Event details

Location: The Virgin Hotel Shoreditch

Date: Thursday 8 October

Dress code: Smart casual

• 17:00 - Arrival cocktail & mocktail reception
• 17:30 - A conversation with a guest speaker, followed by awards presentation
• 18:50 - After party
• 21:00 - Event close

View our FAQs for more information.

Food and drink

A selection of cocktails, bubbles, zero-proof sips, and delicious food.

Whilst guests networked, there was a serving a selection of small bites, bowl foods and desserts.

Paul McNamee, Editor, Broadcaster & Consultant 

Paul McNamee was, until April 2026, Editorial Director of Big Issue Group.

He started out on local newspapers in Northern Ireland before co-founding Belfast-based Irish music magazine Blank with Colin Murray 29 years ago. He moved to the NME in London and subsequently wrote for titles including the Daily Mirror, The Guardian, The Times, Belfast Telegraph and The Irish Times. He had been with Big Issue for 19 years where he guided the business through a shift to digital-first output, while maintaining street sales.

He has been named British Editor of The Year four times and was voted Editors Editor by the British Society of Magazine Editors, voted was named Editor of the Year four times by the leading publishing industry body PPA, was inducted into the PPA Scotland Hall of Fame in 2021.

He recently served as Chairman of the board of trustees of Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre and on the board of Glasgow Jazz Festival.

Also a broadcaster, he is a regular contributor to news, politics and sports shows across the BBC and Sky.