News
Clint Wilson named LDC’s Most Ambitious Business Leader for 2019
9 Oct 2019
Clint Wilson, CEO of Coventry-headquartered ParentPay, was named LDC’s Most Ambitious Business Leader at a celebration event at the Institute of Engineering and Technology in London yesterday.
LDC’s Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders, supported by The Telegraph, is now in its second year and aims to uncover and celebrate the people behind some of the UK’s fast growing medium-sized firms. This year there were more than 550 business leaders nominated and the Top 50 business leaders run businesses which collectively generate more than £1.5billion and are growing 35% every year. Employing more than 10,000 people, these companies hail from every sector of the economy and are based in 38 different locations across the UK.
Clint was recognised for his “vision and entrepreneurial vigour,” said Paul Drechsler CBE, Chairman of Bibby Line Group and Chairman of the LDC Top 50 judging panel. He has led ParentPay to become the leading payments platform for UK schools, serving 5m parents nationwide, and now plans to continue expansion into Europe.
On receiving the award Clint commented: “We have worked incredibly hard to build a great business that has transformed the way payments are processed within schools. We’re currently growing by 70 per cent a year, and are continuing to drive market share. It’s been an incredible journey, which wouldn’t have been possible without our dedicated team. It’s an honour to be recognised as LDC’s Most Ambitious Business Leader, and we look forward to building on our achievements as we target further growth.”
In addition to crowning the Most Ambitious Business Leader, LDC recognised those additional business leaders that have excelled in areas including international expansion, social purpose and innovation.
Guy Schanschieff MBE and Jo Schanschieff, Founders of Bambino Mio, picked up the award for international expansion and were commended for their impressive global outlook. The award for social purpose – which recognises the leader with the greatest ambition to do good – was given to Eben Upton CBE, CEO of Raspberry Pi, while Margot Cooper, CEO of Limbs & Things, received the innovation award, with her disruptor mentality acknowledged as central to their success.
CEO of Plantforce, Claire Trott, collected the Alumni’s Leader, as voted for by last year’s Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders. In addition, Stuart McLachlan, CEO of Anthesis Group, was named as this year’s Highly Commended One to Watch, as chosen by LDC.
Alongside Paul, the independent panel of judges included Carl Castledine, CEO of the fast-growing holiday park operator Away Resorts, Debbie Bestwick MBE, CEO of global games developer Team17, former Telegraph Enterprise Editor Rebecca Burn-Callander and Andy Grove, Head of New Business at LDC.
Ambition is the fire in our belly. It’s the extra 10% that makes good, great. Frankly, for many businesses, it’s the difference between doing or dying. Of course, you need a clear vision, a sound strategy and a track record to succeed but that state of mind is what keeps you there.”
“There has never been a more important time to recognise ambition in business,” said Andy Grove, Head of New Business at LDC. “Ambition is the common characteristic shared by every successful business leader. With £1.2bn to invest over the next three years, we are committed to backing the ambitions of leaders of fast-growing small and medium-sized firms across the UK.”
You can find out more information on this year’s Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders programme, including detail on all the leaders and awards, here.