The Rising Star Award exists to recognise those who have demonstrated exceptional determination and impact early in their civil service career; it’s not just about performance metrics but potential. It’s about celebrating those who are not afraid to bring fresh ideas, take initiative, and show a genuine commitment to positively influencing the future.
A Rising Star nomination is proof that your exceptional contributions have been seen, felt and positively influenced the teams around you.
My name is Arnie Delstanche. I became 2024’s Rising Star at the Civil Service Awards in recognition of my innovative contributions towards the analytical community both within defence and wider government. This award has been monumental in not only validating the work that I have done but has also enabled new opportunities to find me so that I can further fuel my passion and drive for pushing boundaries within my field of expertise.
I honestly did not expect to win the award as I felt that I hadn’t done anything extraordinary, rather was just trying to do the best work I could day by day. Yet I am also reminded that I was nominated because of my drive to do my best and support others.
I am often asked “What’s next?”, including from His Majesty the King, as if I had some grand plan from the start. The truth is that the path I travelled was anything but foreseeable; it was navigated by determination meeting each serendipitous opportunity. I ultimately owe my successes to my willingness to talk with others about my ideas. I learnt a great deal, including that innovation can only be developed through conversation and can only thrive if it can be shared beyond yourself.
Since winning the award I’ve had time to reflect on what I believe makes a strong candidate: it is someone curious, collaborative, and courageous. Someone who doesn’t just do their job well, but who lifts others up and challenges the status quo. It is about those who took risks, made mistakes, and learnt from them rather than being dissuaded. That kind of growth mindset is what makes someone prove they have great potential – a Rising Star.
Arnie Delstanche, a senior data analyst at Dstl, was the winner of the Rising Star Award at the 2024 Civil Service Awards. He is also the category's co-champion for this year's event alongside Home Office permanent secretary Antonia Romeo. Get your nominations in here for the 2025 awards – a special 20th anniversary edition. Entries can be made until 5pm on Friday 18 July. Click here for the full list of last year's winners