Engineer Louie makes it a Top 30 Under 30 quadruple for Ideal Heating

We’re delighted that one of our brightest young talents has been named as a Hull & Humber Top 30 Under 30 winner for the fourth year running.

Electronics and Controls Engineer Louie Gleeson-Toland has been recognised in the 2025 roll of honour of 30 rising stars from businesses across the region, announced today.

Louie follows in the footsteps of our Trade Compliance Manager, Nirvanah Lacey, who was named as a Top 30 Under 30 winner last year. Nirvanah described the development programme that winners take part in as “life changing” and said it had a hugely positive impact on her, both professionally and personally.

2025 Top 30 Under 30 winner Louie said: “When my manager first told me I’d been nominated for the Top 30 Under 30 I was hesitant because I struggle with imposter syndrome and lack confidence in myself.

“So, when I found out I had actually won, I was really shocked, but it felt amazing to get that validation and it made me realise that I’m actually capable of achieving things I set my mind to.”

Since joining Ideal Heating as an Apprentice IoT (Internet of Things) Engineer in 2017, Louie has gone on to become a qualified engineer and has worked in roles in both our IoT and Electronics and Controls teams.

In his current role, 25-year-old Louie is primarily involved with validating software across our production facility and building test rigs for current and future products.

Electronics and Controls Manager Julia Thornley nominated Louie for the Top 30 Under 30 after being impressed by his dedication and drive.

She said: “I nominated Louie for the programme because his performance over the past two years since he joined my team has been exemplary.

“He has constantly performed at a higher level than could have been expected, showing excellent engineering capability, a lot of hard work, a great deal of imagination and a very broad understanding of his role within the business.”

As part of the Top 30 Under 30 programme, each of the selected winners will undergo 12 months of development in line with the Leadership Excellence Acceleration Programme (LEAP).

The programme provides winners with the opportunity to further enhance their skills, supported by industry experts in leadership, self-development and communication.

The year-long programme will culminate with a prestigious awards ceremony showcasing the very best young talent from the region.

Louie added: “I could never have imagined that I’d now be in this position when I first walked into Ideal.

“My manager Julia has been really supportive and has passed so much knowledge on to me.”

“My goal is to become a Senior Engineer in the future, so I’m excited to take part in the LEAP programme, to develop my skills and continue progressing towards my goals.

“I hope that the programme will help me gain confidence and I’m keen to get started on this journey of self-development.”

Simon Jones, founder of Top 30 Under 30, said: “I am proud to announce this year’s winners, and our class of 2025. This year, we’ve seen more employers than ever nominating their very best talent, making the judging process the most difficult to date.

“Today, we celebrate the contribution of the region's best young talent who have made a significant difference to their organisations, to their teams and to the local business community."