Biographies
Gordon Shields
Chairman & Founder
Originally Gordon Shields focused on the environment founding Shields Environmental in 1979 and quickly adopting the challenge of making environmental excellence a part of every day business. The Company was dealing effectively with clients' environmental issues from the 1980's and became one of the first companies in the world to have a formal Environmental Management System, report publicly on its environmental impact and measure and reduce its CO2 emissions.
Gordon grew his first venture, started with a few thousand pounds capital, from zero to £13.5m turnover and over £1m in profits. In 2000 he created Fonebak an environmental solution for the mobile phone industry and achieved a turnover of £24m and £1.5m profit in its first full year of trading. He successfully floated Fonebak on AIM in 2005 remaining Chairman until November 2007 growing the business to £100m turnover ( with brokers forecasting a profit of £5.6m for the year ending June 2008 ). Shields Environmental, acting as an incubator for new ventures, has recently focused on a new solution for the telecoms industry and has made a profit of £0.75m in the year ended 2008.
However, Gordon's main focus now is helping companies grow using his entrepreneurial skills, sometimes investing in the companies he helps. His interests are now wide ranging and include the environmental, telecoms and insurance sectors.
Gordon and his companies have received continual recognition for nearly 30 years for being entrepreneurial and cutting edge in environmental management and other aspects of Corporate Responsibility.
Gordon has taken part in a BBC/Open University/BIE documentary, appeared on the Discovery Channel and various other TV and radio. He has also contributed to the efforts of the United Nations Environmental Programme and hosted a visit by them to the Shields facilities. He speaks extensively on the subject of being an entrepreneur and Environmental Management at the request of major organisations and universities. Gordon sits on the Leadership Board of Business in the Environment and has served on two government Business Steering groups.
Extreme skiing, golf and trekking are Gordon's main hobbies but he also enjoys cookery, gardening, reading and travel. In recent years Gordon has, completed a crossing of the Atlas mountains, the GR 20 in Corsica, trekking in Nepal including Everest base camp and the Haute Route, a trek from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland across the Alps on skis and climbed Kilimanjaro.
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