The faces behind Chapeau Melon belong to Charles Felgate & Derek Peddle
Charles
Age: 33
Education: King Edward VI Grammar School, Oxford Brookes University, and ESC La Rochelle
Specialities: Marketing, Advertising and Project Management
Charles has spent his entire life in a bilingual environment. His love for France started at a very early age, holidaying every summer in Brittany. Charles grew up in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Shakespeare country, and even attended the Bard’s grammar school. He then went on to study European Business at university (Oxford Brookes University) and International Marketing in France (Sup de Co La Rochelle). After university, one year in Quebec, and a stint in Belgium, Charles started his professional life working for Decathlon International, where he occupied various posts in retail/marketing/communication, before moving onto Rip Curl as Project Manager to pilot their European retail expansion. Charles met Derek during a Decathlon product range selection meeting in 1999. They have remained friends since and decided to extend their friendship into partnership early 2006. Chapeau Melon was born.
After having spent a couple of years living on a nature reserve near Biarritz, southwest France, Charles moved back to Lille with his French wife and baby William soon after creating Chapeau Melon with Derek. Lucie May, child number two, arrived just in time for New Year's 08. He is passionate about foreign cultures and travelling, sport (rugby, football, golf), photography, Bordeaux (the wine not the town) and typically British comedy shows (Blackadder, The Office, Little Britain…). He doesn’t like wasting time or missing putts. He would love to be on the panel of Dragon's Den (investing not pitching!).
Derek
Age: 37
Education: Royal Grammar School High Wycombe, London University (Masters French / Music)
Specialities: Oral and Written Communication skills, Training, Sales, Public Speaking
For the first 19 years of his life, Derek lived in the Chiltern’s lavish green hills between London and Oxford. His love for travelling took him away to many a faraway place where his eyes were opened to more than just a few foreign cultures (Japan, Australia, Reunion Island, Denmark, France…). Working as an English teacher, business developer, musician…Derek spent most of his young adult life abroad, coming back to the UK only to finish his studies. Having completed his Masters in French and Music, Derek decided to pursue a career in business. After a few years working for Decathlon in France and the UK, Derek was offered the role of International Training Project Manager at Decathlon’s headquarters. Responsible for the training of 26000 people, Derek excelled in this role and was already planning his next challenge.
Entrepreneur at heart, Derek decided to go it alone in 2004, forming his own English Services company, and hasn’t looked back since.
Passionate about golf and France, where better for Derek to live than…a French golf course. Derek’s home is next to the Chapeau Melon office, literally a stone’s throw from the 1st tee of his local golf course. Derek loves foreign culture and cuisine, going out, all sports and British comedies. He hates getting stuck in traffic and English weather.
Derek and Charles sharing their love for the game.
San Siro Stadium, Milan
ClaireAge : 28
Formation : IUP MSG Lille, Master Stratégie et Management de la Communication à l'ESC Lille.
Spécialités : communication événementielle, gestion de projet, gestion.
«Eux Shakespeare, moi Rimbaud… chacun son maître… et oui, née à Charleville-Mézières,la ville de Rimbaud (beaucoup moins exotique que mes collaborateurs sur le papier, quoique…), je vis sur Lille depuis plus de 10 ans.
D’une nature généreuse : donner, partager, échanger sont les mettre-mots de ma vie… quoi de plus naturel d’effectuer des études en communication ?
J’ai exercé dans divers milieux professionnels comme la grande distribution, les médias, l’industrie et le monde des NTIC…Mais c’est une belle rencontre personnelle qui me rapproche aujourd’hui de Chapeau Melon et de ses deux fondateurs.
Et j’oublierais l’essentielle si je ne vous disais pas que je suis une jeune maman comblée et émerveillée de la vie.
Ce que j’aime : le sport et en particulier le tennis, la cuisine française et même la cuisine tout court… j’aime manger… les gens, les séries TV policières américaines et par-dessus tout ma fille et son papa. Ce que je n’aime pas : les anchois, la bière… et sans doute plein d’autres choses. »
Hang on a sec Claire, you just said you didn't like beer! We might have to have a word...
