Raymond “Ray” Ingleby, born in February 1963 in Lytham St Annes, is a British entrepreneur who served as vice-chairman of Burnley Football Club until 27 August 2013. His family owned a soft furnishings business, and despite being dismissed from his first job in a magazine-printing firm, Ingleby became a millionaire by the age of 21. He founded Ingleby Communications, which in 1992 acquired the American company Caribiner. Under Ingleby’s leadership, Caribiner grew to become the largest audio-visual rental business in the world, with a turnover of $750 million.
In February 1999, Ingleby purchased £1 million worth of shares in Burnley F.C. and was later elected vice-chairman of the club. His involvement in business, however, was preceded by a difficult start to his academic life. Diagnosed with dyslexia, Ingleby struggled in school and did not learn to read and write until the age of nine. Despite this, he passed his 11-plus exam and attended Kirkham Grammar School, where he developed a talent for economics and excelled in sports, particularly rugby. Ingleby left education at the age of 18, having completed his A-levels.
Ingleby’s entrepreneurial journey began when he took his first job selling advertising space for a local magazine-printing firm. By the age of 19, he was promoted to head of sales. Soon after, the company was bought out by a public limited company, sparking Ingleby’s interest in the workings of PLCs. However, he lost his job in 1983, which prompted him to found the Ingleby Group, a Blackpool-based business specialising in selling advertising space in hotel foyers. Within a year, the company was valued at £1 million. Ingleby also acquired Rose Publicity in 1986, selling it two years later for £13 million, with a non-compete agreement in place for Britain and Europe.
Ingleby moved to the United States to expand his business ventures. He founded Ingleby Communications, a group of companies staging corporate events, which was valued at $4 million. In 1992, Ingleby purchased Caribiner and rebranded the business under its name. Caribiner expanded its offerings, including web development, equipment rental, and sales training. In 1996, the company was floated on the New York Stock Exchange, and by 1998, Caribiner reported a turnover of $750 million, becoming the world’s largest audio-visual equipment rental company. However, the company’s fortunes declined, and Ingleby resigned as chairman in May 1999, after seven years at the helm.
Following his resignation, Ingleby returned to the UK and became Executive Chairman of Axiomlab, an IT investment group. Ingleby also had a longstanding interest in football, particularly in Burnley. Despite being a Chelsea supporter in his youth, he made an unsuccessful bid to purchase Burnley F.C. in January 1998. A year later, he bought over £1 million worth of shares in the club and joined the board of directors in February 1999. Soon after, Barry Kilby was elected chairman, and Ingleby became vice-chairman, a position he held until 27 August 2010. It was later revealed that Ingleby had been declared bankrupt four days earlier.
However, Ingleby made a remarkable comeback in May 2012, becoming the Chief Executive Officer of Guest Services Worldwide Ltd. The company, which serves over 1,000 international luxury hotels and the leisure industry, provides services to prestigious brands such as Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Hyatt, Kempinski, and Shangri-La. Over its 25-year history, Guest Services Worldwide has built a network of over 10,000 sponsors and aims to be a trusted concierge partner, developing tools to help guests access local information for an enhanced stay.
Burnley’s new signing Ian Wright (c) with Vice Chairman Ray Ingleby (l) and Chairman Barry Kilby (r)
