Stuart Browning

Managing Director, Head of Product Development

Stuart Browning has been developing products since 1990 when he joined the fair trade retailer Shared Earth as buyer. This role involved working with crafts people all over the world developing commercially viable products for sale in the west.

Since then Stuart has worked as a buyer and product developer in both the retail and distribution sectors, always keen to develop new and commercially successful ideas.

In 2002 Stuart formed Blue Sky Designs together with Jonathan Elvidge, and in 2003 the company was re-structured when Jonathan introduced Chris Gorman and the rest of the board to the company. 

Since conception Stuart has been performing the role of Managing Director and head of product development for Blue Sky.

Jonathan Elvidge

Managing Director, Co-founder of RED5

Jonathan Elvidge is the Managing Director and co-founder of RED5, a retail concept launched in 2005 to target the innovative gift market. Jonathan has used his significant experience in this sector to pull together skills and finance with the aim of creating a new market leading brand on the high street. RED5 currently trades online and from five high profile stores and continues to grow.

In 2002 Jonathan co-founded Blue Sky Designs alongside Stuart Browning assisting with early financing and product development. Jonathan was able to introduce new talent to the board to help with the building of a uniquely skilled team. Jonathan's knowledge of the innovative gift market and emerging products is of real benefit to BSD.

Previously, Jonathan was the founder and Managing Director of The Gadget Shop retail chain. Jonathan built the Company over a period of ten years to forty four stores creating a household name in the process. During this period the Company was identified as one of the fastest growing private companies in the UK for 3 years running and won the coveted Rising Star of Retail award amongst others. The Company was sold in 2002 as part of a re-financing deal.

In 2001 Jonathan was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration.

Chris Gorman OBE DUniv FRSA

Entrepreneur

A successful serial entrepreneur, Chris Gorman has headed several highly successful ventures in technology and retail businesses. A founder shareholder in UK mobile phone retailer DX Communications, Chris then went on to create the internet services company, Reality Group.

Current business interests include a number of mobile, internet and music enterprises including Lucid Group, Quintessentially, Truphone and Obsidian Communications.

Highly regarded, Chris has received many business awards for his entrepreneurialism over the years, including Ernst & Young Scottish Entrepreneur of the Year, UK E-Business Entrepreneur, Young Business Leader of the Year, Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland in Business, and SBAAT Businessman of the Year Award.

In June 2005 Chris was delighted to receive an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to business.

Chris is a regular speaker at business events and has featured in several business related TV shows. Chris lectures in schools and universities and is an honorary professor in business at the University of the West of Scotland, which also bestowed an honorary doctorate in business upon him. As well as supporting many charities, he is Chairman of the Entrepreneurial Exchange and Governor of the Royal Scottish Academy for Music and Drama.

Alex Johnston

Managing Partner

Alex is a Managing Partner of Fleming Media - an IP incubation fund supported by the Fleming family. Previously, Alex was a founder-partner in Freud Communications, the countries leading PR and marketing agency. For many years, he was Creative Director and latterly concentrated on high-level strategic consultancy for multi-national brands such as Pepsi and Lever Faberge.

In addition Alex manages a number of personal directorships and a portfolio of investments for Freud Networks - the venture capital arm of Freud Communications. He has un-parallel experience in brand development and a proven track record of helping companies maximise the potential of their USP's.

Yann Le Bouedec

Project Director

Yann is the projects director of the company. A keen inventor from and early age, he has supported this passion with strong engineering and business acumen. Yann has been with Blue Sky Designs Ltd since 2004 and in this busy period has worked on many new projects and has opened up many new sales channels.

Tom Walker

Senior Executive

Has had over 20 years experience working at a senior executive level within the retail sector. In particular he spent 10 years with WEW Group plc, where he was instrumental in developing the business processes required for the company to grow from 25 stores to over 80. As Group Finance Director of a listed company, he liaised regularly with the city and was responsible for co-ordinating a restructuring and refinancing of the business. Following the sale of the business in 1997, he spent 18 months working as a retail consultant until he joined Chris Gorman at Reality in 1999 as Finance Director.

Tom developed Reality's processes to enable it to be in a position to take advantage of the massive growth opportunities within the industry. Tom was instrumental in the early sale of Reality to GUS. Tom then rejoined Chris Gorman at the Gadget Shop and was heavily involved in the relocation of its head office to Glasgow in early 2003. In August 2003 he was part of a consortium which included Sir Tom Hunter and Chris Gorman which acquired the Birthdays group in a deal worth over £60million. Before subsequently selling it on to Clinton Cards in December 2005.

Since then Tom has been working as a consultant with a number of companies.

Jonathan Baron

Director and Co-Founder of RED5 LTD

Jonathan is the Co-Founder and a director of RED5, the innovative gift and gadget retailer. He plays an active role in Blue Sky, and brings a wealth of contacts and ideas from his years of buying in the gift industry. Through his years of working in the industry, Jonathan helps the management team of Blue Sky Designs identify trends, invent products and find trusted manufacturing partners; along with helping develop new business and routes to market with major retailers around the world.