The QCA Annual Dinner 2026 welcomed nearly 300 leaders, policymakers, advisors, and corporate champions from across the UK’s financial market community. It was a vibrant celebration of Britain’s growth companies underpinned by a vital mission for the future of the UK economy.
Against the historic backdrop of the British Museum, the QCA Annual Dinner brought together a united community dedicated to backing UK growth. The event featured addresses from key figures across policy and markets, including City Minister Lucy Rigby KC MP, LSEG’s Head of AIM and UK Primary Markets, Marcus Stuttard, and QCA Chair Sangita Shah, before culminating in an entertaining after-dinner performance by renowned impressionist Rory Bremner.
The UK Economy is a Tapestry, Not a Monolith
In her keynote address, the QCA’s Chair Sangita Shah framed the identity and value of growing quoted businesses through the lens of the evening’s historic venue.
Just as the Bayeux Tapestry was painstakingly stitched together panel by panel by skilled artisans, the British economy is not a single monolith driven solely by mega-cap titans. It is a rich tapestry, built and sustained by the grit, innovation, and resilience of smaller growth companies and their supporting ecosystem.
Sangita highlighted how growth among small and mid-cap companies translates directly into real-world economic impact:
- Regional Growth: Hiring apprentices in the Midlands, expanding research hubs in Wales, and revitalising high streets across the North.
- Green Tech Pioneers: Engineering carbon-capture systems and smart grids to power our future.
- Life Sciences Trailblazers: Developing next-generation diagnostic tools in mid-sized labs to catch diseases early and save lives.
- Advanced Manufacturing: Keeping the UK at the cutting edge of global engineering and applied technology.
- Overcoming Burden and Breaking “Tick and Flick” Culture
”We represent over nine hundred companies listed on the UK’s growth markets. We contribute billions in taxes to fund our public services. We may well be a niche footnote in the Budget, but we are a critical cog in the engine room of British growth.
Sangita ShahChair, Quoted Companies Alliance
Recent positive strides were also acknowledged, including LSEG’s listing reforms, consultations on modern corporate reporting, and efforts to rewire collective risk appetite.
For too long, the small and mid-cap sector has functioned as the “overlooked middle child” of the financial ecosystem; positioned between high-profile start-ups and institutional mega-caps. To unlock their full potential, the Chair called for an end to the “tick and flick” compliance culture that hinders boardrooms and stifles ambition, urging regulators and policymakers to shift focus toward enabling success rather than fear of failure.
It was a pleasure to welcome Lucy Rigby KC MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury who delivered a resonant message on the national significance of the growth cap ecosystem.
In her address, the Minister recognised that reforming and revitalising UK capital markets is essential for the future health of the wider economy. Highlighting the Government’s shared ambition to unlock investment, strip away unnecessary regulatory complexity, and power growth across every region of the country, the Minister called for continued collaboration with the QCA to build a modern financial framework fit for tomorrow’s market leaders
Marcus Stuttard, Head of AIM and UK Primary Markets at the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), reinforced the foundational role that AIM plays in nurturing high-growth businesses across the nation.
Addressing the room, he emphasized how vital vibrant, growth-oriented public markets are for scaling companies, providing them with the patient capital necessary to innovate, expand, and generate long-term economic value. His speech underlined LSEG’s commitment to driving capital market reforms that ensure market venues like AIM remain competitive, accessible, and an engine for entrepreneurship.
Looking Ahead: Championing British Growth
While the Annual Dinner provided a welcome opportunity to pause, celebrate, and reflect on the strength of our community, it also served as an emphatic call to action.
As we look to the year ahead, the QCA remains relentless in its pursuit of a fairer, more proportionate financial market ecosystem. We will continue to challenge disproportionate regulatory burdens, campaign fiercely for structural capital allocation – including our call on the British Business Bank to invest in growth companies – and ensure that the voices of small and mid-cap companies are heard at the highest levels of government and regulation.
Our growth markets are the engine room of British enterprise, incubating the technology, life science, and manufacturing titans of tomorrow. Standing alongside our members, advisers, and market partners, the QCA is committed to converting the shared energy of this year’s dinner into decisive action – building a dynamic, competitive, and resilient capital market environment that serves businesses across every corner of the UK.
