Simon Woodroffe

A natural progression led Woodroffe into television at the start of the 1990s. He spearheaded the development of television deals to show huge international rock concerts worldwide, organising the financing and distribution of the Nelson Mandela concerts, shows for Amnesty International and the Prince's Trust concerts. His television production deals included Japan's number one pop show, Hit Studio International.

Simon believes that a divorce at the beginning of the 90s opened his eyes to the character defects that had held him back. This allowed him to develop personally and to lead a team using many of the tools he learnt in that development.

The Yo! Story

YO! Sushi was born out of Woodroffe's feel for entertainment. YO! is developing as a lifestyle brand and has grown naturally out of the initial restaurant concept. Simon's focus is now on the international market and there are various developments taking place to promote the YO! brand across Europe and into the United States.  YO! intends to be a brand in multiple market sectors delivering luxurious concepts at accessible prices.

Dragon's Den & Corporate Speaking

Simon was an original “Dragon” on the BBC 2 produced worldwide hit programme Dragons’ Den as one of the formidable panelists, who make and break the dreams of would-be entrepreneurs as they
pitch their business ideas for financing. Simon shared the panel with Doug Richard, Duncan Bannatyne and Rachel Elnaugh. Simon has also featured on Discovery TV’s VIP Weekends with Ian Wright, ITV’s Homes & Property, ITV’s The Millionaire’s Club and Through the Keyhole with David Frost.

As a result of being asked to share the story of his entrepreneurial success, Woodroffe has developed a strong reputation on the UK and international public speaking circuit. Simon speaks openly avoiding business cliché and audiences find his story extremely inspiring and a catalyst for their own endeavours, be they in a large corporate setting or working at a start-up level.

Awards for Simon & Yo!

Simon won a 1999 Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Ernst & Young) and is a part of the CBI / BCC Ambassador of Entrepreneurism campaign. He was a finalist in the Real Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year 1999. For YO! Sushi he has received awards from Design Week (Best Restaurant) Marketing Week 1998 - Design Effectiveness Awards 1998 and Best Web Site for Hospitality Solutions 1999. For his services to the hospitality industry, he was an awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2006.

The Yo! Brand

The YO! story continues to develop and Simon works with others to develop new YO! Brands.

Unconventional innovation in each YO! retail concept will deliver customers that “zizzz” factor traditionally found in showbiz. YOTEL, the world’s most radical hotel with rooms of just 10sq metres and space travel inspired interiors opened to the world at London Gatwick Airport in Jul 2007 and was the first hotel in the world to be actually inside an airport terminal. London Heathrow opened in Winter that year and the first international YOTEL, Amstedram Schipol Airport opened 30 September 2008. The public love YOTEL and press has been fantastic: “It's definitely a hip new way to kip” (London’s Sunday Times)

Simon is developing more new YO! Brands including YO! Zone: part spa, part café, part bar and part nightclub; and YO! Home: which will provide a futuristic take on the traditional home. Simon has also created the YO! Foundation to support various charitable causes that are important to him

For further information or to book Simon Woodroffe, call us on +44 (0) 20 8365 3200 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk