Biography
Richard is married to Samantha and has two children, Mathew aged 14 and Annabelle aged 12.
Richard was born the middle brother of three to a working class family in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. In the dated educational system of banding, Richard managed to squeeze through to the 'A' stream at the local Catholic High School, All Saints. Saturdays were spent working on Hemsworth market selling bedding remnants and Sundays were spent doing a double paper-round. Always a keen sportsman, Richard was captain of the school rugby team and swam for his town at regional level.
After five academically mediocre years Richard left with only two 'O' levels and secured a position as an apprentice with local engineering firm Hopkinsons Ltd. On his first day, he realized he had made an enormous error and should have left then. However, sheer bloody mindedness and a refusal to accept that his parents had being right all along resulted in three long years in a job he hated.
At the age of nineteen Richard left Hopkinsons and joined the West Yorkshire Police as a constable. After nearly three years in the job, Richard resigned and set up his first business Armco Security Ltd.
In 1999 Armco were a creditor of a small fireplace company who had just gone into liquidation. This opened a new opportunity and Richard bought the machinery and factory from the liquidators. This was the start of Fired Up Corporation Ltd. Adam has gone from employing 10 people with a turnover of £500,000 in its first year to employing 300+ internationally with manufacturing operations in the UK and China with a turnover of circa £15,000,000. It lists blue chip high street retailers amongst its clients and runs a direct to retail consumer business.
In 2007 Richard launched, ForSaleInChina.com which will make use of his extensive business contacts in China to provide introductions for Western traders looking to take advantage of the opportunities available to them in the Orient.
In May 2009 Richard spearheaded the purchase of John Corby Ltd, maker of the eponymous Corby Trouser Press and supplier of guest room products to the hotel industry worldwide. Following a successful integration to the Fired Up Group Corby have expanded their operations to over 50 countries worldwide.
In late 2010 Fired Up launched the brand Endeva primarily designed to serve the domestic market with small domestic appliances including rice cookers sold through supermarkets and DIY stores. Following it’s success in China Endeva has expanded internationally and was pleased to announce a distributor agreement to introduce it’s products to Sri Lanka in 2012.
In 2011 Richard’s company, Fired Up purchased the assets and business of Aurora Marble Ltd and further solidified it’s position in the fireplace market and opened up new opportunities in a wider area of business.
In 2010 Richard won the Yorkshire and Humber China business award recognising not just the commercial progress made in China but also the social improvement agenda Richard was pursuing to the area in which he operates. In 2011 Richard was shortlisted as a regional finalist for the Ernst & Young entrepreneur award and the HSBC Business Thinking awards. In 2012 Richard and his company won the HSBC sponsored Cathay Pacific Rising Star in China award.
Personal Details
| DOB | 29/5/67 |
| Nationality | British |
| Status | Married with two children |
Career
| 2007 to Present | Founder of forsaleinchina.co.uk an initiative to exploit opportunities for British and Chinese companies in the import and export of products and services |
| 1999 to Present | Founding CEO, Fired Up Corporation A group of companies incorporating, Fireplace World, Internet Fires Direct, Hearth & Home Logistics and Adam Fires & Fireplaces, specializing in the international manufacture and distribution of products for the home with particular emphasis on the Fireplace industry |
| 1990 to Present | Founding Managing Director, Armco Security Ltd. A company specializing in the supply, distribution, installation and provision of security products and services |
| 1987 to 1990 | West Yorkshire Police. Serving as a police constable in various departments |
| 1983 to 1987 | Hopkinsons Engineering Ltd. Time served apprentice in general engineering |
| 1977 to 1983 | All Saints High School. Failed miserably to achieve anything in the way of a decent set of qualifications |
Other
| Hobbies | None, looking to take up golf when I am too old to work |
| Personal Statement | I hope to enable enough people to get what they want out of life, so I too, can get whatever I want |