Stefan Paul Allesch-TaylorCBE is a British entrepreneur, philanthropist, broadcaster, and educator. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2014 New Year Honours and was appointed as the first Professor of the Practice of Entrepreneurship by King's College London in December 2016. Allesch-Taylor was named as one of London's most influential people in both 2017 and 2018's 'Social Pillars: Charity and Philanthropy' section of the London Evening Standard's Progress 1000 list.
Allesch-Taylor has been described by the London Evening Standard as 'one of the Square Mile's foremost financiers'. As a chairman, CEO and Senior Director in business, Allesch-Taylor specialises in public companies. He first served as Chief executive of a UK public company at 27 years old by which time he was already a millionaire. He has co-founded or invested in more than 50 companies across 15 countries over the past 25 years. He has co-founded and/or served on the boards of companies in the hospitality, industrial, agriculture, retail, technology, sports, banking and financial services sectors. Allesch-Taylor is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority as a corporate advisor, as well as being approved as a 'Controller' of an Asset Manager in Denmark and approved by the German Bundesbank as a 'Controller' of NordFinanz Bank AG, a German commercial bank. He chairs the Audit Committees of several companies of which he is a board member. In 2010, he launched The Department of Coffee and Social Affairs.
Philanthropy
Allesch-Taylor considers philanthropy key to good business: "Companies need totake a look at being more socially impactful and engaging more with their consumer base". He is co-founder and chairman of the Afri-CAN Children's Charity, operating in Malawi and South Africa, which he established in 2010 with a $1 million donation. The Afri-CAN Children's Charity provides education and nutrition to over 3,000 vulnerable children in the townships of Cape Town. Allesch-Taylor is chairman of the award-winning British-based charity Pump Aid. Pump Aid won the International Aid and Development Award at the 2017 UK Charity Awards for its innovative small business approach to relieving water poverty in Malawi. He is also Deputy Chairman of the Central London Rough Sleepers Committee, providing support for London's homeless.
Academia
In December 2016, King's College London appointed Allesch-Taylor as its first Professor of the Practice of Entrepreneurship. His role involves delivering masterclasses at the new King's College Business School and lecturing and training the King's20 cohort. Part of his role is to encourage universities to progress, stating "The day universities cease to innovate is the day their world stops spinning" In September 2018, it was announced Allesch-Taylor would be funding a £1 million collaborative research study between the King's College Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience and its Entrepreneurship Institute with "the aim of finding and mapping neutral traits associated with a good business brain."
Broadcasting
Allesch-Taylor presents a live radio show called Stefan Means Business, previously called Stefan's Social Experience, on London's Soho Radio. He interviews entrepreneurs and funders in the SME sector.
Film and Executive Producing
Allesch-Taylor has executive produced 25 short films since 2010, including the multi award-winning FlySpy, Bricks and Ghosted. Further credits include: Gerry, Oksijan, Promise, Call Me Alvy, Baby Mine, Leash, Gone Dark, Lock In, The Riot Act, Bricks, Nazi Boots and 2012 feature comedy-drama Africa United. In 2016 he was appointed a Judge and Best of the Fest Award Partner at the TriForce Short Film Festival held at BAFTA. On 31 October 2017 Allesch-Taylor announced he was launching £1m of short film grants primarily awarded to UK projects with the aim of promoting diversity and inclusion in the UK film industry. The aim of these grants are to 'encourage entrepreneurialism from the production teams' and 'to create a long-term relationship with the film industry'. Recipients of the Allesch-Taylor Film Fund include Caroline Bartleet's Rachel featuring Jodie Whittaker and Little River Run, Ed Skrein's directorial debut.
