In 2022, Futures created a new employee initiative to recognise those that have gone above and beyond in their role: the Futures Quarterly Award. Award winners are nominated by their peers for reasons ranging from strong client delivery and management to supporting their colleagues and contributing to team culture. The prize is two tickets to a sporting event of their choice including accommodation and travel where the budget allows, depending on how ambitious they have been with the event they choose!
Charlie Reed won the award in Q4 of 2023 as a Graduate Analyst and stayed within London to attend the vacant IBF heavyweight world title fight between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.
Most of our previous award winners have elected to spend the majority of their budget travelling to an abroad destination for their sporting event of choice, so it was refreshing to see Charlie break with tradition and use the award to attend an event much closer to home – and one of the biggest British boxing fights in history no less!
He received nominations from a whole host of colleagues, with some highlights listed below.
• “His positive attitude, willingness to take on and try new challenges, and friendly nature make him a pleasure to work with and be around in the office"
• “He is always available for a chat, or to advise on any matters where I might be unsure, making him a great and reliable confidant”
• “He jumped at the chance to support the recruitment efforts by manning the inbox and has been a great addition to the Python Working Group, even working on his own project to help with recruitment"
It’s pleasing to add that since winning the award, Charlie has continued going from strength to strength and was promoted to Analyst in April 2024.
With no budget needed for travel to Wembley Stadium, Charlie was able to spend the whole award on the event tickets. Reflecting on his decision, he said:
"One of the first fights I watched with my dad was Anthony Joshua defending his IBF heavyweight belt against Vladimir Klitschko at Wembley, so it was a proud moment to be able to come full circle and take him from the TV in the lounge to the crowd in person!"
As an avid fight fan, Charlie was set on attending either a UFC or boxing fight - but fortunately for him, boxing wasn't the only form of entertainment he saw on the night:
"The atmosphere was brilliant with a record 96,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, and we were fortunate enough to be sitting on the pitch, close to the action. It was a pretty surreal experience walking onto Wembley's pitch with thousands of fans around you, and certainly not something I'm likely to experience very often! As a bonus, we got to watch the frontman of one of my dad and I’s favourite bands, Liam Gallagher, perform a few Oasis classics before their reunion in 2025."
The experience left an impact on Charlie, and he went on to explain how the initiative has impacted the workplace:
"Whilst AJ was on the losing side, both boxers showed a level of heart and determination that was inspiring to take through to everyday life. I'm very grateful for the opportunity that Futures provided by creating this initiative, and I think it has helped to create a positive culture of celebrating colleague's achievements, which boosts both team morale and motivation."