University of Wolverhampton recognises local entrepreneur for 'generous charitable support'

Walter Gleeson, who has a background in retail and IT has been awarded a Doctor of Business Administration, a type of honorary award which is presented by the University of Wolverhampton to people who have made a significant contribution to their field of expertise.

The 'serial entrepreneur' and investor co-founded musicMagpie, an online website & app selling CDs, DVDs, PC games and tech products, with Steve Oliver in 2008.

It's now one of the largest international distributors of pre-owned mobile phones, laptops & tablets across the Amazon and eBay platforms and Walter wrote the algorithm and code that musicMagpie uses to ascertain the value of items being sold.

The business-minded bloke - who has lived in Shropshire for over 30 years - is a 'generous philanthropist' who has supported multiple charitable projects including a more than £220k sponsorship for a new Praga R1 racing car and branded infrastructure for the University of Wolverhampton Race Team (UWR) in the School of Engineering.

Not stopping there, Walter, 58, set up Highclear Investments in mid-2021 as a private commercial vehicle to invest in business opportunities within the Midlands & Shropshire regions and across the UK as well as to support various philanthropic causes and is also a director and shareholder in AFC Telford United football club.

Now, his driving ambition is to encourage more young people to study STEM subjects and enter engineering careers such as motorsport, especially women and those from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Walter, a father-of-five, said: “As we face ever-more challenging global issues and goals needing humankind to fix in the coming decades, it has become an enduring passion of mine throughout my career in technology to help attract far more young people to study STEM subjects and pursue an engineering career path, especially women and those from an ethnically diverse background.

"If we are to find answers to the huge challenges our world faces then as many young people as possible should be encouraged to engineer solutions, theirs and all our futures depends on all their engineering successes yet to come.

“So to be recognised for this passion by the University of Wolverhampton who have bestowed upon me this incredible honour leaves me feeling extremely grateful and very humbled indeed.

"I want to thank them, and also everybody who has helped and supported me over the years to realise this ambition. And last but not least, thank you to my amazing family who have made my efforts & hard work all worthwhile.”

A spokesperson for the University of Wolverhampton, said: "To find out more about graduate success, check out the Every Story Has a Start web page which showcases our exceptional alumni across the globe doing incredible things. High achievers from the worlds of literature, business, sport, film and the arts feature, sharing how their lives and careers have developed since their days studying with us.

"After graduation, graduates become members of the Alumni Association and are encouraged to keep in touch, to take advantage of a wide range of benefits and support on offer, including a discount for postgraduate study."