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[[Outsourcery]] was floated on the [[Alternative Investment Market]] (AIM) in 2013 raising £13m<ref>{{cite web|author=Doug Woodburn |url=http://www.channelweb.co.uk/crn-uk/news/2269894/piers-linney-if-youre-not-gunning-for-gbp100m-get-out-of-cloud |title=Piers Linney: If you're not gunning for £100m, get out of cloud - CRN website |publisher=www.channelweb.co.uk |date=2011-04-22 |accessdate=2014-04-09}}</ref>. The business is now regarded as one of Microsoft’s leading Cloud Service Providers after it was selected as one of only five UK Cloud OS Network partners<ref>{{cite web|author=Outsourcery |url=http://www.outsourcery.co.uk/News/PR/Pages/Outsourcery-enters-microsoft-cloud-os-network.aspx=Piers Linney: Outsourcery enters new alliance with Microsoft – by joining the Microsoft Cloud OS Network - Outsourcery website |publisher=www.outsourcery.co.uk |date=2013-12-12 |accessdate=2014-04-09}}</ref>.
[[Outsourcery]] was floated on the [[Alternative Investment Market]] (AIM) in 2013 raising £13m<ref>{{cite web|author=Doug Woodburn |url=http://www.channelweb.co.uk/crn-uk/news/2269894/piers-linney-if-youre-not-gunning-for-gbp100m-get-out-of-cloud |title=Piers Linney: If you're not gunning for £100m, get out of cloud - CRN website |publisher=www.channelweb.co.uk |date=2011-04-22 |accessdate=2014-04-09}}</ref>. The business is now regarded as one of Microsoft’s leading Cloud Service Providers after it was selected as one of only five UK Cloud OS Network partners<ref>{{cite web|author=Outsourcery |url=http://www.outsourcery.co.uk/News/PR/Pages/Outsourcery-enters-microsoft-cloud-os-network.aspx=Piers Linney: Outsourcery enters new alliance with Microsoft – by joining the Microsoft Cloud OS Network - Outsourcery website |publisher=www.outsourcery.co.uk |date=2013-12-12 |accessdate=2014-04-09}}</ref>.
Piers was a founding member of the Governance Board of the UK’s [http://www.cloudindustryforum.org Cloud Industry Forum]<ref>{{cite web|author=Cloud Industry Forum |url=http://cloudindustryforum.org/governance/governance-board-members/98-piers-linney-outsourcery |title=Piers Linney - Cloud Industry Forum website|publisher=www.cloudindustryforum.org |date=2012-09-08 |accessdate=2014-04-09}}</ref> and regularly appears in the media to discuss the benefits of cloud computing. He was recognised in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.P._Morgan_%26_Co. JP Morgan] sponsored [http://www.powerful-media.com Power List 2013] as one of the top 100 most influential black Britons<ref>{{cite web|author=Kaya Burgess |url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/tv-radio/article3711085.ece |title=Piers Linney, Dragons’ Den latest, flies in from the cloud - The Times website |publisher=www.thetimes.co.uk |date=2013-03-12 |accessdate=2014-04-09}}</ref>.
Piers was a founding member of the Governance Board of the UK’s [http://www.cloudindustryforum.org Cloud Industry Forum]<ref>{{cite web|author=Cloud Industry Forum |url=http://cloudindustryforum.org/governance/governance-board-members/98-piers-linney-outsourcery |title= Piers Linney - Cloud Industry Forum website|publisher=www.cloudindustryforum.org |date=2012-09-08 |accessdate=2014-04-09}}</ref> and regularly appears in the media to discuss the benefits of cloud computing. He was recognised in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.P._Morgan_%26_Co. JP Morgan] sponsored [http://www.powerful-media.com Power List 2013] as one of the top 100 most influential black Britons<ref>{{cite web|author=Kaya Burgess |url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/tv-radio/article3711085.ece |title=Piers Linney, Dragons’ Den latest, flies in from the cloud - The Times website |publisher=www.thetimes.co.uk |date=2013-03-12 |accessdate=2014-04-09}}</ref>.




Revision as of 17:12, 9 April 2014

Piers Linney
BornFebruary 1971
EducationThe University of Manchester
Occupation(s)Businessman
Television personality
Known forDragons' Den
The Secret Millionaire
SpouseTara Linney
ChildrenTiger and Electra
Websitehttp://pierslinney.com

Piers Linney (born February 1971)[1] is a British businessman, who is the current Co-CEO of the cloud-based IT business Outsourcery, and is best known for being a 'dragon' on the BBC Two business series Dragons' Den.

Linney appeared on the Channel 4 series The Secret Millionaire in 2011, where he worked in Wolverhampton at a Young Offenders' institution.

Early life

With both Barbadian and English heritage, Piers grew up in a small mill town in Lancashire in North-West England where he attended the local comprehensive school after failing his 11+. With aspirations of being his own boss even at the age of thirteen, Piers cut out his local newsagent by going direct to the wholesaler to start his own paper round, planting his entrepreneurial seeds by building it up and then selling it off[2].

Career

Although Piers is usually described as an entrepreneur, he has a professional background in the City. After studying Accounting and Law at The University of Manchester, he qualified as a solicitor in the City with SJ Berwin. He left law to join the UK investment banking team at Barclays de Zoete Wedd, where he met Simon Newton in 1997 and then Credit Suisse, where he specialised in M&A and LBOs. Piers left banking in 2000 to start an Internet business and has since been involved in a number of technology, media and telecommunications businesses as a founder, director, investor or adviser. After becoming the CEO of a corporate finance boutique, Piers became a partner in an alternative investment fund providing structured debt and equity financing to small cap public companies.

In 2007, Piers led, in alliance with his friend and business partner, Simon Newton, the buyout of Genesis Communications[3], a mobile voice and data reseller company. In 2009 Genesis acquires Thus Mobile from Cable&Wireless and rebranded as Outsourcery to focus on the cloud IT and communications opportunity. Between 2011 and 2012, the mobile business was sold[4] for a total of £15m to create a pure-play cloud business, which was funded by the founders and private investors.

Outsourcery was floated on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in 2013 raising £13m[5]. The business is now regarded as one of Microsoft’s leading Cloud Service Providers after it was selected as one of only five UK Cloud OS Network partners[6]. Piers was a founding member of the Governance Board of the UK’s Cloud Industry Forum[7] and regularly appears in the media to discuss the benefits of cloud computing. He was recognised in the JP Morgan sponsored Power List 2013 as one of the top 100 most influential black Britons[8].


Dragons' Den

Main article: Dragons' Den

In 2013, Linney joined the panel for Series 11 of BBC 2’s television series Dragons' Den, along with new dragon Kelly Hoppen. In April 2014, Series 11 of Dragons’ Den was nominated for a BAFTA[9]. Piers confirmed his participation in Series 12 of Dragons Den.

Deals struck on Dragons’ Den

  • Skinny Tan - £60,000 for 10% of the business (Joint investment with Kelly Hoppen)
  • Mainstage Travel - £100,000 for 15% of the business
  • Vini & Bal's Rustic Indian - £50,000 for 30% of the business
  • energyEGG - £50,000 for 30% of the business

Trustee

As an extension to his interest in business, Piers is a founding Trustee of the Powerlist Foundation [10] which aims to identify and support tomorrow’s leaders irrespective of their race, gender, faith or ethnicity. He is also a trustee of the innovation charity with a £300m endowment, NESTA[11].

Piers is also involved with Virgin Unite [12] and a range of other charities as a donor or patron. Piers is also in the process of establishing his own charity to provided equal opportunities for work place insights. He believes in ’do well, do good’ and in the power of business as a positive force for change.

Interests and Personal Life

Piers is passionate about entrepreneurship, helping others to achieve success and equal opportunities. He has two children Tiger and Electra and is married to Tara. Piers is a keen cycling and mountain-biking enthusiast.

References

  1. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006vq92/dragons/piers-linney
  2. ^ Daisy Buchanan (2013-08-11). "Dragon's Den Piers Linney: 10 things you need to know about new Dragon - Mirror Online". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-08-18.
  3. ^ Marcus Leach (2011-03-11). "Who is Piers Linney? - Fresh Business Thinking website". www.freshbusinessthinking.com. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
  4. ^ James Graham (2013-09-03). "Outsourcery sells mobile business - The Business Desk website". www.thebusinessdesk.com. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help); Text "http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/510813-outsourcery-sells-mobile-business.html" ignored (help)
  5. ^ Doug Woodburn (2011-04-22). "Piers Linney: If you're not gunning for £100m, get out of cloud - CRN website". www.channelweb.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
  6. ^ Outsourcery (2013-12-12). www.outsourcery.co.uk Linney: Outsourcery enters new alliance with Microsoft – by joining the Microsoft Cloud OS Network - Outsourcery website http://www.outsourcery.co.uk/News/PR/Pages/Outsourcery-enters-microsoft-cloud-os-network.aspx=Piers Linney: Outsourcery enters new alliance with Microsoft – by joining the Microsoft Cloud OS Network - Outsourcery website. Retrieved 2014-04-09. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ Cloud Industry Forum (2012-09-08). "Piers Linney - Cloud Industry Forum website". www.cloudindustryforum.org. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
  8. ^ Kaya Burgess (2013-03-12). "Piers Linney, Dragons' Den latest, flies in from the cloud - The Times website". www.thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
  9. ^ Press Association (2014-04-07). "Gogglebox in line for double Bafta win - The Guardian website". www.theguardian.com. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
  10. ^ Powerlist Foundation (2011-11-13). "Piers Linney Trustee - Powerlist Foundation website". Powerlist Foundation. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
  11. ^ Nesta (2014-01-24). "Piers Linney Trustee - Nesta website". Nesta. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
  12. ^ Natalie Graham (2013-09-27). "Piers Linney: I won't take no for an answer - FT Online". FT.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
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