AI & TECH FOUNDER | ADVISER | SPEAKER | CO-CREATOR | BUSINESS INFLUENCER
Meet Piers
Piers Linney is an entrepreneur and investor with experience across a range of sectors including technology, media, communications, and additive manufacturing. He is a co-founder of Implement AI​, a next generation technology partner focused on intelligent business transformation through the power of artificial intelligence. Piers is a 'Top AI Voice' on Linkedin and a co-host of the AI for business podcast, 'The AI Assisted Organisation'. Piers publishes a weekly LinkedIn newsltter, 'Business as Usual'.
He is also Chairman and a co-founder of Atherton Bikes, the world-leading producer of additive manufactured mountain bikes that won the World Championshps 2023 (1st and 2nd). Piers is a well-known champion of entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized businesses and a regular media commentator on radio and TV. He is also an in-demand keynote on AI including at Tech Show London, AI & Big Data World and Elite Business Live.
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Piers is best known as a former Dragon investor on BBC1’s Dragons’ Den and from Channel 4’s The Secret Millionaire. He has a professional background as a qualified lawyer specialised in venture capital , M&A investment banking at Credit Suisse and alternative asset fund management, and was a Non-executive Director of the UK government’s development bank British Business Bank during the roll out of the £90bn Covid business support loan schemes.
Piers was also a former Trustee of Nesta the UK’s largest innovation agency with a £500m endowment. He has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 100 most influential black Britons and in 2020 he was recognised as one of the UK’ s top 20 ethnic minority executives. Piers is an adviser to Sky and sits on its Diversity Advisory Council and won the 'Diversity Champion of the Year' at the European Diversity Awards (2024) for his work with Sky.
TV & Media
I appeared as an investor on the BBC prime-time show ‘Dragons’ Den’ (Shark Tank in the USA) for two seasons (2013 – 2015). Series 11 was BAFTA nominated. In 2011 I appeared in the popular Channel 4 series, ‘The Secret Millionaire’ where I went undercover into a Young Offenders Institution to learn more about the work of charities that support young offenders.
I have provided commentary and insight into business, entrepreneurship, innovation, finance and diversity on channels that include Sky News, BBC News, Bloomberg TV, MSNBC, ITV News, GB News, breakfast TV shows and a wide range of national and regional radio stations. in 2019 I reached #1 on the Apple /iTunes Podcasts Chart with 'Rethinking Business' in association with UK bank, NatWest.
Speaking
Piers is an inspirational speaker who has worked many brands worldwide over the last decade as a keynote speaker and content or marketing partner. His keynote talks are designed for internal and external audiences, including sales prospects and cover:
Dragons' Den and Secret Millionaire
Experience introducing tech to Dragons' Den with a 50x return and experience in a Young Offenders institution on Channel 4's Secret Millionaire programme.
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Personal journey
From a Lancashire mill town and failing his 11+ to becoming a solicitor and investment banking in the City and Dragons’ Den.
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Scaling up and business growth
Business change, 5 factors for business growth and scaling up.
AI, technology and the future of work
Impact on business, the economy, work, skills and society. Piers is a 'Top AI Voice' on Linkedin and Executive Chairman and a Co-founder of Implement AI.
Diversity and inclusion
Personal experience and impact on business, society and social mobility
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Content Partnerships
Piers works with brands to create audio and video content for internal and external audiences. This has included content partnerships for clients such as Natwest, BUPA, Sony and Skoda, and live streams for British Business Bank, Cisco and Euronext. Piers has also supported a number radio days to promote brands and initiatives.
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Piers works with brands in the following capacities:
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TV & radio interviews
Radio days
Podcasts
Ambassador roles
Content partnerships
Advertising and sponsorship
Speaking engagements
Testimonials
"A quick note to say thank you for speaking at our event this week. The customer feedback has been fantastic and your 'in conversation' session with Michael was excellent. Really insightful, thought provoking and injected a real buzz into the room!"
Neil, NatWest
"An amazing person and speaker. So popular that we ran out of headphones and space on our exhibition stand! It was an incredible sight."
Sage UK LTD
"Piers was invited to speak at our conference. The focus of his content was AI, providing an overview of its current capabilities and how they might evolve over the next few years.The subject area was incredibly current for our business, uncovering a thirst for more insight across the audience. Piers had a deep knowledge of AI, answering surprisingly advanced questions with ease, his delivery was engaging and held the audience right to the end.”
Adrian Jaggard, CEO, Taylor Rose MW
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