Andy White trained as a Naval Architect, he is a Chartered Engineer, Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

He started his career in the high speed craft sector. He was involved in all aspects of design, production, trials and operation. He was responsible for making sales to Companies and Governments throughout the world, including USA, Europe, Far East, Scandinavia and Middle East. He sat on the committee of the Civil Aviation Authority responsible for the Safety regulations affecting Hovercraft.

He left permanent employment in 1992 and set up his own Company to provide his services as Chief Designer and Project Manager on a project to build a new hovercraft. He had attracted the funding for this project from a Swiss/German consortium and persuaded them to carry the work out in the UK. The craft was completed and variants have entered service with the Swedish Navy and in operation for survey in Belgium. The design has been awarded Millennium status by Tony Blair. Since this contract he has provided consultancy to companies in the USA and to the Japanese Government.

On his sales trips he saw an opportunity to provide British shipbuilding design expertise into Shipyards in the USA. The commercial freedom and revenue from contracting activities has allowed the funding and rapid growth of this activity and also the start up of a recruitment agency in the UK. Turnover in 1999 was in excess of £20 million.

When a UK tax measure entitled IR 35 came out and was copied to him on 12th March 1999, he could see that it represented a real threat to the Enterprise culture that had allowed him to grow his business. He started a web site (now called shout99.com) on 13th March 1999 to report and promote debate and subsequently recruited key personnel to start the Professional Contractors Group. Over 2000 contractors pledged £100,000 and on 14th May 1999 the Group was formed. By May 2000, when Andy had stepped down as Chairman, the group had over 10,000 members and was the fastest growing trade association in the UK. The campaign against IR 35 has been run via an internet site with discussion forums accessible to members. It has allowed rapid dissemination of information, a completely flat management structure and the ability for all members to participate in debate and decisions at a fraction of the cost and time that would have been required for a conventional Campaign. Its patron is Lord Weatherill.

In 2000, Andy White was awarded a Special Mention at the New Stateman's 'New Media Awards 2000' ceremony.

Andy White retains a personal interest in fast marine craft, but is now focused on Internet related businesses.

: andy@hovercraft.co.uk