MEPS managing director celebrates leadership award win

Family values propelled MEPS International’s managing director to the top leadership accolade at this year’s Yorkshire and Humberside Family Business Awards.

Jayne Craven credited her Leadership Excellence Award win to a desire to follow the same principals as her father, company founder Peter Fish, to lead the Sheffield-based steel market insight provider. 

Speaking after the prize-giving ceremony, which took place at the Royal Armouries, in Leeds, Craven said: “Building on the legacy created by my father, Peter Fish, who founded the business more than 45 years ago, I’ve remained committed to steering MEPS with the same integrity, customer focus, and commitment to our people that he instilled from the beginning. 

“As MEPS remains a family business, and I am proud of that, my priority is to lead with clarity, compassion and a long-term vision for our team as the business continues to develop and grow.  

“To have this approach recognised through the Leadership Excellence Award truly means a great deal.” 

Organised by the Family Business Community, the annual Yorkshire and Humberside Family Business Awards celebrate the innovation, resilience, and success of the best family businesses in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. 

This year’s event was hosted by food writer and broadcaster Nigel Barden, alongside event co-founders Dave Clarkson and Sue Howorth, and brought together an audience of more than 300 people, including family business leaders and their teams. 

Howorth described this year’s black-tie awards ceremony as an “unforgettable experience”. She added: “We’re so grateful to everyone who joined us to celebrate the achievements of these truly fantastic businesses.” 

Based on Glossop Road, Sheffield – at the heart of the UK’s Steel City – MEPS employs a team of researchers who speak directly with steel market participants across the world to gather insight which spans 27 countries, across five continents. 

Its steel prices, price forecasts and market commentaries are trusted by over 5,000 businesses, including 50 Fortune Global 500 companies. 

MEPS also prides itself on being at the heart of Sheffield’s city centre community. 

It is the stadium sponsor for Sheffield FC, the world's first football club. This year, the business also became a partner of the Sheffield United Community Foundation’s “Friends of the Foundation” initiative.  

Last year, MEPS commissioned Sheffield artist Joe Peel to create a 45th anniversary mural on the side of its Glossop Road headquarters. The artwork celebrates the city’s industrial roots and its modern-day regeneration. 

Commenting on the project at the time, Craven said: “MEPS is proud of its Sheffield roots and – five years after we completed the renovation and extension of our building – it feels good to showcase the work of a local artist in such a prominent location.”