PEOPLE POWER JON SAUNDERS Owner, The Dead Canary
and influential businessmen. Owner of (and investor in) a string of upmarket bars, clubs and restaurants in the city, he’s always on the lookout for the next project. We’ll keep you posted… For more: chameleongroupcardiff.com
CHRISTIAN AMODEO
LYNDON WOOD Entrepreneur/mentor
Philanthropist, investor, author, television presenter... Wood has turned his hand to a lot of things. One of the UK’s most successful and dynamic entrepreneurs, and a worldclass mentor, he’s worked across a plethora of industries, and has created a net worth in the tens of millions (it’s still growing!), with all manner of start-ups and intermediate/advanced businesses in his portfolio. For more: lyndonwoodventures.com
Founder, I Loves The ’Diff
The man behind one of Cardiff’s most stylish, go-to bars of recent years. The concept of The Dead Canary – a mysterious, speakeasy-style venue where you have to knock to get in – is spot-on; with its shabby chic decor and some of the best cocktails in the city, Saunders and team have really shaken up the city’s social scene. For more: thedeadcanary.co.uk
JAMES SOMMERIN Restaurateur
Having previously won a Michelin star as head chef at The Crown At Whitebrook in Monmouth, Sommerin is now succeeding once again under his own steam. Following a slew of other awards, including AA Restaurant Of The Year for Wales, and being listed in the 2017 edition of the prestigious Good Food Guide, his destination restaurant in Penarth, serving innovative fine dining, has recently gained its first Michelin star. Once again, it seems, the world is his oyster. For more: jamessommerinrestaurant.co.uk
The driving force behind the cult Cardiff brand, Amodeo has steered ILTD into an awardwinning venture (we’ll be using that phrase a lot during this feature – tells you something, right?), celebrating all that is good about the city and Wales in its own unique, quirky and humorous way, via clothing, mugs (emblazoned with Welshified titles such as ‘When Barry Met Sully’, or ‘Apocalypse Now In A Minute’), cards and posters. Such a lustrous head of hair, too. For more: ilovesthediff.com
DEBRA BARBER
JAHAN ABEDI
For more: ignite.wales, copiermate.co.uk
AIMEE BATEMAN Founder/CEO, Careercake
As the airport’s MD, Barber has certainly earn her stripes, having overseen a significant growth in passenger numbers, a new airline base, new services and improvements to the terminal and airfield operations. Her key moment was probably welcoming 17 heads of state to Wales for the NATO Summit back in 2014, putting Cardiff Airport on the world stage. ED BARNETT
Entrepreneur
MD, Copier Mate
Property mogul (and previously one of the stars of Channel 4 series The Secret Millionaire), Iranian-born Abedi is one of Cardiff’s most high-profile
As well as his successful core business, supplying photocopiers and cartridges, Barnett has been head of operations for Ignite Cardiff along with Steve Dimmick (see
STEVE DIMMICK Founder, Doopoll
One of the organisers of Ignite Cardiff alongside Ed Barnett (see earlier entry), Dimmick is another one with many strings to his bow: he’s the co-founder of Doopoll, a platform for engaging people that traditional opinion tools can’t reach (and winner of the Sir Michael Moritz Tech Start-Up of the Year Award), and MD of Dimmick’s Recruitment. Not quite sure when he finds time to sleep... For more: doopoll.co, @thedimmick
MD, Cardiff Airport
For more: cardiff-airport.com
VISIONARIES
right) since 2012. Ignite has become something of a local phenomenon – featuring a host of speakers sharing their personal and professional passions to an appreciative audience, it’s a special thing to be part of. And Ignite Cardiff Deluxe (8 March, Wales Millennium Centre), featuring 12 five-minute talks from members of the public on anything and everything, promises to be one of 2017’s brightest speaking events.
PABLO JANCZUR Director, Orchard Entertainment
Corporate recruiter turned careers champion, Bateman started careers website Careercake in 2011. A dedicated e-learning platform to help people maximise their chances of employment or promotion, and to accelerate their career development, it’s an inspiring resource, while Bateman herself is now a successful speaker, business ambassador and recognised employment expert.
The music promotion arm of Cardiff-based Orchard Media and Events Group, Orchard Entertainment recently scooped the Regional Promoter Of The Year Award at the National UK Live Music Industry Awards for the second time. This year alone, it has staged world-class acts such as Lionel Richie, Noel Gallagher, Madness, Jools Holland and Ocean Colour Scene, and the company is also investing in new £1m premises w
For more: careercake.com
www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 21