MEDIA
STEVE REGULARLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE MEDIA, IN INTERVIEWS AND OPINION PIECES.
BELOW ARE SOME RECENT HIGHLIGHTS.
Requests for interviews should be directed to SR@steverigby.com.
Insider Media: How SMEs can win with AI
October 2025: Talking at Birmingham Tech Week, Steve emphasised the opportunities AI presents smaller businesses. He described how SMEs have the agility to pivot fast, allowing them to out-pace larger businesses with AI adoption.
The Times: Humans advance every time we have a big bubble
October 2025: Steve writes in The Times that the current AI boom shouldn’t be feared as a speculative bubble but embraced as a driver of progress, just as past frenzies around railways and the Internet laid the groundwork for lasting innovation. While many ventures will fail, he argues, their legacy will mark the beginning of the next technological era, not its collapse.
BBC R4 Today Programme: Steve comments on upcoming budget
September 2025: Steve talks to the Today programme about the upcoming Budget, following his meeting with the Prime Minister, Chancellor and other ministers. He welcomed the Government acknowledging the crucial role of business in driving the economy and reassurances that business taxes won’t be targeted in the Budget, while warning that any new tax pressures could hinder growth.
The Sunday Times: How to solve the school absence crisis
September 2025: Steve writes in The Sunday Times about the deeper issues driving school absenteeism across the UK. Drawing on a CSJ report commissioned by The Rigby Foundation, he highlights practical recommendations to reduce distractions for pupils and reinforce the valuable benefits of regular attendance.
The Times: Budget must start to take the burden off business
September 2025: Steve authors a piece for The Times arguing that the forthcoming Budget must begin to ease the pressure on businesses. He highlights that many business leaders believe the increasing burdens on their firms serve as a smokescreen to avoid tougher decisions on spending, personal tax, and pensions.
The Times: Boardrooms are grappling with AI but we must embrace it
July 2025: Steve writes in The Times, discussing how UK businesses can adapt and harness AI for growth.
New research: Startup accelerator overhaul needed to supercharge Britain’s firms
July 2025: New research from The Entrepreneurs Network (TEN), commissioned by Steve Rigby – Full Speed Ahead – urges the UK Government to establish clear programme standards and classifications for startup support schemes, such as accelerators and incubators.
City AM: I’m one of Britain’s highest taxpayers – a wealth tax would be the last straw
July 2025: Steve writes in City AM, discussing the UK Government’s tax policy and the potentially damaging implications of bringing in a wealth tax.
Sky News: Steve Rigby comments on UK’s Industrial Strategy
June 2025: Steve shares his response to the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy and what it will mean for economic growth.
Over 100 Unemployed Young People in the West Midlands Upskilled Through Rigby Foundation Partnership
June 2025: More than 100 young unemployed people from the West Midlands have completed a Skills Bootcamp programme to help them into work, including tech careers, thanks to a pioneering partnership between The Rigby Foundation and skills charity Generation UK.
BBC R4 Today Programme: Steve comments on Government Spending Review
June 2025: Steve speaks to the Today Programme, to provide a business perspective on the UK government's Spending Review.
Steve Rigby joins judging panel to award £1m investment to UK’s most-promising startup
June 2025: Steve Rigby joined an expert judging panel at London Tech Week to name Unhubs as the winner of this year’s OnetoWin Rising Stars final.
ITV Granada News: Steve Rigby comments on impact of tax changes of family firms
June 2025: Steve speaks to ITV journalists from the FBUK Annual Conference, discussing the devastating real-world impact of tax changes on family-run businesses.
The Times: Entrepreneurs are founders that can succeed against the odds
May 2025: In the Sunday Times, Steve explores what makes an entrepreneur, not just starting a business, but growing it and achieving lasting success. He offers insights into how the UK can better foster and support entrepreneurial talent.
Sunday Times: Rigby Family recognised in Sunday Times Giving List 2025
May 2025: The Rigby Family has been recognised as one of the top 100 largest givers in the UK in the Sunday Times Giving 100 list. Putting back into the communities and regions where they operate has always been key to the family’s values.
BBC Midlands: Steve comments on the UK-US Trade Deal
May 2025: Steve responds to the newly announced UK–US trade deal, which will cut tariffs on the automotive sector, a move he has strongly advocated for. His reaction follows the publication of a detailed report he prepared for West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker, warning of the damaging consequences of US automotive tariffs on the region.
The West Midlands is central to the UK’s negotiation on tariffs, Mayor’s report finds
May 2025: Steve releases the findings of the report he prepared - ‘Implications of New US Trade Tariffs for the West Midlands Economy’ - which was commissioned by Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, to explore how the proposed US tariffs will affect the region.
The Times: Why business should step up to fill gaps in our education system
April 2025: Steve writes in The Times about his recent visit to a Birmingham school, highlighting the vital role businesses must play in helping young people develop the skills they need to succeed in the workforce, creating value and driving economic growth.
Channel Chat: Marc Sumner and Steve Rigby, From 10 Downing Street to 35 New Broad Street
April 2025: Steve joins Marc Sumner on the IT Channel’s podcast Channel Chat to discuss running a successful family business, the pivotal moments that shaped his career, the evolving world of tech, and what drives him.
CIty A.M.: The Square Mile and me
April 2025: Steve is interviewed for a profile piece in City A.M., which examines his career and the current business landscape.