Brent Hoberman

Brent Hoberman was born in Cape Town, South Africa on 25 November 1968.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} He was educated at the Dragon School in Oxford, followed by Eton College.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} He subsequently read Modern Languages at New College, Oxford.{{cite news |title=John Evelyn: Mesdames|work=Cherwell |volume=196 |issue=4 |date=2 February 1990 |page=14}}

Hoberman remained CEO of lastminute.com throughout 2005, until April 2006 when he handed over the CEO position to Ian McCaig and took the position of chairman and chief strategy officer. He stepped down as chief strategy officer and chairman in January 2007.{{cite web|last=Derrick |first=Stuart |url=http://startups.co.uk/lastminute-com-brent-hoberman/ |title=Lastminute.com: Brent Hoberman – Startups.co.uk: Starting a business advice and business ideas |publisher=Startups.co.uk |accessdate=15 March 2014}}

Hoberman founded VC-backed internet startup, mydeco.com, an online furniture and interior design site providing 3D technology for consumers to design their own rooms online in 2007 and the website launched in February 2008.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2008/mar/28/internet.web20|title=His next trick – designing the ultimate home page|last=Teather|first=David|date=28 March 2008|newspaper=The Guardian|issn=0261-3077|access-date=2 December 2016}}

In 2007, Hoberman took on the role of non-executive chairman of Wayn, a travel and leisure social network, and in December 2009, stepped down from the company's board.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

In July 2009, Hoberman co-founded PROfounders Capital, a fund that invests in early stage internet projects,{{cite web|url=http://www.profounderscapital.com/team|title=Team – PROfounders Capital|date=n.d.|website=profounderscapital.com|accessdate=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120080743/http://www.profounderscapital.com/team|archive-date=20 November 2016|url-status=dead}} with Michael Birch, Peter Dubens, Jonnie Goodwin, Rogan Angelini-Hurll and Sean Seton-Rogers.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

Hoberman is the co-founder and was founding chairman of Made.com, an online furniture retailer that is a joint venture between mydeco.com and founder Ning Li.{{cite web |url=http://realbusiness.co.uk/news/madecom_gets_25m_to_change_furniture_industry |title=Made.com gets £2.5m to change furniture industry |publisher=Real Business |date=23 March 2010 |accessdate=15 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828223958/http://realbusiness.co.uk/news/madecom_gets_25m_to_change_furniture_industry |archivedate=28 August 2012 }} In December 2015, it was reported that Hoberman was leaving PROFounders Capital.{{cite web|url=https://tech.eu/brief/brent-hoberman-leaves-profounders-capital/|title=Brent Hoberman leaves PROfounders Capital|date=n.d.|website=Tech.eu|accessdate=4 April 2019}}

Hoberman is a co-founder of Founders Forum,{{cite web|url=https://ff.co/|title=Founders Forum|date=n.d.|website=ff.co|accessdate=4 April 2019}} a private network for digital and technology entrepreneurs. Founders Forum has been hosting invite-only events in London since 2006 and has since 2011 expanded to events in other countries such as the US, Brazil, India, Turkey and China.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

In 2013, Hoberman launched Founders Intelligence, a digital consultancy that advises corporates and investors on digital innovation and strategy and Founders Forum for Good, the precursor to Founders Pledge, the charitable arm of Founders Forum through which founders can commit a percentage of their future exit proceeds to social causes.{{cite web|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/founders-factory-tech-startups|title=Brent Hoberman left lastminute.com and formed an empire. This is how he did it|first=Gian|last=Volpicelli|date=12 June 2017|accessdate=4 April 2019|work=Wired}}

In 2014, Hoberman co-founded Founders Keepers, an executive search firm within the digital and technology space{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-100-fast-growth/company-profile/article/i-was-proud-to-be-voted-one-of-the-most-difficult-ceos-to-work-with-bcqt2kxp58v|title=I was proud to be voted one of the most difficult CEOs to work with|first=Kiki|last=Loizou|date=14 September 2014|access-date=4 April 2019|work=The Times}} and Smartup, a peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and micro-learning platform.{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/f6986c76-52c8-11e4-a236-00144feab7de|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221211231219/https://www.ft.com/content/f6986c76-52c8-11e4-a236-00144feab7de|archive-date=11 December 2022|url-access=subscription|url-status=live|title=On the path of digital disruption|first=Jonathan|last=Moules|date=14 December 2014|website=Financial Times|accessdate=4 April 2019}}

In 2015, Hoberman launched corporate-backed tech startup accelerator and studio with Henry Lane Fox in London.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/05/30/brent-hoberman-reveals-plan-to-create-200-british-start-ups/|title=Brent Hoberman reveals plan to create 200 British start-ups|first=Rebecca|last=Burn-Callander|date=30 May 2016|accessdate=4 April 2019|work=The Daily Telegraph}} Corporate investors in Founders Factory include The Guardian,{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/jan/25/guardian-invests-in-brent-hobermans-tech-startup-incubator|title=Guardian invests in Brent Hoberman's tech startup incubator|first=Mark|last=Sweney|date=25 January 2016|accessdate=4 April 2019|work=The Guardian}} L’Oreal, easyJet, CSC Group, Holtzbrinck Macmillan and Aviva,

{{Cite news|last=Sweney|first=Mark|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/jan/25/guardian-invests-in-brent-hobermans-tech-startup-incubator|title=Guardian invests in Brent Hoberman's tech startup incubator|date=2016-01-25|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-04-27|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} Marks & Spencer{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/23/founders-factory-signs-marks-spencer-as-exclusive-uk-retail-investor/|title=Founders Factory signs Marks & Spencer as exclusive UK retail investor|date=n.d.|website=techcrunch.com|access-date=4 April 2019}} and Reckitt Benckiser.{{Cite news|last=Field|first=Matthew|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/08/05/reckitt-homes-start-ups-joining-founders-factory/|title=Reckitt homes in on start-ups by joining Founders Factory|date=2019-08-05|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2020-04-22|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}} In 2018, Founders Factory launched in Africa with corporate investors including Standard Bank{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/10/founders-factory-expands-its-corporate-backed-accelerator-to-africa/|title=Founders Factory expands its corporate-backed accelerator to Africa|date=n.d.|website=techcrunch.com|access-date=4 April 2019}} and Netcare.{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/27/founders-factory-africa-and-netcare-to-fund-35-health-tech-startups/|title=Founders Factory Africa and Netcare to fund 35 health-tech startups|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-22}} In 2019, Founders Factory launched in Paris backed by Aviva France,{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/19/founders-factory-is-going-live-in-paris/|title=Founders Factory is going live in Paris|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-22}} and in New York backed by Johnson & Johnson Innovation.{{Cite web|url=https://sifted.eu/articles/founders-factory-us/|title=Founders Factory launches healthtech hub in the US|website=Sifted|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-22}}

In 2015, Hoberman also launched Grip, an AI event matchmaking business which raised a $13million seed round in 2021.{{Cite web|title=Event networking app Grip raises $13M, as pandemic forces events to stay virtual|url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/18/event-networking-app-grip-raises-13m-as-pandemic-forces-events-to-stay-virtual/|access-date=2021-06-10|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US}}

In 2016, Hoberman launched Founders of the Future which provides programmes, events and tools for aspiring entrepreneurs, and accelerateHER which is a network to support women working in technology.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/06/16/at-founders-forum-policy-pitches-and-prince-william/|title=At Founders Forum – Policy, pitches and Prince William|date=n.d.|website=techcrunch.com|access-date=4 April 2019}}

In 2017, Hoberman was appointed chair of the advisory board for the Oxford Foundry.{{cite web |last=Moules |first=Jonathan |date=October 21, 2017 |title=Oxford university looks to raise its game with start-up hub |url=https://www.ft.com/content/db2684b2-b28a-11e7-a398-73d59db9e399 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221211231235/https://www.ft.com/content/db2684b2-b28a-11e7-a398-73d59db9e399 |archive-date=11 December 2022 |accessdate=4 April 2019 |website=Financial Times }}

In 2018, Hoberman and Spencer Crawley launched firstminute capital, a $100m pan-European seed fund with Atomico as its cornerstone investor.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/11/pan-european-seed-fund-firstminute-hits-a-final-fund-close-of-100m/|title=Pan-European seed fund firstminute hits a final fund close of $100M|date=n.d.|website=techcrunch.com|access-date=4 April 2019}}

In 2019, Hoberman, Riya Pabari and Asha Haji launched Founders Academy, an alternative MBA programme to train startup leaders.{{Cite web|date=2019-09-09|title=Founders Academy launches an "alt-MBA" to train startup leaders|url=https://sifted.eu/articles/founders-academy-alt-mba/|access-date=2021-06-10|website=Sifted|language=en-US}}

In 2020, Hoberman launched firstminute capital's second fund, a $250m seed fund with global remit, backed by over 100 unicorn founders.

In 2021, Hoberman launched 01 Founders, a free-to-access coding school with a job guarantee with a mission to train 100,000 diverse software engineers by 2030.{{Cite web|date=2021-06-02|title=Free coding school 01 Founders launches in London with tech job guarantee|url=https://www.cityam.com/free-coding-school-01-founders-launches-in-london-with-tech-job-guarantee/|access-date=2021-06-10|website=CityAM|language=en-GB}} The first school is launching in Regent's Park.{{Cite web|last=Ackerman|first=Naomi|date=2021-06-02|title=01 Founders: Free coding school offering guaranteed tech job launches|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/01founders-free-coding-school-tech-job-guarantee-london-b938356.html|access-date=2021-06-10|website=www.standard.co.uk|language=en}}

In September 2021 he took Made.com public and with his co-founder and initial investors gained £90m by selling shares. In 2022 the Made.com share price collapsed to close at 0.5p on Oct 25th. Concerns had started as early as March 2022 after shipping costs increased. A first profit warning followed in May 2022 and rescue talks which followed were ultimately unsuccessful.{{Cite web|date=2022-10-25|title= Made.com faces collapse a year after £775mn IPO valuation |url= https://on.ft.com/3f5VYXm |access-date=2022-10-25|website=www.ft.com}}

Hoberman has been a non-executive director of TalkTalk, Shazam Entertainment, The Guardian News & Media,{{cite web|author=Stephen Brook |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/jan/24/guardianmediagroup.citynews |title=Brent Hoberman joins Guardian Media Group board | Economy |work=The Guardian |date=24 January 2007 |accessdate=15 March 2014}} The Economist and LetterOne Technology.{{cite web|url=https://www.bmmagazine.co.uk/entrepreneur-interviews/lastminute-founder-brent-hoberman-announces-hes-leaving-profounders-capital/|title=LastMinute Founder Brent Hoberman announces he's leaving PROfounders Capital|date=2 January 2016|website=Business Matters Magazine|accessdate=4 April 2019}} Hoberman sits on the Royal Academy corporate advisory group and the UK Government digital advisory board.{{cite web|url=https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2012/04/25/introducing-the-digital-advisory-board/|title=Introducing the Digital Advisory Board – Government Digital Service|date=n.d.|publisher=Government of the United Kingdom|accessdate=4 April 2019}}

Brent is married with two daughters and one son.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

Hoberman says his mentors have been his father and South African grandfather Leonard Shawzin, who built an empire of over 650 clothes shops from a single store. He credits his entrepreneurial drive to the business successes of his father and grandfather, and says the catalyst for him starting his own business was being fired from his first job in investment banking for being "a prima donna".Fildes, Nic. "The very latest in furnishing for couch potatoes", "The Times", London, 11 April 2011.

Hoberman has stated that he believes what makes a business successful is passion; in an interview with BBC The Bottom Line,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11696894 |title=My Bottom Line: Brent Hoberman |publisher=BBC |date=4 November 2010 |accessdate=15 March 2014}} he states his belief that the most successful small businesses are those where the founders remain passionate about their business, and are themselves part of their target market. He believes that by building a business to offer a solution to a problem you have yourself – as he did with lastminute.com and mydeco.com – founders stand a greater chance of remaining passionate and being successful.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} Similarly, he stated that one of the keys to business success is giving his team purpose and bringing them along on the journey; in a published letter written to his younger self.{{Cite web |last=EV |date=2024-03-20 |title=The CEO Letters – Brent Hoberman {{!}} By EV |url=https://estrellaventures.com/blog/guest-series/the-ceo-letters-brent-hoberman/ |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=EV |language=en}}

In 2009, Hoberman was selected as one of the World Economic Forum's Global Young Leaders for the UK, and in July 2009, Hoberman joined The Business Sectors Council for Britain under Prime Minister Gordon Brown.{{cite web|url=http://www.berr.gov.uk/aboutus/corporate/bcb/members/page44854.html |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100304143947/http://www.berr.gov.uk/aboutus/corporate/bcb/members/page44854.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 March 2010 |title=[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Business Council for Britain – Members – BIS |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |accessdate=15 March 2014 }}

Hoberman was a member of the New Enterprise Council, a group of entrepreneurs who advise the Conservative Party (UK) on policies related to the needs of business.{{cite web|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/parties-clash-in-corporate-credentials-battle|title=Parties clash in corporate credentials battle|last=|first=|date=15 November 2007|website=|publisher=MarketWatch.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110528060800/http://www.marketwatch.com/story/parties-clash-in-corporate-credentials-battle|archive-date=28 May 2011|accessdate=15 March 2014}}

Hoberman was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to entrepreneurship.{{London Gazette|issue=61092|supp=y|page=N9|date=31 December 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/391413/New_Year_Honours_List_2015.pdf|title=2015 New Year Honours List|date=n.d.|publisher=Government of the United Kingdom|accessdate=4 April 2019}}

In 2016, Hoberman was appointed chair of the Royal Foundation Taskforce on the Prevention of Cyberbullying for the Duke of Cambridge.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/36549044|title=Prince William forms cyber-bullying task force - CBBC Newsround|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}

In 2018, Hoberman was appointed co-chair of Prime Minister Theresa May's Business Sector Council for Small Business, Scale ups and Entrepreneurs.{{cite web|url=https://economia.icaew.com/news/november-2018/pm-sets-up-business-councils-for-post-brexit-advice|title=PM sets up business councils for post-Brexit advice|date=n.d.|website=economia.icaew.com|accessdate=4 April 2019}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1968 births

Category:People educated at Eton College

Category:Alumni of New College, Oxford

Category:Travel technology

Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire

Category:British technology company founders