Yorkshire Leadership Awards 2025 winners revealed
Natalie Boswell, business development director at Lloyds Banking Group, was named overall Leader of the Year at the Yorkshire Leadership Awards.
Natalie has supported businesses in the Yorkshire region for 12 years across multiple sectors through growth, sale, M&A and accessing support through Covid-19. She launched regional development into Yorkshire for Lloyds Bank to build a sustainable future, through private and public sector collaboration
Accepting the award, Natalie thanked her team for ‘putting up with her every day’ and said that leadership is built by ‘surrounding yourself with the best people’.
More than 270 people gathered at the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, to celebrate the region’s finest leaders at the Yorkshire Leadership Awards.
The judging panel was 2019 overall winner Taryn Edge, 2024’s diversity and inclusion leader Sarah Tulip, Doncaster Chamber chief executive Dan Fell, and African and Caribbean Business Ventures chief executive Karl Oxford.
The audience heard from guest speaker, Tim Brear, from the awards’ charity partner, REACT Disaster Response. REACT is a humanitarian rapid response charity, operating in the UK and overseas.
The awards are supported by First Event, Global Autocare and Haddletons.
Sheryl Moore, Yorkshire Editor of TheBusinessDesk.com, said: “As the approach to leadership continuously evolves amid global and economic uncertainty, it was an honour to celebrate with the region’s leaders all of whom demonstrated how visionary, resilient and empathetic leadership can empower businesses.
“Our shortlist and winners once again showcased the best of Yorkshire, and it was excellent to see so many great leaders from a diverse range sectors recognised for their exemplary leadership skills.”
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Category winners
Young Leader
Winner: Georgina Fairhall, WAC
Shortlisted
Ally Boldan – instantprint
Natalie Boswell – Lloyds Bank
Mattie Dawson – Children’s Corner Childcare
Georgina Fairhall – WAC
Nick Hird – ViDrate
Sam Teale – Sam Teale Productions
Public & Third Sector Leader
Winner: Nathan Atkinson, Rethink Food CIC
Shortlisted
Lisa Dawson – Run With It
Linsay Medica – Little Hiccups
Nicki Rowland – The Magic Dentist Charity
Mentor
Winner: Sarah Gregory, Slipstream Engineering Design
Shortlisted
Colin Glass OBE
Martha Phillips – Source
Andries Pyper – Golden Triangle Financial Services
Julie Stelling – Dakota Hotels
Emerging Entrepreneur Leader
Winner: Armando Leal Puente, Eutechtics
Shortlisted
Jason Crispin – IMAGINaiTION
Joseph Hawkins – SleepCogni
Zayn Hussain – Tech1 Solutions
Julian Pearce – Yasper
Diversity & Inclusion Leader
Winner: Aisha Minhas, Openreach
Shortlisted
Natalie Boswell – Lloyds Bank
Nicki Rowland – The Magic Dentist Charity
Ian Stafford – Bradford Bulls
Professional Services Leader
Winner: Neil Wilson, Chadwick Lawrence
Shortlisted
Davina Gillyon – rradar
James Groot – Cortus Advisory Group
Mark Puleikis – Titan Private Wealth
Rachel Roche – Roche Legal
Green Leader
Winner: Peter Kavanagh, Harmony Energy
Shortlisted
Alan Barnes – Wernick Refurbished Buildings
Fiona Conor – Trust Electric Heating
Médéric Payne – AIREA
Helen Slinger – Accounting for Sustainability
HR Leader
Winner: Ian McAleese – Synhrgy
Shortlisted
Rachel Alexander – Sure Group
Sam Brook – Severfield
Jonathan Walton – Dakota Hotels
Hospitality Leader
Winner: Danielle Best, Mexi Bean Express
Shortlisted
James Ball – Fazenda Rodizio Bar and Grill
Debbie Dobson – Dakota Hotels
Mica Jones – Escapism Bars
Manufacturing Leader
Winner: Matt Goff – Thurston Group
Shortlisted
Scott Conor – Trust Electric Heating
Lou Ellis-Frankland – Mansfield Pollard
Emma Parkinson – The International Group
Rory Percival – EnviroVent
Education Leader
Winner: Adrian Kneeshaw – Carlton Academy Trust
Shortlisted
Canon Simon Baldwin – Leeds Beckett University
Lisa Dawson – Run With It
Chris Simes – Collingwood Learning
Marketing Leader
Winner: Julian Kynaston – Propaganda
Shortlisted
Sam Goodwin – Headstar
Samantha Jevons – Bowman Riley
Richard Michie – The Marketing Optimist
Julian Pearce – Yasper
Martha Phillips – Source
Technology Leader
Winner: Liz Whitefield, Hippo Digital
Georgina Fairhall – WAC
Zayn Hussain – Tech1 Solutions
Barrie Jarrett – Planet Sport Group
Peter Kirby – Tred
Andrew Parker – Flood Technology Group
Finance Leader
Winner: Natalie Boswell – Lloyds Bank
Shortlisted
Lee Clayton – CHN Financial Consultancy
James Groot – Cortus Advisory Group
Peter Kirby – Tred
Sue Moul – Headstar
Company Leader (up to 50 employees)
Winner: Emma Parkinson – The International Group
Shortlisted
Fiona Conor – Trust Electric Heating
Nick Hird – ViDrate
Gal Leslie – 2-Work Group
Oliver McClaren – The Escapologist
Dan Platt – Ultimate (Commercial Interiors)
Company Leader (51 – 100 employees)
Winner: Mark Puleikis, Titan Private Wealth
Shortlisted
Lee Clayton – CHN Financial Consultancy
Charles Draper – Sure Group
Michael Feather – Bowman Riley
John Sanderson – PitStop Productions
Company Leader (101+ employees)
Winner: Lou Ellis-Frankland – Mansfield Pollard
Shortlisted
Mattie Dawson – Children’s Corner Childcare
Gary Gallen – rradar
Matt Goff – Thurston Group
Médéric Payne – AIREA
Paul Teasdale – Premier Technical Services Group
Transformational Leader
Winner: Médéric Payne – AIREA
Shortlisted
Erica Hodgson – Differentis
Ian McAleese – Synhrgy
Paul Teasdale – Premier Technical Services Group
Liz Whitefield – Hippo Digital
