Dan McGuigan finalist in 2025 British Forces in Business Awards

Morson Group Armed Forces Engagement Manager Dan McGuigan has been shortlisted as a finalist in the 2025 British Forces in Business Awards in the category of Rising Star!

Each year, more than 15,000 individuals leave the British Armed Forces with transferable skills and values nurtured in elite training and operational environments. Yet many face hurdles to establishing a meaningful second career, including misconceptions about military service and a lack of visible role models who transition successfully across different sectors.

The Forces in Business Awards were founded in 2018 to challenge those barriers head-on. Through grand showcases of veteran talent in London, Glasgow, and Washington D.C., the Awards have helped transform the veteran employment landscape by improving how hiring managers and business leaders view the Armed Forces community as a source of talent.

Since its inception in 2018, the Awards have recognised over 2,000 veterans and reservists, drawing in thousands of business leaders to flagship ceremonies in London, Glasgow and Washington D.C. The events have become a cornerstone in the veteran employment landscape and a catalyst for improving the narrative around military-to-civilian transition.

The unveiling of this year’s finalists follows another record-breaking round of nominations, reflecting growing recognition of the veteran talent pool as a key driver of innovation, leadership and resilience. The vast breadth of organisations represented on the shortlist demonstrates the Armed Force community’s exceptional contributions across the economy.

Dan McGuigan, Morson Group Armed Forces Engagement Manager

Dan McGuigan is a former soldier who served in the British Army for over 13 years, joined Morson Talent in 2022 as a Recruitment Consultant. Using his own experience of resettlement, he quickly stood out for his dedication to supporting Service Leavers to gain employment through workshops, events, and tailored career pathways with clients. 

Over the past 18 months in particular, Dan has been instrumental in driving Morson’s ex-forces recruitment division to new heights. During this time, he’s spearheaded our activities, delivering one-to-one coaching, virtual and in-person service leaver events, and tailored industry insights to help individuals understand the expectations of hiring managers, recruiters, and potential employers. He’s done all this while working closely with companies to help them understand the benefits in employing service leavers and the extensive skillsets and experiences that they can bring with them. 

This has seen great success in placements with some of our key clients. His passion and impact in this space led to his recent promotion to Group Armed Forces Engagement Manager. In this new role, Dan is the first point of contact for all Armed Forces engagement.

As well as organising virtual recruitment events, notably in conjunction with clients Severn Trent, Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) and GKN (with 350+ attendees across 10 events), he has been instrumental in Morson’s foray into hosting dedicated and exclusive in-person ex-forces recruitment events, with prospective and current client guests invited to exhibit at a various venues across the UK. The most notable successes include events in Bristol and Bournemouth – the latter being our biggest attendance yet, with over a dozen clients and more than 150 ex-forces candidates in attendance.

The difference this has made has been tangible to the business. In 2024, we registered 1,661 new candidates, with 1,245 CVs sent.

The Forces in Business Awards

The 2025 Awards Gala returns to the iconic Great Room in Grosvenor House London, Park Lane, on 26th June. With 1,200 leaders from the business and Armed Forces communities in attendance, the event ranks among the most attended awards ceremonies in Europe.

Known as the ‘Oscars of veteran employment’, this year’s celebration will be presented by ITV News anchor Nina Hossain, who will host the awards ceremony and introduce a stellar lineup of live entertainment and guest speakers including double Olympic rowing champion Major Heather Stanning OBE and the Minister for Veterans and People, Alistair Carns.

Beyond the glitz and fanfare, the Awards serve a serious purpose: to help employers overcome critical issues such as skills shortages and productivity challenges by tapping into the highly capable and diverse Armed Forces talent pool. As the UK looks to boost economic performance and close skills gaps, veterans offer a solution hiding in plain sight.

Ben Rossi, founder of the global Forces in Business Awards series, said:

“The British Forces in Business Awards have become a beacon for exceptional talent, showing that supporting the Armed Forces community is not just good ethics – it’s smart business. The calibre of this year’s nominations has been nothing short of extraordinary, and the stories behind them prove just how impactful veterans can be in every corner of our economy.

“Supporting the transition of service members into meaningful second careers isn’t a charitable cause, a PR exercise or a CSR box-tick. It’s a proven strategy for unlocking and accessing exceptional talent. This year’s finalists are not only high achievers – they are powerful role models for others treading the same daunting path that they once did.”

Whether you’re a business looking to strengthen your workforce with ex-forces talent, or a veteran looking for their next step after the forces, contact Dan McGuigan on dan.mcguigan@morson.com