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Luke Johnson Biography
Luke Johnson is a knowledgeable and experienced keynote speaker. He grew Pizza Express from 12 restaurants to over 250. He then started Signature, which owned The Ivy and Le Caprice, as well as the Belgo chain.
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.
Background and career
An Oxford medical graduate, Luke started his professional life as a media analyst. He is Chairman and part-owner of Bread Holdings, Britain’s leading artisan bakery and owner of retail bakery concept Gail’s, and owner of Feng Sushi, a London based sushi delivery restaurant chain. He is also Chairman and part-owner of 3Sixty Restaurants, which controls the Rocket and Ego restaurant chains.
A leading figure in private equity and the man behind several instantly-recognizable high street brands, Luke is also the former chair of Channel 4 and the current chair of the Royal Society of Arts.
Chairman of Risk Capital Partners Ltd, a private equity house; part owner and Chairman of Superbrands Giraffe, Patisserie Valerie and Baker and Spice; major owner and Director of the market leader in car park equipment, APT Controls, Luke's diversity is awe-inspiring.
Luke was Chairman of Channel 4 Television Corporation from 2004 – 2010, in which time the organisation enjoyed record ratings and revenues. He also served as Chairman of the trustees of the £150m Channel 4 staff pension plan.
Luke is a strategic investor in Beer & Partners, the UK's largest business investment agency, and is Chairman of Fast Track, a leading networking events and research company focusing on Britain's top-performing private companies.
He 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.
Luke became chairman of PizzaExpress in 1993. 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.
Luke has been involved as a Director/owner of various quoted companies, including Whittard of Chelsea, My Kinda Town, Nightfreight and American Port Services. He is also principal owner of GRA, the UK's largest greyhound track owner.
As principal owner of Mayfair Gaming, the chain of Riva bingo clubs, Luke oversaw the sale of the chain for an IRR of over 40%. In 1996 Luke founded Integrated Dental Holdings with partners and grew it to become the largest UK chain of dental surgeries with over 500 dentists. He sold it 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.
Luke was appointed Chairman of the Royal Society of Arts in 2008. He was a governor of The University of the Arts London and 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.
Speaking Topics
Luke Johnson grew Pizza Express from 12 restaurants to over 250. He then started Signature, which owned The Ivy and Le Caprice, as well as the Belgo chain, and is an inspirational keynote speaker.
- Business
- Entrepreneurs
- Leadership
- Retail
For further information or to book Luke Johnson, call us on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 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)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Luke Johnson News
A selection of relevant news related to Luke Johnson, After Dinner Speakers, Keynote Speakers and Motivational Speakers, Business Speakers, Change and Turnaround Speakers, Entrepreneurs, Leadership Speakers and Retail Speakers stories. For more information on Luke Johnson or details as to how to book Luke Johnson for your corporate event, please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Luke Johnson Talks Mentors
5th April 2012
Luke Johnson, entrepreneur and keynote speaker, tells Management Today how Mentors can be extremely useful in business, but it takes real luck to find a good one.
Luke Johnson Talks Business
19th January 2012
Luke Johnson, the man behind Pizza Express and knowledgeable and experienced keynote speaker , talks to Management Today about his mantra: “Stay lean, keep learning”.
Peter Jones, Claire Young and Luke Johnson Attend Entrepreneur Festival
22nd September 2011
TV Dragons and keynote speakers Doug Richard and Peter Jones CBE are inspiring young entrepreneurs at the MADE festival in Sheffield, alongside Apprentice star and entrepreneur Claire Young. The UK’s premiere festival for entrepreneurs is set to make the business stars of tomorrow.
Luke Johnson’s New Business Book Hits the Shelves
1st September 2011
Luke Johnson, the business brain behind Pizza Express, launches a new book - START IT UP: Why Running Your Own Business Is Easier Than You Think.
Speakers Corner Elite Feature in Rich List
10th May 2011
Charles Dunstone, Luke Johnson, Duncan Bannatyne and Nick Robertson are amongst Speakers Corner’s elite that feature in the 2011 Sunday Times Rich List. Economic commentator Philip Beresford claims that during times of economic downturn, when most Brits are feeling the pain of spending cuts, there are a group of high rollers marching onwards and upwards.
Talk of the Town: people are flocking to hear debates with top speakers
1st March 2010
Talks 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 2009
Business keynote speaker and entreprenuer, Luke Johnson has been appointed chair of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce for 2009.
Mary Perkins Wins Director of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award
2nd November 2011
Director Magazine has awarded Dame Mary Perkins, Specsavers queen, entrepreneur, and retail keynote speaker, the Director of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award.
Entrepreneurs’ Forum Boasts Speakers Corner's Best
20th May 2011
The North East of England is the venue for the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, where a handful of Speakers Corner’s top talent take the stage to inspire business leaders and aspirational executives from all over the UK. Hamish McRae, Sarah Willingham, Tim Smit, James Timpson, James Cracknell, and Simon Calver are all on the programme, as are Kanya King, Douglas McWilliams, Karen Mattison, John Timpson and Richard Huntingford – all inspiration and charismatic public speakers.
Sir Terry Leahy Adjusts to Life After Tesco
11th April 2013
Business speaker and former CEO of Tesco, Sir Terry Leahy stepped down from his position at Tesco in 2011 at the age of 55, he has since started working with several charities, invested in small businesses and written a book.
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)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
The best element was when we got into the discussion after the formal speech element
Lukes speech proved to be oneof the major highlights of the day.
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
For further information or to book Luke Johnson, call us on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
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