Sustainable Success in Business Development

There’s more to business development than pitches, there’s balance, focus and making confident choices that create long-term impact. This is what sets great business developers apart and what The BD100 looks to highlight each year.

Ali recently caught up with Oya, The BD100 Business Developer of the Year 2025 winner, who shared her story, what she’s achieved and how she’s achieved it. 

In an industry often driven by targets and timelines, Oya brings a human-centred, strategy-led mindset that’s both refreshing and impactful.

From her early days as a sales assistant at Sky to her current role as Chief Growth Officer, Oya took the traditional route of BD. Her approach was built on connection and building trust, she understood that people don’t simply buy what you do but how you make them feel.

“Connection is currency,” she says. When she’s pitching, mentoring, or prospecting, she focuses on building trust in the in-between moments, the building of relationships is an important part of any business development.

It’s also what led to one of her most rewarding recent wins. 

In her first call with a client, she built trust early on and that’s what won the client over. But Oya is just as proud of the pitches she’s lost. "It’s not about being liked," she says. "It’s about being respected and remembered for the right reasons."

She has carried this through into her new role as Chief Growth Officer at Not Normal Group (previously known as Recipe). Since starting this role, she has shifted away from trying to do everything and instead now focuses on choosing the right opportunities to pursue, avoiding feeling like she’s in a never-ending hamster wheel and building a culture where everyone is part of the business development process. It’s a shared responsibility. This pivot is already making marked improvements. 

Her golden advice to other BD professionals is to “stop chasing and start choosing.”

When Oya won her award at The BD100 she was about to announce her new leadership role. The recognition gave her the confidence to lead boldly, and reminded her that strategy, creativity and emotional intelligence is what makes a great business developer.

Oya gives credit to The BD100 community for the visibility, the feeling of belonging and having a space where the language is shared.

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DNA is the Official Talent Partner of the BD100. 

The BD100 2026 nominations are open, if you know someone who deserves to be recognised for the work they are doing, get nominating below.