Jonathan Straight
The North
Jonathan Straight is a plural non-executive director, entrepreneur and creative best known as the founder Straight plc, the UK’s leading supplier of waste and recycling containers. 10 years after founding the business he floated it on the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market. He exited the business in 2014 after leading it for 21 years.
He is currently a director of waste management charity WasteAid and contemporary art gallery and learning space The Tetley, as well as other charities. He engaged as Brand Ambassador to Surplus Group, a Sheffield business and social enterprise dealing in surplus food and drink. In addition, he has invested in start-ups, including solid-state photonics cooling business Inclusive Designs Limited where he chairs the board. His own start-up, The Lupin Company, supplies Australian sweet lupin, a versatile health food.
Aside from his business career, Jonathan is an exhibited and published photographer and has previously presented a history series on local television.
As a former winner of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year competition he has a long-standing passion for entrepreneurship. He is an Enterprise Ambassador at the Leeds University Business School, Entrepreneur in Residence at Connect Yorkshire, and regularly speaks about his career and experiences.