How the Awards work.

Professor Brian Morgan, Professor of Entrepreneurship, Cardiff Met

Brian Morgan is currently Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Cardiff Met (formerly UWIC) and is Director of its Creative Leadership and Enterprise Centre (CLEC).

Before returning to academia in 1997 Brian was Chief Economist at the WDA. He also worked as a senior policy adviser in Whitehall (the DTI) and has worked extensively in Europe (for the OECD and EU).

He is Director of a number of businesses in Wales, including:

• Chairman, Windpower Wales - developing a new 25 MW windfarm in Conwy that is grounded in the local community
• Chairman, Comcen - an IT services and computer supplies company
• Founder, and first Chairman, 1998-2008, Penderyn Single Malt - the first single malt whisky to be produced in Wales

In 2006 he was awarded the Hopkins Medal for Entrepreneurship by the St David's Society of New York - for his contribution to creating the Penderyn Whisky brand.

Ciaran Leaden Senior Manager, Lloyds Banking Group

Ciaran's current role involves leading a team of senior Relationship Directors who provide banking and financial services to larger Commercial customers across the region. He has over 20 years experience of working with SME businesses ranging from start ups through to large corporates. In addition to his banking career with both HBOS and Lloyds TSB, Ciaran has also spent time as a Finance Director and consultant to a wide range of companies covering the recycling, travel and automotive industries. This broad experience therefore gives him a unique insight into the characteristics and behaviours of successful entrepreneurs.

Hushpreet Dhaliwal Chief Executive, NACUE

Hushpreet's enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and development of start-ups came when she studied in the USA and worked at an international start-up. She holds a first class BA degree in International Business having graduated in 2009. She is now CEO of NACUE, a globally recognised model in youth entrepreneurship by the UN, World Economic Forum and others. Hushpreet is carrying NACUE through into its next stage of growth, unlocking the entrepreneurial potential of students and exposing NACUE's model to all students in the UK post the age of 16.

Hushpreet sits on the advisory boards of Astia, ISBE and the UK Government's Steering Group on Enterprise Societies, and has represents NACUE in a variety of forums such as the G20 YES, to encourage political reform surrounding the issue of youth entrepreneurship. Her interests lie in business model innovation, commercialisation, understanding innovation-driven ecosystems and mobilising great people and resources to affect change.

Robert Llewellyn Jones Business Reporter, Media Wales

Robert Llewellyn Jones, business reporter at Media Wales, entered journalism after a 30-year career in teaching.

He joined the business department of the Western Mail in 1995 and has contributed to all the paper's business publications including the daily business pages, the weekly business supplement, the bi-monthly Business In Wales magazine and for two years edited Forward Wales before it's incorporation into Business In Wales.

He has close associations with the London Welsh business community and is a regular visitor to Wales In London, which is the premier networking organisation for the Welsh diaspora.

Over the years he has sat on several awards panels including Shell LiveWire, Business In the Community Awards, and the Innovation Wales Challenge, in addition to addressing business organisations in South and West Wales.

Among the people he has met and interviewed are Sir Howard Stringer, Sir Rocco Forte, Henry Englehart, the late Sir Eddie George and the former CBI director General Lord Digby Jones.

He has an extensive knowledge of SMEs in Wales having advised several companies and Institutes of Higher Education on their expansion plans and management structure.

Lisa Parsons, Lloyds Banking Group

Lisa is an Area Director for Lloyds Banking Group Commercial. She has worked for the Group for 27 years across a variety of roles and locations and now leads a teams of 65 Commercial Relationship Managers across 10 locations throughout West London. Her business delivers an income contribution to the Group of £40m pa through the provision of banking products and services to 10,000 SME* customers.

Lisa is the only female Area Director across 23 roles within Commercial Banking and is a strong advocate for diversity in business and actively promotes the benefits of having a flexible approach to balancing work and home life.

*SME small & medium sized enterprises business customers with an annual turnover up to £15m pa

Paul Briggs, Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce

Paul is Chief Executive of the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Group, now one of the largest chambers in the UK. The Chamber achieved national recognition in 2007 when it was voted 'National Chamber of the Year' by UK business.

Paul's previous experience was mainly in hotel management and property management in the retail and hospitality sectors; most recently managing retail complexes for Hammerson plc, a leading European property company responsible for The Oracle, Reading, amongst other operations. Prior to this he worked with Ashley Associates, on behalf of Dresdner Kleinwort Benson. He has considerable experience of business reengineering in a variety of diverse industries, and is firmly committed to customer and client engagement coupled with exceptional customer service, as principles of business turnaround.

On the international front, Paul uses his role at the Chamber to promote better understanding of opportunities for transnational business, including those in Eastern Europe, India and the USA. As President of The Windsor Debates he continues his vision to deal with important issues and opportunities impacting on the UK.

Mary Flavelle, FSB

Mary's passion is to support women in business, which led to her appointment as Ambassador for Women, and has now given her the opportunity "to encourage young entrepreneurs, to mentor and to keep the government aware of the needs of women at work. Mary is Berkshire Head Judge for the Young Enterprise scheme and proud to be associated with it."

Whilst at the Chamber, she launched the women's network SHE plc, and partners Sharon Connelly with Ladies who Latte. Mary has also stayed connected with radio, having been on Woman's Hour, Radio 4, Radio 5 and more recently presented her own networking show on Marlow FM, a regular visitor to Radio Berkshire appearing a number of times with Ann Diamond and Debbie McGee. Mary also spent 3 years with Henry Kelly as his weekly newspaper reviewer.

Geoff Miles, Maidstone Studios

Geoff Miles has been working in television for over 30 years; a Producer/Director working with such greats as Tommy Cooper, Bing Crosby, Elton John, Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Sid Caesar, Spike Milligan, and Shirley Bassey.

In 2002 Geoff formed Dovedale Associates Ltd. a consortium of local business men, who now own and operate the Maidstone Studios which they have transformed into a hub of creative talent, regularly attracting major network programmes such as Take Me out. He has other additional business interests in Kent and is vice chair of the Kent Film Board. He is Chairman of the Kent Economic Board as well as it's Business Advisory Board and The Shepway Business Forum. In 2011 he was appointed Chairman of the Kent Excellence in Business Awards and he is a Kent Ambassador and vice Chairman of the South East Local Economic Partnership.

Ashley Fox, Conservative Member of the European Parliament.

Ashley Fox is a Conservative Member of the European Parliament. He was elected in June 2009 to represent the South West of England and Gibraltar. Prior to entering the Parliament Ashley worked as a solicitor for 15 years. He was a councillor on Bristol City Council from 2002 - 2010.

Ashley is a member of the European Parliament's Internal Market Committee and the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee. His priorities are to ensure that the European market stays open for business and that excess regulation does not stifle enterprise. As more than half of Britain's trade is with the EU, this is vital work for our economy.

Ashley wants to ensure that entrepreneurs are given every opportunity to grow their businesses to provide the jobs and wealth that our economic recovery needs.

Ashley lives in Bristol with his wife and two children.

Martin Racher, Area Director Commercial Banking Bristol & Somerset

Martin Racher is Lloyds TSB Area Director for Commercial Banking in Bristol & Somerset. He works out of offices in Bristol, Bath and Taunton and His team of 75 Relationship Managers work with over 13000 SME customers across the patch. Martin has worked for Lloyds for over 30 years and came to the South West in 2004 having previously worked in South Yorkshire and in the London area and is committed to supporting both start up and established businesses. He lives in West Somerset and enjoys walking, sport and beekeeping!

Peaches Golding OBE, Moon Consulting Ltd

Peaches is the Head of the Sustainability Division at Moon Consulting where she uses her considerable experience of ensuring environment, sustainability and corporate responsibility issues are recognised and respected at Board level. For 17 years, she worked with Business in the Community (one of The Prince's Charities) in a number of roles including Director of Special Projects, Regional Director and Deputy Director of the Race for Opportunity campaign. She launched The Prince's Mayday Network in the South West, a forum for embedding and sharing best practice in reducing climate change. She also advised the central government during the development of the New Deal, served as a diversity expert for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in Hungary and was a member of the Department of Trade and Industry's Ethnic Minority Business Forum.

She chairs the ITV West Country Viewer's Advisory Council and is a Trustee of the SS Great Britain. She has held non-executive director roles in the media, healthcare and academic sectors.

She was the High Sheriff of Bristol 2010-2011, received an honorary MBA from the University of the West of England in 2010 and was awarded the OBE in 2009.

She is married to Bob Golding and has one son. Her interests include gardening, needlepoint and practicing the Italian language in southern Italy.

Patricia Marks, Perception Matters Ltd

Patricia Marks is an entrepreneur with business interests in retail, consultancy, project management and training and development. Patricia started her career in cosmetic manufacturing, working with large businesses like Bodyshop, Boots, M&S, Dorling Kindersley aswell as large number of small independent businesses. Her expertise lies in people management, business development and marketing.

As the current Chair of the Taunton and District branch of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Patricia is actively involved in campaigns to support small businesses to become more resource efficient, more dynamic and profitable.

Her current projects include the development of a social enterprise delivering support to start up businesses and the self employed, ongoing work with a range of organisations to raise their profile including local food producers and a national charity, plus supporting her husband into the world of self employment!

Patricia is a board member for Cascade Training Plus, an Advisory board member of the Fredericks Foundation, a member of the Somerset Employment and Skills Board, an ILM trained business coach and mentor and is presently studying for an MBA at Exeter University.

Naomi Tarry, Director of Best of Suffolk

Naomi Tarry is Director of Best of Suffolk www.bestofsuffolk.co.uk - a fast growing marketing agency for stylish holiday cottages. She is also the current East of England Businesswoman Entrepreneur of the Year, Chair of the Aldeburgh Business Association and a 'Suffolk Enterprise Superstar' - a role that involves speaking events around Suffolk to inspire more people to become entrepreneurs.

Naomi set Best of Suffolk up in 2006 after he and her husband Alex bought and restored a stylish holiday cottage in Aldeburgh. After letting it through several holiday cottage agents, she saw that there was a gap in the market for an agency that specialised solely in Five Star properties, backed by better customer service and strong brand marketing.

When the business launched in 2006 it marketed just six holiday cottages. The business has grown around 50% each year and today it markets over 180 beautiful holiday cottages and receives regular accolades in the national press including The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The Guardian. The business now has a sister website www.best-escapes.com to market holiday cottage in other parts of the UK including Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Kent and Cornwall and sees good potential for future growth.

Paul Evans, Lloyds Banking Group

Paul is the Area Director for Lloyds TSB Commercial covering Essex & East London. He has responsibility for 14500 SME's with turnover from start up to £15m. These accounts have total borrowing of £700m and Paul's team of 85 Relationship Managers based in branches are looking to lend a further £150m this year. He has worked for the Bank for 27 years and having worked in a number of different divisions aswell as Commercial Banking brings broad experience to the judging panel.

Arvinder Marjara, Managing Director, East Anglia Scaffolding Ltd.

Arvinder has 25 year's experience as an Owner-manager and Director.

He is currently the Managing Director of East Anglia Scaffolding Ltd.

Arvinder has worked for 5 years as a Personal Business Adviser with Business Link Essex and has run his own consultancy business, specalising in small to medium sized businesses as well as working as a Non-Executive Director for several businesses.

Arvinder has a good understanding of the needs of new startups & growing businesses and experience in change management. He has a well a focused hands-on approach to advising and consulting SME's.

• Member of Chartered Management Institute (MCMI)
• Fellow of the institute of Consultants (FIC)

Celia Hodson, Eastern Enterprise Hub

Celia Hodson has a wealth of experience from both the business community and social enterprise. She is enthused by the idea that the Eastern Enterprise Hub via the Enterprise Academy, Enterprise Club, e-touchdown hotdesking and the School for Social Entrepreneurs-East, will transform the region by bolstering its entrepreneurial potential.

Celia is a Business and Third Sector leader. She has worked in a number of key posts in her career including Chief Executive Officer at Cambridge Co-operative Development Agency, Deputy Chief executive at the Social Enterprise UK and, most recently, Chief Executive of Choose Suffolk.

Celia's focus is the business success of the region and to that end holds a number of board positions: including Director of local charity Housing Action and Grow.

Still, she sees this role is her most exciting challenge yet.

At the EE Hub Celia:

• Provides leadership and strategic direction
• Attracts and maintains funders
• Defines aims and objectives
• Promotes Enterprise Responsibility
• Fosters collaboration

Ask Celia to describe herself in three words and she'll say "entrepreneurial of course, brave and creative".

Amy Cross, Senior Community Relations Executive, E.ON

Amy has worked at E.ON for 12 years and has taken on a variety of roles working in sales, internal communications, and most recently Community Relations. Her current role has involved the development and management of partnerships with major UK charities Age UK, Action for Children and the Scout Association as well as responsibility for E.ON's education resources and work with schools across the UK. She has also set up and managed community funds and grants schemes.

Amy graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in English and History and has since studied for and achieved the CIPR's Advanced Certificate in Public Relations.

Away from work Amy is a busy mum to two young daughters and precious family time is spent baking, swimming and enjoying the beautiful British outdoors at National Trust properties.

Nigel Gregory, Head of Development and Alumni Relations, De Montfort University

I have been in my role at the university for five years supporting university strategic priorities though alumni engagement and fundraising activity. I led a similar operation for a large national charity in Colorado for three years and have led the marketing, membership and development programme for another not-for-profit organisation based in Golden Colorado. I ran my own business in Scotland for five years.

Now I support the university's own student entrepreneurs by engaging successful alumni to critique support and mentor students. The wealth of advice and support students can tap into is absolutely vital for their successful development. Award opportunities such as the Lloyds TSB Enterprise Awards play an important part in developing and celebrating student creativity, talent and hard work.

Ron Lynch, Regional Director, Institute of Directors

Ron has been Regional Director for the Institute of Directors since September 2007. Based at the Nottingham Trent University, the IoD has 2000 members in the East Midlands with 4 branches - Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire.

Prior to joining IoD, Ron spent 8 years helping set up and run Business Initiatives & Guidance Ltd (BIG), which was involved in the development and delivery of business support projects, and continues as a director and shareholder. In 2008 he established an online jewellery business, of which he was a director and shareholder, until it merged last year with an existing jewellery wholesaler. Ron has also had his own management and marketing consultancy, Active8Consulting, since 2001.

Ron began his career as a trainee accountant for a company with a chain of 75 supermarkets and held senior management positions in DTI and the Training Agency before becoming a director of Leicestershire Training and Enterprise Council and Chief Executive of Business Link Leicestershire. Other positions and experience include being a governor of Charles Keene College and Leicester College, and founder chairman of East Midlands Business Angels. Ron was a member of the East Midlands Regional Assembly and the Regional Economic Cabinet established by the previous Labour government. He is an Apprenticeship Ambassador for the East Midlands.

Mark Gilleard, Regional Director, Institute of Directors

John Leach, Chief Executive, Winning Pitch plc

John Leach is Chief Executive of Winning Pitch plc, responsible for innovation, thought leadership and overall business strategy. He has 20 years experience in setting up and growing companies. His business interests lie in the field of creative and media along with a wide range of support service organisations, he's also Founder of the High Growth Foundation - a membership organisation for ambitious entrepreneurs.

Based on practical experience and his own research John has become a recognised authority on the topic of business growth. He has written two high acclaimed books on the subject of accelerated business performance, "Pitch Perfect - Feel the Impact of a Winning Sales Approach" (John Wiley & Sons Ltd 2005) and "Success Factor - Master the Secret of a Winning Mindset" (Crimson Publishing 2010).

In late 2011, John led the Winning Pitch team as part of the Coaching For Growth Consortium to securing the national Business Coaching for Growth programme, a flagship BIS initiative that will support 26,000 high potential companies over the next three years. John is an active contributor and strategic adviser to the Goldman Sachs 10,000 programme, Welsh Assembly's High Growth Starts and Scottish Enterprise business growth initiatives. He also works with global brands including Google, Yell and Serco.

As well as running his own high growth business John is a coach and speaker on strategy, leadership, sales, innovation and personal excellence. With a gritty and granular understanding of overcoming barriers to excellence John advises both public and private sector on how to achieve economic growth through stimulating and encouraging business innovation.

John Leake, Business Development Manager of Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus

John received a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Birmingham University in 1987. He followed this with a Diploma in Marketing and is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

He joined Unilever's Management Training scheme based at Lever UK in Port Sunlight. He transferred to Unilever's Speciality Chemicals business, Crosfield, where he carried out a variety of roles in sales, marketing and global business management in the UK and USA. He then became global marketing manager for Ineos Silicas with responsibility for business strategy development and implementation.

John became Business Development Manager of Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus (one of two national science and innovation campuses) in 2006 with responsibility for attracting and supporting high-tech companies on Campus, and developing new strategic partnerships. The Campus has grown to over 100 high-tech companies and has a regional and national network that is regarded as second to none. Daresbury SIC secured the "Outstanding Science Park Award" from the UK Science Park Association, in particular recognition for the strength of its network and its strategic partnerships with support organizations, universities and blue chip companies. In 2011 Daresbury SIC received Enterprise Zone status, personally announced when the Prime Minister visited the Campus.

John is also Chairman of the North West Innovation Network, a member-based organization involving the science parks and incubators in the North West of England.

Chris Whittle, Senior Manager Commercial, Lloyds TSB

Chris is 43 years of age and has worked for Lloyds Banking Group for 25 years.

For the past 14 years he has worked in Lloyds Commercial, covering a variety of roles supporting business customers. Chris is currently Senior Manager for the North Cheshire area where he leads a team of ten Relationship Managers who together look after over 2,500 business customers.

Chris has a wealth of experience in the Commercial sector and day to day is still actively involved in customer interactions.

Outside of work, Chris used to play an active role in a variety of sports but now this is more of a spectator role, as he devotes the majority of his time to his wife and two boys.

Nicola Greave, Head of Entrepreneurship, Liverpool Vision

As Head of Entrepreneurship at Liverpool Vision, Nicola has a key strategic role in managing the creation and delivery of an Enterprise strategy for Liverpool. This includes directing, co-ordinating and commissioning prescribed activities across the whole enterprise spectrum to promote and sustain business start activities across the city whilst ensuring optimal synergies with partners. Key areas of focus involve developing interventions which will contribute towards the creation of a culture of entrepreneurship in the city, including targeted support to encourage the integration of groups such as women and young people.

Nicola led the successful bid to the Kauffman Foundation to bring the Global Entrepreneurship Congress to Liverpool and is leading a team to deliver the Congress which is part of a week long Festival of Entrepreneurship during March 2012.

Andrew Palmer, CBI Regional Director - Yorkshire and the Humber

Andrew, a graduate of Sheffield University and has worked as a bio-medical scientist for the National Blood Authority and as business reporter for the Yorkshire Post. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Bio-Medical Scientists.

Andrew joined the CBI in November 1999 as Assistant Regional Director and was promoted to Regional Director at the end of 2008.

He sits on the board of the Leeds Piano Competition, isa Trustee of St Cecilia Orchestra, Ripon and also The Pilling Trust. He is also proud to be a Welcome to Yorkshire Patron.

He recently joined the West Yorkshire Board of Young Enterprise.

In his spare time Andrew is a keen musician, an enthusiastic badminton player and enjoys running. He has run a number of marathons and this year is taking part in the London Marathon in aid of Marie Curie Cancer with Gary Verity the CEO of Welcome to orkshire.

www.justgiving.com/gary-verity

Martyn Kendrick, Area Director, Yorkshire Commercial Area Office, Lloyds TSB

Martyn leads the Yorkshire Commercial team which consists of 89 relationship managers across nine teams, these provide dedicated banking services, as well as guidance and support, to business customers with annual turnovers of up to £15 million across the country.

Martyn lives in Guiseley, where he has resided with his young family for the last 7 years. He is based in Leeds city centre.

Martyn returned to the region in July 2011 after an absence of four years. During the last four years Martyn has held senior positions with in the Group, latterly as area director Commercial in neighbouring region of North East and Cumbria.

He has 23 years of experience in the banking sector with Lloyds TSB in a variety of senior management positions, including head of corporate personal banking across the UK. Martyn is focused on ensuring local businesses have access to the funding and guidance needed to take advantage of an upturn in economic conditions and capitalise on new growth opportunities in 2011 and beyond.

Simon Lunt, Senior partner, Gosschalks

Martyn leads the Yorkshire Commercial team which consists of 89 relationship managers across nine teams, these provide dedicated banking services, as well as guidance and support, to business customers with annual turnovers of up to £15 million across the country.

Martyn lives in Guiseley, where he has resided with his young family for the last 7 years. He is based in Leeds city centre.

Martyn returned to the region in July 2011 after an absence of four years. During the last four years Martyn has held senior positions with in the Group, latterly as area director Commercial in neighbouring region of North East and Cumbria.

He has 23 years of experience in the banking sector with Lloyds TSB in a variety of senior management positions, including head of corporate personal banking across the UK. Martyn is focused on ensuring local businesses have access to the funding and guidance needed to take advantage of an upturn in economic conditions and capitalise on new growth opportunities in 2011 and beyond.

Malcolm Harding, KPMG

Malcolm originates from the Black County in the West Midlands and at 18 went to Southampton University to study Mathematics where he obtains a 2.1 degree and represented the University in the football team that won the UAU and regularly played chess for the University.

On graduating Malcolm joined Dixon Wilson & Co as a trainee chartered accountant where he qualified as a chartered accountant in 1983.

Malcolm joined KPMG in 1985 in Peat Marwick's London office and remained there for 27 years been in London, Bradford and now Leeds office.

He is an audit director responsible for the audit of over 70 companies in Yorkshire including Owner Managed Businesses, Charities and Pension Funds.

His interests include Golf, Chess, Bridge and all sports. He is married to Kathryn and they have 3 children and lives in Ilkley.

George Reid, Finance Director Lloyds TSB Scotland plc

George has been a member of the Board of Lloyds TSB Scotland since January 2011, a period when the bank has been growing share in its core retail and commercial markets and is a key element of the Group's EU mandated divestment programme. He has responsibility for the Bank's finance, risk and company secretariat functions.

George has been with Lloyds Banking Group and its predecessor firms for 13 years. In that time he has held a broad range of senior finance, change and performance management roles with exposure to the Group's corporate, retail, SME and life & pensions businesses. Most recently in his career George was finance director of the Group's overseas operations - a culturally diverse and complex group of banking businesses in Australia, Ireland, Middle East, South & North America and Continental Europe. George is in his element when delivering strategic and commercial insight. He particularly enjoyed his role in the launch of a new corporate operation in Canada and an online retail savings business in Germany.

David J Birrell MA CA Chief Executive Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce

David Birrell is Chief Executive of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.

He has over 25 years' experience at Strategic and Executive level, working at Unilever plc while adding to his remit in Strategic and Business Planning, Financial Management, Brand Development and Market Research and Analysis. His career with Unilever plc took him all over the world, until he returned to Scotland in 2007 to take up a Strategic Directorship role with the McCurrach Group, working with clients including Heineken, Nestle and Pepsico.

David was appointed to the role of Chief Executive of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce in January 2012.

He holds a Joint MA in Accountancy & Economics (1982) from The University of Edinburgh and lives in Perthshire with his wife Linda and 2 teenage sons.

Fiona Godsman Chief Executive, Scottish Institute for Enterprise (SIE)

Fiona has 18 years of sales, marketing and business development experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and prior to joining SIE, has held senior global positions in both small and large organisations, including Q-One Biotech, BioReliance and Invitrogen. She also has several years of research and laboratory experience, in both the NHS and in academia. Fiona is an active participant in biotech/bioscience communities and has been involved in organising several international conferences. She is a founding member of Nexxus, the Scottish bioscience network and still serves as vice-chair on the steering committee. She also served on the Bioindustry Association steering group in Scotland.

Pawan Sood Director Trygort Ltd / Fairline Coaches Ltd

Pawan was born in Glasgow in 1956 and has been involved in business since 1983.

He attended the High School OF Glasgow and went on to study Accountancy and Economics at Strathclyde University, followed by an attempt at becoming a CA with Thomson McLintock's, now KPMG

He decided being self employed was perhaps the best career to follow, and after arranging a soft loan from his parents became a partner in a nightclub in Glasgow City Centre and a working man's pub in the East End of Glasgow.

Fairline Coaches was created in 1986 and this is where he can be found on a daily basis.

He has been involved in the Commercial property market since 1998 and has portfolio of investment property in Scotland.

Being in business, he believes is a large portion of luck with a good helping of common sense.

He has a keen interest in the economy and politics and enjoys the lively discussion that exists in these harsh economic times.

Golf has become a great passion, as the onset of grey hair and an expanding midriff brought an end to his football career!