Yesterday, AKQA received perhaps the highest accolade that it's possible for a UK business to receive; The Queen's Award for Enterprise. AKQA, a digital company with over 1500 employees and offices across the world (in Europe, the Americas and Asia) was awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise Innovation at the 49th annual award ceremony, which recognises businesses which have shown outstanding growth. Businesses are put forward for the award on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, and there are three main categories singled out in the form of international trade, sustainable development, and of course, innovation, which is where AKQA have excelled.
“This is a tremendous recognition for the team to have its hard work and ingenuity recognised.” Ajaz Ahmed, AKQA Founder and CEO
The agency was issued the award due to their consistent contributions to the market, their continuous innovation for their clients, and their outstanding business results. Marketing manager Sorcha Lewis, explained that she feels the reason they were put forward for the award is because they are “Always looking at what's possible” for clients who “Don't know what opportunities exist.” These opportunities are constantly evolving in a landscape of digital and mobile media, which has changed the face of the advertising industry, and AKQA are an agency who have always moved ahead of the tide. CEO Ajaz Ahmed, who founded the company back in 1994 said of the award that it is a “Tremendous recognition for the team to have its hard work and ingenuity recognised.” He says that his company are “Truly honoured” to receive the award, and that they “Look forward to continuing to the adventure ahead, both in the UK and overseas, with energy and momentum.”
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Matthew Hancock, the Minister for Skills and Enterprise, believes that when it comes to the Queen's Award, the “Size of a company is no barrier to their success.” Indeed, whilst AKQA are a global entity, some of the winners have less than 10 employees. Hancock believes that small businesses are “The backbone of the economy and deserve to be recognised as such,” and whilst AKQA could hardly be called small, it's certainly not as mammoth a company as many of their rivals, even when taking into account its parent company, WPP, which is run by its founder, British advertising legend, Sir Martin Sorrell.
Last year AKQA opened its 11th and 12th offices in Tokyo, Japan and Gurgaon, India
Some of the products and campaigns that were singled out when underlining AKQA's win including a programme for using social media to discover new football talent, and a piece of bespoke personal training software which uses full body sensor technology. Last year AKQA opened its 11th and 12th offices in Tokyo, Japan (with clients including Nike and Nissan) and Gurgaon, India. Later this year they plan to open their very first South American office.
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from the UK who has never received an award, not least from the Queen. He aspires to live to his 100th birthday for that very reason.
