Why Leadership Matters: Reflections on Winning the BVA Veterinary Leader Award 2026

Good leadership is always about the people around you, creating an environment where colleagues feel supported, listened to and able to develop, encouraging people to share ideas, and helping teams work through the difficult days as well as celebrating the good ones.

Leadership in the veterinary profession matters enormously. Ours is a demanding profession, and the pressures facing veterinary teams are real, especially over the past couple of years. A good leader does not need to have all the answers, but they do need to be visible, approachable, and willing to make space for others to succeed. The best leaders bring out the strengths in the people around them and help create workplaces where people want to stay, grow and do their best work. Our job as a leader is to make more leaders, not more followers.

Receiving the award gave me the chance to reflect on the people who have supported, challenged and inspired me throughout my career. I am very grateful to them, and to everyone who took the time to nominate me. It is a powerful feeling to know that colleagues have noticed the difference you are trying to make.

That is why I would encourage people to nominate someone for the 2027 BVA Veterinary Leader Award. Think about the colleague who leads and supports their team, speaks up for others or makes a positive difference every day. Recognition matters. A nomination can be a meaningful way to say thank you, to shine a light on great leadership and to celebrate the people helping to shape a stronger future for our profession.

Would you like to nominate someone for the BVA Veterinary Leader Award 2027?

Find out more about the award, or go straight to the nomination form.