Meet the rising stars: Leeds & West Yorkshire Top 30 Under 30s reveal class of 2025
Leeds & West Yorkshire Top 30 Under 30 have announced the list of 2025 winners in the region. This year’s class marks year two of the prestigious training programme, designed to equip them with the leadership skills and ongoing professional development, whilst recognising young business talent in the area.
Thirty young people from businesses across Leeds and West Yorkshire have been chosen to take part in a year-long experience, culminating in a prestigious awards ceremony at the end of the year.
Following a successful inaugural year in 2024, the process aims to recognise and support rising stars within businesses across Leeds and West Yorkshire, inspiring the next generation of business leaders.
As part of the programme, each of the selected winners will undergo 12 months of development in line with the Leadership Excellence Acceleration Programme (LEAP). The process not only equips each winner with the skillset to become effective leaders, but also provides an opportunity for businesses to recognise and invest in their own aspiring, young talent.
I am proud to announce this year’s winners, and our class of 2025. Today is about recognising and celebrating the contribution of the region’s best young people. This group have made a significant difference to their organisations, to their teams, to the local business community and it is an honour to showcase who they are, and what they have contributed.
Top 30 Under 30 first began in the Hull and Humber region in 2017, and has since supported 35 winners to go and become directors, 14 ‘heads of’ departments, three in ‘group’ positions and 73 new managers.
The programme provides winners the unique opportunity to further enhance their leadership skills, led by industry experts in leadership, self-development, and communication.
Luke Brewin took part in the Top 30 Under 30s last year, referred to the process as “something that genuinely reshaped my perspective, both professionally and personally”.
Luke, Director of Operations at Force24, said: “Winning the Top 30 Under 30 award and completing the leadership programme has genuinely reshaped my perspective, both professionally and personally. The chance to connect, learn and share openly with peers who were navigating similar career stages was invaluable. Being in your twenties often means dealing with significant differences in professional trajectories, ambitions, and personal growth, which can feel isolating at times. The programme created a rare environment where candid conversations with likeminded people became not only possible but genuinely enjoyable.
“As someone who naturally approaches these things with healthy scepticism, I didn’t expect to come away with so many meaningful insights. The sessions cleverly challenged my assumptions about myself and others, giving me practical and actually useful tools to communicate and lead more effectively.
“It’s something I’m incredibly proud of, grateful for, and eager to continue drawing from well into the future.”
Pathways to success
The process also campaigns to raise awareness around the various career opportunities that are available in the region, including the different pathways to success, and the range of professional industries that operate in the area.
Simon said: “By delivering Top 30 Under 30s, we create an evidence-based narrative that helps shifts the often common perception that you need to leave the area to climb the career ladder, whereas in fact there are jobs, careers and progressive opportunities worth staying for.”
2025 has seen a significant number of organisations nominate their talent for selection, including the likes of Channel 4, KPMG, Balfour Beatty and ADM.
Simon said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with the interest we’ve had from businesses, and I’m looking forward to working with our winners to develop their skillset.
“For most young people, they start a role, and as they progress and become good at doing that particular job, they may get asked to lead other people doing the same or similar role. Because of their ambition, they say yes to this, and eventually step into a supervisory, managerial or leadership capacity without realising the need to adopt a completely different skillset to the one they’d originally developed.
“This overnight manager effect stifles the growth of the individual, the team and the organisation, and this is where our programme comes in. We provide the foundation of skills and self-awareness for these young people to accelerate their leadership understanding and make them more effective in their new leadership roles. Having taken winners through this experience over the last six years, we know that organisations are now recognising how important their young talent is to their long-term future and prospects.
“We are upskilling and mobilising Leeds & West Yorkshire’s future leaders, and I can’t wait to take this year’s winners on that journey.
The winners
Samantha Armstrong, Sika, Human Resources Coordinator
Alisha Bell, Byworth Boilers, ERP Analyst
Charlie Brumwell, HSL Chairs, Graphic Designer
Tamera Carrington, The National Coal Mining Museum, Marketing Officer
Beth Chaplow, Social, Account Director
Tyler Collins, Caddick, Trainee Site Manager
Gia Conor, Trust Electric Heating Ltd, Head of Operations
Dervla Curran, C3 Group, Sustainability Consultant
Megan Dooley, Abraham Moon & Sons Ltd, Senior Sales and Customer Support Advisor
Annabel Robinson, Yorkshire Childrens Charity, Head of Events
Patrick Faulkner, Accu Limited, Lead Engineer
Lauren Hawkhead, Channel 4, Branded Digital Video Shooter/ Editor
Dan Hill, Channel 4, Senior Social Strategist
Bill Houghton, ADM, Uk Milling Energy Manager
Sanah Iqbal, Kings Secure Technologies, Business Process and Operations Executive
Lauren Jackson, KPMG, Assistant Manager
Nabeel Jan, AP Lawyers, Deputy Conveyancing Manager
Ashley Martin, Balfour Beatty, Senior Quantity Surveyor
Conor McDermott, Maximus UK, Performance Manager
Martin Nyaga, DRS Software, Lead Software Developer
Conor O'Leary, KPMG, Manager - Deal Advisory Tax
Sian Purver, Crysp, National Business & Operations Manager
Kieran Riding, Genco Electrical Projects, SHEQ Manager
Harry Sylvester, Ridings Consulting, Mechanical Engineer
Sam Trickett, Story Contracting, Scheme Project Manager
Pip Tuffin, We Are SAIL, Project Coordinator
Billy Walker, Story Contracting, Project Engineer
Rachel Ward, Kelling Group, Human Resources Manager
Rachel Webb, Unicat Catalyst, Human Resources Manager
Poppy Wilson, Ultimate (Commercial Interiors), Head of Furniture
Find out more
For more details see www.top30under30.co.uk
To find out how Top 30 Under 30 can fast-track your career, visit the website