Luke Johnson

As a leading figure in private equity and the man behind several instantly-recognisable high street brands, Luke is one of the few entrepreneurs whose speeches resonate with one-man-band businesses and Sunday Times readers alike. He speaks passionately about the contribution of entrepreneurialism to the good of society, and the personal value of optimism, determination and self-reliance.

In 1993, Luke took control of PizzaExpress with partners and subsequently became Chairman, growing the business exponentially. From 2004-2010, Luke was Chairman of Channel 4 Television Corporation.

Luke chairs the boards of Risk Capital Partners and as of 2018, Northbank Talent Management. He is also chair of the Almeida Theatre, chair and co-owner of Assembly Festival, the biggest venue operator at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as well as a director of two theatre production partnerships, Playful Productions and Fiery Dragons.