Award Recipients

Metal Events Ltd, a specialist conference organiser based in Kent and London, has been honoured with the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade 2026 – the UK’s highest official recognition for business excellence.

Founded in 2002 by joint managing directors Rachel Carnac and Jill Fitzgibbon, Metal Events has built an international reputation for organising business-to-business conferences focused on rare earths, specialty and minor metals. These materials are now widely recognised as critical minerals and battery metals.

Following the pandemic, the company has strategically rebuilt and expanded its international customer base across the USA, China, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia and the UK. Its events now attract delegates from every stage of the supply chain, from mining to manufacturing and end-use.

In 2023, Metal Events also launched the International Scandium Association to support the development of the emerging scandium industry and promote new applications for this rare metal.

Jill Fitzgibbon said: “We are very proud to receive the King’s Award in 2026. It is the second time we have won this accolade, the first time being the Queen’s Award in 2013, and demonstrates our continued commitment to the international metals industry and supporting global collaboration and business networks around the world, particularly in rare earths and critical minerals.

“As a micro business, this honour demonstrates our continued exceptional progress, particularly marking our recovery and steep international sales growth since the pandemic.”

Rachel Carnac added: “We would like to thank our customers and the partners we work with, including the Minor Metals Trade Association for their support over these many years. We try to work with small suppliers, similarly-sized to us, in the UK and are keen to support local businesses as far as possible as well as being committed to ethical business practices and long-term international collaboration.”

This recognition comes as Metal Events marks another milestone year, having recently delivered two record-breaking conferences in Vancouver, Canada. In October, the team will travel to Seoul, South Korea, to host the 22nd International Rare Earths Conference, a first for the company in that region.