Power-packed line-up at Shropshire business dinner
The former chief executive of coffee chain Caffè Nero and co-founder of tech reselling service Music Magpie were among a power-packed line-up of entrepreneurs at a Shropshire business dinner.
Shropshire Business Conversation, held at Telford International Centre, was jointly organised by Shropshire Festivals and Shropshire Business magazine to mark the publication’s 10th anniversary.
It brought together some of the county’s highest profile cover stars from the magazine to take part in Q&A sessions with editor Carl Jones, at the culmination of this year’s Shropshire Business Festival.
The line-up included Shrewsbury-based Will Stratton-Morris, who joined Caffè Nero in 2017 as the first externally appointed CEO for its UK coffee house business, responsible for around 650 stores.
He was joined by Walter Gleeson, co-founder of retail ‘re-commerce’ giant Music Magpie, who in more recent years has been on a mission to help a new generation of entrepreneurs and invested in AFC Telford United.
The line-up also included Sarah Holmes, the fourth generation of her family to run iconic Ironbridge teddy bear maker Merrythought, and Charlie Blakemore of Intercity Technology, who has just been voted the West Midlands’ CEO of the year.
Completing the line-up were Steven Owen, managing director of former Shropshire company of the year Pave Aways, and Ella Cox, director of Telford-based Heaven Skincare, which has a Royal Warrant and a legion of celebrity customers.
The guests shared insights into some of the challenges and pressures involved in running high-profile and fast-growing businesses, and some of the risks and instinctive decisions they have taken in the quest for success.
“We have featured some truly inspirational Shropshire businesspeople on the front cover of our magazine over the past decade, and it was a real treat to be able to bring so many of them together for the first time,” said Shropshire Business editor Carl Jones.
“The event truly lived up to its title, because there were some brilliant conversations, and connections made.”
Albrighton-based Charlie Blakemore said: “It was a real pleasure to meet so many brilliant Shropshire business leaders and share experiences.
“I spent much of my early career in Telford, serving my apprenticeship there and it was genuinely special to return and to share some of my experiences and lessons that I have picked up along the way.
“I was fortunate to learn so much from the people I worked alongside and it reminded me just how influential those early years were.
“I feel a great sense of pride and gratitude for the region and the county that helped set me up for such a rewarding and enjoyable career. It was truly great to be back.”
Shropshire Festivals director Beth Heath described the evening as ‘epic’ and said: “Thanks to the great speakers for being so inspirational.”
Shropshire Business magazine is an independent bi-monthly publication, backed up by a website, which celebrates success stories across the local business community.
It is a former Midlands Magazine of the Year winner, and is run by award-winning local journalists Carl Jones and Henry Carpenter.
For more details, and to download free copies of the latest magazines, see www.shropshirebiz.com.
