- Simon Woodroffe
Simon Woodroffe OBE is a British
motivational speaker andentrepreneur . He started thesushi chain "YO! Sushi " in 1997 [Yo! History. [http://www.yosushi.com/history.php] . Retrieved May 14, 2006.] , and has appeared as a 'Dragon' on the first UK series of Dragons' Den.Simon left
Marlborough College towards the end of the 1960s, at the age of 16, with 2 O-levels. He went on the road with the likes ofRod Stewart andThe Moody Blues before becoming a stage designer.After a spell in television, he conceived and launched "YO! Sushi" in 1997. The business established conveyor belt sushi bars featuring call buttons, robot drinks trolleys, Japanese TV, self heating plates and other such novelties.
In September 2003, Woodroffe sold his controlling interest in "YO! Sushi" in a £10m deal, backed by private equity firm
Primary Capital . Woodroffe retains a 22% stake and continues working as a business entrepreneur, also taking time to present TV programmes.He currently speaks around the world at corporate and promotional events, and has appeared on stage at the Edinburgh Festival to discuss his "YO! Sushi" venture.
Woodroffe received an OBE on
17 June 2006 .Personal life
Divorced from his first wife, the couple have a daughter. Woodroffe lives on a
house boat , a walking distance from his current partner, actressCherie Lunghi 's flat off of theKings Road ,Chelsea . [citeweb|url=http://saga.inbro.net/seeinsidebrochure/SAGA-Magazine_November-2007/In-the-Middle-/Cherie-Lunghi/pages_84-85|title=In the Middle|publisher=Saga|date=2007-11-01|accessdate=2008-09-27]References
*cite web
last =New Business
first =
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title =Be YO! Self
work =
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date =07-01-2003
url =http://www.newbusiness.co.uk/article/07/01/2003/simon_woodroffe_s_comment_858.html
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