Kate Bleasdale: healthy margins

Received wisdom has it that recruitment companies get decimated in recessions. Kate Bleasdale, the founder of Healthcare Locums, is proving everyone wrong. Marc Barber finds out how 

Ice cream man: Frank Frederick

Over three generations, Fredericks Dairies has gone from street-corner ice cream selling to becoming the UK’s largest independent ice cream manufacturer. Marc Barber speaks to chief exec Frank Frederick about fast cars, ladies, taking on the corporate giants, and the horrors of HR

Jonathan Kestenbaum

NESTA’s chief executive Jonathan Kestenbaum has called on the government to spend billions revitalising the UK’s damaged venture capital industry. He tells Nick Britton why

Lines of Latitude: Alex Hoye

Though he hails from the American Northwest via Silicon Valley, internet pioneer Alex Hoye remains convinced of Europe’s potential to create world-leading companies. That’s why he’s lived here for the last ten years. Nick Britton reports

Playing the game: Rod Richards

Wagamama, Paperchase and GAME have one thing in common: Graphite Capital. Nick Britton talks to managing partner Rod Richards about how the firm has helped build market-leading consumer brands, and finds out how its investments are faring

Internet entrepreneur: Tyler Moebius

With budgets savagely slashed in all sectors, now doesn’t seem the time to try to build a global online advertising agency. Internet entrepreneur Tyler Moebius, CEO of Adconion Media Group, disagrees, as do the VCs who have ploughed over £40 million into the business. Marc Barber reports 

Trailblazer: Allan Leighton

After Allan Leighton turned around the fortunes of ASDA and Lastminute.com, he could have opted for the easy life as opposed to becoming chairman of the Royal Mail. He tells Marc Barber why he doesn’t do easy 

Exit Strategist: Simon Cook

DFJ Esprit head honcho Simon Cook has had a string of multi-million dollar exits under his belt, but he’s still on the lookout for more great early stage companies. Marc Barber gets the lowdown

Media mogul: Kishore Lulla

Media company Eros International released five of Bollywood’s top ten releases in 2007. Chief executive Kishore Lulla tells Marc Barber how he’s planning to build a global giant that can take on anything Hollywood has to offer

Eric Archambeau: Strictly mainstream

When a key figure in venture capital says that now is a fantastic time for fast-growth companies, it’s worth listening. Marc Barber speaks to Wellington Partners’ Eric Archambeau

Fresh thinking: Graeme Dignan

Five years ago, creative guru Graeme Dignan set out to change the way he did business with his corporate clients. Now, through a joint venture with Coca-Cola, his company Erasmus is establishing a business model all of its own.

Alki David : a man of many parts

With interests ranging from free diving to filmmaking, eccentric billionaire Alki David is now looking to tap the online video-on-demand market. He talks to Nick Britton about his latest project, FilmOn, making a film with Kelly Brook, and why he wants to become a priest.

The Christina Domecq connection

With a total of £100 million of VC investment, Christina Domecq is out to make her third company, Spinvox, a global technology business. Marc Barber meets the ambitious 31-year-old.

Peter Cullum: king of deals

Insurance conjures up images of risk-averse males in grey suits and bowler hats. It’s made Towergate’s executive chairman, Peter Cullum, a billionaire. He tells Marc Barber what keeps driving him to be the best

Saul Klein: an eye for talent

Skype, Last.fm, Lovefilm... Saul Klein has been involved in the remarkable success of each of these companies. Since joining VC firm Index Ventures last year, he’s on the lookout for more web start-ups with the potential for greatness. Marc Barber reports

Richard Muirhead: Big ambitions

There must be easier ways to make a living than creating a global software company in the UK. The chief executive of Tideway Systems, Richard Muirhead, wouldn’t have it any other way, as Marc Barber reports

Playing it Straight

Anyone can spot an opportunity, but it takes someone special to seize it. Nick Britton speaks to Ernst & Young’s 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year, Jonathan Straight, about how he built a £28 million turnover company from a business that no-one wanted

George Coelho: The golden touch

A Silicon Valley veteran, George Coelho could fill Fort Knox with the value he’s created from turning nascent tech ventures into the blue-chip giants of tomorrow. No wonder he topped Business XL's Power Top 50 earlier this year. Marc Barber reports

Luke Johnson: The entrepreneur

Luke Johnson has made a fortune from pizzerias, bars, gaming, parcel delivery and dental surgeries, and he's also chairman of Channel 4. Marc Barber speaks to the UK 's most restless entrepreneur

Wol Kolade: Defender of the realm

Wol Kolade, managing partner of ISIS Equity Partners and chairman of the British Venture Capital Association, talks to Marc Barber about effective styles of leadership and why private equity is a force for good in the UK

James Brown: From lads to riches

Inspired by musicians, writers and football managers, James Brown is an outsider who loves popular culture. After a period away from the limelight, he’s finally itching to start another project. Marc Barber reports

A true UK innovator

Japan and the US may be the hotbeds of creation when it comes to new technology, but Simon Daniel proves the demise of innovation in the UK has been greatly exaggerated. Marc Barber reports.

The last laugh

Confidence and self-belief can help you achieve great things: they’ve enabled Deirdre Bounds to go from backpacker to comic to an entrepreneur who has exited her business and become a millionaire many times over. Marc Barber reports.

Cooking up a storm

After taking Pizza Express into the FTSE 250, David Page is once again building national restaurant chains such as Gourmet Burger Kitchen and The Bombay Bicycle Club. The new business is called Clapham House and it’s one of Britain’s fastest-growing companies...

My name is Earl

‘Every now and then I climb mountains’ is the kind of self-effacing comment you can expect from renaissance man Peter Earl, Harvard Kennedy scholar, UN adviser, pal of Bolivia’s Evo Morales, author of a textbook on cross-border takeovers, and now bringing power to emerging regions...

Headhunting honcho

Recruitment guru Brian Hamill placed many blue-chip bosses in jobs when he was still in his early twenties, but he’s best known for building up and selling the successful Walker Hamill agency in the 1990s. Today, he’s blazing trails anew as boss of Imprint, the first ever start-up recruiter launched on AIM and, latterly, its fastest-growing company. James Crux gets the lowdown from the loquacious Irishman...

Stand-up success

From humble beginnings above a pub, Jongleurs has become one of the UK’s best-loved comedy club chains, bringing mirth to the masses and proving laughter can be a serious money-spinner. Adam Jolly meets founder Maria Kempinska, who now has her sights set on global domination...

Entrepreneurial to the core

Alistair Baker, the innovator who has led Microsoft UK for the past two years, talks to Leslie Copeland about leadership, change management and how the corporation is more than geared up for the next great turn in the technology cycle...

Murphy's Law

It’s a brave man who becomes CEO of internet colossus Friends Reunited at a time when its phenomenal growth appears to be stalling. But from day one, Michael Murphy set about strengthening the brand, turning a potential one-trick wonder into an attractive acquisition for media giant ITV, as he explains to Sally Giles...

Tour operator de force

Self-driven, ambitious and always ready for a new challenge, Chris Mottershead is a travel industry pioneer and crystal ball gazer. James Crux meets the man who has taken both Airtours and Thomson to the summit of the UK travel sector and is looking to weave similar magic with his new project, Travelzest...