Standing ovation went to IOC senior fellow Jon Bunting for delivering the nightly miracle for paper media across the UK, delivering a decade-long contract and facilitating Covid recovery support for sector.
Clappers rattled the roof of the City of London Livery Hall for the 2026 National Courier Awards delivered by the Institute of Couriers.
IOC Services to Industry 2026
Jon Buntng Smiths News – Delivering the nightly miracle
His ethos - ‘The Journey matters.’
CEO of a complex overnight supply chain that is the media, nightly miracle’
Major media business places decade long contract in 2026
‘Consistently championed the importance of people, culture and community.’
‘During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jon and the Executive team introduced a direct colleague hardship safety net to support employees and families.’
Jon is a rare example of a leader who combines long-standing industry experience with the vision, pace and personal conviction needed to lead a business through change. Having joined WH Smith News in 1994, Jon has grown with the organisation, taking on senior commercial, operational and executive leadership roles before becoming CEO. That journey matters. It means his leadership is not theoretical; it is grounded in a deep understanding of colleagues, customers, publishers, retailers and the complex overnight supply chain that keeps the newspaper and magazine industry moving every day.
Under Jon’s leadership, Smiths News has continued to deliver strong financial and operational performance in a market that is structurally challenging and constantly evolving. Rather than simply managing decline, Jon has led the business with purpose: protecting the core, strengthening customer relationships, investing in operational capability and building confidence in the future of the industry. Smiths News now stands as the UK’s largest news wholesaler and a leading early-morning supply chain provider, serving over 22,000 retailers through a national network of distribution centres and hundreds of thousands of tracked weekly deliveries.
The clearest evidence of Jon’s leadership is the confidence major publishers continue to place in Smiths News. In 2026, the business secured two transformational long-term agreements with News UK and Associated Newspapers Limited. These agreements not only extend key publisher relationships through to 2037, but also help simplify the wholesale model, reduce structural cost from the supply chain and support a more sustainable future for print distribution across Great Britain. In a sector facing changing consumer habits, cost pressure and operational complexity, Jon has helped create a model that protects retailers, consumers, publishers and the wider industry.
What makes Jon’s leadership stand out is that commercial success has never been separated from responsibility. He has consistently championed the importance of people, culture and community. His founding of Pass It On, a charity supporting homeless and vulnerable people, demonstrates the values that sit behind his leadership. What began as a simple act of kindness has grown into a charity that has helped thousands of people with warm clothing, sleeping bags, care packs, food, hot drinks and, just as importantly, human connection.
Jon also showed exceptional people leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he and the Executive team introduced a direct colleague hardship safety net to support employees and families facing difficult circumstances. That response reflected the same qualities that define his wider leadership: practical action, compassion, speed, and a clear belief that businesses have a duty to look after the people and communities around them.
Jon’s impact is therefore both commercial and human. He has helped secure the long-term future of a critical national supply chain, delivered strong business performance, built confidence with major partners, supported retailers and publishers, and shown that responsible leadership is measured not only in results, but in the way those results are achieved.
For his sustained contribution to Smiths News, the wider news distribution industry, his colleagues and the communities the business serves, Jon Bunting is nominated for highly deserving recipient of the 2026 Institute of Couriers services to industry award.
About the National Courier Awards
National Courier Awards - Thirty years in the making. Postcodes signposted the tables for a Gala celebration to remember, Express logistics to door from start to finish. Guests welcomed by Marines ensemble on the balcony, Bagpipes led the shortlisters to stage. Opera star roused the fellows before a trumpet fanfare to a thirty year countdown for the winners. All three IOC vice presidents for the thirty years. Traffic Commissioner, Alderman, Livery Masters and University Vice Chancellor were on stage to present the octagonal golden glass awards.
IOC CEO Dr Tracey Worth explained the Curly Wurlys at postcode tables. Dr Tracey organised the loudest rattle of clappers ever, and welcomed the best to an evening to remember.
IOC Chairman Carl Lomas delivered the opening keynote to a year of early peak triggered by product launch deliveries of the iPhone 18 and exploding express courier numbers in a sector recognised as key worker, critical infrastructure by an abundance of government guests at the round tables.
Learning and knowledge, City of London Alderman, Alison Gowman to rally giant applause for knowledge as she welcomed the Owl who rocked the National Courier Awards to showcase next generation learning apprentices including the first ever graduates of the Express Manager Degree.
It was the largest mix of companies ever, SME’s, Regional’s and National brands at the same tables. DfT, DFE, DEFRA, DVSA all in the room.
Lights camera action for the gala evening celebration of the 30th National Courier Awards hosted by the Institute of Couriers. A full house, standing room only and many were standing for standing ovations as they rattled the iconic IOC clappers.
2026 A gala evening celebration rattling the clappers with standing ovations for final mile.
The gala evening recognised best-of-the-best in express, courier, last mile, final mile.
Take a full tour of the best of the best winners,
Hot off the press - Full winner naratives are on the IOC web for 2026
Read the detail of every individual shortlister.
Headline photos here
Winners' Mantelpiece photos here.
Gallery networking photos of the event here.
