Grant Thornton unveils faces of a vibrant economy in the SW

Five business and community leaders from the South West celebrated amongst 100 individuals inspiring leadership, innovation, and helping their communities across the UK

Grant Thornton UK LLP today unveils its inaugural list of people who are helping to shape a vibrant economy in the UK, one which realises the shared potential of businesses, cities, people and communities across the UK. In the South West, Geoff Gollop, Joel Gibbard, Kim Atherton, Nick Davies and Richard Clothier have been named as Faces of a Vibrant Economy.

The list has been curated as part of Grant Thornton’s purpose to shape a vibrant economy, and unlock the shared potential of the nation by working together with government, businesses and communities.

These individuals have been photographed by Magnum Photos, the international photography cooperative, as a celebration of the contribution they are making to a more vibrant economy.

They have been named as leading figures from the public and private sector, as well as emerging entrepreneurs.

• Geoff Gollop, Bristol City Council – In 2015, the council’s work was recognised by the European Commission when it awarded the city with the title of European Green Capital. Bristol is the only British city to have won the accolade. As the member for Business, Change and Resources at Bristol City Council and Deputy Mayor, Geoff is responsible for helping Bristol achieve a greener future.
• Joel Gibbard, OpenBionics, Bristol – What began as a university project has become a full-time occupation for Joel, founder of prosthetics manufacturer Open Bionics. For him, the work of Open Bionics is part of a wider need to make health technology affordable for the greatest number of people. The business aims to address the shortfall of accessible, affordable prosthetics for the world’s estimated two million hand amputees, creating bionic hands which use sensors to detect muscle movements and provide grip and pressure control for users.
• Kim Atherton, Ovo Energy, Bristol – As chief people officer at Ovo Energy, Kim has helped scale the business from 100 people to more than 1,100 in three years; she has also shaped Ovo’s working culture and created a structured ‘Reward Steps’ programme within the customer service division. For Kim, a vibrant economy is one where businesses take responsibility for their actions and impact on society, she says: “We do not exist purely to maximise return for our shareholders, but to create shared value in society. It’s about standing up for our customers and having them in mind every time we make a decision.”
• Nick Davies, Neighbourly, Bath –  Neighbourly gives local charities and community initiatives the opportunity to share their stories in a loud and coherent manner, thereby allowing business with the motivation, capacity and know-how to help. The key to Neighbourly is that it’s designed to help business take the lead.  Nick recognised that most people want to do more but don’t know where to start.  But brands have the skills and resources to activate people around great ideas and in doing so, lead a global movement for change. With the news that Neighbourly expects to launch in a further 10 markets later this year, Nick’s ambition to create a global movement for collaborative action seems to be well within his grasp. 
• Richard Clothier, Wyke Farms, Somerset – Richard’s family started the Wyke Farms cheese business in 1861 and over the last 150 years the family has grown the business into being the UK’s largest independent producer of cheese and milk processor. The business’s growth has not been secured by playing it safe. Wyke Farms took on a significant financial risk when it decided to embark on its ‘100% Green’ strategy, investing in green energy and water recovery. The conversion was not just successful, but it has helped the business win new contracts and set an industry-leading example –  a true benchmark of sustainability.

The list showcases individuals who were proven to deliver against at least one of three categories:

- Inspiring leadership – those individuals that have developed a culture that empowers, develops and motivates their people

- Innovation – individuals who are solving problems in an innovative way, or creating new ways and models of doing things

- Social purpose – people who are making a positive contribution to the wider local or national community

Tim Lincoln, practice leader at Grant Thornton, comments:

“Earlier this year we set out a clear purpose to shape a vibrant economy, and we know that no one organisation or individual can do this alone. That’s why we’ve searched the South West for those individuals that are making a difference. Some are inspiring leaders, empowering their employees to reach their full potential. Others are using innovation to help their local communities, and some have created businesses with a clear, social purpose.

“Today we’re celebrating the achievements of these five individuals, and sharing their stories to inspire others. More than that, we are connecting and convening these inspirational figures to help us unlock the true potential of the South West. Instead of seeking out the challenges, and focusing on the problems, we believe that by sharing inspiring examples from businesses, government and communities, we can look at how to replicate these across the UK for the good of the economy, and the communities in which we live and serve.”