After Dinner Speakers: Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Lester Piggott, Gene Pitney

Born and raised in Athens, Stelious Haji Ioannou moved to London to study at the London School of Economics, and he graduated in 1987 with a BSc in Economics. The next year, 1988, he also graduated from the City University Business School with a MSc in Shipping Trade and Finance. After a brief career working in his fathers shipping business Stelious founded easyJet, the low-cost, no frills, point to point airline and took advantage of the deregulation of the European airline industry. In 1998 he formed the easyGroup, a holding company to explore new ventures to extend the ‘easy’ brand. easyInternetCafe, easyCar, easyvalue.com, easy.com and easymoney were soon launched capitalising upon the expanding use of the Internet. Plans for easyCinema and easyDorm are currently being undertaken. Stelious is a truly modern entrepreneur, whose enthusiasm and motivation are compelling and contagious.