Luke Kennedy Recognised as AI Search Optimisation MD of the Year 2026

We’ve got some exciting news to share from Loop Digital. Our Managing Director and Founder, Luke Kennedy, has been named AI Search Optimisation MD of the Year 2026 (East Midlands) in the SME News Managing Director of the Year Awards.

Awards are always nice to receive, but this one feels particularly relevant to where both Loop and the wider search industry are heading. Search looks very different today from even a year ago, and helping businesses make sense of that change has become a big part of what we do.

For Luke, who has spent more than a decade building and leading Loop Digital, it makes the recognition particularly special.

A proud moment for Luke

Luke founded Loop Digital in 2014 and has led the agency ever since, helping shape how we respond to changes across digital marketing and, more recently, to the rapid developments in search.

That makes being named AI Search Optimisation MD of the Year 2026 a brilliant individual achievement and one we’re incredibly proud to celebrate with him. Seeing that leadership recognised independently by SME News is a fantastic milestone.

“We’ve always built our business around helping clients be found. But search is changing fundamentally. The question is no longer simply ‘How do we rank?’—it’s becoming ‘How do we make sure we are understood, trusted and recommended when someone asks AI for an answer?’

We made a conscious decision to embrace that change early. We invested in our team, challenged the way we approached digital marketing, developed new skills and methodologies, and started applying AI Search Optimisation to our own business as well as our clients. We encouraged our team to learn, experiment, challenge conventional thinking and rethink what digital marketing could look like.

This award belongs to that team. It recognises their willingness to learn, adapt and lead rather than wait for the industry to catch up. I am very proud and grateful for them. 

The biggest lesson from the last few years has been that the businesses that thrive through change aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets, they’re the ones prepared to change direction when the world changes.” 

The award comes at a time when AI is changing the way people discover businesses and information online. Search is no longer limited to a traditional results page. AI-generated answers, Google’s evolving search experiences and platforms such as ChatGPT and Gemini are becoming a much bigger part of how people research, compare and make decisions.

Leading Loop Digital through a changing search industry

Over the past year, Loop Digital has continued to develop its approach beyond traditional SEO, expanding its expertise across Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO).

Luke has been an important part of driving that direction. As Managing Director, his role is not simply to respond to where digital marketing is today, but to make sure the agency is thinking about where it is going next and what those changes mean for our clients.

Traditional SEO still matters enormously. But it is no longer the whole picture. 

Businesses increasingly need to think about how they appear across search engines, AI-generated answers and the platforms their audiences are beginning to use. For Luke, that shift has created an opportunity to continue developing Loop’s approach to search and to help clients prepare for what comes next.

Another milestone in an exciting year

Luke’s award also adds another brilliant moment to what has already been a memorable year for Loop Digital.

Throughout 2026, we’ve had the opportunity to celebrate recognition across different areas of the agency. What makes this latest award particularly exciting is how closely it reflects an area of search that Luke has been helping Loop respond to as it develops.

AI search is still changing quickly, and there will be plenty more for all of us to learn along the way. But having Luke’s leadership in this area recognised, is something the whole team can be incredibly proud of.

Congratulations, Luke!

So, from everyone at Loop Digital, a huge congratulations to Luke on being named AI Search Optimisation MD of the Year 2026 (East Midlands).

It’s a fantastic achievement, a brilliant moment for Luke personally and another reason for us to celebrate what has already been a very special year.

A big thank you as well to SME News for the recognition.

Want to know more about the people behind Loop Digital?

Meet Luke and the wider Loop Digital team, and find out more about the people helping businesses navigate the changing world of digital marketing.

How We Can Support Your Business

Recognition like this gives us plenty to celebrate, but our focus remains on helping the businesses that trust us with their marketing.

Through our Digital Marketing Services, we bring together SEO, PPC, web design and development, CRO, paid social and digital strategy, alongside AEO and GEO. We shape our approach around what each business wants to achieve, from greater visibility and more leads to a stronger website or clearer digital strategy.

Book your free 30-minute consultation to talk through your goals with our team.