Reflections on winning the 2026 Thames Valley Property Awards
On 24 September, I had the enormous honour of receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Thames Valley Property Awards.
I knew I had been shortlisted, although the original nomination had come as a complete surprise. It was the final award of the evening and, when my name was announced, I genuinely hadn't expected to win.
Having had a little time to reflect, what makes this recognition particularly special is not simply the award itself, but what it represents.
I founded MWA in 2002, and over the last 24years we've experienced some incredible highs, plenty of challenges and and enormous amount of change. But this award was particularly significant because it recognised what we've achieved over the last year in growing our presence across the Thames Valley, developing our people and contributing to the communities around us.
The judges highlighted our commitment to putting people first, regional growth and community benefit. They also recognised resilience, openness and ambition.
Those comments meant a great deal to me.
From London roots to a growing Thames Valley presence
Although MWA's head office has always been in Henley-on-Thames, historically much of our work has been centred on London.
Coming out of Covid, I saw an opportunity to change that.
When CBS Interiors went into liquidation, we were able to bring some of its talented people into MWA, together with selected assets and established client relationships. It wasn't a conventional acquisition, but it gave us an opportunity to develop our presence and capabilities in the Thames Valley.
It was an important step, although the real progress has come more recently.
Earlier this year, MWA was recognised as Best Design & Build Partner for Enterprises, London 2026, at the Luxuri Awards. That was another proud moment, recognising the quality of the work we've delivered in London and the relationships we've built with some exceptional clients.
Our ambition now is to build on that success and establish the same reputation across the Thames Valley.
And over the last 12 months, we've made significant progress towards achieving exactly that.
Our work has included a 40,000 sq ft refurbishment for Northern & Shell in Redhill, the new headquarters for private aviation company Volanteus in Crawley, projects for Bahlsen Biscuits in Bourne End and Select Car Leasing in Reading, and work at Ascot Racecourse.
We've also delivered the transformation of a former agricultural barn in Hampshire into Barnsgrove Club, creating an impressive destination combining workspace, hospitality, dining and wellness facilities.
Closer to home, we've completed refurbishment works at Nettlebed School and are preparing to start the clubhouse refurbishment at Henley Golf Club, a project that is particularly special to me, having grown up locally and being a member of the club.
These projects demonstrate something important about how MWA has evolved.
We're no longer simply a London-focused workplace design and construction business with a head office in Henley. We're building a genuine regional presence, working across different sectors and establishing long-term relationships with businesses throughout the Thames Valley.
And that is something I'm enormously proud of.
Achievement is about people, not just projects
Of course, projects and business growth are only part of the story.
One of the things I'm proudest of is watching people develop within MWA.
Today, 56% of our workforce is female, compared with approximately 13% across the wider UK construction industry.
That's a statistic I'm particularly proud of, not because we've set targets or quotas, but because we've tried to create a business where talented people are given genuine opportunities to develop, progress and lead.
Women also make up the majority of our senior leadership team, with several colleagues having progressed through the business into senior management and director positions.
It's therefore particularly pleasing that we've been shortlisted for two awards at the Women in Construction Awards taking place later this month, Inclusive Company and Male Ally.
For me, those nominations are recognition of something we've always believed: creating opportunities for people isn't simply the right thing to do; it also makes us a stronger business.
I'm certainly not suggesting we've got everything right. No business does, and running a company for nearly 25 years teaches you that leadership is a continuous learning process.
But seeing colleagues develop confidence, take on responsibility and achieve things they perhaps hadn't imagined when they first joined us remains one of the most rewarding parts of running MWA.
Giving something back
Another aspect of the award that meant a great deal was the recognition of our contribution to the wider community.
I've always believed that businesses have a responsibility beyond simply making money and delivering projects.
Last year, I published my autobiography, Made With Ambition. Writing the book was a deeply personal experience, reflecting on my life, the challenges I've faced and the journey of building MWA.
The launch at Henley Town Hall was attended by more than 200 people, including family, friends, colleagues, clients and members of the local community. It was a fantastic evening and a wonderful opportunity to bring so many people together who have been part of my journey.
Part of the proceeds from the book went to Thames Hospice, a charity particularly close to my heart.
I witnessed first-hand the tremendous care, compassion and dignity the team at Thames Hospice showed my father during his final days. It was an experience that left a lasting impression on me and my family.
Supporting the hospice through the book was therefore deeply personal, and I'm delighted that Thames Hospice subsequently became MWA's chosen charity.
But our community involvement extends beyond fundraising.
Through our mental health walks, we've encouraged conversations about wellbeing and the importance of looking after one another.
Our involvement with the Groundwork scheme has provided young people from less privileged backgrounds with six months of practical work experience, helping them develop confidence, workplace skills and opportunities for the future.
We've also been involved in redistributing pre-loved office furniture to organisations and communities across Oxfordshire, giving furniture a second life while helping those who can benefit from it.
And through local projects such as Nettlebed School, we have the opportunity to make a tangible difference closer to home.
None of these initiatives individually changes the world. But collectively, I believe they reflect the sort of business we want MWA to be.
One that contributes, creates opportunities and recognises that success should be shared.
Resilience, openness and ambition
Three words from the judges' comments particularly resonated with me: resilience, openness and ambition.
They are also themes that run throughout Made With Ambition.
I've never believed in presenting business as an uninterrupted success story.
It isn't.
There have been difficult periods, unexpected challenges and moments when things haven't gone to plan. Anyone who has built and run a business over a long period will understand that.
What matters is how you respond.
For me, resilience isn't about pretending everything is fine. It's about acknowledging the challenges, making difficult decisions when necessary, learning from experience and continuing to move forward.
And ambition isn't simply about getting bigger.
It's about improving, creating opportunities, delivering better projects and building something that people are proud to be associated with.
That applies as much to our people and clients as it does to me personally.
A personal award, but a collective achievement
Although this was an individual award, I'm very conscious of how many people have contributed to the achievements it recognises.
My name may be on the trophy, but those achievements are the result of an enormous amount of hard work by the MWA team, past and present.
I'm fortunate to work alongside some exceptional people, and I'm proud of the relationships we've built with our clients, supply chain and the wider property community.
Having my family there to share the moment made it even more special.
When I started MWA in 2002, I couldn't possibly have imagined where the journey would take us.
In the final chapter of Made With Ambition I reflect on the extraordinary list of clients we've had the privilege of working with over the years. It's a list that, even today, I sometimes look at and think, quite simply, wow.
From globally recognised brands to ambitious growing businesses, it's become something of a who's who of organisations. And every one of those relationships, and the projects we've delivered together, forms part of the MWA story.
But while I'm enormously proud of our work and the clients who have trusted us, I'm increasingly conscious that achievement is about much more than turnover, contracts or individual recognition.
It's about the opportunities you create, the people you support, the relationships you build and the contribution you make.
That's why this particular award means so much.
It recognises not just where MWA has come from, but what we're continuing to achieve here in the Thames Valley.
I'm incredibly proud of that.
And we're certainly not finished yet.
Matt Watts
Founder & CEO, MWA Projects
Making Workspace Amazing
