Peter Livesey is the co-founder and CEO of Esprit Digital, the company that invented and supplied DEPs for London Underground escalators 12 years ago. Since then it has gone from strength to strength designing, manufacturing and installing many of the world’s most iconic digital media networks for clients like Westfield, Virgin, JCDecaux, Gatwick and Heathrow.

Assuming responsibility for business development, contracts and finance, Peter spends most of his time promoting the company and building relationships with infrastructure owners and their advertising contractor partners around the globe. 90% of Esprit’s business now comes from outside the UK and last year he went with James Brenner, his partner, to Buckingham Palace to receive the Queen’s Award for International Trade.

‘There are many companies in the world who can put up a screen in a public place, but only a handful who can seamlessly integrate a large network of displays into a harsh commercial environment such as a metro, an airport or a major mall.’

High performance components, expert thermal management and air filtration systems, precision metalwork and in-house assembly have been key to the success of the company. Continuous innovation incorporating the latest technologies within robust, contemporary designs has kept them ahead of the competition.

In the mid 80’s Peter was head of sales for a company that made the first ever portable mobile phones before spending fifteen years manufacturing and supplying bespoke LEDs for retail and industrial applications. All this despite leaving university to become a journalist and surviving just one year on Fleet Street and that was in the Evening Standard advertising department!

Peter is a self-confessed ‘speed freak’, be it on four wheels or skis. He was the British Junior Backgammon Champion and still takes on all-comers, but live sport is his real passion. However, in his own words ‘I am constantly challenged because all of the teams I support are serial heroic failures – Spurs in football and England in everything!’

@espritdigital