I have been CEO of SHOTT Beverages Ltd (www.shott.co.nz) for the past 8 years.

I founded the company with Richard Plimmer. It has a turnover of ~$6 million, a staff of 25 and exports comprise half its sales.

I originally trained as an artist in the Bezalel School of Art at Jerusalem, then worked as a silversmith and later as a glass art worker in New Zealand, making windows. Often people do not see the segue from creating art to running a business, but to me the connection is logical  – you conceptualize, translate your concept into the best product possible, develop your brand, develop your market and sell it.