Ian Baggett
Ian Robert Baggett FRGS (born 1972) is a British bus and property entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Adderstone Group, a property investment, development, construction and management business based in Newcastle upon Tyne and London, United Kingdom. In 2007, Baggett was recognised as North East Entrepreneur of the Year for his work with Adderstone Group. Baggett has previously served as a commissioned officer in the Royal Navy in Hong Kong and also competed on the professional tennis circuit. Upon completing his stint in the Royal Navy, Baggett expanded his real estate investments. His first property deal  was based on a dissertation he wrote at Durham University on the geography of student accommodation in and around Durham city. Baggett founded the Adderstone Group in 2000 and currently serves as the company's CEO. As of 2018, Adderstone Group controls more than 70 companies. Early life and education. Baggett was born in Chopwell Woods, an area between depressed mining villages in Tyne and Wear. He was educated at Hookergate Comprehensive and was the first person in his extended family to attend university. Baggett was educated through the miners’ strikes and subsequent recession, which had a devastating economic impact  on the North East. In the early 1990s, Baggett pursued a degree in Geography at the University of Durham. For his undergraduate dissertation, Baggett focused on student accommodation in County Durham. Baggett turned his dissertation into a business plan, using it to acquire a loan of £12,000 in order to build his first property. By the time he finished his studies, he had renovated and owned five properties. Baggett is a graduate of the University of Durham, having studied Geography as an undergraduate member of The College of St Hild and St Bede from 1991 to 1994. In his  final year as an undergraduate, Baggett was selected to play tennis for the British Universities’ team and earned a Full Palatinate in 1994. In 1999 he earned a doctorate in Political Geography from the same university, under the supervision of Professor Ewan Anderson and Professor Gerald Blake. As part of his PhD Ian became a published author through his “Malta: Macro Political Threats” Geo Journal. Philanthropy. In 2007, Baggett founded Adderstone Foundation to support a range of community and sport-based initiatives in the North East. As of 2018, the Adderstone Foundation has donated nearly half a million British pounds  to initiatives such as NEVITC and Northumberland Tennis. Criticisms. The real estate industry has faced questions regarding the sustainability of student properties such as those built by Adderstone Group and other developers. Baggett's company also faced opposition for its brownfield housing proposals on the site of the original Greggs Bakery in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. Personal life. Baggett resides in Newcastle with his wife and three children. Baggett is a keen sportsman and avid tennis player and has previously competed in professional tennis tournaments. He was Durham and Cleveland Junior County Champion and Northumberland Senior County Champion. Today he  plays in senior international tournaments and has represented Great Britain's national team. Ian credits his experiences on the tennis court with helping him achieve success in the business world. He is a veteran of the UK Iron Man, competing in 2009.