Executive Breakfast March 2025

Topic: Family Business & Entrepreneurship

Verdier & Co.’s Executive Breakfast series’ 15th edition at The Lansdowne Club featured a Roundtable discussion around “Family Business and Entrepreneurship”.

This session, centred on “Family Business & Entrepreneurship,” ultimately also touched upon an array of other key themes and offered a timely exploration of the evolving business landscape, thanks to  strategic insights from Steve Rigby, Co-CEO of Rigby Group, one of the UK’s largest family-owned businesses.  Steve was expertly interviewed by Louisa Bojesen, journalist and former CNBC anchor, in a wide-ranging conversation spanning leadership, innovation, geopolitics, and market dynamics.

Some takeaways included:
◾ Need to balance the books and expectations of State involvement
◾ The Americanisation of the UK economy can be a double edge sword
◾ M&A processes lengthening
◾ Private equity consolidation and the probable end of the high 20s-IRR era
◾ Unlocking UK innovation through university spinouts and talent development
◾ On a personal note: curiosity, reading and enthusiasm amongst his leadership toolkits

To know more, please see here.

Steve Rigby
Designation: Co-Chief Executive Officer, Rigby Group Plc

Steve is Co-Chief Executive Officer of Rigby Group plc, a technology-focused multi-generational family business. It is a top ten UK wholly family-owned business, with a turnover of almost £4 billion and employing 9,000 people. Working across the Group’s diverse portfolio Steve is responsible for leading strategy, finance and investments for the family in both the private and public markets.

Outside of Rigby Group, Steve is a regular media commentator. He is Deputy Chair of Family Business UK (FBUK) and will shortly become Chair in April 2025.  He is also Chair of the UK’s Private Business Commission, launched to investigate how to help more companies maximise their growth potential within the UK. He is a patron of the Entrepreneurs Network, Chair of the Rigby Foundation, and a long-term supporter of Place2Be, most recently as Chair of the charity’s development board.

Within Rigby Group, Steve sits on the boards of SCC, Rigby Technology Investments, Regional & City Airports, Rigby Real Estate, the Group’s hotel division, Nuvias Unified Communications, CloudClevr, Infinigate and Rigby Group.

Louisa Bojesen
Designation: Broadcaster CNBC Alum/ Conference Moderator/ Financial Markets / Executive Coach

Louisa Bojesen is best known for hosting live, daily, TV shows for CNBC business television. With
the channel for almost 2 decades, she anchored all the shows, including flagships: ‘Squawk Box
Europe’, ‘Today’s Biz’, ‘Power Lunch’ and ‘European Closing Bell’. She hosted live central bank
specials, and the only week-end show ‘Investing Edge’. Bojesen was the only anchor to host 4
flagship shows, back-to-back 4am-12pm, every day. With a new guest/topic every 5-10 minutes,
Bojesen has interviewed tens of thousands of industry experts, world leaders and CEOs. She was
one of the most watched financial hosts of her generation, and was a central figure unwrapping the
financial crisis, live on-air. Since quitting her TV career, Bojesen has been coaching senior
executives. Bojesen is additionally a professional moderator covering a wide range of topics with
high profile figures ranging from Fed governors to tennis star Roger Federer. With a keen interest
in the Middle East, Bojesen initiated CNBC’s coverage of the region and continues to work with
clients there as well as across Europe. She holds board roles, is a Danish Goodwill Ambassador, and
has been described as a trailblazer for women in business news