We look to recognise and celebrate ambition across the UK, in all its forms, whether through our Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders programme and The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards or our long-term partnership with World Record-holder Mark Beaumont to supporting ambition ‘on the ground’ in the areas we live and work.

The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders

Now in its fourth year and supported by The Times, our Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders programme aims to identify the exceptional leaders of UK medium-sized companies and celebrate their incredible tales of ambition, resilience and innovation.

The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders in 2020 defied the odds in the face of extreme adversity. They hail from every corner of the country and collectively contribute more than £1bn to the UK economy, employing more than 5,250 people.

Have a read of their inspiring stories of ambition, endeavour, innovation and resilience here.

Nominate yourself or someone else for The Top 50 Most Ambitions Business Leaders in 2021 here.

The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards

LDC is a proud sponsor of The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards which recognises and celebrates the resilience of great British business.

For 40 years we have invested in mid-market businesses from all sectors and regions of the British economy to support their growth. We understand the transformative power of ambition and this is why we are sponsoring the Entrepreneur of The Year category in 2021.

Economic growth in the UK is powered by great leaders. If you’re an inspiring and visionary leader of a UK business whose compelling ideas have translated to sustained levels of growth and strong financial performance through a culture of innovation and resilience, and an ability to inspire others through their leadership style, then The LDC Entrepreneur of the Year Award wants to hear your story.

You can find out more about the 2021 programme here.

Mark Beaumont

LDC’s long-term Corporate Ambassador Mark Beaumont has become a household name through documentaries about ultra-endurance and best-selling sports books. Having smashed the circumnavigation of the world by bike World Record twice in his career, he holds this 18,000 mile title in a time of 78 days – alongside some more obscure records, including the Penny Farthing ‘hour’!

We know that ambition partnered with long-term support is essential and in the same vein, we are proud to have supported Mark’s global ambitions for over a decade. Mark hosts a series of in-person and virtual events for LDC each year. Get in touch if you’d like to join us.

In 2020 Mark led the ‘World in a Day’ fundraiser supporting the NHS’s frontline healthcare workers and volunteers during the coronavirus pandemic. For one month, on each Thursday, 80 cyclists formed a virtual peloton together covering 18,000 miles. The peloton was supported by the UK public who joined in on turbo trainers, rowing machines and treadmills – the fundraising initiative raised a staggering £230,000.

You can find out more about Mark and his incredible stories here.

Backing Youth Ambition

In 2019 we joined forces with the UK’s leading youth charity, The Prince’s Trust, to help equip more young people with the confidence, skills and funding to start their own business.

Backing Youth Ambition is a three-year partnership to support more than 1,200 young people aged 18-30 to start their own business, through start-up grants and additional funding as well as volunteering, training and mentoring activity across the UK.

In the first two years, our partnership has contributed more than £800,000 to support more than 1,300 young entrepreneurs, through donations, volunteering, event attendance and mentoring.

Find out more here.

Ambition across the UK

Our teams are based in 12 locations across the UK and we back ambition ‘on the ground’ in the areas we live and work.

Birmingham’s Birchfield Harriers

This year LDC is celebrating a 10-year relationship with the UK’s leading athletics club, Birchfield Harriers.

In 2011, LDC and Birchfield launched the ‘LDC Junior Development’ programme, to support six athletes between the ages of 15 and 19 who were on track to become international athletes. Such has been the success of this initiative that it has now grown to support 30 young athletes a year, helping them to train and develop, including funding workshops covering strength and conditioning, nutrition and sports psychology.

We continue to cheer on the athletes from the side-lines and closely follow their successes. Looking ahead, we have high expectations for our ambitious young athletes, especially with the 2022 Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held on the athletes and LDC’s home soil in Birmingham!

You can find out more about the Birchfield Harriers and its athletes here.

Manchester Evening News – Business of the Year Awards

LDC has partnered with the Manchester Evening News (MEN) for the last three years to help find the region’s most ambitious and successful firms as part of the annual MEN Business of the Year Awards.

The historic awards programme invites businesses from across Greater Manchester to showcase and celebrate their achievements.

Find out more about MEN Business of the Year Awards here.