Secret Millionaire to speak at entrepreneurs forum

Secret Millionaire, Carl Hopkins is returning to the North East to speak with local entrepreneurs and explain how the experience affected his business approach.

Mr Hopkins, went undercover in the mining community of Easington in County Durham living on £63 a week.

The Yorkshire-born businessman invested £42,000 of his own money in social projects in the area following his stay there.

Mr Hopkins is now set to speak to the Entrepreneurs Forum about the changes he has made to his business approach since appearing on the Channel Four programme.

Since the programme, the organisations he becomes involved with are more socially aware and enterprise focused.

At the event, held at Teesside University, he will also tell members of the forum his views on what can be done in the UK to encourage enterprise and raise the aspirations and skills of young people.

The event is hosted by the Entrepreneurs Forum and higher education partner, Teesside University.

Mr Hopkins began his career as an advertising executive before rising to managing director and leading the buy out of the agency.

Over the next five years he tripled the agency’s profits, taking turnover from £9.6m to £19.4m and increasing staff numbers from 48 to 75.

He sold the company in 2007 and launched business development company, Kloog to share some of the experiences gained during his career.

His other businesses include Joblink Solutions and agencybods.co.uk, an online ‘boutique’ recruitment service specialising in the creative and marketing sector.

After the programme the former advertising executive was chosen by Business Secretary Vince Cable to join a forum of entrepreneurs to advise the government on business and enterprise policies.

He is non-executive director of Forward Ladies, a not for profit organisation supporting over 4,000 women in business.

The open event is due to take place on March 26 at 5.30pm.

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