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Andy Roberts

Andy’s fingerprints all over city

Environmentally sound cars, the future shape of Newcastle’s architecture, and whether we actually need Swan House roundabout, all exercise the mind of _space Architecture and Management’s Andy Roberts. Graeme King met him. Read

Chris Peacock

Huge leap of faith pays off for skydiving Chris

When Chris Peacock turned his back on sky-diving he threw himself into running the family business. Now managing director at Peacocks Medical Group, the adrenaline junkie tells Andrew Mernin he has his sights set firmly on expansion. Read

Entrepreneurs set out to Explain differences

Planning for the future is never far from the mind of the entrepreneur, and in the latest of our series ‘Head to Head’ in conjunction with the Entrepreneurs Forum, we meet two entrepreneurs that have different takes on exit strategies, and life and business in general. Read

Nick Collins of ZebraHosts

Businessman with a talent for giving something back

A HINT of Royal scandal, a brush with some of the biggest bands of the 80s and a career stretching from art to the internet. Karen Dent speaks to ZebraHosts’ Nick Collins about his design for life. Read

Taking care of the little guy...

AS MIDDLESBROUGH boss John Wright marks the end of his first year at the helm of the Federation of Small Businesses with a tour of duty in Helmand province, Afghanistan, SUE SCOTT discovers what makes the Cleveland adventurer tick. Read

Alastair Thomson, new dean of Teesside Business School

University dean who really means business

Universities and businesses have not always enjoyed the best of relations, but that is changing according to Alastair Thomson, new dean of the business school at the University of Teesside. Andrew Hebden went to meet him Read

Sayeed Ahmed

The odd-job builder who’s expanding on Spanish isle

He may be in the running for a prestigious business award, but property developer and restaurateur Sayeed Ahmed is not one for boasting about his achievements. He tells Karen Dent how he prefers to do business. Read

Jack Jeffery

Helping local food producers taste national success

THE task of putting North East food and drink on all the nation’s top tables is a big one, but County Durham-born Jack Jeffery just might have the experience and nous to get the job done. Graeme King met him at his hilltop home. Read

Steve Howe

Forget about bouncers, I’m in the meet and greet industry

Not many managing directors will have been threatened with a knife and a gun, but then Steve Howe is not your typical business executive, as Peter McCusker discovered. Read

Moir Lockhead

Global chief has never forgotten early lessons

FirstGroup chief executive Moir Lockhead today heads a global transport business boasting 135,000 employees and leading brands such as America's famous Greyhound buses. But, as he tells Andrew Hebden, he has never forgotten the lessons he learned as an apprentice bus mechanic in Darlington Read

David Skentelbery

The man making sure the Tyne stays ship-shape

SHIPS are Dave Skentelbery’s passion. As a boy he wanted to captain them. Now, as boss of the Tyne’s last remaining shipyard, he wants to build them. Read

Nigel McMinn

Family values drive motor man

Family values, sport and singing help Benfield Motors’ managing director Nigel McMinn bring balance to his life, as Karen Dent discovers. Read

Joe Darragh, Estates Director at Mandale Group

Developer with a passion for his projects

FAST-growing developer Mandale has schemes right across the region and beyond. Graeme King met estates director Joe Darragh and talked not only about property, but building snooker tables and the joy of time spent away from your mobile. Read

Jennifer Welch

Jennifer knows how to pull things together

Jennifer Welch is a Horden miner’s daughter, who served as a military policeman in Katmandhu. Graeme King meets the woman who is now at the top Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in the North. Read

Richard Bottomley

How Richard turned tragedy into success

IT was the tragic, untimely death of his brother which shaped Richard Bottomley’s early career and spurred him on to the success he has achieved today. Read

Patricia Alexander, managing director of Shared Interest

Accountant shares her interest in fair trade

Accountant Patricia Alexander tells Karen Dent how the death of a work colleague changed her outlook on life – and led to a new career as managing director with financial co-operative Shared Interest Read

Time to praise people who risk everything

WHEN we read about takeovers, management buy-outs or entrepreneurs risking everything to expand their businesses, we probably never stop to think about the professional advisers who help make it all possible. Lawyers such as Gillian Hall are the backbone of these deals and responsible for bringing business and money into the region. Read

Lucy Winskill

Lawyer makes sure business is a pleasure

TALENTED Newcastle lawyer Lucy Winskell has a passion for work and for the North-East, as Karen Dent discovered. Read

Kate Welch

A helping hand at grass roots level

AT a free broth and stotty event in Horden organised by Kate Welch’s Acumen an ex-miner, who hasn’t worked for almost 15 years, says: “Well I do miss getting out with the lads. I haven’t got much money to go out drinking these days.” Read

Stella Hall

Bringing culture to the people...

Keeping Newcastle and Gateshead in the cultural spotlight is the task of NGI’s Stella Hall and as Graeme King finds out she is relishing the challenge. Read