Affinity Exchange CEO Sam Balla-Muir has been recognised as Greater London’s Newcomer Business Leader of the Year in the prestigious Regional Business Awards for 2025.

The Regional Business Awards* cover the length and breadth of England. Sam entered and won the category of Greater London Newcomer Business Leader after demonstrating to the award judges that Sam, 29, had created a high-growth business in just four years, and that his business approach had made Affinity Exchange a beacon of London business success.

Affinity Exchange specialises in providing seamless currency exchange and tailored financial solutions for corporates, SME’s and high-net worth individuals. Affinity began as a work from home operation in 2021 by Sam Balla-Muir before rapidly expanding into a team of top FX, Payments and Finance consultants based in Crawley. As the business started to grow exponentially, Sam Balla-Muir made the strategic decision to relocate the UK headquarters to London Victoria.

Prior to self-funding and establishing Affinity, Sam worked in the deliverable foreign exchange market for six years, holding Senior Portfolio Manager and Head of Desk positions at a leading foreign exchange provider during that time. Sam realised that he could deliver a better, smarter service to FX clients that would be superior to the offering of other FX consultancies, and so decided to launch Affinity Exchange. Since inception, Affinity Exchange has grown its FX turnover to £170 million, and now has over 250 corporate customers.

Commenting on his award win, Sam said; “I’m truly honoured to be named Greater London’s Newcomer Business Leader of the Year, especially given the calibre of competition. This recognition is a reflection not just of my own drive, but of the incredible commitment and talent of my team. By staying focused on exceptional client delivery, we’ve laid the foundations for a business that’s built to grow and thrive. It’s a proud moment for all of us and one that we will celebrate together.”