Luke Johnson

He is chairman of private equity house Risk Capital Partners LLP, the part-owner and chairman of Patisserie Valerie, Gail’s Artisan Bakery, Feng Sushi and Red Hot World Buffet among other businesses, and is a former owner of The Ivy, Le Caprice and J Sheeky Restaurants.

The son of historian Paul Johnson and brother of journalist Daniel Johnson, he spent his early years in Iver, Buckinghamshire, and was educated at the state-owned Langley Grammar School in Langley, Berkshire, and at Magdalen College, Oxford.

Whilst at university Luke interviewed Richard Branson on his houseboat in London for the student newspaper. This gave him and friend Hugh Osmond the inspiration to go into business and they began running the Era nightclub in Oxford. By the time of graduation he and Hugh were running businesses from software to clubs.

Since his uni days Luke has gone on to own, chair and manage a vast number of businesses in diverse areas from retail to shipping and food production. Riding on the coattails of his business success Luke has also established a career as a retail speaker and is one of the most well respected after-dinner speakers in the UK.