A passionate innovator and engineer, William Butler-Adams first found his love for engineering studying at university. Attending Newcastle University, William graduated with a first-class Master of Engineering. From that point on William was propelled into the world of engineering, accepting a role as a project manager for Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). Serving this role until 2000, William then moved on to become a Plant Manager for DuPont. His time at DuPont gave William great responsibility, given the job of the maintenance of their £60 million polyester plant. Under his careful watch, the plant was immensely successful, seeing the greatest output of produce from the plant in 35 years.
Upon finishing his role at DuPont in 2002, William then went on to join Brompton Bicycles. Now having worked with Brompton Bicycles for almost two decades, William has pushed through the ranks pioneering the company on his way. First appointed as the project manager of Brompton Bicycles in 2002, William was drafted in by the company to help transform what was once a small family business into a thriving medium-sized business. Proving his worth to the company, William was then appointed as the Engineering Director of Brompton Bicycle in 2005. Once promoted to the board of the business, William was able to have an even greater influence setting out strategic plans to improve the performance of the business.
As of 2008, William was promoted once again, this time gaining the title of Managing Director of Brompton Bicycle. As managing director, William spearheaded great change within the business and oversaw a turnover increase from £7.2 million to £32 million. Establishing quite the reputation as a business manager, William was later sought in 2011 to become the Director of Brompton Bike Hire. Sister company to Brompton Bicycle, Brompton Bike Hire had the vision to provide a cycling hire scheme that was cheap, easy and accessible to all.
Currently, William is acting as the CEO of Brompton Bike Limited and commits his time to several other organisations. He is a commissioner for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He is also a trustee of both Inspiring the Future and Investors in People as well as a champion of the Make It In Great Britain campaign. A qualified Chartered Engineer, it is without a doubt that William is highly regarded as an innovative and knowledgeable individual, driven to create successful businesses and innovate the future. His commitment to the industry has not gone unnoticed, appointed OBE during the 2015 New Years Honours and recognised in the Evening Standard’s Progress 1000 List of Influencers.
As a speaker, William is sought to deliver on the success story of Brompton Bicycles. Helping to build the business from humble family-run roots to a £32 million turnover business, William is a respected businessman authoritative in his public addresses. Covering topics such as marketing, branding, business strategy, manufacturing and competitiveness, William is the ideal speaker to engage corporate audiences and encourage them to strive toward success.
