Entrepreneurs take up residency with Connect Gazelles
ENTREPRENEUR’S organisation Connect Gazelles has added to its roster of high-profile Yorkshire businesspeople as ‘entrepreneurs in residence’.
The not-for-profit organisation aims to support fast-growth businesses in the region, and has recently expanded their criteria for businesspeople and entrepreneurs in residence to include a wider range of sectors and management levels.
Corporate directors are eligible for inclusion, and the ranks of their mentors now include the likes of Michael Bridge and James Naylor of the Northern Leisure, before launching Italian-American restaurant chain Frankie & Benny’s. He is now non-executive director of pet food and property firm the Burgess Group, based in Yorkshire.
Drinks entrepreneur Simon Gray has also joined Connect Gazelles. He launched his firm Boost Drinks in 2001. Boost’s products are all made in the UK, and the firm now has a turnover of £27m.
Charles Dent joined Timothy Taylor & Co, his wife’s family business, and became a managing director in 1995. Sales now exceed £20m a year, and the firm has invested £12m in facilities and machinery for the continued improvement of the firm, of which he is now chairman.
Andrew Mason and Robin Hill, co-founders of cyber security firm RandomStorm in 2007, which they sold last year for £10m. The entrepreneurs have now launched their latest venture, RapidSpike.
Connect Gazelles aims to connect fast growing businesses with experienced mentors in business, as well as facilitating lending between potential investors and growing firms.
It now has 110 members in Sheffield, and 170 in Leeds.
The Connect Gazelles Summit 2015 will put six of their biggest entrepreneurs in the spotlight to impart wisdom and discuss their rises to the top.
The event will be held at Tankersley Manor in Barnsley on October 15 from 9.00am to 2.00pm.
Tickets cost £50 + VAT for members of the Connect Gazelles and £75 + VAT for non-members, to register click HERE .
