We are incredibly proud to announce a major milestone for our leadership team. Our founder and CEO, Leena Parmar, has been officially named a Top 10 Finalist for SME Business of the Year at the prestigious 3rd British Asian Women Awards 2026.
Presented by Oceanic Awards, this recognition celebrates the grit, innovation, and outstanding contributions of female entrepreneurs across the United Kingdom. For Citrus Connect, this nomination represents far more than business growth; it is a testament to resilience, strategic alignment, and setting a benchmark for leadership within the UK recruitment sector.
Leadership, Resilience, and Driving Business Growth
True leadership is rarely a straight line. For Leena and the team at Citrus Connect, this recognition comes on the heels of a significant period of quiet restructuring, reflection, and intentional design. Navigating testing times behind the scenes has ultimately paved the way for a stronger, more aligned foundation.
As an agency specialising in sourcing top-tier employed and self-employed sales professionals, we understand that sustainable growth requires precision and adaptability. This finalist status highlights Leena’s dedication to redefining industry standards by putting authentic partnerships and high-fidelity operations at the core of everything we do.
“When you go through a period of deep shedding and restructuring, you realise that true leadership isn’t about maintaining a perfect façade,” Leena shared.
“It’s about standing firmly in your truth, protecting your foundation, and continuing to build with alignment, precision, and grace. To be recognised in the SME category alongside so many phenomenal women architecting change across the UK is deeply humbling.”
What This Means for the Citrus Connect Community
For our clients and candidates, Leena’s nomination reinforces deep brand trust and security. When you collaborate with an agency led by a resilient, award-nominated entrepreneur, you are partnering with an organisation built to weather challenges and deliver consistent commercial outcomes.
The finals will take place on July 30th. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Irfan Younis (Founder), Yasmin Mahmood (CEO), and the entire team at Oceanic Awards for creating a platform that champions female entrepreneurship. Regardless of the outcome on the night, the real win has already been found in our journey and our continued dedication to the UK sales market.
- For Employers: We remain dedicated to elevating your hiring pipeline. Discover how we build high-performing teams through our bespoke sales recruitment service.
- For Candidates: We connect ambitious professionals with premium sales vacancies. Explore our platform to view all current roles and take the next step in your career.
The full list of this year’s exceptional finalists can be viewed via the official Oceanic Awards Announcement.
Related Reading
- Learn more about our company ethos and journey on our About Citrus Connect page.
- See real-world evidence of our strategies in action by exploring our collection of case studies.
- Ready to transform your sales team? Book a consultation with our expert consultants today.
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