Island Influencers

Chatting to me this week on Island Influencers is Sarah Ingrassia, Managing Director at Boston Multi-Family Office.

Sarah left school with no intention of going back! She admits she fell into banking and shares her extensive experience in the trust and corporate industry, in a career spanning three decades with blue-chip companies such as Barclays Private Bank and Trust and Ernst and Young. Experiencing "many high highs and low lows" both professionally and personally along the way.

Listen carefully as Sarah drops in so many fantastic golden nuggets of insights throughout our conversation. From life as a working Mum (in a male-dominated environment) including top management tips to providing a wonderful positive viewpoint on battling breast cancer and much more.

Sarah admits she has learnt so much about herself and wants to help others by sharing her story as much as she can.

So do listen to this week's conversation with Sarah Ingrassia in episode 71 of Island Influencers!

Our Island Influencer this week is Ged Power, owner of Isle of Man Golf Holidays and Powerwheels, tourism and private hire service.

Ged is also a specialist in cruise ship tours, farm tours, cycling holidays and other active pursuits. He lives in Port Erin on the Isle of Man. He says himself "life is a bit of a journey at times."

In this week's episode, he takes us on that "journey" with him. He shares some fascinating stories of his dedicated 25 years of service to the Isle of Man Constabulary.

Ged has suffered great personal losses but still remains upbeat and optimistic offering some really inspiring life tips throughout the conversation.

He loves "am-dram" and is a long time member of Rushen Players, having performed in several productions. Ged has even written his own original one-act play, 'Knot Guilty' and other pieces. He has also played golf at county level for the Isle of Man and Bolton Golf Association.

Here's this week's conversation with Ged Power in episode 70 of Island Influencers!

This week's Island Influencer is Dick Welsh the Director of DW Maritime Limited - providing consultancy and registration services for one of the world's leading maritime centres - the Isle of Man.

Dick talks to Sharon/me about his lifelong career in Maritime. From a merchant navy cadetship to a serving engineer officer, he came ashore to study Mechanical Engineering and become a Marine Surveyor, where he worked in Liverpool, Denmark, and China before returning home to the Isle of Man to work for the Island's growing Ship Registry.

After 25 years of developing the register to become one of the World's most advanced and influential registers, he retired in 2019 and established DW Maritime Limited as a consultancy.

It draws on Dick's experience and skills to provide services to the maritime industry on Flag State matters, maritime regulation and registration services; to assist the Isle of Man's maritime cluster and provide support services to the valued clients of the Isle of Man Ship Registry.

Dick is a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Institute of Directors. In the Queen's New Year's Honours in 2020, he was awarded an MBE for services to maritime.

Here's this week's conversation with Dick Welsh in episode 69 of Island Influencers!

Sharon's Island Influencer this week is Haafizah Hoosen-Charles, an experienced parasitology/education researcher and entrepreneur. She is the Co-founder and MD of Lyph Lab, providing evidence-based advice and support focused on health, wellness and nutrition.

Haafizah's story starts in 2001 when she along with her parents and little brother moved from South Africa to the Isle of Man when she was just eight years old. She talks to me/Sharon about growing up on the island at this time, with a small Muslim community.

Haafizah explains how her life course took her off the island and in a completely different direction from events management in fashion design to completing her BSc in Biomedical Sciences in Leicester and studying parasites in Spain!

Haafizah is an incredibly brave and resilient woman who has faced some really challenging times. She encourages us to incorporate science and nature to be our best selves.

This is a conversation not to be missed.

Be inspired today by Haafizah Hoosen-Charles in episode 68 of Island Influencers!

This week's Island Influencer is Jane Corkill, Arts Development Manager at the Isle of Man Arts Council.

Jane is incredibly musical and after obtaining her language degree from Edinburgh University, she talks of her scholarship and time at the University of Idaho singing in choirs and jazz groups.

She has since met her husband, raised a family and settled on the Isle of Man, whilst completing a further degree to then teach music. Although she confesses that she does less solo singing these days, Jane loves singing (for fun) with the Manx Voices choir and her group 'The Shimmers.'

Jane has been working at the Isle of Man Arts Council since July 2018. She heads up the Arts Team, to look after the Isle of Man Arts Council and to work with all their artists and creatives to develop and promote the arts. She also manages the Youth Arts Centre on Kensington Road, Douglas.

Jane has been passionate about the arts all of her life. When this role came along, she just knew it was the job for her! She explains how she loves every day of it, all the different and interesting challenges it brings and feels really privileged and lucky to work with such brilliant people.

She wants to change the perception of the Isle of Man Arts Council. Jane highlights that they don't just deal with the highbrow side of the arts, anything creative goes!

Weekends are family time for Jane and she loves getting out into the Isle of Man countryside to walk or ride her e-bike.

Here's this week's conversation with Jane Corkill in episode 67 of Island Influencers!

We kick off Island Influencers 2022 with Manx born Phil Craine's life story. He takes us on a journey of many twists and turns, personally and through his career.

Phil's path starts studying economics/commerce in Liverpool, then working at IBM, qualifying as an accountant and one day deciding to hitchhike to Israel!

He takes us through his time working at KPMG, taking him to Pakistan in the mid 80s, China, and sharing many memories working at Christian Aid in London and Africa. All of his stories highlight how quickly your life can take on a new direction and provide such liberating experiences.

Phil loves walking and helping visitors discover the Isle of Man's beauty for themselves. While also raising awareness of global issues, poverty, human rights, and climate change, which provide him with great fulfilment. He is a great advocate of taking time to listen, to be with nature and to reflect. Or, perhaps, take a breath to work out what to do next.

Here's this week's conversation with Phil Craine in episode 66 of Island Influencers!

This week I have a slightly different Island Influencers episode for you.

The legend Roy Moore, from Manx Radio TT fame who was my Island Influencer in episode 42, asked me if he could possibly interview my husband, Julian Sutton, who is a bit of a local golf legend himself!

Roy and Julian reminisce over their love of golf (so apologies to any non golf fans!). However, if you are a golfer, you are going to love it! They will amuse you with their stories, sharing personal experiences of key matches and tournaments in golfing or local history and fabulous memories from across the decades.

Julian Sutton started playing golf when he was about ten years old. After 30 years of dentistry as principal of a dental practice, in 2007, Julian decided on a career change into financial services. Finance Director and Head of Compliance at Thornton Chartered Financial Planners.

Julian is an eight-time winner of the Isle of Man Golf Championship with a golfing career highlight of playing in the Seniors British Open at Turnberry in 2006; he likes trying to keep fit by cycling and playing golf, of course!

Here's this week's conversation between Roy Moore and Julian Sutton in this special golf-influenced episode (65) of Island Influencers!

This week my Island Influencer is self-confessed "geek", Chris Kissack, currently the Business Development Manager at Affinity (Isle of Man) Limited.

Chris is a lifelong gamer and esports solution specialist who is driven by a passion for problem-solving, thinking outside the box and a love for the video game industry.

In this episode, Chris takes us on a whistle-stop tour of his life and career and through his fantastic story helps demystify esports. He explains that he has always been looking for ways to "embrace the geek opportunity."

Chris was an esports advisor to the Isle of Man Government and has a wealth of knowledge, experience and a wide network of connections across not only the esports industry but also the corporate, financial and emerging tech sectors.

His mission is to support the local esports ecosystem here on the Island but also raise the Island's profile as a trusted, beneficial and authentic place to do esports business.

Chris believes in building meaningful, long-lasting relationships that create value and opportunities, which drive innovation in new opportunities and ideas.

Here's this week's conversation with Chris Kissack in episode 64 of Island Influencers.

South African born Guinness World Record holder Basil Bielich joins Sharon this week to share his fascinating life story.

Basil admits he "went to school to play sports" and confesses academics were not a focus; football, rugby and cricket were!

Having to join the National Service post-school, his journey took him from the navy to the marines to becoming an officer. Then after knuckling down at University and getting a degree, he became an accountant.

Basil explains how an introduction via his future father in law created career connections on the Isle of Man, leading to a holiday here. Basil felt a 'special connection to the island' (coupled with being a massive Liverpool supporter) and so he made a silent pact to return as soon as he could. Basil and his young family arrived in 1997 and are an Isle of Man asset to keep hold of.

In this episode Basil, and 'a man of many hats' shares his vision for his recently merged business, Atla Group, and explains how he has swapped his rugby boots and cricket bat for golf clubs.

He is incredibly active in the Isle of Man community, serving as President of the Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association and Chair of the Manx Solidarity Fund to highlight just a couple!

Here's this week's conversation with Basil Bielich in episode 63 of Island Influencers.

This week Sharon has a "gin wag" with Island Influencers Paul and Tiffany Kerruish, owners of The Fynoderee Distillery in Ramsey.

The idea of starting up a Manx gin distillery had been with Paul and Tiffany Kerruish for several years. As enthusiastic and knowledgeable gin drinkers, they had become increasingly frustrated that there was no small-batch gin producer on the Island when the botanical landscape and biosphere is so well suited to producing an original and high-quality product.

When they met Gerard, who worked for a successful small-batch distiller in England, their pipe-dream became a reality; a spirits brand with genuine Manx roots and heritage was born! They are committed to using Manx grown or locally foraged botanicals, collaborating with local businesses and the community wherever they can.

In this episode entrepreneurs, Paul and Tiffany share their life and brand stories, highlighting valuable lessons learnt along the way and their vision for the future.

They open up about the, at times, terrifying impact of Covid and lockdowns on their rapidly growing business. They explain how Fynoderee pivoted immediately into producing World Health Organisation-approved hand sanitiser 'Fynitiser' for charities, businesses and organisations, and the Island's essential services.

Here's this week's conversation with Paul and Tiffany Kerruish in episode 62 of Island Influencers.