Yorkshire's Power 100: The most influential people in Yorkshire from Rachel Reeves and Tracy Brabin to Rami Baitiéh and Xijun Cao

1. Rachel Reeves MP, MP for Leeds West and Pudsey; Chancellor of the Exchequer

To some, a contentious choice but Reeves is the most powerful figure in Yorkshire and influencing the national stage. Her ability to influence positive change might actually be minimal currently as the UK faces all sorts of economic headwinds, not least those being caused by Donald Trump’s global tariffs regime. She is due to be talking to the White House this week over a potential UK-US trade deal. Ms Reeves has said: “The key thing for the British Government is always acting in the UK’s national interest, and any deal that’s able to be secured will always have front-and-centre British national interest.” Whatever the outcome, her decisions in the coming weeks and months will have huge implications for us all.

2. Gary Nutter, Chief Executive, Sheffield Forgemasters

Nutter took up the role in February 2024 from David Bond to oversee increasing defence output and a substantial recapitalisation programme. Since the Ministry of Defence acquired the business it has become strategically pivotal to the UK in defence and energy and has embarked on a £400m investment programme to transform its production capabilities including an entirely new 250,000 sq ft machining facility at its Brightside Lane site. Much of Yorkshire’s commercial future and reputation could be linked to the importance of Sheffield Forgemasters.

3. Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director, Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture

This placing could go to several hundred people who are striving to make 2025 a fresh beginning for Bradford, when it hopes to see an economic revolution following a year of culture and artistic events. The experiences of other host cities is varied but holding the mantle for a full year must be capitalised upon and the city has come together like never before. Gulzar communicates hope and by the time 2026 ticks around Bradford will be a better place.

4. Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire

The nation’s first female Metro-Mayor won a convincing re-election last May, defeating the Conservative candidate by more than three times as many votes. She has set out a ten-year growth plan prioritising business growth, skills and reliable public transport. Brabin has also vowed a housebuilding focus and to retrofit all 650,000 homes in the county by 2038. She has also taken the region’s bus service back into public control.

5. Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire

Coppard won re-election with roughly half of all votes cast. He immediately made transport his main priority, saying he wanted to integrate buses, Supertram, walking and cycling by 2028. South Yorkshire has seen announcements such as Rolls-Royce SMR launching a new multi-million pound facility and American company Holtec announcing the area will host its £1.5bn modular reactor parts factory. He will also be the decision-maker on the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport this summer.

6 Andrew Dawes, Humber Director, Associated British Ports

ABP influences much of what business happens with the Humber, North and South banks. Beyond a big port operation, the Humber is also at the forefront of the energy transition and decarbonising the area’s heavy industries. Air Products will run the UK’s first, at-scale green hydrogen plant at Immingham and ABP has also lodged plans for development of 96 acres of land at its Stallingborough Interchange site to provide automotive storage space. Dawes replaced Simon Bird at the end of 2024.

7. Steve Heapy, Chief Executive, Jet2 plc

Jet2 is possibly Yorkshire’s most famous business today. Heapy was promoted to chief executive in 2020. In November he said that the launch of a new Luton base will be the last “for some time” following a flurry of new openings during and since the Covid pandemic. He did however, say the company would meet with South Yorkshire officials who hope to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Jet2 seat sales last summer were up 12 per cent on 2023 numbers.

8 David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire

Elected last May as the first metro mayor for the newly devolved area with a third of the vote, Skaith was a York shop owner previously. One of his first actions was to introduce new support funds: Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets, Carbon Negative Challenge, Business Innovation, Skills Innovation. He has also vowed to support North Yorkshire’s farmers after inheritance tax changes, increase train services between York and Scarborough and formed a business board for the region.

9. Allan Leighton, Executive Chair, Asda

Extraordinarily parachuted into the troubled supermarket chain in December to replace fellow retail veteran Lord Stuart Rose, Leighton, 71, left his successful spell as Asda’s chief executive in 2002. Now majority owned by private equity firm TDR Capital, the business reported its worst Christmas takings since 2015 following a third quarter revenue fall of 2.5 per cent to £5.3bn when fuel was excluded, with like-for-like sales declining by 4.8 per cent. Shareholders have invested £3.8 bn in the last three years and the store portfolio grown from 623 to 1,200.

10. James Lewis, Leader, Leeds City Council

First elected to lead the council in Yorkshire’s strongest city in 2021. Recent successes for the city include commitments by the Bank of England, National Wealth Fund and the Financial Conduct Authority. Once again though, Lewis oversees the council when it has to make further budget cuts; this time in excess of £100m. He chairs the Core Cities UK organisation arguing for greater decentralisation across the UK.

11. Carl Ennis, Chief executive, Siemens plc

Siemens has a major influence in Yorkshire with its wind turbine blade facility in Hull providing nearly 1,300 jobs and Goole seeing a £200m investment in a rail manufacturing village. Siemens Mobility has committed to building all future UK rolling stock orders at Goole while Siemens Gamesa has recruited an additional 500 roles in 2024 alone as it won contracts such as to make the blades for 64 turbines for the East Anglia Two windfarm off the Suffolk coast.

12. Simon Green, Chief Executive, Humber Freeport

The Freeport is one of eight in England and offers a range of incentives relating to customs, tax, planning, infrastructure, and innovation. Its three tax sites at Able Marine Energy Park and Immingham, Hull East and Saltend Chemical Park, and Goole are viewed as key for a future in advanced manufacturing and renewable energy.

13. Gareth Thomas, Britain Director, Holtec International

The American company has opted for South Yorkshire to host its planned Small Modular Reactor (SMR) factory. The UK’s largest clean-tech cluster and an existing industrial base and supply chain were given as the reason over 13 other locations. It is estimated that the factory could provide £1.5bn in Gross Value Added (GVA).

14. Tom Hunt, Leader, Sheffield City Council

Sheffield’s youngest council leader since David Blunkett came to power has proved popular with businesses, He is selling the benefits of the city’s new ten-year Growth Plan which has four ‘missions’ to create a ‘global, green and growing’ economy, a good choice of homes, growing the city’s international reputation and having a connected, reliable and low carbon transport network.

15. Rami Baitiéh, Chief Executive, Morrisons

The former French Air Force Colonel joined Morrisons from French supermarket Carrefour in November 2023. Reviewing his first year in charge, Baitiéh said it had been “an incredibly fulfilling year”. Data from analysts Kantar before Christmas showed that it has outpaced the market average growth since June 2021. It did sell off its forecourt business for £2.5bn.

16. Kate Josephs, Chief Executive, Sheffield City Council

Josephs and council leader Hunt represent a new face for Sheffield and one that reflects a modern outlook with future-facing businesses. Both care deeply about the city and Josephs isn’t a council executive who hides in her office, she pitches in, turns up at events, connects with people and is prepared to take difficult questions in public too.

17. Bruce Heppenstall, Plant Director, Drax Power Station

The power company and Selby power station are critical for energy production in the UK. Its longstanding vow for further investment in bio energy and carbon capture storage remains contingent on gaining further clarity from the Government on the frameworks for continuing the operation of the power station beyond 2027 though. It continues to face scrutiny about the sources of its biomass.

18. Ed Whiting, Chief Executive, Leeds City Council

Whiting replaced Tom Riordan as Leeds Council’s top executive last Autumn. A Cambridge graduate, he is a career civil servant having had roles in the Treasury, as Private Secretary for Public Services at 10 Downing Street and before this role, was based in Leeds with the departments of Business and Trade and Levelling Up. He immediately inherits a challenge of saving £100m or risk seeing the authority go bankrupt though.

19. Coun Anne Handley, Leader, East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Handley grew up and lives in Goole and although she leads East Riding’s Conservative group she is not overtly political. She does, however, speak common sense passionately and has a wide appeal that has enabled investment in Goole and will very possibly see her voted to be the first elected mayor for Hull and East Yorkshire in May.

20. Mike Ross, Leader, Hull City Council

Ross’s Liberal Democrat group has done well to retain control of power in the city of Hull so they must be pleasing a lot of the electorate. His manoeuvre to jointly bargain for a devo deal for Hull and East Yorkshire and then throw his hat in the ring as the Lib Dem contender while council leader surprised some. But, as Labour is hit by national dissatisfaction, don’t be surprised if he is elected come May either.

21. Robert Cornall, Interim Regional Director, North East and Yorkshire, NHS England

Cornall was appointed to succeed Richard Barker in summer. NHS England in the North East and Yorkshire supports four integrated care systems – partnerships of NHS organisations, local authorities, charities, the voluntary and social enterprise sectors and others to improve the health and wellbeing of local people within their local places.

22. Prof Koen Lamberts, Vice-chancellor, University of Sheffield

Sheffield was named one of the best universities in the country for developing intellectual property and commercialising research according to the latest Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF). However, the university faces a £50m shortfall after a seven per cent drop in student numbers. And there are questions to be answered after a no confidence vote in him and the departure of the chief executive of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.

23. Vincent Hodder, Chief Executive, Leeds Bradford Airport

LBA wants to further develop long-haul flights as part of its newly-updated Vision 2030 strategy. Passenger numbers are predicted to nearly double to seven million a year by 2030. The proposed expansion will be funded by £200m of private investment and add 10 new aircraft stands.

24. Sebastian Walsh, Head of Leeds, Bank of England

Walsh will help deliver the Bank’s ambitious plans to increase staff numbers in Leeds from 70 to 500 by 2027. The Times reported that only 156 exiting BoE staff wanted to transfer north though.

25. Xijun Cao, President and Chief Executive, British Steel

Cao held the fate of 2,000 jobs in his hands at the Scunthorpe plant. Jingye, the Chinese owner of British Steel, announced a £1.25bn decarbonisation plan of the site more than a year ago but was holding out for £300m of support when the Government stepped in.

26. Ash Amirahmadi, Chief Executive, Sofina Foods Europe

Between Young’s Seafood and Karro Food group, Canada’s Sofina is a major employer and food producer in the region. Young’s is Grimsby’s largest private sector employer with more than 1,400 staff while Karro employs around 1,000 at its head office base in Malton. Leeds-based Amirahmadi joined from Arla in 2023.

27. John Flint, Chief Executive, National Wealth Fund

The Leeds-headquartered funder is operationally independent but wholly owned by HM Treasury and has more than £20bn to help bring in private investment and support clean energy and growth industries. Despite a cut of a fifth to the bank’s budget, its presence in Leeds is a boost to the city’s reputation.

28. Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and MP for Doncaster North

Miliband is in charge of delivering the UK’s legal commitment to have net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. He wants to deliver a ‘bold plan for energy independence, lower energy bills, good jobs and to tackle the climate crisis’. He chose to announce planning loosening around onshore wind at Siemens Gamesa’s Hull factory.

29. Bas Padberg, UK Managing Director, Arla Foods

The giant international dairy group has its UK headquarters in Leeds, creameries at Stourton and Settle and employs more than 3,500 people. It is currently investing more than £300m in UK sites. Padberg raised some amusement when he said farms should install solar panels on their roofs to offset the methane from cows.

30. Steve Foots, Chief Executive, Croda

Once a PLC darling of Yorkshire businesses, the Snaith-headquartered oils and chemicals business has found the going harder since the Covid pandemic. Its shares fell in the wake of Robert F Kennedy Junior’s appointment as US health secretary amid questions on additives and chemicals to tackle food-related chronic disease.

31 Adam Couch, Chief Executive, Cranswick Plc

Couch is one of the longest serving heads of a major Yorkshire business, having been appointed at the Hull meat products producer since 2012. Couch says it continues to grow its poultry business and it now has the largest pig farming business in the UK.

32 Susan Allen, Chief Executive, Yorkshire Building Society

YBS employs 3,000 people in the UK and has headquarters at Rooley Lane, Bradford, serving around three million customers. Allen has a 25-year career in the financial services sector and joined the YBS in March 2023 on a big package. Her opinion is sought far and wide though and by politicians.

33. Jake Kelly, Managing Director – Eastern Region, Network Rail

Kelly leads the Eastern region operating some of the busiest rail lines in the country from Newcastle to London including three airports and 13 freight ports. When its Transpennine route upgrade is complete there will be up to six fast services every hour between Leeds and Manchester and Huddersfield station will also be transformed.

34. Tim Roberts, Chief Executive, Henry Boot

Roberts represents a new look at the famous Yorkshire construction business – an era when fewer of the family are in key positions. He is responsible for group profitability and communicating strategy. In December, Henry Boot took full ownership of its housebuilding subsidiary Stonebridge Homes.

35 Sally Dillon, York Site Lead, Aviva

Insurance and pensions provider Aviva has 18.5 million customers across the UK, Ireland and Canada, £400bn of group assets under management and 22,000 people – 2,000 are based in York. Aviva has agreed to buy rival Direct Line for £3.7bn.

36 Prof Charlie Jeffery, Vice-chancellor, University of York

The university has been hit particularly hard by the financial crisis in higher education. An eight per cent reduction in staffing levels was proposed in a planned budget cut of £34m. It has also lost its ranking as Yorkshire’s top university to Sheffield according to The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025.

37. Dean Finch, Group Chief Executive, Persimmon Homes

Finch leads one of the UK’s biggest housebuilders, although completions are down – around 10,600 in 2024. The York-headquartered business employs more than 5,000 people and is one of the top 100 apprenticeship providers in the country.

38. Prof Shearer West, Vice-Chancellor, University of Leeds

West joined Leeds in the summer after seven years as Vice-Chancellor at the University of Nottingham. Upon appointment, the British-American art-historian praised the university’s diversity and inclusivity with more than 38,000 students from 170 countries.

39. Duncan Johnson, Chief Executive, Northern Gritstone

The investment firm was formed to support the commercialisation of science and knowledge businesses. This year it has bought into University of Sheffield spinout Exciting Instruments, and Microlub, Cavero Quantum and adsilico from Leeds.

40. Carl Les, Leader, North Yorkshire County Council

For ten years, Les has led the third largest county council in England in population and the biggest in geographical size. It is under no overall control and currently in the process of preparing a new council plan.

41. Malcolm Healey, Founder, West Retail Group

Healey’s North Lincolnshire-based Wren Kitchens returned annual profits at their lowest level since 2017 and it shed 1,000 jobs. The group, which only launched in 2009, still has more than 100 showrooms in the UK and the US though.

42. Tom Grundy, Chief Executive, Hybrid Air Vehicles

After receipt of the first funding instalment from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), HAV is preparing to start work on its flagship aircraft production facility at Doncaster’s Carcroft Common.

43. Phil Rodrigo, Master Cutler, Company of Cutlers of Hallamshire, and Senior Vice President for Human Resources and Organisation Development, Outokumpu

Outokumpu , one of the largest stainless steel producers in the world, has operations at Tinsley, Sheffield. Replacing an electric arc furnace there by 2026 in a £50m investment will see it double stainless steel production and create new jobs. And as the 385th Master Cutler, he represents regional industry ceremonially and commercially.

44 Tom Gilman, Managing Director, McLaren Property

York Central is one of the largest regeneration projects in the UK, being brought forward by a joint venture between McLaren and Arlington. The 45-hectare, mixed-use development site has the potential to bring a valuable piece of York city centre to life.

45. Louis Taylor, Chief Executive, British Business Bank

The Sheffield-headquartered bank oversees the second Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund among other things. It is delivering a £660m debt and equity commitments to smaller businesses across the North.

46. Louisa Harrison-Walker, Chief Executive, Sheffield Chamber; co-chair, South Yorkshire Business Advisory Board

Since selling her recruitment business, Harrison-Walker has thrown herself into public, business and community service in Sheffield and South Yorkshire. Other roles include being chair of Sheffield Business Together consortium of private sector organisations and a member of the Higher Education Partnership (HEP) board.

47. Prof Liz Towns-Andrews, Head of Business Engagement, University of Huddersfield National Health Innovation Campus

Towns-Andrews is an experienced, business-facing academic and was instrumental in delivering the £250m innovation campus project from its inception. It will feature research and innovation facilities and an NHS Community Diagnostic Centre to deliver better public health outcomes.

48. Nicky Chance-Thompson, Chief Executive, The Piece Hall Trust

The Piece Hall has been a jewel in Yorkshire’s crown since its restoration in 2017. To date, it has a number of cool shops, cafes and businesses. And last summer it hosted 34 concerts bringing more than 180,000 music fans to Halifax.

49. David Hall, Vice President for Power Systems, Schneider Electric

The international manufacturing giant employs 168,000 staff worldwide. In Yorkshire, it is investing £42m in a new manufacturing facility making low-voltage switchgears in Scarborough and has created more than 100 new jobs with a smart factory and innovation hub at its Leeds base.

50. Mark Burton, Group Ambassador for Yorkshire and The Humber, Lloyds Banking Group

Lloyds employs nearly 4,000 staff in Yorkshire, largely in Halifax, home to its subsidiary, the eponymously-named building society. It has two corporate centres in the town centre and a private equity arm in Lloyds Development Capital (LDC).

51. Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton and Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

52. Mandy Ridyard, Financial Director, Produmax, and Business Adviser to West Yorkshire Mayor

53. Mark Davies, Managing Director, Nestle Confectionery UK & Ireland

54. Kirsten Major, Chief Executive, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

55. Prof Shirley Congdon, Vice-chancellor, University of Bradford

56. Dan Sadler, Vice President of UK Low Carbon Solutions, Equinor

57. Gareth Scargill, Managing Director, Nexus Leeds

58. Angela Barnicle, Director of City Development, Leeds City Council

59. Sinead Rocks, Managing Director – Nations & Regions, Channel 4

60. Tim Beale, Chief Executive, Keepmoat

61. Dominic Gibbons, Managing Director, Wykeland Group

62. Ben Still, Managing Director, West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA)

63. Matt Pullen, Chief Executive, Marshalls Plc

64. Paul Fursey, UK General Manager, Phillips 66 Humber Refinery

65. Anil Gupta, Senior Partner Yorkshire, Deloitte

66. Henri Murison, Director, Northern Powerhouse Partnership

67. Simon Schofield, Head of Development UK, Vastint

68. Dan Ibbetson, Chief Executive, Portakabin

69. Finlay McCutcheon, Managing Director, SSE Thermal

70. Prof Peter Slee, Vice-chancellor, Leeds Beckett University

71. Andy Ward, Market Partner for Leeds and Bradford, PwC

72. Andy Brown, Managing Director, Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate

73. Phil Murden, Senior Partner, KPMG Leeds

74. Johnny Caddick, Director, Caddick Group

75. Richard Stubbs, Chief Executive, Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber

76. Garry Wilson, Co-founder, Endless

77. Edmund Stobseth-Brown, General Manager, Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery

78. Jonathan Burdin, Site Lead – Hull Operations, Smith & Nephew

79. Angela Foulkes, Chief Executive and Principal, The Sheffield College

80. Alex McWhirter, Chief Executive, Finance Yorkshire

81. Colin Booth, Group Chief Executive, Luminate Education Group

82. Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary and MP for for Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley

83. Tim West, Office Managing Partner – Yorkshire, EY

84. Dr Chris Low, Chief Executive, Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park

85. Nicola Shaw, Chief Executive, Yorkshire Water

86. Beckie Hart, Regional Director – Yorkshire and the Humber, CBI

87. Adrian Brooks, Executive Chair, Production Park

88. Victoria Scott, Chief Manufacturing Engineer, Rolls-Royce SMR

89. Liz Mossop, Vice-chancellor, Sheffield Hallam University

90. Martin Swales, Chief Executive, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority

91. Daniel Fell, Chief Executive, Doncaster Chamber

92. Jason Speedy, Chair, Hull and East Yorkshire Business Board and Chief Operating Officer, Groupe Atlantic

93. Richard Harpin, Founder, Growth Partner

94. Stuart Clarke, Festival Director, Leeds Digital Festival

95. James Mason, Chief Executive, West & North Yorkshire Chamber

96. William Derby, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Course, York Racecourse

97. Lynda Shillaw, Chief Executive, Harworth Group

98. Simon Boyle, Director – Yorkshire and the North East, National Highways

99. Paul Sewell, Chair, Sewell Group and Chair, Hull Kingston Rovers

100. Paraag Marathe, Chairman, Leeds United FC