With nominations officially closed for the 2026 35 Under 35 awards, the focus turns to how the next generation of financial leaders will be chosen. Here is an inside look at our weighted scoring framework, judging principles, and evaluation criteria designed to ensure a transparent process for every candidate.
With nominations officially closed, our attention shifts to the most critical stage of the campaign: deciding who makes the final list.
Every year, this ranking highlights the next generation of accountancy professionals shaping practice, industry, and financial leadership across the UK. Given the volume and high quality of entries submitted this year, we want to give our audience, nominees, and firm leaders complete transparency over how the 2026 cohort will be evaluated.
Here is an inside look at our judging process, scoring framework, and timeline.
To ensure every nominee is judged fairly, regardless of firm size or background, we move away from subjective impressions. Every entry is anonymised and evaluated using a weighted, 100-point scoring framework designed to reward holistic impact rather than job titles alone.
Judges score candidates from 1 to 5 across five key pillars:
Technical accuracy is the baseline. We look for hard proof of results. A score of 5 requires clear, quantified outcomes—such as driving firm revenue growth, leading cost-saving efficiency gains, or delivering critical client projects.
True leadership goes beyond job titles. We evaluate how candidates guide teams, mentor younger peers, influence senior stakeholders, and advocate for change within their organisations.
The profession is evolving fast. This pillar rewards candidates who actively modernise accounting through AI adoption, process automation, digital transformation, or developing new service lines.
Commercial growth matters, but so does building a better profession. Judges evaluate contributions to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, internal firm culture, pro bono work, and community outreach.
From shifting tax regulations to economic uncertainties, modern accountants must navigate constant change. We measure how nominees handle complex regulatory environments and help clients or firms adapt smoothly.
To illustrate how this framework operates, consider a candidate who demonstrates exceptional business impact and technology leadership:
Tangible Impact (30%): Score 5 Re-architected a core service line, generating £250k in new annual recurring revenue.
Leadership & Influence (20%): Score 4 Formally mentors three junior staff members and leads cross-department project teams.
Innovation & Future Focus (20%): Score 5 Implemented an AI-driven workflow that reduced compliance turnaround times by 40%.
Cultural & Community Contribution (15%): Score 4 Leads the regional firm’s internal inclusion committee.
Strategic Agility (15%): Score 5 Successfully guided 50+ corporate clients through complex regulatory updates without disruption.
Final Weighted Score: 92/100
This structured approach ensures that nominees with strong technical delivery but limited innovation or leadership are evaluated on equal footing with candidates making broad, strategic contributions.
Our independent panel, comprising leaders from across Big Four, mid-tier, SME, and tech sectors follows clear core guidelines:
Evidence over title: A senior manager at a Big Four firm and a partner at an SME boutique are assessed purely on the evidence and outcomes provided in their submissions.
Conflict management: Judges declare all commercial, professional, or personal connections and recuse themselves where necessary.
Rewarding future potential: The list recognises professionals who are actively shaping where the profession is going, not just those meeting today’s targets.
Mid-July to 1 August: Judges independently review and score the anonymised entries using our structured framework.
Late August: Accountancy Age team compiles weighted scores and conducts a final review.
September: The 2026 35 Under 35 winners will be revealed in four waves across the Accountancy Age site.
13 October: Winners and judges will gather in London, for our in-person celebration event.
Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination or put themselves forward this year. The standard of entries is remarkable, and we look forward to announcing the Class of 2026 this autumn.
