Thursday 21st June 2007

	Print
	Email
	Text size
	Comment

CEO mentor slams Peter Jones’ Tycoon

Ashley Ward, head of CEO mentoring company The European Leadership Programme, has criticised a new TV series fronted by Dragons' Den stalwart Peter Jones. He says that Tycoon provides a poor example of how venture capital works in practice.

‘This show is a bad example of the quality of support this country provides new businesses,’ says Ward. ‘Jones is allegedly looking to invest, so he should be bringing out the best in these people, rather than spying with webcams and bullying in a poor attempt to boost ratings.’

Ward, who has held CEO roles at five companies including loudspeaker manufacturer Wharfedale, says that Jones’ approach is not representative of angel investors or venture capital firms, which actively help entrepreneurs achieve success.

‘The UK is renowned for its entrepreneurial spirit, and Tycoon could have been a popular mechanism to support and encourage this fantastic culture,’ Ward adds. ‘I genuinely hope the series improves by showing Jones sharing the skills and knowledge that attribute to his success.’

The European Leadership Programme was launched earlier this year to assist CEOs in developing their careers through mentoring and peer-to-peer discussions.

There are currently no comments on this post.

Related Articles

• Mining technology play in IPO
• Ipanema raises $7 million from Noble
• Constructive cost-cutting
• Opening a second front
• 17 ways to boost your sales

People who read this article also read ...

• Dressed for success
• VCTs launched to profit from credit crunch
• Poor websites put off customers
• Domain names stolen in seconds
• Red tape stifles budding businesses

Related sections

Interesting links

• The AIM Guide 2008 - the Spring guide of every AIM listed company
• Cash Shells on AIM provides a comprehensive overview of cash shells on AIM, companies that have become a significant feature on the AIM landscape.
• New Issues on AIM 2007/08 research report - find out which international companies have floated and which sectors are dominating
• Businessxl magazine for entrepreneurs of fast-growth companies
• Corporate Hospitality Packages - ViewLondon.co.uk corporate hospitality packages cover rugby, music concerts, festivals, tennis matches and many more.
• VCT special research report - an in-depth analysis of the VCT sector
• Middle East and Beyond on AIM 2008 - a closer look into AIM companies from the Middle East and surrounding regions
• Spotlight on AIM 2008 research report – find out the best and worst performing stocks of last year
• Director's Salaries on AIM 2007 research report - a detailed look at directors' average remuneration
• FT Guide to Personal Tax - advice to completing your tax return
• MandAdeals.co.uk - covering latest mergers and acquisitions
• Aimguide.co.uk - guide to the Alternative Investment market