North West Business Leadership Team

What North West Business Leadership Team does

North West Business Leadership Team (NWBLT) is a private, independent membership organization founded approximately 30 years ago (c. 1994) and headquartered at Sci-Tech Daresbury in Warrington, United Kingdom. Its core function is to convene senior business leaders and decision-makers from across the North West of England — covering Cheshire & Warrington, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and the Liverpool City Region — to provide a coordinated private-sector voice on regional economic, policy, and growth priorities. Membership is intentionally curated and limited to preserve relationship depth among executives from organizations including NatWest, Manchester Airport Group, Accenture, BAE Systems, IBM, Unilever, DWF, United Utilities, Grosvenor Estate, and Lancaster University.

NWBLT operates a single core product — a curated membership network billed on an annual subscription basis — supplemented by three structured programmes and a set of strategic partnerships. The flagship internal programmes are Rising Stars (launched 2018, focused on female executive development and the Delivering Women in Leadership Charter) and Diversity Drivers (established 2021, for Black and Asian business leaders). Externally, NWBLT acts as a founding or core partner in industry-led initiatives including Net Zero North West (industrial decarbonisation targeting 2040), Glass Futures, the Northern Nuclear Alliance, the North West Regional Defence and Security Cluster (launched October 2024, 300+ member organizations as of January 2026), and the cross-sector United for Ukraine initiative (helping over 1,000 refugees into employment). Policy outputs include the Education and Skills Charter, North West Net Zero Skills Charter, and the Apprentice Report.

The organization is funded entirely through recurring membership fees from corporate members; it is not backed by venture capital, private equity, or a parent company. Governance rests with a board chaired (from December 2025) by Chris Woodroofe, CEO of Manchester Airport Group, with Simone Peppi (Pilot Group) as Deputy Chair and a chief executive team led by Emma Degg MBE — who has announced her resignation effective December 2026 after eight years in role. The organization has no proprietary technology, no AI or data product, and no API; its competitive position rests on the curation, longevity, and convening power of its member network rather than on any technological differentiator.

Name

North West Business Leadership Team

Legal name

North West Business Leadership Team

Website

https://nwblt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NWBLT is a curated membership organization that convenes senior business leaders across North West England to influence regional economic priorities. Founded c.1994 and based at Sci-Tech Daresbury, it operates on annual membership fees and runs programmes including Rising Stars and Diversity Drivers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Leadership Membership Organization

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Training, Enablement & Talent Development Summits (THAHAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Remote/Hybrid Leadership & Distributed Team Management (EDABAAAN), Internal Meeting & Workshop Management (THAHAIAA)

Keywords

• Business leadership network
• Executive membership organization
• Regional business advocacy
• Talent development programmes
• Policy influence network

Headquarters

HQ city

Daresbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: NWBLT operates as a membership organization representing business leaders in North West England. Revenue is generated through membership fees from senior executives and organizations participating in the network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NWBLT is a curated, independent membership organization that brings together senior business leaders and decision-makers in North West England to influence regional priorities, foster strategic relationships, and shape the conditions in which regional businesses succeed. It operates as a member-governed body producing policy outputs, talent programmes, and strategic partnerships rather than as a product vendor.

Product overview

NWBLT is a business leadership membership organization operating as a single unified offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core product is the curated membership network bringing together senior business leaders in the North West. Supporting programmes include the Rising Stars initiative (women in leadership, launched 2018) and Diversity Drivers group (Black and Asian business leaders, established 2021). Policy outputs include the Education and Skills Charter, North West Net Zero Skills Charter, and Apprentice Report. Strategic partnerships with Net Zero North West, Glass Futures, Northern Nuclear Alliance, and North West Regional Defence and Security Cluster extend regional reach. The United for Ukraine initiative provides employment support via a digital platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rising Stars: A network of female directors, executives and professionals from NWBLT member companies supporting and encouraging the careers of women and increasing gender balance in senior positions
• Diversity Drivers

Products and services

• NWBLT Membership Network Curated membership network bringing together influential senior decision-makers and executives from across the North West economy. Members gain access to strategic relationships, regional influence, networking events, policy engagement, and a coordinated private-sector voice on regional priorities. Membership is deliberately limited to ensure meaningful contribution and relationship building.
• Rising Stars Programme A network of female directors, executives and professionals from NWBLT member companies, launched in 2018 to support and encourage women's careers, increase gender balance and representation of women in senior positions. Includes networking, inspirational speakers, mentoring, and the Delivering Women in Leadership Charter 2024.
• Diversity Drivers A group established in 2021 comprising Black and Asian business leaders or identified talent with potential for significant progress within 5-10 years. Provides safe space for learning, mentoring, development and networking, and developed a pledge for members to implement zero-tolerance approach to racial discrimination and active anti-racism commitments.

Quantifiable outcome

• United for Ukraine initiative helped over 1,000 refugees find employment
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Net Zero North WestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWBLT took a central role in the formation of Net Zero North West, an industry-led initiative working to make the North West the world's first decarbonised industrial cluster by 2040. The partnership unites world leading manufacturers, multinational companies, regional leaders, and academic experts. NWBLT and Net Zero North West are committed to working together to deliver essential change for energy intensive industries and UK net zero targets.
• Glass FuturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlass Futures is a not-for-profit membership organization connecting the global glass industry and academia to deliver R&D and innovation for sustainable, zero-carbon products. NWBLT has a strategic partnership with Glass Futures, which has built the world's first openly accessible multi-disciplinary glass melting facility in St Helens, UK. The partnership supports clean growth, investment, and jobs in the region.
• Northern Nuclear AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Northern Nuclear Alliance is a group of nuclear industry organizations sharing collective business knowledge to make nuclear a success. The North West is home to over 25,000 nuclear industry employees. NWBLT works with the NNA to champion 'Net Zero Needs Nuclear' and the region's nuclear capability, capacity, and expertise.
• North West Regional Defence and Security Cluster (NWRDSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched in October 2024, NWRDSC is one of a growing network of Regional Defence and Security Clusters backed by the Ministry of Defence and UK Defence Innovation. It supports industry, academia, and local government collaboration to produce technologies needed for UK Defence and Security. As of January 2026, NWRDSC has over 300 member organizations spanning Land, Sea, Air, Space, and Cyber domains.
• Be the BusinessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBe the Business is a not-for-profit business support organization helping business owners and leaders improve performance. Through the partnership, NWBLT encourages members to put senior leaders onto professional advisory boards that offer free support, challenges, and external perspectives. Advisory board members meet quarterly with business leaders to support growth.
• United for UkraineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFollowing the invasion of Ukraine, NWBLT used its convening power to bring together public and private sector partners to provide employment opportunities and support to Ukrainian evacuees. The initiative focuses on a digital platform created by the Growth Company that connects employers with evacuees. The platform has helped over 1,000 refugees find employment.
• The Growth CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Growth Company created the digital platform for the United for Ukraine initiative, which connects employers with Ukrainian evacuees and other eligible refugees to provide job opportunities in a supportive environment.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• London First: London-based business leadership policy organisation that convenes senior executives to influence regional economic priorities — directly analogous to NWBLT's model, but for the capital region. Mirror peer for what a regional C-suite convening organisation looks like at scale.
• Northern Powerhouse Partnership: Business-led organisation advocating for rebalancing the UK economy through Northern investment and infrastructure — closely aligned with NWBLT's regional advocacy thesis and overlapping member rosters across Northern England.

Regional players

• Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce: Regional business membership body serving Greater Manchester within NWBLT's footprint — comparable as a regional business voice, though broader in member base (including SMEs) and accreditation-led rather than C-suite curated.
• West Midlands Combined Authority Business Council: Business advisory body linked to the West Midlands Combined Authority; a structural analogue of NWBLT's relationship with North West Combined Authorities, serving a different regional economy.

Broad incumbents

• CBI (Confederation of British Industry): UK-wide business membership organisation representing employers across sectors to government; offers policy, events, and networking services that overlap with NWBLT's offering but at a national scale and with a broader mandate.
• Make UK: National membership organisation for UK manufacturers; overlaps with NWBLT's industrial-decarbonisation and Made Smarter work and shares the convener-style advocacy model — but sector-specific rather than cross-sector.
• Business in the Community (BITC): UK responsible business network helping companies integrate social purpose; overlaps with NWBLT's responsible-business-leadership workstream and Rising Stars/Diversity Drivers programmes but operates nationally.
• Institute of Directors (IoD): UK-wide membership body for company directors, providing leadership development, networking, and policy advocacy. Comparable in the leadership-development dimension but operating nationally rather than regionally.
• British Chambers of Commerce: Accredited network of local Chambers of Commerce across the UK, delivering business representation, networking, and policy voice. Comparable function (regional business voice) at national/network scale, with formal accreditation.

Others

• Centre for Cities: Think tank focused on urban economic policy across the UK's largest cities; not a membership body but a thematically adjacent voice that shapes the same regional-policy agenda NWBLT engages with.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-west-business-leadership-team

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about North West Business Leadership Team