In August’s edition we chat with Gwyn Lewis, CEO at ElimiNOX ltd and winner of the 2022 UKIFDA Innovation Award.
“IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND WORK HARD, IT WILL HAPPEN.”Gwyn Lewis
Please give your career history in 25 words or fewer
Plant hire company apprentice. Diesel/electrical technician. Started a landscape and civil engineering business at 21 – sold at 36. Financial advisor until I formed ElimiNOX in 2019.
Describe yourself in 3 words
Tenacious. Focused. Driven.
What were your childhood / early ambitions?
To make a difference and make my parents proud.
Describe your dream job (if you weren’t doing this?)
On tour with Michael Bublé.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?
If you believe in yourself and work hard, it will happen.
Share your top tips for business success.
Invest in the best, surround yourself with a positive, innovative team with a can-do attitude.
What’s your most recent business achievement of note?
Winning the 2022 UKIFDA Innovation Award.
Tell us your greatest fear.
Human destruction of rain forests and loss of wildlife.
Which is most important – ambition or talent?
Ambition – be the best you can possibly be.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Meeting the interesting, positive, switched-on people in our industry.
Which is the quality that you most admire?
Integrity.
What are you most likely to say?
As Winston said: “KBO”.
What are you least likely to say?
I give up!
Describe your perfect day.
A picnic on the Welsh coast, a glass of beer and good company.
Do you have a favourite sports team?
Wales rugby
What’s the biggest challenge of our time?
Climate change and getting it right for the generations to come.
Cheese or chocolate?
Cheese.
Share your greatest personal achievement
Helping to bring up three well- balanced and very successful children. Family is everything.
What’s your pet hate or biggest irritant?
Negative, moody people.
If you were on ‘Mastermind’ what would your specialist subject be?
British trees and shrubs.
If you were elected
to government what would be the first law you’d press for? Bring back National Service for all school leavers.
If your 20-year-old self saw you now what would they think?
You still look pretty fit but you can’t run as fast!
What is number 1 on your bucket list?
Explore Canada with my family in a Winnebago.
What 3 things would you take to a desert island?
Water, a knife / saw and matches.
Tell us something about you that people would be very surprised by
For charity I perform a Sinatra tribute act and I once sang with the Supremes in St Tropez. I also perform celebrity stand-up.
Who would you most like to ask these questions of?
David Attenborough.
