The LDC Top 50
The LDC Top 50 – Awards Entry Guide
25 Feb 2025
The LDC Top 50, in partnership with The Times, aims to champion the UK’s Most Ambitious Business Leaders.
Why enter?
It is a well-recognised awards programme that can help you celebrate your success, recognise your team and raise the profile of your business.
Everyone featured in The Top 50 or the Ones to Watch is profiled in a special supplement in The Times.
You will also have the opportunity to create connections with like-minded business leaders at a national celebratory event at BAFTA in London.
You can enter yourself or someone you know here. Nominations close at midnight on 9th May.
Diptesh Patel, Founder and CEO, UBDS Group
“Being part of The LDC Top 50 brought huge recognition to me and the team here. The award gave us the edge when speaking to prospective customers.”
Emma O’Brien, Founder, Embridge Consulting
“The LDC Top 50 gave me the confidence to think big. It’s given me this incredible platform and opened up so many amazing opportunities.”
Robin Skidmore, Founder, Journey Further
“The Top 50 was an opportunity to lean in and meet inspirational people and I really appreciate having that opportunity.”
Who can enter?
We’re looking for the unsung heroes of UK business – those demonstrating remarkable ambition, disrupting markets, breaking down boundaries and empowering people.
To qualify, candidates must:
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Be the Founder, Managing Director or CEO of a UK-headquartered, privately-owned business
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Lead a growing business that has an annual turnover of up to £50m and is profitable
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Demonstrate a clear vision for their business and a plan for achieving their goals
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Evidence a strong track record of delivering their ambitions
The programme is open to business leaders beyond LDC’s investments – we can’t include ambitious leaders from LDC’s portfolio as it would show favouritism.
How is The Top 50 decided?
Following the initial nomination, shortlisted candidates are invited to meet with a member of The Top 50 research team – this can be via video call or in person and will take place before the end of May. The meeting will be an opportunity for the team to find out more about the business leader, their journey and ambitions for the future in more depth.
The team will then combine the information gathered from the meeting and the nomination form to decide who features in The Top 50, and who is named a Ones to Watch – the leaders set for great things. The judging process is assessed across the following areas:
- Vision (25%)
- Plan (25%)
- Track record (25%)
- Financial growth (25%)
Successful candidates for The Top 50 will then be invited for an interview with The Top 50 Editor in June or July, to inform their profile published in The Times in October.
Successful candidates for The Ones to Watch will be asked for some additional detail over email to inform their profile published in The Times in October.
In addition, The Top 50 judging panel will select category award winners, this includes The UK’s Most Ambitious Business Leader and The Highly Commended: One to Watch and celebrate areas such as ESG and International Ambition.
The Top 50, Ones to Watch and category winners will be revealed at our national celebratory event at BAFTA in London in October, the day before they will be featured in The Times.
Watch the video
What happens at The LDC Top 50 celebratory event?
A networking event with champagne and canapés is held at BAFTA in London to celebrate The Top 50. At the event, category award winners from The Top 50 and Ones to Watch will also be announced. Take a look at the highlights from last year’s event here.
Watch the videoWatch the video
What is the impact of being in The Top 50?
Watch Onecom CEO Martin Flick explain the impact of being featured in The Top 50 – how it raised the profile of him, his team and his business.
Watch the videoWhat is the impact of being in The Top 50?
How does it feel to be part of The LDC Top 50?
How can I enter?
There are two nomination forms – one to nominate yourself and one to nominate a CEO or Founder you know, they can be found here.
The candidates nominated by a third party will be contacted by our team to ensure they’re happy to participate.
Nominations for two or more co-founders or co-leaders of a business are welcome, the nomination forms allow you to add a second leader, if there are any additional leaders, please email Top50@ldc.co.uk with the details.
Entry is free of charge as is attendance at the celebratory event at BAFTA in London.
For further information please contact The Top 50 team at Top50@ldc.co.uk.
The LDC Top 50 2025
Read the success stories of The LDC Top 50 Business Leaders of 2024.
Download the brochure