James Caan is one of the UK’s most successful and dynamic entrepreneurs. He is the founder and CEO of Hamilton Bradshaw, based in Mayfair, London. The company was founded in 2004 and specialises in buyouts, venture capital, turnarounds, and real estate investment in the UK.

James knew from a young age that he wanted to run his own business.  His father was probably his biggest influence:  he owned a successful leather goods manufacturing business and hoped James would one day takeover.  James decided not to pursue a career in the family business and instead followed his own path to become an entrepreneur. At sixteen he left school with no qualifications. Despite this in the mid 1980′s, he began a successful career in recruitment. Just a few years later James founded Alexander Mann, a UK recruitment business which he successfully grew to £130m turnover with 30 offices worldwide. During the same period, James was keen to explore the international market and launched Humana International, a franchising model, establishing 147 offices in 30 countries. He subsequently sold both businesses in 1999.

In 2007, James was invited to join the panel of the highly popular BBC TV show Dragons’ Den. During his time on the show, James invested in a diverse range of businesses and as a result increased his profile in the media. James has always believed that the UK is an excellent platform for British entrepreneurs, and that advances in technology provide today’s entrepreneurs with many more opportunities than when he started out. He is passionate about the SME sector and understands their challenges

James has worked on a number of projects to support the British entrepreneur. He is currently working with Business Secretary Vince Cable as a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum to help and advise government on the new business policies.

Charity

James is a keen supporter of many charities and set up The JCF in 2006 predominantly to help underprivileged children get access to education.

Entrepreneurship, education and equal opportunities are three key areas that James specifically supports. Initiatives like the Prince’s Trust and vinspired are platforms through which James can influence and make a difference to young people in the UK. There are also a large number of charities that James endorses and provides strategic guidance to where he can combine his business acumen with his philanthropic goals.

Since the floods hit Pakistan in July 2010, James has been passionate about helping the families there. Together with UNICEF, he helped raise £100,000 to deliver emergency aid on the ground and save the lives of 1,000 people. Feeling this was insufficient, James and The JCF began the ‘Build a Village’ appeal to provide more tangible assistance, helping families get their lives back on track.

Awards

James has had some impressive career highlights, however he didn’t finish his education, choosing instead to leave school at 16 with no qualifications.

When he sold his recruitment companies in 1999 he decided to go to Harvard Business School to study for a business degree. In recent years James has been delighted by being awarded a variety of honorary doctorates from Leeds Met, UEL and York St Johns.