Bradford’s Lou Ellis-Frankland named one of the UK’s Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders for 2025
Lou Ellis-Frankland, CEO of Mansfield Pollard, has been recognised as one of The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders for 2025 – a prestigious national initiative recognising the drive and ambition of Britain’s best and brightest entrepreneurs.
Mansfield Pollard is the only Bradford-based business to be recognised in this year’s LDC Top 50, and one of a limited number to have made the list from Yorkshire. Lou’s inclusion not only celebrates her exceptional leadership but also highlights the remarkable growth the company has achieved under her direction.
A leading British manufacturer of industrial air handling units, data centre cooling solutions and acoustic control products, Mansfield Pollard has a 150-year legacy of engineering healthier, quieter, and more efficient environments. Since leading a management buyout in 2020, Lou has doubled the company’s turnover and is on track to reach £75m in annual revenue by 2030.
Under her leadership, the business has invested heavily in its people, technology and infrastructure, including consolidation to a single 321,000 sq ft manufacturing site and the creation of a state-of-the-art office space designed around employee wellbeing. The company is proudly carbon negative and was named one of The Times Top 100 Places to Work in 2024.
The LDC Top 50, created by LDC (the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group) in partnership with The Times, is now in its eighth year. This year’s programme received almost 700 nominations, showcasing the exceptional individuals building successful, growing medium-sized businesses across the UK.
The business leaders featured in The LDC Top 50 for 2025 are making a powerful impact by creating jobs, making a difference in the communities they serve, championing sustainability and expanding internationally. They are also demonstrating resilience as they drive growth and develop new ideas to innovate and diversify.
They operate from 67 towns and cities across the UK and span every sector of the economy, whilst collectively they employ almost 10,000 people and generate combined revenues of £1.2bn.
Lou Ellis-Frankland, CEO of Mansfield Pollard, said: “Being named in the LDC Top 50 is a personal honour, but it’s also a celebration of what we’ve built together at Mansfield Pollard and the pride we feel in Bradford.
“We are a business with deep roots and big ambitions. We’ve shown that when you combine innovation, resilience and a people-first mindset, you can drive meaningful change.
“This recognition is a moment to celebrate how far we’ve come, and it strengthens my belief in what’s possible.”
John Garner, Managing Partner at LDC, added: “In the eight years since we launched The LDC Top 50 we’ve had the honour of meeting some exceptional business leaders.
“This year’s cohort has shown drive and ambition in their growth journeys, proven remarkable resilience, and together they are making a real difference to their employees, the communities they work in and society at large.
“I’d like to congratulate them on everything they’ve achieved so far. Their success stories are only just beginning, and we’re excited to see where their journey takes them next.”
