Rob Stewart

A leading motivational speaker from the UK with proven business and entrepreneurial success.

Introduction

Rob Stewart is a genuine serial entrepreneur, and at aged 23 founded the award winning specialist global polythene supplier, Stevenage Packaging Limited.

Now in its 36th year, the company has demonstrated 35 years of consecutive net profit and sales growth whilst never making a redundancy.

Under his leadership, Stevenage Packaging has won a number of regional awards: New Business Enterprise Award, Against All Odds Award, Employee of the Year Award, with Rob awarded Business Person of the Year Award. In the wellness sector he founded Genetics Gymnasium Ltd, which after a dynamic period of high profitable growth he subsequently sold. His other interests include, a property investment, refurbishment and construction company.

About Rob

Rob Stewart is a serial entrepreneur, and at aged 23 founded the award winning global packaging solutions supplier, Stevenage Packaging Limited - www.stevenagepackaging.co.uk.

Now in its 36th year, the company has demonstrated 35 years of consecutive net profit and sales growth whilst never making a redundancy and employing three family generations.

Rob is recognized as a pioneer & engineer of eco-friendly, 100% recyclable thin film technology, within the industry through R&D work started in the 1980’s.

Has personally audited more than 160 different extrusion, print & conversion plants throughout the UK, mainland Europe, the Far East & the Americas - this global breadth and depth of experience is unique within the industry.

Rob was a member of an elite, London based, Academy of Chief Executives group for over 10 years. He has worked with Cranfield University Business Growth team, and was invited to be a key note speaker and mentor for several years for the Judge Business Institute School Cambridge/The Ashridge Business School where he guided and mentored senior managers of the German based Haniel Group (18,000 employees) to think and act entrepreneurially - www.haniel.de

Companies

True Entrepreneur

In the fitness sector Rob founded Genetics Gymnasium Ltd aged 26 in 1992, which after a dynamic period of high profitable growth he subsequently sold to Marco Goldschmied, business partner of Lord Richard Rogers in 1994.

Rob acquired Happy Mechanics Limited in 2010 - a specialist accountancy practice - and in its first year under his leadership, the company achieved 2,250% growth, making it one of the fastest growing companies in the UK in 2011. They successfully acted for in excess of 10,000 client/mechanics with their back dated tax refunds totalling more than £10,000,000 worth of claims.

News

Philanthropy Work

Stevenage Packaging Ltd are founder members of The Stevenage Community Trust, a charity working in the local community established in 1990. As a founding member, Rob has been an advocate and volunteer throughout the 34 years of the Trust, is the current President succeeding Barry Norman CBE and Ken Follett CBE, and was their third Chairman from 2013-2023 preceded by Ken Follett CBE and the late Lord David Cobbold.

Rob founded the volunteer only charity Uniqueness, 20 years ago in 2003 and has personally spoken to over 6,000 students and young offenders. He is passionate about identifying the working strengths of all the year 11 students in State schools, particularly in his town of origin, Stevenage.

In 2018 Rob was recognised for his work in the community and awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship award from The Rotary Club - for 'Service above Self'. 150 are awarded each year by the Board of Rotary International. Recipients worldwide include President Jimmy Carter and Boris Yeltsin.

Events

Tait Towers - Specialist Recruitment

The Princes Trust - Celebrating Success Awards

Barclays Bank PLC and First Choice Recruitment - Unleashing your Potential

EEDA - East of England Development Agency

World Challenge Expeditions

The Annual Independents Day Event

Portcullis Club - Corporate Social Responsibility / The Charity Uniqueness

Thomas International Limited - Excellence in Team Recruitment and Retention

HE Awards Presentation Evening - Guest of Honour

How to differentiate your business - with Roy Sheppard

Testimonials

The evidence of the power of True Customer Love is demonstrated in Rob Stewart's hugely successful businesses. By focusing on what it is the customers are truly after and understanding their needs, he has succeeded for over 18 years in one of the UK's most fiercely contested market places - the packaging industry.

Dr Simon Gailbraith, PHD, Cantab - Founder/CEO of Red Gate Software

Well - What can I say - an explosive opening, loads of emotion packed with common sense and a great inspiration to this years entrepreneurs - in summary a smashing presentation for which I am enormously grateful.

Philip Gould - Stevenage Business Initiative

I enjoyed the evening immensely. Your talk was very inspirational; I do wish more people had the kind of vision for their business that you display.

Michael Walker - Microchip Computers

I was highly impressed with the way you motivated your staff to achieve great results for your company as well as themselves.

Andrew Rhodes - Sobell Rhodes Chartered Accountants

Uniqueness Limited is a wonderful initiative. Young people need as much help as they can get in choosing the right career. It is good to see so many local employers getting involved in such an interesting and worthwhile project.

Barbara Follett - Member of Parliament

Dear Rob, I just wanted to drop you a short note to thank you very much indeed for your presentation yesterday which I found exhilarating.

Richard S G Allison - Director - Cornelian Asset Managers Limited

Rob gave plastic a personality - can he run my business for me?

Roger Parsonson - Managing Director - GU9 Creative Ltd

Uniqueness Limited has identified a hugely important service for those reaching the end of their schooldays and facing the daunting prospect of a future career. Knowing one's strengths and weaknesses and identifying achievable targets are a sound recipe for success.

Lord Cobbold

I write several 'thank you' letters throughout the year; mostly they are quite simple to do. But today I am writing one that is really difficult. The reason for my difficulty is that a simple thank you seems a little inadequate. We were so please with our event last night.

Penny Stopp - Commercial Manager- Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce

Your enthusiasm and passion made it a most entertaining, informative and enlightening presentation. The passion shone through! Your attention to detail and obvious love of your work and the business you have created really shines through.

Roy Sheppard - Smart-Worker.com

Thank you so much for your stimulating input to our HE Awards Evening on Wednesday. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive and I know that you will have provoked thought amongst learners, staff and parents.

Fintan Donohue - Principal - North Hertfordshire College

The feedback we had about you was fantastic; I personally thought your talk was relevant, motivating, interesting and amusing - the highlight of the day in fact!

Gillian Knight MREC - Chief Executive - First Choice Recruitment

Rob is a true local entrepreneur, who inspires others through speaking about his experiences and dreams. He is passionate about what he does and shares the belief that the entrepreneurial spirit cuts across all cultures and faiths.

Amrit Maan - Ethnic Advisor for Business Link

I am writing to thank you for presenting the major awards. The bucket story was inspirational.

Derek Heasman OBE - The Princes Trust

I just wanted to thank you personally for giving up your valuable time at the Roadshow last Friday & for the very entertaining & motivating 'Rob Stewart Story'. The feedback has been fantastic.

Sylvia Bourne - Business Development Manager - Barclays Bank PLC

I am writing to confirm our absolute delight at the Uniqueness Presentation that Rob organised for our school. The session was a pure inspiration to our students.

Dr. J Francis - Headteacher - Collenswood School

Thank you so much for your inspiring presentation to our year 11 students. I must tell you the impact you made on some of them. One boy deeply disaffected, almost disengaged completely in terms of attendance, but with the potential to do something with his life, was genuinely moved by your story.

Patrick Marshall - Headteacher - Marriotts School

I would like to thank you, very much for the most interesting and enthusiastic talk, we could not have asked for a more enlightening speaker.

Sandra Rose - Thomas International Ltd

Rarely have I come across a firm that generates such a warm, hospitable and positive atmosphere as Stevenage Packaging Ltd. It is a credit to the leadership that you and Rob provide and it is little wonder that your firm is so successful.

Andrew Morton - Voice and Presentation Advisor

Dear Nick I want to congratulate you on a very successful Independents Day yesterday. From wanting to retire the day before, I have come back wanting to change and improve everything! I'd be very grateful to receive a copy of Rob Stewart's presentation since I have not stopped talking about it since we left the meeting yesterday!

David Austen Optometrist

Independents Day 2008 - with over 180 delegates and 41 exhibitors Independents Day jumped into a new paradigm. Rob Stewart, our keynote was inspirational, grasping the intricacies of a complex industry like optics and developing the sort of insight he did takes a special kind of skill.

Nick Atkins - Founder of Independents Day