Steve Ridgway
Encyclopedia
Stephen Ridgway CBE is the chief executive officer
of Virgin Atlantic Airways
.
near Salcombe
. He went to school in Kingsbridge
, south Devon
, and later Mount House prep school
in Tavistock and at Newton Abbot College.
He gained an Economics BSc
degree (awarded by the University of London) from Oxford Brookes University
. He later gained a PGCE
in 1976.
(owned by Sir James Goldsmith
and later sold to Générale Occidentale) as a sales manager, and briefly became a teacher. He moved to Miami and began his business career working for a builder of power boats, Ted Toleman. He worked for two years as Business Development Manager at the Toleman Group
. One of these boats was the Virgin Atlantic Challenger, and he became the Chief Pilot. From 1981-5 he worked for Cougar Marine, who built the Virgin boats.
His annual salary is somewhere in the region of £750,000
He has built the £13.5m St Moritz Hotel in Trebetherick
, Cornwall
, with his brother Hugh.
in the 2006 New Year Honours
.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Virgin Atlantic Airways
Virgin Atlantic Airways
Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited is a British airline owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Singapore Airlines...
.
Early life
He grew up on a farm in BanthamBantham
Bantham is a village in Devon, England. It is in the South Hams district and lies on the estuary of the River Avon quarter of a mile from the sea at Bigbury Bay. It has a beach which is used by surfers....
near Salcombe
Salcombe
Salcombe is a town in the South Hams district of Devon, south west England. The town is close to the mouth of the Kingsbridge Estuary, built mostly on the steep west side of the estuary and lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. He went to school in Kingsbridge
Kingsbridge
Kingsbridge is a market town and popular tourist hub in the South Hams district of Devon, England, with a population of about 5,800. It is situated at the northern end of the Kingsbridge Estuary, which is a textbook example of a ria and extends to the sea six miles south of the town.-History:The...
, south Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, and later Mount House prep school
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
in Tavistock and at Newton Abbot College.
He gained an Economics BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree (awarded by the University of London) from Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University is a new university in Oxford, England. It was named to honour the school's founding principal, John Brookes. It has been ranked as the best new university by the Sunday Times University Guide 10 years in a row...
. He later gained a PGCE
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one-year course in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for undergraduate degree holders that allows them to train to be a teacher....
in 1976.
Career
He worked for Cavenham FoodsCavenham Foods
-History:The Company was founded by Sir James Goldsmith in 1965 when he bought up a series of bakeries.In 1971 Cavenham acquired the Bovril Company but then sold most of its diaries and South American operations to finance further take-overs...
(owned by Sir James Goldsmith
James Goldsmith
Sir James Michael "Jimmy" Goldsmith was an Anglo-French billionaire financier and tycoon. Towards the end of his life, he became a magazine publisher and a politician. In 1994, he was elected to represent France as a Member of the European Parliament and he subsequently founded the short-lived...
and later sold to Générale Occidentale) as a sales manager, and briefly became a teacher. He moved to Miami and began his business career working for a builder of power boats, Ted Toleman. He worked for two years as Business Development Manager at the Toleman Group
Toleman
Toleman Motosport was a Formula One constructor based in the UK. It was active between 1981 and 1985 and attended 70 Grands Prix.-Origins:In the 1970s, businessmen and motorsport fans Ted Toleman and Alex Hawkridge began their involvement in various car racing formulae in the UK. Ted was also noted...
. One of these boats was the Virgin Atlantic Challenger, and he became the Chief Pilot. From 1981-5 he worked for Cougar Marine, who built the Virgin boats.
Virgin Atlantic
He joined Virgin Atlantic in 1989. In 1990 he became Managing Director of Virgin Freeway. He became a board director in 1994. Formerly Virgin Atlantic's vice-president of customer services, he was appointed as Managing Director of Virgin Atlantic in April 1998. He became Chief Executive in October 2001.His annual salary is somewhere in the region of £750,000
He has built the £13.5m St Moritz Hotel in Trebetherick
Trebetherick
Trebetherick is a village on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the east side of the River Camel estuary approximately six miles north of Wadebridge and half-a-mile south of Polzeath....
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, with his brother Hugh.
Personal life
Steve has three children and lives in London and Hampshire. His children were educated at St Edward's School, Oxford the same school where Sir Richard Branson had his children educated. He enjoys sailing and fast cars. He was awarded a CBEOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in the 2006 New Year Honours
New Year Honours 2006
The New Year Honours 2006 for the Commonwealth realms were announced on 31 December 2005, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2006....
.
External links
News items
- Sunday Times - Andrew Davidson January 2009
- Daily Mail February 2008
- The Times (London), August 28, 2006: Powers in the boardroom - No plain sailing for Virgin chief
- BBC News: Virgin staff 'shocked' by pilot Includes photo of Ridgway and his statement following the arrest of a Virgin Atlantic pilot.