{"id":41827,"date":"2026-06-12T22:32:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T21:32:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/south-west\/?p=41827"},"modified":"2026-06-15T08:58:06","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T07:58:06","slug":"south-west-business-figures-recognised-in-kings-birthday-honours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/south-west\/news\/41827-south-west-business-figures-recognised-in-kings-birthday-honours","title":{"rendered":"South West business figures recognised in King’s Birthday Honours"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aardman Animations co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton lead the South West’s contingent in the King’s Birthday Honours List, with individuals from across the region recognised for services to business, culture, engineering and community.<\/p>\n

The two Bristol animation legends both received knighthoods, elevating them from their existing CBEs, in recognition of over five decades building Aardman into one of the world’s most celebrated creative studios.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Aardman co-founder Peter Lord<\/p><\/div>\n

Lord and Sproxton founded the studio together in 1972 while still at school, eventually settling in Bristol in 1976 which also became home to Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run and Morph.<\/p>\n

Now employee-owned, Aardman has produced some of the highest-grossing stop-motion films in history.<\/p>\n

Prof David Knowles, CEO of the Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials and Professor of Nuclear Engineering at the University of Bristol, has been recognised for services to academia and industry with a CBE.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Aardman co-founder David Sproxton<\/p><\/div>\n

Dr Brian McConnell’s OBE for services to engineering recognises his impact since he came over from Northern Ireland to study geology at the University of Bristol, completing both a degree and PhD there.<\/p>\n

He founded Hydrock in 1995 and, over three decades it grew from a geotechnical consultancy into a multi-disciplinary engineering, energy and sustainability business employing more than 950 people across 22 UK offices. In 2024 Hydrock was acquired by Canadian firm Stantec, coinciding with McConnell’s retirement.<\/p>\n

Ian Salter, the Bristol-based partner of law firm Burges Salmon, who heads the firm’s nuclear and fusion law practice and is president of the International Nuclear Law Association, has also received an OBE.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Ian Salter, partner, Burges Salmon<\/p><\/div>\n

Two leading figures from the publishing sector have also received OBEs. Belinda Budge, who spent more than 30 years in book publishing before chairing Creative UK, and Nick Hern, founder of theatre publisher Nick Hern Books, are among more than 1,000 people on the fourth annual list for King Charles’ birthday.<\/p>\n

Bristol Women in Business Charter co-founder Sandra Gordon has been awarded an MBE for her work focused on equity and representation.<\/p>\n

Gordon spoke at TheBusinessDesk.com’s recent Business of South West Conference on the need to accelerate change given the evidence of the benefits of a diverse leadership team is overwhelming.<\/p>\n

She set up the Community Interest Company which now supports signatory organisations employing more than 45,000 people across the region.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Heather Frankham<\/p><\/div>\n

PE teacher-turned-entrepreneur, philanthropist and civic leader Heather Frankham has been awarded an MBE in recognition of services to education and skills.<\/p>\n

Heather founded Lifetime Training, which she grew into the UK\u2019s largest apprenticeship and skills training provider before exiting the business in 2016.<\/p>\n

She has since chaired the turnaround of Paragon Skills and remained as a non-executive director as it became part of the Knovia Group, until its recent sale to Eureka.<\/p>\n

She later launched Bud Systems, an apprenticeship management platform focused on helping training providers deliver higher-quality learning and better outcomes for learners.<\/p>\n

Over the past decade, Heather’s work has increasingly combined business leadership with philanthropy and civic contribution.<\/p>\n

She founded Origin Workspace in 2019 to create a collaborative base for entrepreneurs in Bristol, with profits supporting the Origin Foundation, which provides grant funding to charities helping young people develop confidence, skills and opportunities in the city.<\/p>\n

She also chairs the board of Youth Moves 224 Youth Zone, the new purpose-built youth facility being brought to Bristol in partnership with OnSide.<\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aardman Animations co-founders and the driving force of the Bristol Women in Business Charter among those recognised<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":28199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"coauthors":[81],"class_list":["post-41827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-bristol-and-bath","tag-top-story"],"yoast_head":"\nSouth West business figures recognised in King's Birthday Honours - South West<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/south-west\/news\/41827-south-west-business-figures-recognised-in-kings-birthday-honours\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"South West business figures recognised in King's Birthday Honours - 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