Michelle Mone OBE

Ultimo bra designer

Michelle Mone OBE is the founder and co-owner of MJM International Ltd - she is one of the UK's leading female entrepreneurs. Michelle left school at the age of 15 with no qualifications, but by the age of 22, was running Labatt's Scottish Sales & Marketing team. Following redundancy, Michelle set up MJM International Ltd in 1996. She took nearly three years to invent the Ultimo Bra, testing many different samples. Eventually she invented the unique silicone gel filled bra, which offers greater cleavage enhancement. The Ultimo bra is now patented worldwide. Michelle and MJM International have won many awards including Business Start Up of the Year 1997, World Young Business Achiever Award 2000 and Business Woman of the Year 2000. In September 2002, Penny Lancaster, Rod Stewart's girlfriend, launched Ultimo at Debenhams and in February 2004, Michelle signed Super-Model Rachel Hunter to take over from Penny Lancaster as the new International face & body of Ultimo.

Michelle Mone has built a hugely successful career on an incredibly simple concept: giving today's women what they want. What began with the Ultimo bra now extends to a number of very successful lingerie brands including Ultimo, Young Attitude, Michelle for George and Per Amore. The Ultimo bra generates a £100m turnover. In 2005, Michelle presented BBC's Mind Your Own Business, advising business owners on what they are doing right and where they are going wrong, and offering straightforward suggestions on how to improve their businesses.

Her speeches are motivational and inspirational, entertaining and down to earth. Hers is a story of there being no substitute for effort and hard work, how to turn an idea into reality and of how never to give up when you believe in yourself.