Billionaires, politicians, philanthropists, stars of TV and sport, and community leaders are among the 200 names included in BusinessCloud’s inaugural Northern Leaders list.

After an exhaustive four-month process the judges have picked the 200 people they believe have made – and continue to make – the biggest positive difference to the North.

Among the names are:

• Brothers Phil and Beahon, who founded Castore

• Elected Mayors Andy Burnham and Tracy Brabin

• Fashion designer Nadine Merabi

• Peace activist Erinma Bell MBE

• Jordan Brompton, co-founder of Grimsby-based myenergi

• Roisin Currie, CEO of Greggs

• Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies

See Northern Leaders 2024 – Part 1

See Northern Leaders 2024 – Part 2

Several former sporting stars feature including ex-Manchester United footballer Gary Neville and rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield CBE, who has raised millions for charities associated with motor neurone disease after his former teammate – Rob Burrow – was diagnosed with the disease.

Ex-Manchester City and England footballer Steph Houghton MBE also makes the Northern Leaders 2024 list. She has played an active role in the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation after her husband Stephen was diagnosed with MND.

A total of 540 names were submitted and on Thursday we’ll be publishing a second list – Northern Leaders Futures – of 75 people.

As with the main list, they have to be leaders who have improved the North but with the added criteria that they were aged 45 or under at the start of the year.

In January 2025 a celebratory dinner and awards evening will be taking place at KPMG’s Manchester office for many of the people on the list. More details about the dinner will follow.

The headline sponsor for Northern Leaders is OBI and it is joined by partners KPMG, Co-op Live, CG, GM Business Growth Hub and Rochdale Development Agency.

BusinessCloud’s executive editor Chris Maguire said: “It’s been painstaking judging process but we think the 200 names on the Northern Leaders list have helped make the North what it is.

“We wanted the list to be representative of the whole North, and not just Greater Manchester, and I think we’ve achieved that.

“We invited nominations from across the North and were overwhelmed by the sheer quantity and quality of the names that came forward.

“We canvassed the views of more than 30 respected names from across the region before holding several judging sessions.

“You could have made a case for all 540 names on the long list, but ultimately it came down to the leaders who make the North a better place by their actions.”

See Northern Leaders 2024 – Part 1

See Northern Leaders 2024 – Part 2

All vested interests were openly declared and the names on the list appear in alphabetical order.

After discussions with its partners, BusinessCloud decided to create a second list – Northern Leaders Futures – which will be published on Thursday.

Attention is already turning to a celebratory dinner and awards evening that will take place in Manchester in January 2025 when several awards will be handed out.

• Every effort has been made to double check the accuracy of all profiles featured but if any details have changed please contact Chris Maguire here.