On this week’s ‘You’re On Mute’, Lord Michael Hastings is in conversation with Tom Ilube CBE, Chair of England’s Rugby Football Union, CEO of Crossword Cybersecurity PLC, Non-Executive Director for advertising giant WPP and more.

By age ten, Tom's irrepressible nature had seen him overcome the early challenges of being a care leaver due to his bi-racial heritage, surviving a near death experience after being confronted by the barrel of a gun, in Idi Amin’s Uganda, as well as setting up a new home on another continent.

Embracing the dogged determination that represents the best of Nigerian culture and attitude, despite initially having a degree from a relatively unknown university in Benin, Tom has gone on to work for some of the most enviable corporations, companies and institutions, including British Airways, PWC, the British Stock Exchange and Goldman Sachs as a way of learning, gaining invaluable experience and validating his skill set.

Matching his drive, tenacity and business acumen, Tom has successfully pursued his passion by becoming a serial tech entrepreneur, with his specialism being start-ups. Remarkably, Tom has a significant appetite for the associated risk of new ventures and speaks openly, about the relationship between failure and success and how often, the difference is about calibrating approach, necessary to create winning pathways.

Renowned for his philanthropic pursuits, Tom’s African Gifted Foundation has efficaciously created generational change for numerous Black girls and women in science across Africa, in turn, boosting their prospects globally. As a role model, Tom shares his wisdom regarding overcoming stereotypes, navigating racism, the importance of laughter and the role of drama as a component of engaging storytelling. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.