Emerging Manager of the Year 2025: who made the shortlist?

These young managers aren’t just becoming better leaders; they are helping to build more resilient, inclusive and successful organisations.

Here are the individuals who impressed the judges.

Summer Brookes

Summer is an internal sales rep for Monodraught, a company designing, making and installing energy-efficient ventilation, cooling and lighting systems. She has completed a CMI Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship at The Apprenticeship College, which she says helped her to hone her communication skills and to identify and work on her weaknesses.

“Most importantly, it has significantly boosted my confidence and convinced me, my own toughest critic, that I have the ability to step into a leadership role,” she says. 

Our judges noted that Summer has become a fine role model for her peers, praising her for approaching every task with determination and embracing feedback constructively. They were also struck by the impact she’s had on the business, specifically how she’s coached colleagues and implemented process changes that “improved CRM data reliability and operational efficiency”. 

It is a huge honour to have my hard work, commitment and dedication recognised. Winning this award would be incredibly meaningful to me because it would recognise the approach I choose to take, which is leading with kindness, positivity and support. I genuinely believe that when people feel valued and encouraged, they perform at their best

Esther Oyewumi

Esther is a business graduate at Lloyd’s of London, currently completing a CMI Level 5 Operations Manager Apprenticeship at Hult Ashridge.

This has led her to placements in financial risk management and regulation, as well as communications and stakeholder engagement. Esther has proven more than able to apply the leadership theory she’s learned in these complex environments. 

“My CMI apprenticeship has provided me with a strong foundation in both the theory and practice of effective leadership and management,” she told us. “Through structured learning, reflective assignments and real-world application, I’ve developed my emotional intelligence, decision-making and stakeholder engagement skills. And I’ve been able to apply these skills in multiple contexts.”

The judges noted Esther’s commitment to professional development, observing how she’s used the apprenticeship to build practical skills on top of academic learning. They highlighted her “greater ownership of tasks” and her ability to live CMI values by using structured tools to support her team's work. 

Winning this award would be an incredibly meaningful milestone in my professional journey. It would represent the recognition of not only my personal efforts, but the value of apprenticeships as a credible and impactful route into leadership and management