Vikas Shah

About

Entrepreneurship. Board leadership. A wider view.

More than 25 years building businesses. Multiple exits. Board responsibilities across business, government and regulation. And a continuing exploration of the people and ideas shaping our world.

Vikas Shah MBE DL

Vikas Shah MBE DL is a British entrepreneur, investor and board director with more than 25 years' experience building and leading businesses. His own companies have been acquired by trade, private-equity and listed groups, and his investment portfolio has produced multiple eight-figure exits. Today, he works across government, regulation and high-growth technology, bringing an operator's judgement to complex organisations and ambitious founders.

Vikas serves on the Board of the Institute of Directors and as a Non-Executive Director of the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Certo Aerospace. He sits on the Departmental Board of the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, where he chairs the Audit, Risk & Assurance Committee, and chairs the Advisory Board of Innovate UK ICURe.

Alongside his board portfolio, Vikas is Partner at venture lab Endgame, Chairman of AI company Rdentify, and a Board Advisor to Enspec Power, Smart-IR and Red Flag Alert. He is also Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Manchester Innovation Factory.

Since 2007, Vikas has interviewed more than 600 of the world's most influential figures through Thought Economics, his journal of ideas and leadership read in more than 120 countries. Thought Economics was named an Official Honoree for Best Writing (Editorial) at the Webby Awards in five consecutive years, 2012 to 2016, and his interview archive is held by the University of Salford. His book, Thought Economics, was published by Michael O'Mara Books in 2021.

Vikas was awarded an MBE for services to business and the economy and serves as a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester. He is a Trustee of Chester Zoo, an Honorary Professor at the University of Salford and at Alliance Manchester Business School, holds an honorary appointment at Lancaster University Management School, and was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Business Administration by the University of Salford.

Honours & appointments

MBE
Services to Business and the Economy, 2018
Deputy Lieutenant
Greater Manchester Lieutenancy, 2021
Freedom of the City of London
2013
Honorary Doctorate (DBA)
University of Salford, 2022
Honorary Professor
Alliance Manchester Business School & University of Salford
Honorary appointment
Lancaster University Management School
Webby Awards Official Honoree
Best Writing (Editorial), five consecutive years, 2012–2016
The Vikas Shah Archive
Held by the University of Salford Library

In the press

Selected interviews, profiles and appointments.

Original headlines, as published.

Interviews & profiles

Appointments & news

Beyond business

Philanthropy, conservation and public service.

Vikas's work extends beyond business into charitable governance, conservation, culture and enterprise. He is a Trustee of Chester Zoo and a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester.

He co-founded and chaired In Place of War, supporting its development as an organisation working with artists and communities affected by conflict in more than forty countries. His wider contribution has included entrepreneurship mentoring through TiE, digital advisory work for the British Council, and work to engage businesses in the North West with the Armed Forces Covenant.

In Greater Manchester, he has supported causes including Mustard Tree, Street Soccer Academy and cancer research through Cancer Research UK's More Tomorrows campaign for the Manchester Cancer Research Centre. In 2022, he donated his Thought Economics interview archive to the University of Salford for teaching and research.

Organisations supported

Chester Zoo · In Place of War · Mustard Tree · Street Soccer Academy · Cancer Research UK · Manchester Cancer Research Centre · The British Council · HM Armed Forces · TiE · University of Salfordand more.