Entrepreneur in New Year’s Honours List

3 January 2018


UK

The textile care industry celebrated recognition for one of its own as Manchester entrepreneur and director of Linen Connect Professor Vikas Shah became a member of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for Services to Business and the Economy.

As well as heading up Linen Connect, which supplies ethically sourced and high quality linens to hospitality laundries, Shah regularly seen on BBC TV and Sky News as a commentator on business issues.  He has spent many years working in the entrepreneurship community, mentoring hundreds of young entrepreneurs and businesses and playing a key role in the development of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Manchester. 

Shah is also an Honorary Professor at Alliance Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester and Professor of Entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan Lisbon MBA.

Shah said: “I was absolutely floored when I found out the news, it took a while to sink in.  I have always gone through life working on things that I’m passionate about, and doing what I can to make a difference.  Receiving an honour like this makes you think and reflect on how far you’ve come, and is one of the few times in life you stop to feel pride in yourself.”

Recognised as an accomplished public speaker, delivering keynotes and providing insights at events including The Economist Annual Conference (EIU), MIT Global Startup Workshop, and Global Entrepreneurship Week, Shah is also a multi-award-winning writer. His online journal ‘ Thought Economics’ features conversations with many high-profile leaders from Noam Chomsky, Sir Richard Branson, Jack Welch to Will.I.Am, Buzz Aldrin and Usain Bolt.

He is also an advocate for causes including mental health and inequality. During a 10-year fight with depression, he turned to poetry as a source of consolation, healing and reflection, and has recently published a collection of his poems called ‘3650’.

Shah is chairman of the international arts and entrepreneurship NGO In Place of War; chairman of Manchester’s digital culture festival FutureEverything; and is a trustee of Mustard Tree, which helps people impacted by poverty and marginalisation across Greater Manchester.

He is also a member of The UK Industrial Development Advisory Board which advises the UK Government on more tha  £4.5 billion-worth of investments; is a board advisor on digital strategy to the British Council; and a board member of the General Medical Council, advising on international services and development.

Shah also finds time to provide consulting services on entrepreneurship using more thanover 20 years’ of real-world business experience to solve problems, find opportunities and help businesses to grow.  He is frequently called upon by CEOs and leaders to provide coaching and mentoring.



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