Together We Can Take on the World 2022

together we can take on the world

Managed Print

Information Management & Process

Agile Working Solutions

Telecoms & Managed IT

Welcome to Together We Can Take on the World

From recruitment shortages to rising costs, the responses revealed that, regardless of sector or size, our region’s businesses all face the same barriers to growth, and as entrepreneurs we will need to show our resilience in the coming months. Yet despite these challenges, I was relieved to read that more than half of our members feel optimistic for the coming year. As entrepreneurs, it’s inevitable that we’ll face highs and lows, tough and challenging times, but despite it all, it’s up to us to remain resilient and optimistic about the future and take advantage of the opportunities presented to us.

Resilience is the theme of our autumn conference, Together We Can Take on the World, and I can’t think of a more appropriate theme for today’s event.

Now more than ever before, as we face economic uncertainty and challenges in our businesses, resilience has never been more important.

This message has come to the fore in our most recent annual and pulse surveys which have given us a thorough insight into the opportunities and obstacles you’re facing.

We know it won’t be easy but by coming along to events such as our conference today, listening to our speakers, introducing yourself to our partners, and meeting like-minded leaders, I’m sure you will meet someone who can help you to overcome whatever obstacles you may be facing.

The truth is that, in business, no one can do it all on their own, and by meeting other entrepreneurs and business leaders, we can all improve our resilience and likelihood of success for our companies.

Our founders, Sir Peter Vardy and Lorna Moran OBE, passionately believed in this; they understood how lonely being an entrepreneur can be and brought together a group of founders who wanted to

grow their business and develop as leaders by learning from the experience of those that had already done it.

This simple idea, of bringing business leaders together to share knowledge and experience, has proven to be genuinely transformative for thousands of North East businesses over the last 20 years and will hopefully help thousands more in the years to come.

So while there may be challenges on the horizon, and the short term may be uncertain, the best way we can predict the future is to create it ourselves. We need to work together, to grow our resilience and help each other in times of uncertainty because together we are stronger. Together we can take on the world.

James Robson MBE Chairman of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum

Without the support of generous people like our speakers, sponsors and partners, the Entrepreneurs’ Forum wouldn’t be able to achieve any of the things we do, let alone host a day like today.

A very big thank you Headline partner

Sharing our ambition to make the region stronger, each of our partners and sponsors is an expert in their field and cares deeply about the North East business community and the people that live and work here. They all want to help you on your entrepreneurial journey and you can meet with the leaders of each of these organisations here today amongst the audience and at their exhibition stands.

Agilico

Agilico serve more than 13,000 customers who, like you, are on a mission to build organisations fully equipped for success in the face of rapid and continuous change. You can expect outstanding service in everything they do, as their team of 475 passionate staff across 17 nationwide offices, strive to earn your valued loyalty every day. Their shared goal is to maximise operational effectiveness and make work easier for people, wherever they may be working from, through the use of cutting-edge workplace technology and their teams’ unrivalled expertise and experience. Agilico help to make work easy through these key workplace technologies:

• Managed print services

• Business telecoms

• Automated invoice processing

• Information management

• Managed IT and agile working @teamagilico agilico.co.uk

Gold partners

LUMO

The team at Lumo work in close partnership with businesses, helping them improve their cash flow through innovation tax reliefs, primarily capitalising on R&D tax credits and Patent Box.

Lumo have successfully helped over 200 companies make more than 250 R&D tax claims per annum, recovering over £20m in tax relief to date. Lumo have a team who have experience in innovation themselves so can support taking products to market, along with helping to protect the innovation too. Lumo are supporting companies to execute their strategies by making R&D an integral part of their future.

Lumo’s clients come from all the sectors that you would expect (engineering, manufacturing, IT, software and technology), and some that would surprise you (architecture, agriculture, food and drink, transport and professional services).

@lumotax lumo.tax

Wander Films

Wander Films is a video marketing company creating next level visual content for brands to #beatthescroll®. Wanders services range from filming, editing, strategy, consultation, design, motion graphics and social media. Wander is on a mission to disrupt the way businesses market themselves online and has helped hundreds of clients post exciting, consistent and engaging content for company & personal brands since 2018. The team of 15 is made up of filmmakers, social media managers, vfx artists, project managers & editors. Chloë Clover (co-founder and director) was recently listed in Forbes 30 Under 30 and Wander was selected as a Pact Future30 company, for being one of the UK's most exciting production companies.

@wander_films_UK wander-films.co.uk

Guerilla

Celebrating twenty successful years in business, award winning brand communications agency Guerilla has relaunched its own brand art extension. The new brand features a revolutionary theme, creating artistic impressions of individuals who against the odds and adversity have revolutionised their area of work. Be it art, music, science, or medicine, characters such as Jimi Hendrix and Frida Kahlo, each have broken the mould through their creative thinking, displaying courage and a firm belief, like Guerilla, that creative thinking and clear actions will bring real results. Guerilla offers a full spectrum of marketing services, including advertising, digital, and creative design, as well as social media, across a wide range of sectors... locally, nationally, and internationally

@we_are_guerilla guerilla.co.uk

Bronze partner

Week2Week

Serviced apartments offer flexibility allowing travellers to have more control over their own environment ensuring stringent hygiene practices. Apartment living is proven to have a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing. In addition, apartments allow families and colleagues to enjoy shared or single occupancy whilst still having space to live and work in a home from home environment.

Apartments offer savings too; up to 30% cheaper than hotels, lower food and laundry costs for example and give our clients a temporary address whilst they settle into a new area.

We offer a personal approach with close attention to detail ensuring client’s specific requirements are met in line with our company values.

Visit the Week2Week stand to speak with our friendly team about direct rates, our simple booking process, and more information.

@W2Week week2week.co.uk

Programme partner

British Business Bank

British Business Bank are the UK’s economic development bank and are here to help your business find a way, with free financial tools and expert information. They are experts in small business finance and work with a broad range of partners to help businesses like yours:

• Understand more about finance options available to you and your business

• Identify some of the potential finance options which you may consider suitable for your business

• Find finance providers, business support and information available in your region

• Learn from other business owners and business finance experts through a wide range of free and impartial content

British Business Bank created the Finance Hub, an interactive website providing independent and impartial information on finance choices and a series of guides, checklists, animations and articles for your business whether you’re a start-up, an established business or you’re looking to grow: www.british-business-bank.co.uk/ finance-hub

@britishbbank british-business-bank.co.uk

Boost your business growth

“The Scale-up Leaders’ Academy allowed me to reassess and learn how to keep the four key plates of my business - people, strategy, execution, cash - spinning in the right way. Every day I was practising what I was learning on the course. They really changed my mind-set and helped me get the business back in line. I learned to think like a CEO. I can’t tell you what it did for me.”

Over 45 North East entrepreneurs have completed our Scale-up Leaders' Academy since 2017. To find out more visit our stand in the exhibition area, where some of our alumni will be available to speak about their experiences. Experience similar success. Register your interest for our next cohort and build your blueprint for business growth.

The facts Intake 15 entrepreneurs Dates January - June 2023 Location Venues across North East Participant Founders of growing profile North East businesses with ambition to scale Cost £3,000 + VAT (funding may be available) Plus your ticket to next year’s conference!

To register your interest for our next cohort visit entrepreneursforum.net/sula

Steven Rawlingson, Samuel Knight International

Exhibitors

Opportunity is created when you meet people you didn’t know you needed to meet, so please take the time to speak to each of our exhibitors and find out how they are already helping North East entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.

Agilico

Agilico is a provider of workplace technology and expertise trusted by more than 13,000 customers across the UK, with a significant and growing presence in the North East. They help organisations build more agile and effective working environments for their teams. agilico.co.uk

Business Durham

Business Durham can help your business thrive and achieve its goals in County Durham. They offer tailored one-to-one packages, identifying the right support through their range of programmes, funding to enable growth, and can make the introductions to the networks you need at every step of your business journey. businessdurham.co.uk

Guerilla

Celebrating 20 years in business, Guerilla is the award-winning brand communications agency that delivers clear thinking and creativity to achieve revolutionary results. Working with businesses across the globe, Guerilla guides clients through complex media landscapes, creating high impact and engaging marketing communications that are designed to deliver the optimum return on investment. guerilla.co.uk

Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Hotel

With innovative and versatile event spaces in a beautiful location on the banks of the River Tyne, Hilton Newcastle Gateshead hotel offers an inspiring setting for corporate events, meetings and conferences. hilton.com

Lumo

Lumo works in partnership with businesses to identify opportunities for innovation funding. Their vision is to make the UK the best place for business by empowering growth through innovation. Do you have a R&D strategy that ensures your company will be sustainable for years to come? lumo.tax

Middlesbrough College Group

The Middlesbrough College Group is a multifaceted STEM specialist organisation providing high quality education and training to a wide range of students and employers, operating across the UK and internationally. Northern Skills (the apprenticeship and training division) predominantly operates across the North East, with TTE (the technical training specialist) providing consultancy and training services around the world. mbro.ac.uk

Newcastle University

Providing a range of specialist services and facilities to support your business needs, Newcastle University can harness their people, research excellence and infrastructure to help you find innovative solutions to your business challenges. ncl.ac.uk

Northern Accelerator

Northern Accelerator is an innovative collaboration between the region’s universities. It is driving a step change in the commercialisation of research to help address regional imbalance and strengthen the North East knowledge economy. northernaccelerator.org

Northumbria University

Northumbria is a research-intensive modern university with a global reputation for academic excellence. Working collaboratively with business we conduct groundbreaking research, support the development of new and existing talent and provide access to world-class facilities. northumbria.ac.uk/business-services

Qrious

Qrious is an Experience Transformation Studio. They help their customers transform experiences, redefine processes and make informed technology investment choices so they can accelerate growth and thrive in a fast-changing digital-first world. qrious.co.uk

RBC Brewin Dolphin

RBC Brewin Dolphin is a leading investment management and financial advice firm working closely with the business community in the North East. They specialise in assisting business owners and entrepreneurs to grow, protect and make the most of their personal wealth, as well as advising on taxation, company exits and other fundamental business issues. brewin.co.uk

Teesside University

From short courses that hit a specific skill requirement and minimise time away from the office, to accredited in-house training that counts towards a nationally recognised qualification, Teesside University’s bespoke learning packages are tailored to your needs, delivered when, how and where you want it. They’d love to talk to you…

s.withrington@tees.ac.uk

Tees Valley Business

Tees Valley Business is the local growth hub for the Tees Valley, established by the Tees Valley Combined Authority and Tees Valley Mayor. Whatever stage of your growth journey, you can access tailored one-to-one support, specialist programmes, events, and much more to help achieve your business goals. teesvalleybusiness.com

University of Sunderland

Whether you are looking for business advice, new employees, training for your workforce or access to world-class technical facilities and expertise, the University of Sunderland’s enterprise and innovation team can assist. sunderland.ac.uk

Wander Films

Wander is a video production/marketing company known for creating next-level visual content for brands to #beatthescroll™. The team is made up of filmmakers, social media managers, vfx/gfx artists, project managers & editors. Wander is a Pact Future30 company and was recently listed in the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list. wander-films.co.uk

Ward Hadaway

With more than 450 staff and over 80 partners, Ward Hadaway is one of the UK's Top 75 law firms with a reputation for quality, innovation and a partner-led commitment to client service excellence. wardhadaway.com

Charlie Charlton

Charlie Charlton

@chatcharlton

Naturally curious, incredibly passionate, warm and witty, Charlie has been the host of our autumn conference since 2017 and has entertained audiences and been inspired by our speakers in equal measure.

A former BBC presenter for almost 20 years, Charlie is an award-winning journalist known for getting to grips with the issues that matter most. Her stories, which include interviews with Prime Minister’s and politicians, and in-depth conversations celebrating extraordinary lives, have been featured on Panorama, Newsnight and in national press, while her work on radio has made her one of the most recognised media personalities in the region.

Now working freelance, you can often find Charlie centre stage at events around the country, whether it’s Q&As, live business conferences, virtual award shows or music concerts. Recently, she made history as the first woman in the UK to host a day-long business conference with her 4-month-old baby in a sling. Talk about inspirational!

Raised in Gateshead, educated in London and a worldwide traveller, Charlie features in a bestselling book about the North East's "famous sons and daughters" and is a proud Patron of Changing Lives, a national charity supporting vulnerable people and families experiencing homelessness, addiction or abuse.

Q&A

What was your first job?

Packing thousands of reconditioned boilersuits into 40-footers in Dunston. I loved it. I'm a master in masking tape and pallet wrap. What is something most people don’t know about you? I was sacked by my own mother in that job, as she "didn't allow visible tattoos". I'd been to an Indian Festival and brazenly decided to get henna on my hands.

What would your specialist subject be on Mastermind? Asking questions about anything and everything. Probably isn't what Clive Myrie had in mind though. Who, dead or alive, would you like to have dinner with? The group of friends I grew up with. They're hilarious and great cooks. I'd be tempted to invite Bill Nighy and Ian la Frenais after a brilliant dinner with them recently. Gracious and overflowing with fascinating stories, peppered with belly laughs.

What are you most proud of? Being part of a happy and loving family, surrounded by supportive friendships we've nurtured for decades. How do you unwind or deal with stress? Badly. Kitchen discos help A LOT.

If you had a time machine, where would you go and why?

For fun, back to my first year of uni in London to relive those carefree times of daftness and my world being expanded by travel, and with loved ones who are sadly no longer here. For seriousness, back to particular election years in the UK and elsewhere... to see if opinions could be changed.

What is your biggest fear?

The constant fear of being a working mum...that you're simultaneously not building enough dens or on top of your accounts. Wait a minute...maybe I'll do finance days IN the woods! Nailed it!

Sir Ian Livingstone CBE

HIRO CAPITAL @ian_livingstone

If you’ve ever played a tabletop or video game in the last 40 years then you’ve almost certainly come across the work of Sir Ian Livingstone CBE.

One of gaming’s most influential figures, Sir Ian was the mastermind behind the Tomb Raider video game series, the author of bestselling roleplay gamebooks Fighting Fantasy and, along with Games Workshop co-founders Steve Jackson and John Peake, brought Dungeons & Dragons to Europe and later launched Warhammer.

Having founded two billion-dollar games companies (Games Workshop and Eidos), Sir Ian began investing in indie video game studios, leading to the launch of HIRO Capital – a UK venture capital fund investing in video games companies and related technologies. Companies he’s invested in include Playdemic (best known for its Golf Clash mobile game) and Mediatonic (best known for the battle royale game Fall Guys).

In addition to his work as an investor, Sir Ian co-authored the influential Livingstone-Hope Next Gen review published by Nesta in 2011, recommending changes in ICT education policy. Following publication, he chaired the Next Gen Skills campaign, working with government to introduce the new computing curriculum in schools in 2014, before launching his own school - the Livingstone Academy, Bournemouth.

Opening its doors in September 2021, the Livingstone Academy focuses on a 21st century curriculum with a focus on digital creativity, giving its students the skills needed to succeed as makers in a digital world.

For his services to the UK video games industry, Sir Ian won a BAFTA Special Award in 2002, and received an OBE in 2006, a CBE in 2013, and a Knighthood in 2022. He is proud of his geek heritage and admits to having over 1,000 board games in his home study and a life-size statue of Lara Croft!

What was your first job?

I was a Marketing Assistant for the American oil company, Oxy. I didn’t stay long, but I learned a lot.

What is something most people don’t know about you?

I once owned the largest collection of Guinness advertising memorabilia in the UK.

What would your specialist subject be on Mastermind?

It would have to be tabletop board games.

I certainly play a lot of board games and have more than 1,500 in my collection.

Who, dead or alive, would you like to have dinner with?

Marilyn Monroe, Jimi Hendrix, and Albert Einstein for one course each!

What are you most proud of?

That is a difficult one. Of course, I am incredibly proud of my wife and four children, but from a career standpoint, it’s a tough choice between founding Games Workshop and writing my first Fighting Fantasy gamebook The Warlock of Firetop Mountain.

How do you unwind or deal with stress?

I enjoy playing blues harmonica.

If you had a time machine, where would you go and why?

I would go to France in 1889 to meet Vincent van Gogh and watch him paint some of his masterpieces.

What is your biggest fear? Retirement.

Supported by

Sir Ian Livingstone

Maxine Laceby

Maxine Laceby

Absolute Collagen @abscollagen

When Maxine Laceby started Absolute Collagen from her kitchen table aged 50, she didn’t know the business would take off to such stratospheric heights in just a few short years.

She had no idea she’d be recognised in the street as “the Collagen Lady” or win awards including the prestigious CEW Award (the Oscars of the beauty industry), and an Everywoman award, create a brand beloved by thousands or become a leading beauty entrepreneur known for trailblazing and empowering women everywhere.

She just knew her collagen supplement worked and could help people - and that was where it all began.

For Maxine, helping people and showing kindness is key to the formation and success of Absolute Collagen, now a multi-million-pound business.

Her secret? The power of ‘SIR’. Whether you’re an Absolute Collagen team member, or an Absolute Collagen fan (Absoluter), Maxine believes every individual deserves to feel ‘Safe, Important and Respected’.

From product development to marketing to customer service, every part of Absolute Collagen operates with this message at its heart - and the flourishing community of Absoluters is testament to the success of this mantra.

For Maxine, kindness and giving back in all areas are inherent to her personally and professionally and why she became a patron of the Prince's Trust in 2021, spending time supporting 'Women Supporting Women', which helps transform the lives of young women.

Maxine is incredibly passionate about young people and often gives talks within The Prince's Trust Young Enterprise Programme, telling the story of her humble beginnings on a council estate with a single mother to her ADHD (which she sees as her superpower) and reiterating how proud she is of her childhood and roots - the beginning, she firmly believes, which gave her the tools and resilience needed to start her business.

What was your first job?

A Saturday job in a coffee shop when I was 13. What is something most people don’t know about you?

That I’m adopted. What would your specialist subject be on Mastermind? Collagen.

Who, dead or alive, would you like to have dinner with?

My mum, she died in 2001 aged 61. What are you most proud of? Finding the courage to believe in myself. How do you unwind or deal with stress?

I run.

If you had a time machine, where would you go and why?

2066, my 100th year! Guessing I won’t be around, my children will be 69 and 67 and I would just like to make sure they’re ok.

What is your biggest fear? Not feeling fear. I’ve lived with fear from the day I was born, it makes me consider everything around me and makes me feel alive.

Supported by

Addressing the employment crisis panel

Supported by

Keeping and attracting talent is a critical factor to any successful business and with the labour markets so tight, entrepreneurs are pioneering new strategies to ensure their companies stay ahead of the competition.

In our latest surveys, members shared the challenges and opportunities they’re currently facing, the most prominent being the recruitment and retention of highly skilled staff. The responses to the surveys led to the creation of our ‘Addressing the Employment Crisis’ panel which includes Mike O’Brien, CEO of Opencast; Vic Morgan, CEO of Venture Stream and Brendon Hayward, Managing Director of OSBIT.

Our panellists will share the cutting-edge ways they are attracting and retaining their workforces, including employee share ownership schemes, four day working weeks and apprenticeship programmes, giving you plenty of ideas that you can use in your own businesses.

Survey highlights

72% of respondents said recruitment is now harder than pre-pandemic while 25% reported no change and 3% stated recruitment is now easier.

79% of respondents are currently advertising job vacancies, 19% have ten or more open positions and 4% have 50 or more vacancies.

1,751 jobs are expected to be created in the next 12 months. 9% of respondents expect to create 50 or more jobs, 28% expect to create ten or more and 61% expect to create five jobs or less.

Mike O’Brien Opencast

@teamopencast

When Mike O’Brien and Charlie Hoult founded Opencast in 2012, they did so with the aim to challenge the traditional model for technology consulting, by putting people first.

To give the 400 people on the OC team a stake in the company's future success, in 2021 Mike and Charlie announced that they would give away a third of their company shares to their team.

The Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) share options scheme they have adopted gives all of Opencast’s people a stake in the business - to reward loyalty, encourage career progression and preserve the independence of the business as it grows.

In addition, the company now has 'people experience partners' on hand to support every one of its people in their personal and professional development.

Opencast’s focus on rewarding and supporting its people has resulted in a driven and talented workforce, all united by an overarching goal to ‘do the right thing’. This, combined with the business’ incredible growth and Mike’s vision as CEO, resulted in him being crowned our Entrepreneur of the Year for 2022.

Vic Morgan Venture Stream

@venturestreamuk

The four day work week has become a hot topic of late, but one North East business proving its success is Newcastle-based Venture Stream, founded by Vic Morgan in 2014.

Initially launching as a three month trial, the new work pattern was made permanent in January 2022 after members of staff reported higher levels of overall wellbeing and efficiency from a reduced hour work week with the same benefits and pay.

The change was prompted by Vic following the success of its remote working and flexible work patterns introduced throughout the pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns. These implementations resulted in better work-life balance for staff, leading to increased overall productivity and better client results.

Brendon Hayward Osbit @osbit

Osbit’s priority is its people. The goal of Osbit in regard to its People is to provide an unrivalled development platform for individuals to evolve in life, to grow their experience and their skills. To deliver such evolution, the development platform must be rooted in psychology and the challenging of self-limiting beliefs. Whether for experienced people or apprenticeships and graduates Osbit seeks to offer a psychologically safe place where every person is supported, empowered and significantly challenged to ‘Do More, Be More’, a mantra that encapsulates ownership and evolution.

Naturally Osbit further enhance the development platform with teaching and learning, training, personal development coaches, bi-directional Personal Developent Plans etc. Osbit successfully attracts highly talented individuals to join the journey.

As Joint Managing Director, one of Brendon’s functions and passions is Osbit’s culture and people function which includes evolution, wellbeing, training and development, and recruitment.

Mimi Anderson

Ultra Endurance Athlete @marvellousmimi

‘One of the world’s most inspirational female distance runners’, Mimi Anderson has shown that with hard work and determination it’s never too late to achieve your dreams and do the impossible.

From a stay at home mother of three to becoming a multiple Guinness World Record Holder, Mimi has spent over 20 years of her life running around the world in extreme races, enduring the freezing temperatures of the Arctic, the heat and humidity of the Peruvian jungle and the extreme heat of Death Valley in America.

In 2017, inspired to break the female world record for running across America, Mimi set off on the 2,852-mile journey and ran for 40 consecutive days, covering 2,215.4 miles, before suffering an injury which brought her attempt for the world record to a halt.

Not one to be defeated, Mimi took up endurance cycling and has since embraced several adventures on two wheels, from riding the iconic LEJOG route to cycling the length of the Pacific Coast Highway in America.

Celebrating her 60th birthday in 2022, Mimi has marked the occasion by setting herself six more epic endurance challenges, including a cycle across Argentina and most recently, completing the 2,604km Pan Celtic route.

Documenting her journey between two books – ‘Beyond impossible’ and ‘Limitless’ – Mimi’s infectious attitude, passion and resilience shows how you can survive and thrive in any situation, whether at work or in your personal life. She shows what it’s like to push the boundaries of what most would consider ‘normal’ and the extraordinary things the human body and mind can achieve.

Q&A

What was your first job?

I worked as a receptionist/secretary for a firm of architects in Edinburgh. Before the job started I was taught how to answer the phone correctlyapparently I had a very posh voice, always makes me giggle!

What is something most people don’t know about you?

I spent many years as a seamstress specialising in wedding dresses and evening wear. What would your specialist subject be on Mastermind?

It definitely wouldn’t be gardening! Who, dead or alive, would you like to have dinner with?

My father as I have so much to talk to him about. What are you most proud of?

That’s easy, my children even though they have tested me on many occasions!

How do you unwind or deal with stress? Play golf, see friends and drink wine!

If you had a time machine, where would you go and why?

I’m not sure I would actually go anywhere in a time machine just in case I can’t get back!

What is your biggest fear?

Fast flowing water absolutely terrifies me.

Mimi Anderson

Supported by

Mimi Anderson

James Averdieck

James Averdieck

Gü and The Coconut Collaborative @coconutcollab

It's the kind of story you wouldn’t necessarily believe — someone cooking up the idea of a chocolate pudding company while sitting in a Belgian coffee shop — but for James Averdieck, founder of Gü, that’s exactly what happened.

Whilst enjoying a brioche and admiring the chocolatey smell of the bakery, James spotted a gap in the market for easily accessible artisanal products.

With the help of a London patisserie, James’ ideas came to life and Gü was launched in 2003 with three core products, £65k capital and Sainsburys as its first customers. It became an instant hit.

Marking the start of a dessert revolution, Gü’s arrival on the supermarket shelves signalled a new way to purchase and enjoy high-quality desserts.

Within a few short months, every leading supermarket in the UK were stocking the company’s posh puddings and by 2010, it was estimated that a Gü pudding was being enjoyed by someone around the world every two seconds.

As founder, James combined his experience as a business strategist and his passion for all things chocolate helping Gü to become the UK’s fastest-growing food company before he sold to Nobel Foods for £32.5m.

The sale, whilst cementing James’ place as one of the UK’s most successful food entrepreneurs, also marked James’ shift from indulgent treats to the growing health market with the launch of his new business The Coconut Collaborative.

Specialising in yoghurts and puddings from coconut milk, The Coconut Collaborative celebrates the humble coconut, its nutritious and functional food status, whilst providing a healthy and dairy-free range of desserts enjoyed by all, becoming the new challenger brand in plant-based yoghurts!

Q&A

What was your first job?

Working at an American consultancy called Arthur D Little.

What is something most people don’t know about you?

I have an identical twin.

What would your specialist subject be on Mastermind?

Capitals of the World.

Who, dead or alive, would you like to have dinner with? Marylin Monroe. What are you most proud of? Building three successful brands. How do you unwind or deal with stress? 50 lengths of the pool.

If you had a time machine, where would you go and why?

Late Georgian era.

What is your biggest fear? Claustrophobia.