The Team
CEO Sleepout is a lean charity with only one paid full time employee. Yet we manage to motivate, inspire, and raise money to fight homelessness from thousands of business leaders across the UK.
Meet CEO Sleepout’s Chairman & Founder
Andy Preston is Chair and founder of CEO Sleepout charity. Born and raised in Middlesbrough, Andy gained an MA from the University of Edinburgh before working in London as financial markets trader.
He successfully built and ran a number of trading businesses for international financial organisations, later creating and managing a large hedge fund group for a European bank.
After moving back to the North East, he supported a number of local businesses, providing them with ideas and capital.
Andy’s extensive experience of charities includes being a patron of international children’s charity ARK (2003-08) and regional chair of Fairbridge Teesside (2006-10). With Tanya Garland, he founded Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation in 2011 and has been instrumental in bringing together around 40 local businesses and individuals as patrons and supporters, raising more than £2.6 million in the charity’s first five years.
In 2014 Andy launched CEO Sleepout. With Andy as its driving force, growing it voluntarily and in his spare time until 2017, CEO Sleepout has become a national phenomenon, raising £3.6 million to fight homelessness and poverty. He also recently chaired Tees Valley Education, a local multi-academy trust.
In late 2016 Andy led CEO Sleepout to launch not-for-profit restaurant, The Fork In The Road. The venture has been a huge success, winning acclaim for its food and its partnerships with local prisons and colleges, helping to get people into employment and training. CEO Sleepout sold this social enterprise to charity Recovery Connections in 2019.
As the elected Mayor of Middlesbrough, Andy has re-energised the town, helping transform the business centre, attracting national and international businesses. He continues to fight poverty and homelessness and is laying building blocks that will enable the people of Middlesbrough to thrive.
Andy Preston
Elected Mayor of Middlesbrough, Investor & Charity Founder
Bianca Robinson
Meet the CEO of CEO Sleepout
As the CEO of The CEO Sleepout, Bianca is the only full-time paid employee. She strategically guides the charity and operationally delivers on the annual fundraising and grant-making plan in agreement with the Trustees.
She is also responsible for raising awareness of the charity, maintaining the integrity of the brand, bringing new products, events and venues on board and recruiting for participants in each event location. In addition Bianca manages a team of volunteers, ambassadors, and partners across the UK.
As a campaigner for social justice, especially when it comes to the power business leaders hold to be a force for change, Bianca aims to move business leaders to bake social value into their policies, procedures and actions in ways that strengthen communities and society.
Bianca is a mum to twin daughters, now in their 20s. She has been a Managing Director at a creative agency, a lecturer for MBA students at York St. John and Teesside Universities, and a freelance digital and brand specialist. Bianca is a New Zealander who has made her home in Saltburn By The Sea, in the North East of England.
Meet CEO Sleepout’s Trustees
Abu Ali
Managing Director, WIlliams Ail Corporate Finance
Niklas Tunley
Head of Corporate and Commercial, Endeavour Partnership