We're incredibly proud to share that our CEO, Dave Kelly, has won The People First Award at The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders Awards 2026, recognising his commitment to putting people at the heart of everything we do at 2i.
The award was presented at a celebration at BAFTA in London on Wednesday 7 October, bringing together some of the UK's most ambitious business leaders.
Dave was also named one of The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders for 2026, selected from more than 620 nominations from across the UK.
Created by private equity investor LDC, part of Lloyds Banking Group, in partnership with The Times, the programme celebrates leaders who are building successful businesses, investing in their people and driving growth across the UK.
Putting people first at 2i
This award is particularly meaningful to us because it recognises something that's been central to our journey: our people are at the heart of our success.
When Dave joined 2i in 2014, we were a small business with just six employees, facing an uncertain future. Since then, under his leadership, we've grown significantly, creating hundreds of jobs and opportunities while building a business we're incredibly proud of.
Throughout that journey, Dave has championed the belief that potential matters more than qualifications.
Rather than focusing solely on formal education or traditional career paths, we've embraced an approach to recruitment that recognises aptitude, giving talented people opportunities they might otherwise have missed.
That commitment extends throughout our business. Women are equally represented in our senior management team, and we've worked alongside universities to help develop courses that reflect the skills and capabilities needed in the real world.
These aren't just initiatives. They're part of how we approach building our teams, developing our people and creating opportunities for the future.
Recognition of our journey
John Garner, Managing Partner at LDC, highlighted the people-first approach behind our growth:
"Dave has put people at the heart of 2i’s growth, creating hundreds of jobs while building a culture that looks beyond qualifications and focuses on true potential when recruiting. It is this commitment that makes him deserving of The People First Award and I’d like to congratulate him once again on this achievement."
For us, this recognition comes at an exciting time.
As technology continues to evolve, we're focused on helping organisations build greater confidence in the quality, resilience and performance of the technology they rely on.
And while our capabilities, services and ambitions continue to develop, one thing remains constant: the people behind what we do make it possible.
Dave Kelly, CEO of 2i, said:
“I'm incredibly proud to receive The People First Award. When I joined 2i, we were a team of just six people, and to see how far we've come is something I'm hugely proud of. I've always believed that people are what make a business successful, and that giving individuals the opportunity to develop, grow and fulfil their potential is just as important as growing the business itself.
This award might have my name on it, but it really belongs to everyone at 2i. It's their talent, commitment and ambition that have made our journey possible, and I'm excited about what we'll achieve together next.”
Celebrating The LDC Top 50 2026
Now in its ninth year, The LDC Top 50 programme celebrates the ambition and achievements of business leaders from across the UK.
This year's Top 50 collectively lead businesses generating £1.4bn in annual revenues and employing almost 8,500 people across 55 towns and cities.
The full list is featured in The Times on Thursday 8 October, highlighting leaders who are developing new products and services, expanding into new markets and investing in their people.
We're incredibly proud of Dave and everything we've achieved together so far. This award is a fantastic recognition of his leadership, our people and the journey we're continuing to build at 2i.
Congratulations, Dave, from all of us at 2i!