In the inaugural year of the awards ceremony, Badde was shortlisted alongside Jon Kolber, co-founder of Canadian education brand ILAC and Antonio Anadon, founder of Spanish education company Ideal Education Group

“It is important to honour people in this way as it allows us to take stock of our industry”

Anyone from across the international education industry can choose to nominate a peer for the award: Badde was nominated for helping build networks throughout the sector through his pioneering company ICEF.

The company developed a suite of global events to help education agencies and educators facilitate business relationships, before diversifying to offer agency training schemes, a media division and online search site among other products.

“It was of course an unexpected honour to be nominated and then to win, especially given the accomplished and successful co-nominees I was up against,” remembered Badde.

“I think it is important and rewarding to honour people in this way since it allows us to take a step back and to take stock of our industry as a whole, and also of all the remarkable people who are active in it.”

ICEF launched in 1995 and currently has 80 employees based in 14 different countries. Badde has been in charge since 2004.

Entries for the Outstanding contribution of the year category are open for nominations until 23.55 GMT on May 13.

“We are all so busy in our daily work that we rarely get such moments which I think are very valuable,” reminded Badde.

Please visit the awards website here for further information on all of last year’s winners and to enter.