has come.
What sits behind all of this is a technical team that genuinely works together, and a lot of that is down to the guidance and leadership of our Head of Operations, Brandon. Collaboration has become stronger. Knowledge-sharing has become more natural. People are more confident in challenging old habits and shaping better ways of working, for the benefit of not only our team but to give true value to the customers we serve too.
Our shortlist for Marketing Team/Campaign of the Year marks a huge step forward in how Apex tells its story.
When marketing came fully in-house in early 2025, the goal wasn't simple to "do more marketing". It was to build something more consistent, more strategic and more measurable - a function that could raise awareness of Apex across Greater Manchester while staying true to where we are as a people-first IT partner.
A huge part of that work has been led by our Marketing Manager, Rachael, who has helped build a stronger and more recognisable marketing presence for Apex. Over the last year, that has included higher-visibility campaigns, Apex's first trade exhibition campaign, stronger use of our internal tools, automation and nurture activity, a more consistent social and content strategy, and a bigger focus on knowledge-sharing, upskilling and video-led storytelling.
Internal experts have stepped forward to share their knowledge, like Stephen, Luke, Brandon, Michael, Christy, Faizan, Josh, Hasan, Harriet, Matthew and Ross who have contributed to sharing their expertise to make IT simpler for everyone and contributing their ideas, insight and energy to our marketing.
We've even had team members like Daryl, Harriet and Femi who have been the face of Apex on large billboards around the city! Marketing has become more human, more collaborative and more reflective of the real people behind Apex. That has included expert-led activity such as the Cyber Security Webinar, led by Paul, as well as longer-form content like our Sentinel cyber security magazine, digital transformation and IT strategy.
This shortlisting also reflects the role marketing has played internally, not just externally. Over the last year, Apex launched refreshed Values content, introduced the Apex Values Awards (with huge leadership from Brandon), and brought fresh energy to internal engagement and company-wide activities. This matters because a strong brand is never just about visibility - it's about culture, consistency and helping people feel proud of where they work and the service they provide.