Professional background

Darryl is one of the internet pioneers and a serial entrepreneur in the sector. He founded the Internet Bookshop in 1992, the first commercial Internet site in the UK and one of the first 5 commercial websites worldwide. He grew it to become the largest online bookseller in Europe before selling it to WH Smith for £10m in 1998. He went on to found Travelstore, an online travel business travel management company, which he grew to a staff base of 270 and a turnover of £27m per annum. Since then he founded Bye Bye Standby, a business concentrating on delivering energy-saving solutions into homes which sold over 1 million units and Enistic which develops systems that help organisations reduce their energy demand and comply with energy-related legislation.

Darryl is active in the investment world, has often spoken on the international conference circuit and has helped many internet companies get through the early stages of their existence. He has led the fundraising of over £47 m in external fundraising for various companies and has considerable first-hand experience in the private equity and venture capital environments including the processes involved with mergers, acquisitions and taking companies public.

He has sat on over 30 company boards ranging from “one-man bands” through to fully listed companies and has a good understanding of company and board-level operations and dynamics.

He enjoys triathlons & endurance events, has the Wine and Spirits Education Trust Advanced Wine Tasting qualification ("with Distinction" no less!) and is a qualified RYA yacht skipper. He lives and works in Oxford and is married with three children.

Areas of Expertise

Board Growth, Board Management, Mentoring High Growth Entrepreneurs, Team Building, Fund Raising and Internet Based Technologies.