Digital Leaders 2017: Who are the ones to watch?

Entrepreneurs have a prominent role in the Digital Leaders’ ones to watch list. Qasim Akhlaq, founder of footwear etailer Public Desire, makes the cut following its astronomic growth over the past three years.

The fast-fashion retailer’s primary customer is a 16- to 25-year-old female, to whom it aims to appeal with competitive pricing and a savvy use of social media.

The retailer has tapped into the popularity of social media platforms to drive sales – its Instagram account has more than one million followers.

Another entrepreneur using social to build his business is In The Style founder Adam Frisby. In The Style combines fast fashion, social media and celebrity, and clothing collaborations with stars including Geordie Shore’s Charlotte Crosby and Made In Chelsea’s Binky Felstead are heavily pushed to their social media following.

Frisby has built a £30m business in just a few years through this model and this May attracted investment from private equity firm Livingbridge.

Jas Bagniewski, co-founder and chief executive of mattress etailer Eve, has also attracted investment into his business. Eve listed on Aim with a valuation of £140m earlier this year.

Eve is one of a slew of direct-to-consumer mattress firms that are disrupting the market for traditional bed retailers. Bagniewski, who previously launched Zalando in the UK, founded Eve in February 2015 and achieved £12m in sales in 2016.

The retailer, which is loss-making, is building its brand awareness and has pop-up concessions at stores including Debenhams, Fenwick and Next. Bagniewski is also focusing on growing the brand in Europe.

See the full ones to watch list below: