News

Sussex Chamber Business Awards 2026 Finalists

Posted on in News

We were delighted to take part in this year’s Sussex Chamber Business Awards.

MYA was shortlisted in two categories: Scale Up Business of the Year and Export Business of the Year, for which we were delighted to be named a finalist among some impressive local businesses.

For a small business from Hastings, this means a great deal.

When we moved to Hastings in 2017, we believed the creativity, independence and entrepreneurial spirit of Hastings and St Leonards would be good for business.

We were right.

Also worthy of mention is that one of the other finalists, Kurt J. Lesker, is also a Hastings-based company. That matters. It shows that serious commercial ambition, export thinking and technical excellence are not confined to the usual postcodes.

Since beginning our export journey in 2022, our ambition has been clear: to search the world for the best contracts, win them, and bring that value back to Hastings through skilled work, opportunity and growth.

Today, MYA is working internationally across Saudi Arabia, the USA, Europe and China, alongside some of the world’s leading architects and project teams on major cultural, hospitality, education and destination projects.

We believe towns need both social purpose and economic purpose. Recognition like this matters because it shows that commercial creativity, design intelligence and international ambition do not have to sit in London. They can grow here, on the south coast, with all the grit, wit and occasional sea fog that entails.

Huge congratulations to all the winners and nominees, especially given the strength of the competition across Sussex.

And sincere thanks to UK Export Finance, the Department for Business and Trade, and Sussex Chamber of Commerce for their support.

We’re proud of this milestone.

But we’re not done.

Watch this space.

Recent posts

Categories

  • We recently worked with the team at MYA on a bid for a tender for multiple catering sites. Their proactive, innovative and dynamic approach to the task was a breath of fresh air, and we were able to work systematically through a complex set of designs with an abundance of creativity and design options to consider. Throughout the whole process, the team at MYA were fully engaged and, above all, great fun to work with. I will definitely be working with the team again on future projects and would highly recommend them as design consultants.

    Steven Braithwaite, Managing Director, Somerset Larder

  • We recently had the pleasure of collaborating with MYA on the City of London School for Girls project at the Barbican, London. One of the standout aspects of MYA’s involvement was their swift, detailed, and highly effective coordination of design elements. MYA’s proactive approach, attention to detail, and dedication to achieving design harmony made them an invaluable partner in this project. Their ability to strategically align diverse design aspects contributed significantly to the success of the collaboration, reinforcing the importance of well-integrated teamwork in delivering high-quality solutions.

    Simon Spiteri, Director/Architect, Cowan Architects

  • The team, led by Carla McKenzie, were meticulous in every detail. They modelled the cleaning requirements to deliver the optimum solution for the facilities across EMEA, and really took time to understand the culture of our business. I have no hesitation in recommending MYA and its team – they are dedicated and innovative, and always go the extra mile.

    Natalia Ros Vargas, Office Team Leader, Booking.com

  • Carla and her team have broad experience in the industry. Apart from being very supportive in inventing (new) concepts, they also make use of their many years of experience when implementing these concepts. Their ultimate goal is to let people enjoy honest and good food.

    Marcel Bisselink, Owner, Daily Fresh Food, Galeen, Netherlands

  • Carla and her team worked tirelessly with us to ensure our very international and cross-cultural needs were met with great creativity and skill. They listened to us, responded to our needs and delivered above expectations.

    Angela Hencher, Director of Business Administration, Dulwich College, Shanghai Pudong

  • They are brave enough to challenge others in pursuit of the ultimate solution, whether it be behind the scenes with kitchen flow and catering management, or front-of-house service and design.

    Richard Russell, Catering Equipment Distributor Director, Western Blueprint

  • If all companies who serve the independent school sector had your breadth of vision and openness of mind, I have little doubt that the sector would be a richer and more exciting place to be.

    Phillip Godfrey, Bursar, Halliford School

  • During the negotiation process, Carla’s knowledge and expertise enabled our company to achieve a very strong commercial outcome, and some significant savings were yielded from the exercise.

    Penny Arnold, Commercial & Operations Director, Fusion Lifestyle