Winners honoured at EDA Investor in Training Awards

The 2025 EDA Investor in Training Awards marked a milestone 11th year of recognising outstanding commitment to workforce development in the UK’s electrical wholesale and manufacturing sector.

This year’s nine winners received their trophies in front of 570 guests at the Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday 6 March 2025 at the InterContinental Hotel on London’s Park Lane.

The winners were hand-picked from thousands of managers in EDA wholesaler and manufacturer businesses across the UK for their impressive commitment to developing their teams using the Association’s industry-leading modules and apprenticeship programme.

The trophies were presented by the evening’s special guest, TV’s Countdown host and radio presenter, Colin Murray. The Awards were sponsored by EDA Apprenticeships Plus, the partner provider for the EDA Apprenticeship Service for Wholesalers.

The 2025 winners are:

1. Rob McKenzie, BED (Kettering), ANEW buying group

2. Peter Jenkins, Swanson Mackay & Co., AWEBB buying group

3. Phil O’Nions, CEF

4. Darren Coppola, Scott Coppola, part of Edmundson Electrical

5. Liane Packer, Templegate Electrical Supplies, Fegime UK buying group

6. Ben Young, Rexel UK

7. Ian Day, Stearn Electric Co

8. Oliver Nicholas, Lightsave

9. Paul Gordon, Olympic Fixings, Affiliate Manufacturer

Margaret Fitzsimons, CEO at the EDA, said:

“Since launch in 2015, the EDA’s Investor in Training Awards have demonstrated this sector’s commitment to fostering talent and driving professional growth.

“Shaping careers and driving business performance is at the heart of the training service the EDA offers to Members and Affiliates. We are constantly reviewing and improving that service too: over the last 3 years, 84% more branches are using the modules to upskill their people. The flexibility of the e-learning option is proving successful with 77% choosing to study online via The EDA Academy over the original printed textbooks. Demand for apprentices remains healthy.”