SPOR Group Named AV Awards Finalists in Two Categories

SPOR Group is an AV Awards 2026 finalist for Integrator of the Year, with Chris Gore shortlisted for AV Professional of the Year too.

SPOR Group | Updated 2026

---

We are proud to share that SPOR Group is an AV Awards 2026 finalist in two categories this year. SPOR Group has been shortlisted for Integrator of the Year, and co-founder Chris Gore has been shortlisted individually for AV Professional of the Year. It follows a year where SPOR Group was also recognised as a GBEA 2026 finalist.

What Being an AV Awards Finalist Actually Means

The AV Awards are run by AV Magazine and recognise the best individuals and companies working in audiovisual technology across the UK. Integrator of the Year looks at a company's overall project delivery, consultation and installation quality. AV Professional of the Year looks at an individual's leadership, technical delivery and impact on the wider industry.

Being shortlisted in both categories puts SPOR Group and Chris Gore alongside some of the best in the industry, and the standard of entries this year was higher than in previous years. Making the finalist list twice is not something the team takes lightly.

The Work Behind Both Nominations

Nominations like these are never about one project, and they are never about one person either. They come from a pattern of work built up over years, and every part of the business has had a hand in it. The design engineers who work out what a room actually needs before a single screw is bought. The procurement team who make sure the right kit turns up, on time and within budget. The project managers who keep a three month install running to schedule. The installation engineers on site doing the physical work. The support team who pick up the phone when something needs fixing months after the job is finished.

That brand agnostic, consultative approach is what Chris Spence and Chris Gore built this business around, and it is what every team at SPOR Group lives out on every single project.

That approach, working with the client to understand what they actually need rather than pushing a fixed product list, is the thing being recognised in both categories, as much as any single installation. It belongs to everyone who has had a hand in it, not just the two names on the entry forms.

What Happens Between Now and the Awards Night

There are two dates in the diary now. The finalist party takes place on Wednesday 30 September, and the main event, the AV Awards 2026 itself, is on Friday 6 November in London.

We will be sharing more as both dates get closer, including from the room on the night.

Why This Matters for Clients, Not Just for the Team

Recognition like this does not change how SPOR Group works with clients. It confirms that the approach already works. Every project, whether it is a single meeting room or a full office fit-out, gets the same consultative process that got the team here in the first place.

If you want a taste of the thinking behind that process, our newsletter Work Isn't Working covers exactly the kind of hybrid working, technology and business questions we deal with on every project.

Want more of what SPOR get up to? Sign Up to the Work Isn't Working Newsletter

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to be an AV Awards finalist?

It means being shortlisted by AV Magazine's judging panel as one of the best individuals or companies working in audiovisual technology in the UK that year, ahead of winners being announced at the awards ceremony.

What is Integrator of the Year?

Integrator of the Year is a category within the AV Awards that recognises a company's overall project delivery, client consultation and installation quality across the audiovisual industry. SPOR Group is shortlisted for this category in 2026.

What is the AV Professional of the Year category?

It is a category within the AV Awards that recognises an individual's leadership, technical delivery and impact on the audiovisual industry over the past year. Co-founder Chris Gore is shortlisted for this category in 2026.

Who is Chris Gore?

Chris Gore is Group Strategic Director and co-founder of SPOR Group, an award-winning brand agnostic AV design and installation company. He also hosts The Future Workplace podcast.

When are the AV Awards 2026?

The AV Awards 2026 finalist party takes place on Wednesday 30 September, with the main awards ceremony on Friday 6 November in London.