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Luke Johnson
Find In:
- Keynote Speakers
Luke Johnson Biography
Topics:
- Business
- Entrepreneurs
- Leadership
Luke Johnson is much sought-after as a public keynote speaker or after dinner speaker and is a great choice for entrepreneurial and business events. Luke enjoys the chance to meet entrepreneurs and business leaders in person, and he welcomes enquiries in this regard.
Corporate Speaking
Luke has delivered well-received speeches in many formats, including after-dinner speeches, lunchtime salons, management off-sites, trade events, board briefings, motivational events and public seminars.
Luke’s speeches are always cultured, entertaining and provocative. He speaks passionately about entrepreneurialism and its contribution to the good of society as a whole; he also speaks with conviction about the value of optimism, determination and self-reliance. Luke is equally comfortable talking to sector-specific audiences, particularly those relating to his own interests i.e. the media, the restaurant trade and private equity.
Luke Johnson's Breadth of Experience
As a leading figure in private equity and the man behind several instantly-recognizable high street brands, Luke is one of the few entrepreneurs who can resonate with one-man-band businesses and readers of the Financial Times alike. As the former chair of Channel 4 and the current chair of the Royal Society of Arts, there can be few after-dinner speakers to equal Luke’s credibility, authority and breadth of experience.
Luke Johnson is the Chairman of Risk Capital Partners Ltd, a private equity house. He is the part owner and Chairman of Superbrands, Giraffe Restaurants, Patisserie Valerie and Baker and Spice. He is a major owner and Director of the market leader in car park equipment, APT Controls.
Luke was Chairman of Channel 4 Television Corporation from January 2004 to January 2010. In that time he appointed a new CEO, restructured the board and saw the organisation enjoy record ratings, revenues and surplus. He also served as Chairman of the trustees of the £150m Channel 4 staff pension plan.
Luke Johnson recently became a strategic investor in Beer & Partners, the UK's largest business investment agency. He is also Chairman of Fast Track, the UK's leading networking events and research company focusing on Britain's top-performing private companies.
Luke writes a weekly column on entrepreneurship for The Financial Times and wrote a weekly column on business matters for The Sunday Telegraph for eight years until 2006.
Luke studied medicine at Oxford University and graduated in 1983. He then worked as a media analyst at stockbroker Grieveson Grant (subsequently Kleinwort Benson Securities).
Luke took control of PizzaExpress with partners in 1993 and subsequently became Chairman. He grew the business from 12 owned restaurants to over 250, and the share price from 40p to over 900p. Luke sold out in 1999 and started Signature Restaurants, which owned The Ivy and Le Caprice, as well as the Belgo chain, selling the business in 2005. He started the Strada restaurant concept from scratch and took the chain to 30 units and sold it in late 2005. The total proceeds from these two disposals were in excess of £90 million.
In the period 1993 to date Luke has been involved as a Director/owner of various quoted companies in retailing, pubs and bars, parcel delivery and maritime commerce, including Whittard of Chelsea, My Kinda Town, Nightfreight and American Port Services.
Luke Johnson has been a principal owner of GRA, the UK's largest greyhound track owner, since early 2005.
He was the principal owner of Mayfair Gaming, the chain of Riva bingo clubs, from 2004. This was sold in 2006 for an IRR of over 40%.
In September 2007, Risk Capital Partners bought Borders, one of the UK's largest bookshop chains with revenues of over £200m. The business was sold in July 2009.
Luke Johnson founded Integrated Dental Holdings with partners in 1996 and grew it to become the largest UK chain of dental surgeries with over 500 dentists. This was sold in 2006 for over £100 million.
He is a co-founder/owner and Director of InterQuest Group plc, a quoted recruitment business. From 2004 to 2006 he was a Director of Dollar Financial Group Inc, a US NASDAQ traded corporation with some $80m EBITDA.
Luke Johnson was appointed Chairman of the Royal Society of Arts in 2008. He was a governor of The University of the Arts London between 2000 and 2006. He is also Chairman of StageOne, a charity in support of new producers of quality commercial theatre in the UK.
Luke is married with three children and lives in London
For further information or to book Luke Johnson, call us on +44 (0) 20 8365 3200 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Luke Johnson Video
Luke Johnson Speaker Showreel - Click play to watch a short sample video clip of Luke Johnson. For more information on Luke Johnson please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0) 208 365 3200 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Outside of appearing and speaking at live corporate and private events Luke Johnson has a number of retail products available that can be purchased through Speakers Corner. For upcoming new book and product launches related to Luke Johnson then please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0) 208 365 3200 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Luke Johnson Books
The Maverick: Dispatches from an Unrepentant CapitalistPrice: £14.99
The Patissiere Valerie: The Secret Art of BakingPrice: £22.83
Luke Johnson DVDs
Punishment ParkPrice: £14.99
Luke Johnson News
A selection of relevant news related to Luke Johnson and Business stories. For more information on Luke Johnson or details as to how to book Luke Johnson for your corporate event, then please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0) 20 8365 3200 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Talk of the Town: people are flocking to hear debates with top speakers
1st March 2010Talks and lectures by interesting people on a wide range of topics are becoming hugely popular. Forget, dusty lecturers coughing through their notes for hours, people are flocking to hear speakers such as Luke Johnson, Ruby Wax, Stephen Fry, Ann Widdecombe and Robert Winston at events organised by the Louise T Blouin Foundation, Intelligence Squared, the Royal Geographical Society, the Tate and the ICA.
1st March 2010Talks and lectures by interesting people on a wide range of topics are becoming hugely popular. Forget, dusty lecturers coughing through their notes for hours, people are flocking to hear speakers such as Luke Johnson, Ruby Wax, Stephen Fry, Ann Widdecombe and Robert Winston at events organised by the Louise T Blouin Foundation, Intelligence Squared, the Royal Geographical Society, the Tate and the ICA.
Business keynote Speaker and Entreprenur, Luke Johnson is RSA's new chairman
15th April 2009Business keynote speaker and entreprenuer, Luke Johnson has been appointed chair of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce for 2009.
15th April 2009Business keynote speaker and entreprenuer, Luke Johnson has been appointed chair of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce for 2009.
The Sunday Times Business Person of Year - The Finalists
23rd December 2009The Sunday Times has announced its list of contenders for their annual Business Person of the Year award. The finalists have shown true grit and determination - many have hauled their businesses through a rather perilous time unscathed and are survivors in the business world. The contenders are Angela Ahrendts (pictured left), Ross Brawn, Frank Chapman, Richard Cousins, Founders of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone and Evan Williams, Steve Jobs, Sam Laidlaw, Alan Mulally, Kate Swann, and John Varley.
23rd December 2009The Sunday Times has announced its list of contenders for their annual Business Person of the Year award. The finalists have shown true grit and determination - many have hauled their businesses through a rather perilous time unscathed and are survivors in the business world. The contenders are Angela Ahrendts (pictured left), Ross Brawn, Frank Chapman, Richard Cousins, Founders of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone and Evan Williams, Steve Jobs, Sam Laidlaw, Alan Mulally, Kate Swann, and John Varley.
BSkyB is Britain's most admired company 2009
2nd December 2009Media firm BSkyB landed the top spot in Management Today's Britain's Most Admired Companies awards on monday night. Led by CEO Jeremy Darroch, the organisation is one of the youngest to be handed the accolade, topping each of the nine criteria to secure the award. Matthew Gwyther, editor of Management Today said: 'It (BSkyB) is barely more than a stripling upstart amongst the great names of UK business, some of which have been around for centuries in one form or another. It has shown that a class-leading product, well marketed and slickly delivered, can continue to grow and prosper even in the most challenging circumstances.' Tesco and Johnson Mathey took the second and third slots respectively, with Cadbury, GlaxoSmithKline and Rolls-Royce trailing at numbers four, five and six.
2nd December 2009Media firm BSkyB landed the top spot in Management Today's Britain's Most Admired Companies awards on monday night. Led by CEO Jeremy Darroch, the organisation is one of the youngest to be handed the accolade, topping each of the nine criteria to secure the award. Matthew Gwyther, editor of Management Today said: 'It (BSkyB) is barely more than a stripling upstart amongst the great names of UK business, some of which have been around for centuries in one form or another. It has shown that a class-leading product, well marketed and slickly delivered, can continue to grow and prosper even in the most challenging circumstances.' Tesco and Johnson Mathey took the second and third slots respectively, with Cadbury, GlaxoSmithKline and Rolls-Royce trailing at numbers four, five and six.
Heavyweight keynote speakers are expected at the CBI Conference today including Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Dominique Strauss-Kahn & Stuart Rose to name but a few
23rd November 2009Heavyweight keynote speakers are expected to address the CBI conference in London today. Talking to the most influential and important of business audiences will be our political leaders Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg, business chiefs such as Sir Stuart Rose and Stephen Hester, as well as Lord Adair Turner, BBC Economics Editor Stephanie Flaunders and the CBI's Director-General Richard Lambert. Chairing the conference will be CBI's President, the recently appointed Helen Alexander, former chief executive at The Economist and the first woman in the role.
23rd November 2009Heavyweight keynote speakers are expected to address the CBI conference in London today. Talking to the most influential and important of business audiences will be our political leaders Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg, business chiefs such as Sir Stuart Rose and Stephen Hester, as well as Lord Adair Turner, BBC Economics Editor Stephanie Flaunders and the CBI's Director-General Richard Lambert. Chairing the conference will be CBI's President, the recently appointed Helen Alexander, former chief executive at The Economist and the first woman in the role.
Lessons learnt from Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple - one of the greatest speakers ever
19th November 2009The Times is featuring extracts from Simon Maier and Jerremy Kourdi's book 'The 100: Insights and lessons from 100 of the greatest speeches ever delivered'. Read The Times article on lessons learnt from one of the world's best speakers - Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple and former chief executive officer of Pixar Animation Studios.
19th November 2009The Times is featuring extracts from Simon Maier and Jerremy Kourdi's book 'The 100: Insights and lessons from 100 of the greatest speeches ever delivered'. Read The Times article on lessons learnt from one of the world's best speakers - Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple and former chief executive officer of Pixar Animation Studios.
WHO MOVED MY GURU?
19th December 2008The economy may be tanking, but not Malcolm Gladwell. His new book, “Outliers,” a characteristically snappy look at what made the Beatles, Bill Gates and other superstars so successful, enters the hardcover nonfiction list at No. 1
19th December 2008The economy may be tanking, but not Malcolm Gladwell. His new book, “Outliers,” a characteristically snappy look at what made the Beatles, Bill Gates and other superstars so successful, enters the hardcover nonfiction list at No. 1
Diageo wins 'Britain's Most Admired Company 2008' award
11th December 2008Drinks major Diageo has won the coveted title of Britain's Most Admired Company 2008 in MT's annual poll. At the awards ceremony last night at Claridge's, Diageo’s CEO Paul Walsh accepted the award from Lord Heseltine, chairman of Haymarket Media...
11th December 2008Drinks major Diageo has won the coveted title of Britain's Most Admired Company 2008 in MT's annual poll. At the awards ceremony last night at Claridge's, Diageo’s CEO Paul Walsh accepted the award from Lord Heseltine, chairman of Haymarket Media...
Matching what is possible with what is needed - Rowan Gibson's latest online column
30th October 2009Rowan Gibson is a global business strategist, a bestselling author and an expert on radical innovation. He teaches organisations how to seize new growth opportunities, create new markets and even transform industries by recalibrating their whole organisational system around the paradigm of innovation. He is also one of world’s most in-demand business speakers. Rowan has just published his latest online column about how companies need to drive innovation from both the technological side of the organisation and the customer side. To read Rowan's thoughts, just click on the title.
30th October 2009Rowan Gibson is a global business strategist, a bestselling author and an expert on radical innovation. He teaches organisations how to seize new growth opportunities, create new markets and even transform industries by recalibrating their whole organisational system around the paradigm of innovation. He is also one of world’s most in-demand business speakers. Rowan has just published his latest online column about how companies need to drive innovation from both the technological side of the organisation and the customer side. To read Rowan's thoughts, just click on the title.
Stephen Fry pleased as punch with new appointment
16th August 2010It has been announced that Stephen Fry has been appointed to join the board at Norwich City football club and he joins a league of writers, chefs, and business leaders such as Theo Paphitis and Karren Brady who are well-acquainted with the world of business and football
16th August 2010It has been announced that Stephen Fry has been appointed to join the board at Norwich City football club and he joins a league of writers, chefs, and business leaders such as Theo Paphitis and Karren Brady who are well-acquainted with the world of business and football
Luke Johnson Reviews
Luke Johnson has spoken and appeared at a number of recent corporate events. Please find some client speaker testimonials and reviews for Luke Johnson for a number of these events and conferences. If you would like some additional information as to how to book Luke Johnson for your corporate event, then please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0) 208 365 3200 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
"Please pass on our thanks to Luke Johnson for giving us such an inspiring talk last night at Chatham House. I think we all felt much better after his words of wisdom. He kept verymuch on the brief that we had given him so we are very pleased with the outcome. Hilary Baxter Director"
"Lukes speech proved to be oneof the major highlights of the day."
"The best element was when we got into the discussion after the formal speech element"
If you are interested in booking Luke Johnson for your live event or require any additional information regarding Luke Johnson then please fill in the enquiry form below and one of the Speakers Corner booking agents will contact you within 24 hours.
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Very professional. Cheryl definitely in control.Rotary International District 1120
News
2nd September 2010
Michael Douglas shared his struggle on The Late Show with David Letterman yesterday and keynote speakers including Lance Armstrong and Martina Navratilova have been open to sharing their own experiences and stories of hope.
1st September 2010
The BBC One controller, Jay Hunt has confirmed that Graham Norton's chat show will switch to friday nights in October to replace Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.
