Ernesto is an experienced business consultant, people development specialist and serial entrepreneur. He has accumulated more than 22 years of experience whilst working for leading consulting companies such as Atos Consulting, edoMidas and PwC  whilst consulting for a wide range of well-known businesses and organisations both in the UK and abroad. Now, under the banner of Expanding Leadership, his own training and consulting company, Ernesto focus is on delivering management and leadership training and working with entrepreneurs and small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) to help them develop, grow and scale.

Ernesto moved from Venezuela to the UK in 2003. He was 23 and only had £300 in his pocket, but within two years, he had already started his journey as an entrepreneur by opening his first Subway restaurant with his business partners. Within a few years, the business had expanded to 15 franchised restaurants across the South West of England. The following years, Ernesto and his business partners went on to set up another two franchised businesses, CeX and Miniso and also to co-create Arepa & Co, their own Restaurant Brand in London. Today, they give employment to more than 450 people across 32 stores and four brands.

Ernesto is one of the lead brains creating and developing Arepa & Co, a Venezuelan inspired restaurant chain in London with now four locations. In addition to his active role in his ventures, Ernesto enjoys helping other entrepreneurs and business owners to launch and grow their own businesses and he is regularly seen delivering Leadership Development and Management Training programmes in the corporate space in partnership with edoMidas, a well established management consultancy.

Ernesto lives in London and when he isn’t working he is travelling, He hopes to have visited 100 countries by the time he turns 70.  His marker is currently at 55.