Bauer Media UK’s Managing Director, Simon Kilby has been announced at Campaign Media Company of the Year Awards as Media Leader of the Year 2026.

The award recognises the work Simon has done to set the agenda for trusted media spaces for advertisers and audiences, recognising Bauer Media’s growth whilst maintaining a “responsible approach to advertising, with leadership framed around both performance and purpose”.

Simon has been an outspoken voice on the risks posed by unsafe platforms and the knock-on effects on public confidence in advertising. This includes Bauer Media’s campaign, Where’s Your Head At, encouraging healthier social media habits and to promote practical guidance for the nation.

Simon has frequently spoken on this topic at keynote sessions at events including Media360 and Future of Media, which have created conversation across ad land. This is in a year in which Bauer Media also launched its innovative digital audio product audioXi, a data-driven audio advertising platform designed to give brands more precise targeting, measurement and scale across Bauer’s growing digital audio portfolio.

The judges commented that Simon had “a highly compelling submission demonstrating strong commercial leadership, industry influence and a clear vision for the future of trusted media.”