Will Butler-Adams

Butler-Adams was born in London, the last of four children of Rosalie, daughter of Major General William Pat Arthur Bradshaw and David Bernard Butler-Adams (b. 1939), a wine merchant. David's father was Derek Butler-Adams (1908–1996). David's mother was Beatrice Margaret Baker (1911–1994), the latter by whom William David Butler-Adams is related to Anglican priest Robin Griffith-Jones, cricket enthusiast Nigel Baker and British politician Peter Baker.

Butler-Adams was educated at Aysgarth School in Yorkshire and Rugby School from 1987 to 1992 in Warwickshire.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160713074106/https://www.rugbyschool.co.uk/rugbeian-society/events/past-events/business-forum-with-will-butler-adams|archive-date=13 July 2016|author=Anon|year=2015|url=https://www.rugbyschool.co.uk/rugbeian-society/events/past-events/business-forum-with-will-butler-adams|title=Business Forum with Will Butler-Adams|website=rugbyschool.co.uk|publisher=Rugby School|location=Rugby}} He was awarded a first class Master of Engineering (MEng) degree in Mechanical engineering from Newcastle University in 1997. During his degree he studied the Spanish language at the University of Valladolid in Spain.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160713074134/https://www.theengineer.co.uk/issues/28-february-2011/brompton-managing-director-will-butler-adams/|archive-date=13 July 2016|url=https://www.theengineer.co.uk/issues/28-february-2011/brompton-managing-director-will-butler-adams/|website=theengineer.co.uk|publisher=The Engineer|title=Brompton managing director Will Butler-Adams|first=Kate|last=Cummins|year=2011|location=London}}

He started his career as a project manager for Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) where he worked from 1997 to 2000 and continued as a Plant Manager for DuPont from 2000 to 2002. He joined Brompton at the age of 28,{{cite web|url=https://www.rathbones.com/knowledge-and-insight/interview-will-butler-adams-cycles-success|title=An Interview with Will Butler-Adams: Cycles of success|website=rathbones.com|publisher=Rathbones|location=London|first=Robert |last=Hughes-Penney|year=2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160712133601/https://www.rathbones.com/knowledge-and-insight/interview-will-butler-adams-cycles-success|archive-date=12 July 2016}} following a serendipitous meeting with the company's chairman, Tim Guinness, on a coach journey.

At Brompton, he was promoted to director in 2006 and managing director (aka CEO) in 2008.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308210218/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23239764|archive-date=8 March 2016|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23239764|publisher=BBC|location=London|title=Brompton boss: The bike-maker who disproved the doubters|first=Will|last= Smale|year=2013}} Since 2002, Brompton has increased in size by an order of magnitude, from around 27 employees to over 200 employees while turnover has increased from around £2 million to £25 million. {{As of|2016}} he serves as a commissioner on the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/will-butler-adams|title=Will Butler-Adams OBE|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160711143716/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/will-butler-adams|archive-date=11 July 2016|publisher=Government of the United Kingdom|location=London}}{{YouTube|title=LSBF Great Minds Series: Will Butler-Adams from Brompton Bicycle|id=VRvG6w1NwpA}}, published by the London School of Business and Finance{{YouTube|id=-y-hx3lAJgU|title=The story behind Brompton Bicycles, Will Butler-Adams}}, published by Good Person To Know (GPTK)

Butler-Adams has been a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (MIMechE) since 1993 and a Fellow (FIMechE) since 2014. He qualified as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) in 2001 and has been a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society since 2013. He was appointed Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours.{{London Gazette |issue= 61092 |date=31 December 2014 |page=N10 |supp=y}} He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2024.{{Cite web |title=Will Butler-Adams FREng |url=https://raeng.org.uk/about-us/fellowship/new-fellows-2024/will-butler-adams-obe-freng |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=Royal Academy of Engineering |language=en}}

File:Queen%27s_Birthday_Party_2015_(18886029110).jpg (left) in 2015.]]

Butler-Adams married Sarah Georgina MacIntyre in 2004 and has three daughters.{{cite web|first=Rosamund|last=Urwin|year=2015|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/will-butler-adams-on-why-the-future-of-the-london-made-foldable-bike-is-electric-a2920556.html|work=London Evening Standard|location=London|title=Brompton CEO Will Butler-Adams on why the future of the foldable bike is electric|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101065333/http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/will-butler-adams-on-why-the-future-of-the-london-made-foldable-bike-is-electric-a2920556.html|archive-date=1 January 2016}} His recreations include aviation (he holds a private pilot licence) and wine (he has been a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Vintners since 2010).

Other recreations include travel and the environment: in 1995 he led a nine-week expedition up the Amazon River, which was the subject of a Channel 4 documentary{{Better source|date=July 2016}} and also led an expedition to summit of Aconcagua in 2000, which raised over £130,000 for charitable causes.{{clarify|date=July 2016}}

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Category:1974 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of Newcastle University

Category:People educated at Aysgarth School

Category:People educated at Rugby School

Category:Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society

Category:Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering

Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire