Shortlist revealed for the West Midlands Leadership Awards 2025

The shortlist for the West Midlands Leadership Awards 2025 has now been unveiled!

19 winners are set to be crowned on March 13, 2025, in front of the West Midlands business community at the Macdonald Burlington Hotel in Birmingham city centre.

TheBusinessDesk.com created the West Midlands Leadership Awards to celebrate the people who are role models within their organisations and raise the bar for their competitors. The winners will show the qualities of extraordinary leadership and be able to demonstrate the positive impact this has had.

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The awards are independently judged by the region’s business leaders and our panel of judges for this year consisted of Andy Begley, CEO of Shropshire Council, Henrietta Brealey, CEO of the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Andrew Lovett, CEO of the Black Country Living Museum and Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millenium Point.

Chair of the judges and West Midlands editor Anna Cooper said: “Congratulations to all of our fantastic shortlisted leaders.

“The judges were faced with some tough decisions as the standard of entries was higher than ever! I look forward to celebrating the success of the region’s leaders with you all, at what will be a fabulous evening.”

The 2025 Shortlist:

Young Leader
Mitchell Barnes – RYSE 3D
Dan Boardman-Weston – BRI Wealth Management
Ben Hobbis – Step Up Network CIC
Katy Paddock – Colmore Business District (BID)
Kyle Raffo – Embello
Jordon Tipper – Start Tech

Public & Third Sector Leader
Clive Bawden – Various
Ben Hobbis – Step Up Network CIC
Ben Howells – Living Well UK
Yiannis Maos MBE – TechWM

Mentor
Artemis Ansell – Lichfield District Council/Lichfield West Midlands Traded Services
Clive Bawden – Various
Tom Bower – Lauralu UK
Professor Paul Cadman – Walk through Walls
Andy Gillett – BRI Wealth Management
Adam Kohlbeck and Chris Passey – EduPulse

Diversity & Inclusion Leader
Emma Armstrong – Empro Business Group
Zoe Bennett – Training Personified
Rupert Lyle – Midven
Sophia Tarr – STEAMhouse Innovation Lab

Professional Services Leader
Dan Boardman-Weston – BRI Wealth Management
Kirsty Davies-Chinnock – Women With Metal
Joanna Lee-Mills – Shakespeare Martineau
Karen Moores – Sydney Mitchell
Sarah Moorhouse – Black Country Chamber of Commerce

Green Leader
Liane Kynaston – Absolute Collagen
Ankita Mishra – Mills & Reeve

HR Leader
Karuna Bhatia – Richborough
Angela Millward – Dains Accountants

Hospitality Leader
Conrad Brunton – Tonic Talent
Nouman Farooqui – Asha’s Restaurants

Manufacturing Leader
Mitchell Barnes – RYSE 3D
Kirsty Davies-Chinnock – Women With Metal
Melissa Snover – Rem3dy Health

Education Leader
Ben Hobbis – Step Up Network CIC
Adam Kohlbeck and Chris Passey – EduPulse
Rebecca Waterfield – South & City College Birmingham

Marketing Leader
Becca Dean – Shropshire Festivals
Zoe Lee – BMet College
Jennie Sanders – Dains Accountants
Harriet Troth – BRI Wealth Management

Technology Leader
Darren Cox – Delta Financial Systems
Simon Davies – Delta Financial Systems
Yiannis Maos MBE – TechWM
Melissa Snover – Rem3dy Health
Jordon Tipper – Start Tech
Chris Woods – CyberQ Group

Finance Leader
Andy Gillett – BRI Wealth Management
Rupert Lyle – Midven
Richard McNeilly – Dains Accountants

Property Leader
Tom Bromwich – Bromwich Hardy
Julia Chowings – Gerald Eve
Steve McCarthy – McCarthys
Phil McHugh – Vistry North West Midlands

Company Leader (up to 50 employees)
Emma Armstrong – Empro Business Group
Mitchell Barnes – RYSE 3D
Dan Boardman-Weston – BRI Wealth Management
Craig Humphrey – Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub
Sarah Moorhouse – Black Country Chamber of Commerce
Anthony Tattum and Rachel Roberts – Leopard Co

Company Leader (51 – 100 employees)
Paul Campbell – Richborough
Ross Edwards – Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld
Ben Howells – Living Well UK
Chris Woods – CyberQ Group

Company Leader (101+ employees)
Iain McCallister – MAN Commercial Protection
Richard McNeilly – Dains Accountants
Melissa Snover – Rem3dy Health

Transformational Leader
Billy Chalk – Delta Financial Systems
Emma Fardell – Richborough
Ileana Lupsa – techUK
Rupert Lyle – Midven
Chris Woods – CyberQ Group

Leader of the Year
To be announced at the awards evening

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