Leaders
iNspire attracts the best and most dynamic entrepreneurs and business leaders in the North West. These individuals have all achieved their own success in the world of business and they want to use the experience and skills they have built up to help charitable organisations succeed.
The entrepreneurs and business leaders that join iNspire become Leaders and each mentors a group of up to 5 charitable organisations. Through group and one-to-one sessions the Leaders facilitate learning and information sharing in addition to using their experience and leadership skills to provide direct guidance, advice and support. The Leaders provide their time and expertise freely with no charge to either iNspire or the organisations.
If you think you have the requisite skills and passion to become a Leader then please contact us as we would value talking to you about taking this forward.
Please take a look at iNspire’s current Leaders.
Vikas Shah
Vikas is an experienced award-winning entrepreneur and strategist who has, for the past 15 years, built businesses in sectors ranging from design & technology, to textiles & commodities, brands, professional services and leisure. He is also an advisor to numerous entrepreneurs, businesses, and organisations globally.
Vikas writes leading economics & strategy journal “Thought Economics” where he interviews leading thinkers from around the world on the key issues faced by business and society. Recent interviews have included Buzz Aldrin (Apollo Astronaut), Jimmy Wales (Founder of Wikipedia) and Kumi Naidoo (Executive Director, Greenpeace).
Vikas frequently guest speaks and lectures at events (having given a lecture series in 2010 at Manchester Business School). Vikas has attended Manchester University (UMIST), Manchester Business School, Cambridge Judge Business School and the ICMA Centre (Henley Business School).
Walli Ullah
Walli is a successful media entrepreneur with over 25 years experience of producing TV programmes, commercials and pop videos.
Most recently he set up and grew IFES Ltd, a global content production and distribution company, into a multi million pound business, successfully selling it in 2007 to an International corporate finance house.
Walli is currently developing a number of film projects for cinema release. He is a business mentor and part of the Leadership Group for the Prince’s Trust.
Vernon Barker
Vernon is Managing Director of First Transpennine Express, which operates long distance passenger rail services across the North of England and into Scotland.
He put together a management team to operate the rail franchise that started in 2004 and in 5 years has created an industry success virtually doubling the size of the business (in terms of passenger numbers).
Vernon is a Chartered Accountant with experience of working across a number of industries both in the UK and overseas. Outside of the day job he runs the occasional marathon in aid of charity.
Ann Alexander
Ann has practiced as a lawyer specialising in clinical negligence cases for 30 years, whilst managing her own high profile national law firm with an annual turnover of £8 million.
Ann has an MBA and extensive experience in marketing and all aspects of business development. She now consults in these areas for professional service firms as well as making radio documentaries. In her spare time she is a Trustee of 2 national charities and also sits on a number of committees.
Sue Craven
In 1990, Sue founded Armstrong Craven Ltd, Europe’s largest Executive recruitment and HR company. She sold this to Work Group Plc in 2005 and remained as a Board Director responsible for two of the four divisions in the Group until 2009.
Sue has provided mentoring and support to Heads of schools in the Wythenshawe area as part of the “Manchester City Pride Education Business Partnership”; has sat on the Strategic Board of Manchester: Knowledge Capital from its inauguration until 2008; and is currently a member of the Institute of Directors North West Business Awards panel of Judges.
Darryl Cooke
Darryl is the founder and Chairman of iNspire. He is a lawyer who has recently established his own business, Gunnercooke, which is a corporate and commercial boutique law firm based in the centre of Manchester. Previously Darryl was head of corporate at Hill Dickinson and before that the head of DLA Piper’s private equity group for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Darryl has also worked at London-based SJ Berwin and Addleshaw Goddard in Manchester and over the years has gained extensive deal making experience, having advised on major transactions in the past, including the sales of Swarfega, Auto Windscreens and retailer Hobbs.
Outside of his legal work, he is chairman of management due diligence practice The Quinn Partnership and founder of the business conference. He is also the author of four books on corporate law.