Five young licensing industry professionals have today (24 March) been confirmed as finalists for the UK Rising Star accolade at the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards 2025.
Sponsored by Licensing International, 2025 will mark the third year of this special award which recognises and rewards excellence among executives ‘new to the brand licensing sector’ in the UK who have shown real potential in its continued evolution.
The award is open to all young professionals aged 35 or under (on 24 April 2025) with a maximum of five years working experience in the brand and lifestyle licensing sector.
This year’s finalists are:
- Sam Billinghurst-Brown, retail and licensing associate, Retail Monster
- Jessica Church, legal contracts manager, Iconix International
- Matthew Gibson, head of partnerships and licensing, OddBalls Apparel
- Jack Hendy, licensing development executive, Royal Horticultural Society
- Monique Nijjer, brand manager, Beanstalk
“Licensing International is delighted to once again support the Rising Star award,” commented Steve Manners, vp of global marketing and UK managing director at Licensing International. “Empowering the next generation of brand licensing professionals to grow their expertise is at the heart of our mission. This year’s nominees showcase exceptional talent from all corners of the industry, making the selection process more exciting than ever. Regardless of the winner, one thing is certain – the future of the industry is in incredibly capable hands.”
Previous winners of the B&LLAs Rising Star Award include Oliver Gilding, head of licensing and innovation at Iceland Foods (2024) and Amy Austin, brand licensing junior buyer at DFS (2023).
Stay tuned to LicensingSource.net this week to find out the finalists across all categories.
The Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards 2025 takes place on Thursday 24 April at the Royal Lancaster London.
Tickets and tables can be reserved quickly and securely online by visiting Max-Tickets.net or by contacting Clare Hollick at Create Events: clare@createvents.co.uk or phone +44 (0)1183 340085.
For general questions regarding the B&LLAs 2025, please contact Ian Hyder, Jakki Brown, Rob Willis or Samantha Loveday.
