Venue – KPMG, 1 Sovereign Street, Leeds LS1 4DA
Tuesday 17th June 2025
5.00-7.30pm
Business is changing – and a new breed of entrepreneurs are leading the charge.
The NGEs – or New Generation of Entrepreneur – have a reputation for being digitally savvy, bold, fearless, driven by social impact and wanting to do business differently.
BusinessCloud’s latest exclusive event – Northern Leaders: Meet the New Generation of Entrepreneur (NGE) – will hear from two of the contestants from Dragons’ Den and The Apprentice and 19 of the names from our prestigious Northern Leaders Futures list.
Speakers include 25-year-old Dragons’ Den reject Lucie Macleod, who walked out the Den empty-handed but grew sales in her business Hair Syrup by 66% and is set to hit turnover of £6.5m.
She’ll be joined by The Apprentice star Keir Shave, 27, who made it to week seven of the hit show and is the founder of Leeds-based telemarketing company Parallel Partnership.
The unique event will also hear from 19 of the names included in BusinessCloud’s exclusive Northern Leaders Futures list. The 75-strong list is made up of people aged 45 or less who continue to make the biggest positive difference to the North.
The event will be held in the Leeds offices of KPMG and will be hosted by award-winning editor Chris Maguire.
The following have provisionally confirmed:
Sid Sethi, managing director, Specscart
Specscart is one of the UK’s fastest-growing eyewear businesses. Sethi launched the business in 2018 and is on track for a 2024 turnover of £5m.
Sarah Bateman, CEO, Unify Energy
As well as being the CEO of Unify Energy, Bateman is a trustee of the Smart Works Greater Manchester charity and is passionate about supporting women.
Patience Tucker, CEO, wiQ
wi-Q is a digital payments startup providing mobile ordering and payment solutions to the hospitality and leisure industry. Patience Tucker is the hard-working CEO.
Amy Whitell, CEO, Collctiv
Whitell is the CEO and co-founder of Collctiv, an app that helps group organisers collect money for activities and large gifts. She’s spoken openly about her ADHD.
Kelly Weston, DataCity
Experienced Weston works with The Data City’s board on everything from strategy to delivery. The Yorkshire firm is mapping the UK’s emerging economy, providing researchers, policymakers and investors with real-time data on dynamic sectors and the companies within them.
Chris Hill, CEO, Northcoders
Founded Northcoders in 2016 after experiencing first-hand the challenges businesses face in hiring work-ready software engineers. Now listed in London.
Vimla Appadoo, co-founder and chief culture officer, Honey Badger
Passionate in changing the way businesses think, Appadoo sits on the Greater Manchester Business Board.
Georgia Kirke, director, Write Business Results
Kirke is the founder and CEO of Clio, a tech startup revolutionising the publishing sector through artificial intelligence.
Danny Simpson, MD, Sales Geek
Simpson was appointed managing director of Sales Geek earlier this year. He was previously CEO of MID Group and MID Communications.
Chelsea Slater, CEO, InnovateHer
InnovateHer’s vision is to get girls ready for the tech industry, and the industry ready for girls. Slater previously co-founded Liverpool Girl Geeks.
Jonathan Saatchi, managing director, MC2
Saatchi is the MD of Manchester-based, employee-owned, strategic marketing communications agency MC2.
Brett Mendell, MD, Thomas Kneale
Thomas Kneale & Co was established back in 1947 and has been an employee ownership trust since 2023. Mendell is a sustainability champion and real living wage advocate.
Nuraz Zamal, founder/CEO, IMS Technologies
Zamal was a footballer with Sheffield United until an injury forced him to pivot his career. He worked on digital transformation projects within the NHS before starting his own consultancy in 2016. Zamal gives 10% of earnings to the iMS Foundation.
Jen Fenner, managing director, DefProc
Co-founded Liverpool-based DefProc Engineering in 2013 and has grown it into an award-winning innovation partner.
Danny Manu, founder, Mymanu
Manu is a former aerospace engineer who founded audio technology company Mymanu. He’s on a mission to develop ‘life-changing solutions to improve people’s lives’.
Oba Akinwale, commercial director, Loudspeaker
Loudspeaker is a public speaking and confidence-building workshop delivered to young people up and down the UK.
Daniel Beaumont, investor
Former MD of Bill Beaumont Textiles, which was set up by his rugby-playing father. He now invests in owner-managed businesses.
Beckie Taylor, co-founder, Empower
Founded Tech Returners, an initiative supporting those re-entering careers in technology and innovation, which was acquired by Northcoders. She recently launched a new community interest company called Empower to support female founders and women in tech.
Nick Richardson, founder, Insights Family
Richardson founded The Insights Family in 2017 and has just been appointed by The University of Greater Manchester as a visiting business fellow and entrepreneur in residence.