LinkedIn Top Voices 2016: The must-know Influencers in the U.K.

There are more than 160,000 stories being published on LinkedIn every week, coming from 3 million unique writers across the globe — including, of course, here in the U.K. So which writers stood out in 2016?

For the first time, we’re expanding LinkedIn Top Voices, our annual round-up of great writers, to the U.K, with a look at the 21 Influencers and members whose words have launched countless high-quality conversations locally (and globally) in the last year. We sifted through the data, looking at a diverse set of factors, from engagement (particularly comments and shares) to follower growth, to find the U.K.'s strongest voices.

LinkedIn Influencers are a collection of some 500 of the best minds in business, sharing insights on everything from the economy to terrifying skydiving incidents. These professionals have access to briefings, data and insights that many of us dream about — and they often make those widely available through their articles on LinkedIn.

So, without further ado, the top six Influencers in the U.K. in 2016:

Richard Branson | Founder, Virgin Group

What he writes about: The quintessential entrepreneur gets personal with his own stories of success and failure in business — and in death-defying adventures. By sharing how he runs Virgin businesses in good times and bad, he inspires others to follow their own entrepreneurial dreams. And because he’s Richard Branson, there’s also the odd round-the-world balloon flight, private island business meeting and tennis lesson.

His favorite article of 2016: This one about how he has disrupted industries from music to airlines because “it talks about how real positive change can be created, using examples from my life and Virgin's brand,” Branson says. “Passion is one of the most important attributes that any change maker can possess."

What big story will he be watching in 2017? “Tackling climate change is the greatest opportunity the world has ever had, and will become even more of a focal point next year.”

Click here to follow Richard.

Sir Martin Sorrell | Founder and CEO, WPP

What he writes about: The trends that matter to the advertising industry, his businesses and his 200,000 employees — "from economics, technology and politics to careers and creativity."

The article he’s proudest of: “'Proud' is not really the word,” he says, “but I was pleased by the reaction to the piece about the value of so-called 'foreign workers' to our business. I knew the post-Brexit status of non-British EU nationals, and attitudes toward 'foreign workers' more generally, were important subjects for our people, many of whom are worried about their future.”

What you wouldn’t know about him from his LinkedIn profile: “I gate-crashed the 1964 Democratic National Convention with my childhood friend (and now world-famous historian) Simon Schama.”

Click here to follow Sir Martin.

James Caan CBE | CEO, Hamilton Bradshaw Group; Serial Entrepreneur

What he writes about: Caan, a serial entrepreneur who’s been building and selling business since 1985, is an expert in startups, investments and private equity. He leverages that experience to help mentor and connect a new generation of entrepreneurs and business people, writing on topics like how to get headhunted, how to ace an interview and how to foster innovation in the workplace.

His standout article this year: “Signs an Employee Is About to Leave,” giving leaders insight into the “tell-tale signs which I often use as ‘satisfaction indicators,” he wrote. Managers should keep an eye on waning productivity, increasing negativity and lower social interactions to know if someone may be on their way out the door.

Why he embraces failure (and recommends you do the same): “You need to give yourself space to fail because it’s inevitably going to happen at some stage,” he wrote. “This isn’t me being a pessimist; the most successful people in the world have one thing in common: they all failed and learnt from their mistakes. When an idea hasn’t worked out, understand why and expand and develop it. Then tell the whole team to try again and come back with more ideas."

Click here to follow James.

Winnie Byanyima | Executive Director, Oxfam International

What she writes about: The passionate leader of an organization that fights against poverty and for social justice, Byanyima writes “to fuel (her) activism and the activism of others,” never forgetting the research behind her advocacy. “I’m confident in my passion — maybe, my anger — because I feel well-grounded in fact,” she says. “I’m especially compelled to write what I can about the world’s most serious refugee crisis since records began. I was once a refugee too.”

The article she’s most proud of: “Africa: Cheated by Wealthy and Powerful Elites.” because “Africa is at the heart of me — this piece summed up my outrage at the economics of a wealthy and ruling class that cheats Africa’s incredible potential.”

The most interesting news story of 2016: “Both Brexit and the U.S. Presidential election must be in there, but most interesting for me was the sense of surprise, particularly in global media which often seem to view things through a Northern prism. Looking at it from the South these moments were just the latest in the series of events stemming from an economics defined by global inequality.”

Click here to follow Winnie.

Meabh Quoirin | CEO, Foresight Factory (formerly Future Foundation)

What she writes about: This trend expert has a passion “for making sense of the world.” Her analysis, always infused with data, helps businesses adapt to change and capitalise on emerging opportunities. Quoirin’s pieces give readers “a heads-up on things that are about to explode in consumers’ minds.”

The article she’s most proud of: “My post in August about my company’s rebrand and the journey we’re on to future-proof our business. Writing about my own experiences was a big departure. I’ve only ever written about trends before and this was a great opportunity to share our experiences, illustrating how trends have impacted my business and how we ourselves are utilising trends data to inform our strategy.”

The most interesting news story of 2016: “Brexit: As an Irishwoman, European, and wife of a Frenchman who lives in London with three bilingual children and leads a business that’s globally headquartered in Britain, Brexit is a big deal.”

Click here to follow Meabh.

Azeem Azhar | Entrepreneur; Advisor; VP, Schibsted Media Group

What he writes about: Whether he’s writing about Apple’s approach to artificial intelligence or how Twitter can stay relevant, Azhar takes a fresh look at the big tech stories of the moment and acutely observes their impact on society.

His blockbuster article of 2016: “On entrepreneurs and regulations” takes Silicon Valley to task for its ideological opposition to regulation, and regulators for their misunderstanding of technology. It helps that Azhar is an entrepreneur and a one-time regulator: “I’m lucky to have seen this particular elephant from several sides,” he writes.

Which company do you admire most and why? “I love my little newsagent and dry cleaner. Two companies both independent who have thoroughly understood their local markets and serve them with a level of pride and service I struggle to find elsewhere.”

Click here to follow Azeem.

You’ve caught up on the top Influencers of 2016. Now check out the top 15 member voices in the U.K. to see who else you should be following to stay ahead.