Barry Dodd OBE, Chairman and CEO GSM Group
Barry Dodd began working life as a graduate trainee with ICI and spent five years within ICI management working in London, New York and Teesside. He left when the urge to work for himself got the better of him.
He founded his first company, GSM Graphic Arts Ltd as a two person start up. Through organic growth and 15 acquisitions within the last 15 years GSM has grown to become the largest manufacturer of industrial graphic products in Europe. In the UK, GSM Group run 4 manufacturing plants and a software house. GSM has taken part in the Dti Inside UK Enterprise visit programme that showcased best practice. The Thirsk plant won the IUKE best SME award in year 2000. The Group have won many other awards and appear in several best practice videos.
A typical serial entrepreneur, Barry is also Chairman of Addpower Technologies a high tech start up which has developed an instantly rechargeable battery and Varlink a fast growing distributor of mobile computing solutions.
Barry was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to UK business.
Public sector activities include:
- Board member Yorkshire Forward.
- Chair of Yorkshire Forward Sustainable Futures Company
- Chair of Proof of Commercial Concept fund.
- Board member of Yorkshire Innovation, the Regional Science Council
