Gloucestershire’s 50 Leading Entrepreneurs - September 2019

Entrepreneurs

GLOUCESTERSHIRE'S

Jeremy Hitchins Robert Hitchins Group Boddington in the City of London. From 1987, he was responsible for the group’s land and planning department, in 1992 he was appointed as land and planning director and in 2001 became its managing director, with specific responsibilities for all the group’s land and commercial property operations in the UK. Robert Hitchins Group has developed more than 17,000 houses and over 3,000,000 square feet of commercial property. It has extensive land interests and ownerships throughout the SouthWest, Midlands and South Wales. It also has interests in farming and development of a major holiday and golf resort in Spain. The Hitchins Family Trust is a major contributor to good causes through the Gloucestershire Community Foundation. Anyone aware of the £60 million designer outlet centre planned for land just off junction 9 of the M5, or the plans for six acres of new, serviced employment land close to Junction 13, is aware of Robert Hitchins’ work. Last recorded turnover was £39 million-plus - up on 2017, with gross profits of £14 million plus l 34 Mr Hitchins has sought no publicity personally since joining the commercial property and land management business in 1982, after qualifying as a solicitor with Slaughter & May

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Eamonn McGurk Keyway Gloucester Mr McGurk is one of the most prolific and successful businessmen in the county. The former

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Rob Freeman Malvern Tyres Gloucester Sexy it may not

St Peter’s Roman Catholic School pupil has built an empire too vast for these pages. “He’s worked hard 24/7. You don’t get to where he is now without putting in the hours”. Keyway Ltd turned over £12.5 million in the year ending August 31 2018.

be, but necessary its products certainly are. Mr Freeman has grown his brand into a respected name for those from the domestic and commercial sectors needing quality tyres. "He took on a market dominated by big tyre companies and created a very big tyre and exhaust business. He has been buying directly from India and other countries and creating deals. He’s a typical entrepreneur." Last filed accounts at Companies House (July 2019) show turnover of £91.5 million, up from £87.2 million in 2017. Pre-tax profit was £849,196, up from £597,561 in 2017 l

Pre-tax profits were 8.9 per cent. It was what the firm called a "strong financial performance". Then there is EMG Ltd, company Dynavour Limited Residential, care activities for learning difficulties, mental health and substance abuse and more. Much more l Gloucester City FC, a property

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34 | September 2019 | www. punchline-gloucester .com

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