Ernesto is an experienced business consultant, people development specialist and serial entrepreneur. He has accumulated more than 20 years of experience whilst working for leading consulting companies such as Atos Consulting 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. During the following years, Ernesto and his business partners went on to set up other businesses (CeX, Benito’s and Arepa & Co) which today give employment to more than 350 people across 28 stores and restaurants around the UK.

Ernesto is one of the brains creating and developing the Arepa & Co brand, a Venezuelan inspired restaurant chain in London and he is also the creator of The Terracotta Herbs Company and EveryCake.co.uk, two growing e-commerce brands launched during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. In addition to his active role in his ventures, Ernesto enjoyed 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.