LinkedIn Top Voices 2020: UK Influencers

LinkedIn News is debuting our annual Top Voices list, a collection of experts driving today’s professional conversation. From how to manage your home office to what it takes to ace your next job interview, these members are helping us parse today’s changing world of work, navigate our industries and find balance through it all. As Covid-19 continues to upend our lives, these voices are fostering meaningful conversation and community in a time when many of us crave it more than ever. 

To compile the list, we used a combination of qualitative and quantitative signals – including engagement (including reactions, comments and shares across each member’s content); posting cadence; and follower growth. You can learn more about the methodology at the bottom of this article.

Every year, we also highlight the Top Voices among our LinkedIn Influencers, a global collection of leaders, thinkers and innovators who are driving today’s business conversations. Among those who stood out in the UK, you’ll find a baroness, a psychologist, a futurist and more. They've posted about everything from space travel and career advice to artificial intelligence and tackling systemic racism in the workplace.

Check out this year’s top Influencers worth following in the UK. 

What he talks about: Branson offers a glimpse into his world, sharing everything from Virgin Galactic updates to triathlon progress to TED Talks he’s watching. The business luminary also discusses issues he cares about – including climate change, entrepreneurship and social good – and what he’s learned over his storied career building the Virgin Group.

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What she talks about: The entrepreneur, who says her mission on LinkedIn is to "inspire people every day", talks candidly about her career journey, the challenges she’s faced and the advice that’s helped her along the way. Mone also believes entrepreneurship may be on the rise next year: "Many people that are struggling to find work are falling back on the core skills they have developed throughout their career. With a lot of hard work and persistence, these skills can be used to build an empire."

Follow Michelle Mone

What he talks about: You don’t need to go on Dragon’s Den to get advice from entrepreneur Tej Lalvani. The Vitabiotics CEO shares his tips on scoring investment, building a business and more, using lessons from his time in the Den and building the UK’s largest vitamin company. "Never before has it been a better time to create, launch and market your business," he tells LinkedIn.

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What he talks about: Entrepreneur and investor Azhar regularly looks to the future, sharing his insights on how technology is influencing and reshaping the world. As well as hosting his Exponential View podcast, Azhar writes about megatrends in technology, business and society, with the impact of the pandemic a key focus this year. From the use of AI in scientific research to the ways Covid-19 has impacted supply chains, Azhar explores major technological changes, the challenges they pose and the consequences for global business.

Follow Azeem Azhar

What he talks about: In a year of unprecedented change, Caan is offering guidance to those struggling due to the pandemic. Among his career advice, he has shared tips for job seekers on video interviews and discussed how professionals can prepare for the new normal. He’s also sought to reassure graduates that though 2020 may seem bleak, it won’t define their careers. Looking to the future, Caan believes the pandemic could ultimately lead to a new wave of entrepreneurship.

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What she talks about: Green seeks to use her profile and decades of experience in leadership to open conversations with aspiring leaders, as well as to promote inclusion and celebrate women who’ve inspired her. Though the pandemic has prevented Green from undertaking planned travels this year, she has shared the inspiration she has found in hobbies and talked about what she learned working in Japan. Green also shares what fosters creativity and purpose in her own work, through videos, short posts and articles.

Follow Harriet Green

What he talks about: As a psychologist, Amaechi quickly realised the short- and long-term challenges the pandemic would present to people's mental health and wellbeing as they attempted to cope through uncertainty and change. His content helps leaders understand how they can remain resilient and help their colleagues thrive through this unprecedented time. He aims to buoy those who feel isolated, anxious and afraid and also frequently tackles themes of systemic racism, white privilege and the importance of allyship. 

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What she talks about: Botsman takes a seemingly complex idea – such as empathy, humility or transparency – and makes it more relatable to daily lives. She interprets topics visually through her sketches and further illustrates ideas with her personal experiences and broader research. She's looked at why compassion and strength go hand-in-hand, the idea of perfection vs. progress, the power of curiosity during times of uncertainty and the impact remote working has had on trust in a professional setting.

Follow Rachel Botsman

What she talks about: Marcus shares articles about corporate governance, ethics and leadership and offers her opinions on news from a variety of sectors, including sports, technology, arts, politics, science, finance and health. She also posts stories that she finds moving or amusing and highlights her hobby: photography. Marcus said the "beauty of the breadth and depth of LinkedIn" is that she can post about this vast variety of topics and discuss them all with her followers.

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What she talks about: One of Cairns' guiding beliefs is: "Innovate to include, and vice versa." With this in mind, she shares articles, thoughts and ideas that focus on creating a better world for everyone through technology, innovation, partnerships and advocacy. Cairns also posts about (and for) women in business. She's highlighted Mastercard's decision to launch unified parental leave for both women and men and likes to use her platform to celebrate women who have broken through the glass ceiling.

Follow Ann Cairns

You’ve read about the UK Influencer Top Voices this year, you can also see the Top Voices: United Kingdom list here, featuring those who are not part of the LinkedIn Influencer programme.

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How we compiled the Top Voices list:

To compile the list, we use a combination of quantitative and qualitative signals. This includes engagement (including reactions, comments and shares across each member’s content); posting cadence; and follower growth. But engagement is just a start. Our next filter is qualitative. LinkedIn News editors refine and curate the list by looking at an eligible member’s body of work: Are the contributions insightful, conversational and timely? Do they seek to give and get help vs. being self-promotional? Finally, does this list reflect the world we work and live in today? 

All sharing activity measured took place over a 12-month period, from October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020. As with all LinkedIn Lists, we excluded current LinkedIn and Microsoft employees from consideration, as well as any members who are being or have been paid by LinkedIn to participate in brand campaigns or courses.

Siobhan Morrin and Katie Carroll from the LinkedIn News UK team contributed to this article.