Cumbrian businessman Andrew Tinkler will be in the hot seat at the next Carlisle Youth Zone Business Breakfast, sponsored by Baines Wilson.
Andrew, known for his forthright views and plain speaking, will be in conversation with Tom Scaife, employment partner at Baines Wilson, at The Halston in Carlisle on Wednesday March 29.
Tom said: “Andrew is probably best known for his time as CEO of Stobart Group when he pushed hard for the redevelopment of Carlisle Airport.
“He’s a genuinely self-made businessman with an extraordinary track record and we’re delighted that he’s agreed to share his wisdom and knowledge.
“He’s happy to take questions and will also talk about his latest venture, Svella, an investment vehicle that takes a controlling interest in under-performing businesses to turn around their fortunes.”
He began his career as a joiner and cabinet maker, then ran a building and civil engineering business, WA Developments, based in Appleby, which acquired the haulier Eddie Stobart in 2004.
The business became listed as Stobart Group following a reverse takeover of Westbury Property Fund in 2007.
Andrew served as CEO from 2008 until 2017 leading Stobart’s transformation into a FT-SE 250 listed diversified logistics, energy and aviation group with a turnover of £1.6bn and 10,000 employees.
In that time, the business delivered shareholder returns of 261 per cent. Andrew was named CBI North West Business Leader of the Year in 2011.
He left Stobart Group in 2018 after a fall out with his fellow directors, which culminated in an acrimonious court case. Many of his trusted lieutenants followed him out of the business and now work alongside him at Svella.
The business law firm Baines Wilson, which has offices in Carlisle and Lancaster, has sponsored the CYZ Business Breakfast since 2019.
The events have attracted a string of high-profile Cumbrian guests including Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson, Malcolm Wilson of M-Sport and construction boss Fred Story, as well as national figures such as John Roberts, founder and CEO of AO, and Annabel Hoult, CEO of Which?
Tom Scaife added: “We’ve been fortunate to secure speakers of the highest calibre who have all offered valuable business insights. I’m sure that Andrew will be equally revealing and informative. It should be a great session.”
The event begins at 8am and winds up by 10.30am. Places are free but must be pre-booked. Reserve yours online at: https://bit.ly/CYZTinkler
