Richard Downs – Iglu

Wednesday, 02 November 2011

Richard is the founder and CEO of Iglu.com, an on-line specialist travel retailer.   Having pioneered and grown the ski on-line market since 1998, Iglu has consolidated its position as the largest independent ski retailer in the UK and has applied its disruptive on-line marketing focus in the rapidly growing cruise holiday sector where, after only 5 years, it has become the largest on-line cruise retailer in the UK.  Iglu attracts over 5 million visits to its website every year and has a turnover of approximately £90m.

Iglu.com was launched during Richard’s final year of his MBA and began its life in the on-campus LBS Incubator.

Iglu.com has successfully raised over £6m of venture capital funds from Sussex Place Partners, Geocapital and Barclays Ventures and recently completed a secondary buy-out with Matrix Partners.

Richard is passionate about promoting entrepreneurship and has been a London finalist in the Ernst and Young, Entrepreneur of the Year awards in 2003 and 2004 and was awarded the Alumni Entrepreneurial Award from the London Business School in 2005.

Richard has been a mentor at the summer school for the last ten years.