Steve Castledine

After an 18-year stint in the Royal Navy, Steve swapped the high seas for a Building Society Manager role. But the calm didn't last long. Just five years in, a new opportunity beckoned, and Steve joined a Management Consultancy firm, sparking his entrepreneurial spirit.
Realising the 9-to-5 wasn't his calling, Steve founded McKenzie-Thorpe in 1987. This was just the start. His entrepreneurial drive led him to create a diverse range of companies in publishing, oil, and manufacturing.
His latest venture, Ruskin Design Limited, has carved a niche in the automotive world, specialising in bespoke, hand-crafted interiors for the Classic Land Rover Defender.
With Ruskin Design now in capable hands, Steve focuses on McKenzie-Thorpe, blending strategic vision with practical results. His expertise spans Strategic Planning, Sales and Marketing, Leadership, Digital Transformation, and Operational Excellence, helping businesses from startups to established SMEs achieve sustainable growth and innovation.
With a career spanning over six decades, Steve offers a wealth of experience and mentors emerging business owners and entrepreneurs. Networking has been key to his success, leading to the creation of the Business Circle—a forum for like-minded entrepreneurs to share knowledge and insights.

Steve served as a crew member of HMS Hecate, the first Royal Navy ship to pass through the Suez Canal after 15 years of closure by Egypt.