Getting to know you: Barry Leahey MBE, president, Playdale Playgrounds
Playdale Playgrounds president Barry Leahey MBE on playground equipment, launching the Fuse play system and why a curious mind is a growing…
Friday 13 November 2026
The people behind the headlines: Business Matters profiles the founders, executives and investors shaping UK business – how they built what they built, what they’re worth, and what they’re doing next. Start with our most-read: Steven Bartlett’s ventures and valuation, and our running coverage of Getting to Know You profiles. For first-person conversations with founders, see our Interviews section.
Playdale Playgrounds president Barry Leahey MBE on playground equipment, launching the Fuse play system and why a curious mind is a growing…
ShuttersUp co-founder Ross Evans on plantation shutters, a Lloyds Leading SME Business of the Year shortlist and treating people as you would…
Lolly CEO Peter Moore on hospitality technology, taking an AI tray-scanning checkout to ExCeL and why every founder must first know the…
Evolution Institute founder Will Polston on performance coaching, winning Business Enabler of the Year and why ambitious owners need alignment first.
Little Green Button CEO Alexander Jay on panic alarm software, the new Mini Green Button wearable and why looking after people pays…
BrightLocal founder and CEO Myles Anderson on local SEO, passing $20m in revenue and why putting people first and being AI-driven go…
Backhouse Solicitors CEO Minal Backhouse on running an Essex law firm, growing to a team of more than 65 and why people…
EvaluateLocate CEO Adam Kirby on spatial AI, a £300,000 seed round and GSP-1 model, and why starting a business is always harder…
Hestia chief executive Andrew Fishwick on premium restaurant groups, a £500m portfolio ambition and what the West End taught him about a…
Fruga founder Ross McCarthy on insurance retention, turning everyday spending into credit off premiums and why speed wins in a regulated industry
Tratos UK chairman and CEO Maurizio Bragagni on cable manufacturing, the group's 60th anniversary and building a business to last for future…
&above founder and CEO Jordan Richards on running an AI product studio, an agent used by 5,000 Google Cloud sellers and why…
DonnaPro founder and CEO Filip Pesek on virtual executive assistant support, rejecting over 99 per cent of applicants and why busy is…
Sero CEO James Williams on social housing retrofit, backing from a Cardiff Capital Region fund and why cash is king for anyone…
PALAIR founder Sarah Horrocks on padel activewear, taking her British label to Miami and why skills from recruitment can matter more than…