Lessons from a BD100 award winner

Winner of Business Developer of the Year 2025, newly appointed Chief Growth Officer and determined to step off the hamster wheel, Oya shares how winning the BD100 Award reshaped her career and reignited her drive.

Ali recently caught up with Oya who shared her journey from early beginnings to leading with empathy and purpose, and the lessons learned along the way.

 

Q: What drives you, and what is it about connecting with people that fuels your approach to business development?

I’ve always believed people don’t buy what you do, it’s about how you make them feel. That’s what really matters when it comes to connection. Coming from a Mediterranean background, relationships have always been at the heart of everything.

Nothing was handed to me early on, so I learned early on that connection is currency. Whether I’m pitching, prospecting, or mentoring, I’m fuelled by those moments when you can feel when the trust is built. I don’t do surface-level BD, for me, it’s about transformational growth, getting to know the humans behind the job.

 

Q: What have you learned about building trust in business development relationships?

Presentations alone don’t build trust, it’s built in all those little in-between moments. That’s often where the pitch process falls short, because you don’t always get enough chances to feel what it’s like to work together.

A great example is our work with interactive investor. From my first call with Gemma, I knew she was smart, clear on her brief, and that our team would love her. That gut instinct carried into the work we delivered.

On the flip side, even losing a pitch has taught me something. When clients come back with feedback, you realise it’s about being respected and remembered for the right reasons.

 

Q: What have you gained from being part of The BD100 community?

I didn’t realise how much I needed this community until I became part of it. In BD, we often put others up for awards without recognising ourselves.

The BD100 has given me a space to be seen as a growth driver, as a strategic, emotionally intelligent leader. It’s also connected me with people who really understand the realities of this role: the ghosting, the graft, the grace it takes to do it well.

I was on our group chat asking for ideas for a growth workshop I’m leading. Having that community to turn to has been incredible. And now, getting to judge this year’s awards feels like a full-circle moment. I can’t wait to see the talent coming through, and maybe steal a few ideas along the way!

 

Q: What did it feel like to hear your name announced as Business Developer of the Year?

It was absolute shock! I hadn’t expected to win at all. That night, I’d left a celebration at our Not Normal Group offices just to attend the awards. When my name was called, it took a second to register.

I was already proud to be on the Top 100 list, but winning gave me validation, it helped me straighten my crown. At that time, I was stepping into my new Chief Growth Officer role, and this recognition gave me a lift right when I needed it most.

Since then, it’s opened doors both professionally and personally. My confidence feels back to where it was years ago.

 

Q: For those looking to lift their business development game, what’s your golden tip?

Play the long game. Stop chasing and start choosing.

This role can easily pull you in every direction, and before you know it, you’re on a hamster wheel chasing what’s next. But if you’re always chasing, you’re not being strategic. You’re not giving yourself space to prepare for the right opportunities.

Championing the business development community and the people driving it is something DNA is proud to do. Conversations like this show that growth is as much about human connection as it is about commercial success, and that’s what makes The BD100 so special.