Investor, innovator, and futurist Francis Hellyer is co-founder and chief executive of London Theatre Direct. Founded in 1999, the UK-based ticketing site was the first of its kind focusing on the use of new technology to make online sales easier and more efficient.
Over the past decade, Francis has aided a variety of companies in the fintech space, and has recently set up his own investment company, Hellyer Capital.
In this in-depth conversation, Francis takes us back to where it all began, founding London Theatre Direct and the challenges they faced along the way, tasked with convincing both West End and the public that online sales were the future of ticket distribution; explores ‘the ultimate disruption’ of blockchain, and the societal benefits it may hold; and discusses his his current ventures, why it is important to mentor new startups and his recent foray into film production, with the documentary, ‘American Gadfly,’ which explores the life and presidential campaign of former US Senator Mike Gravel.
