The Bright Ideas team is:
Lisa Gagliani, Chief Executive Officer
Lisa joined Bright Ideas Trust in March 2012 to help grow the charity in terms of funding and beneficiaries. As an experienced Marketing and Communications specialist, Lisa brings a range of skills in developing new products and services, running not for profit, business to business and youth enterprise initiatives. She has designed and delivered programmes which support young people in south London and has been a partner to local government. She is a parent governor at an ‘outstanding’ secondary school and is a non-executive director of a community health social enterprise. Lisa has two teenage sons.
David Sullivan, Business Manager
David is an experienced banker who, in a career spanning almost 30 years with Barclays Bank, looked after a variety of business customers ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises to large publicly quoted companies. David joined Business Link for London in 2003 as a member of its Access to Finance programme, which transferred to the London Development Agency in October 2006. He subsequently returned to Business Link as a Business Adviser in 2009 and joined Bright Ideas Trust in 2011. With his experience in both banking and business support, he is very well placed to help young business owners raise the finance they require to start and grow their businesses.
Zoe Brown, Business Manager
Zoe has been enthusiastically advising businesses for over fifteen years and joined Bright Ideas Trust as a Business Manager in November 2012. Prior to this, she was a Business Manager with Business Link for London and has run her own small business consultancy working with start-ups and owner managed businesses. She knows the pressures, trials and tribulations as well as the great feeling of achievement when something goes right in your own business. She is an avid networker, speaking regularly at business events and seminars, and has been on the judging panels for a variety of business awards in recent years, including the London Excellence Awards and Investors in People Champions. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development and holds an MBA from Greenwich University, has two teenage sons and a small black and white dog.
Stephan Eyeson, Training & Development
Before successfully completing his degree in Theology and Health at Canterbury Christ Church University, Stephan set up his first business www.getprobasketball.com in which he successfully raised angel finance and worked with brands such as Adidas and Slam. With a passion for Africa, he co –founded Think In Africa, a portal with valuable video content on all industries within Africa. He was accepted onto the Google “top black talent” programme, one of just 30 students from top universities and was also named one of the top ten black students in the country by Rare Recruitment. With his experience working with start-ups, Stephan is very well placed to train and develop young business owners to develop their enterprises. Stephan joined Bright Ideas Trust as an intern in July 2012 and has joined the team full time from September 2012.
Ivan Shaw, Mentor Engagement Manger
Ivan recently re-joined Bright Ideas as Mentor Engagement Manager. He graduated at Leeds University with a degree in Textile Engineering. This was followed by a long career at Marks and Spencer p.l.c. with responsibilities for Fabric Development, Technical Standards and Fabric Purchasing. Ivan left Marks and Spencer in 1991 to set up a successful textile import business supplying major UK retailers. Having sold this business, Ivan now works in the Voluntary Sector. He spent 4 years with The Princes’ Trust as a Mentor/ Client Co-ordinator before coming to Bright Ideas Trust. Ivan helps us by managing the interest we get from business owners wishing to become Mentors to Bright Ideas Trust ‘Family of Businesses’.
Ivan was a Justice of the Peace for 25 years and now sits as an Independent Member on two Adoption Agency Panels. Whatever spare time is left is taken up with family, travel, dog and a passion for bridge.
Becky Tanner, Executive Assistant
Becky spent 12 years working as an Executive Assistant to the Chairman and President of Sony Music Entertainment. During this time she twice won the Music Industry PA of the Year Award. In the past she has also worked as a PA to a Vice President of a major film company and for the CEO of an artist management company.
Rebacca Shannon, Apprentice
Rebecca is 17 years old and has come to work with us for a year to learn office administration. She is already proving a valuable member of the team, advising us what’s ‘in’ and what’s not! She will be helping behind the scenes as we rapidly increase the number of applicants to the Charity, as result of continuing youth unemployment and our delivery partner status with Start Up Loans via the Government’s scheme. We are just a little worried about her musical taste….
