Gary Beckwith is a proud East London native raised by a single mother on a rough council estate. Leaving school at 15, before he could sit his exams, Gary graduated with nothing more than dyslexia and a desire to make money. Over the next five decades, he would discover his own education in the business mentors, seminars, and daily experience he picked up on his entrepreneurial journey.

From an early age, Gary knew if he had any chance of succeeding, he would have to keep learning and, on several occasions, be willing to gamble everything. From filling up pleasure boats with diesel to operating London’s first floating cash and carry to becoming the visionary founder and CEO of City Cruises PLC, Gary would go on to defy the odds time and again. With the help of his wife, Rita, and his children, Matthew and Lucy, Gary and the Beckwiths grew City Cruises from one small pleasure craft to London’s largest sightseeing operator and the UK’s largest tour boat company, with a fleet of 40 vessels, over four million annual passengers, and a turnover of over 25 million pounds.

After selling City Cruises in 2019, Gary has reinvested in many projects, showing a deft ability to pull together struggling operations and turn them into thriving, profitable businesses. Gary spends what little free time he has playing golf, writing books, and public speaking, hoping to pass on the education he has spent a lifetime pursuing.