About Katy

Katy was born in London and brought up in Dormansland, Surrey.  She currently lives in Sussex with husband Kevin and two sons, Will and Myles.

“Although my parents came from traditional Labour-supporting families, they both voted Conservative. I witnessed the difficulties their respective businesses faced under Wilson and then Callaghan’s stringent tax regimes.”

Katy has been described as a ‘serial business builder’ having had either direct ownership or indirect interests in the success of organisations.

“My first business was a chain of children’s after-school fitness clubs which I set up and ran for six years. My second venture was to build a leisure/dance company. It grew to become the second largest in the UK over 8 years and was successfully sold to the main competitor who was seeking to consolidate their position in the market.”

“My third enterprise is advising start-up renewable energy companies, introducing potential investors to early stage green-tech businesses.  We currently have an active advisory mandate with two ‘cleantech’ companies – one a vertical wind turbine manufacturer, the other an electrical cycle and vehicle re-charging unit manufacturer.  Another aspect of my business has been to obtain venture capital funding to set up a TV channel with OFCOM licence and Sky network launch date.  This involved considerably more detailed planning due to the financial complexities and regulatory requirements of broadcasting.  I am currently in talks with a potential City sponsor to host this channel on a B2B network.”

To support these new engagements, Katy has also decided to extend her technical skills and is currently studying for a Global Energy MBA with Warwick University.

“Why have I been so driven to build for the future? Perhaps it is because I have had first-hand experience of being a single parent trying to raise children whilst building a business. I have enormous respect for single parents today and my experiences have certainly shaped my politics and taught me not to judge on first impressions.”

Katy began her political career whilst studying History at Aberystwyth University where she became Vice-Chairman of the active Young Conservatives branch. She says:

“I cut my political teeth campaigning for the late Tom Raw-Rees MBE in his fight for the Ceredigion seat in the General Election of ‘83. It was an amazing experience, not least because it was challenging being a Conservative in Wales back in those days!”

Today, Katy is once more actively involved in politics. She is Chairman of both her local branch in Mid Sussex and also the East Sussex Conservative Women’s Organisation. She is also on the parliamentary candidates list for the Conservative party.