Robin Deller on Building a £200M Travel Empire from Nothing Artwork

Beyond The Boardroom with Aleksandra

Fearless long-form conversations on power, resilience and the messy truth behind success. Beyond the Boardroom with Aleksandra goes past glossy LinkedIn stories into the real decisions, trauma and relationships that shape high performers. Each week Aleksandra, entrepreneur, media personality and former BBC The Apprentice candidate who famously walked out, sits with founders, athletes and cultural provocateurs to dissect confidence, status, money, attraction and shame so you can build a stronger career, healthier relationships and a better life.

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Beyond The Boardroom with Aleksandra

Robin Deller on Building a £200M Travel Empire from Nothing

November 14, 2025 • Aleksandra King • Season 2 • Episode 11

Robin Deller went from a failed apprenticeship to building a £200 million global travel empire. In this episode, Aleksandra sits down with the founder of Imagine Cruising — part-owned by The Emirates Group — to uncover the real story behind his success.

From borrowing £65K from family to selling companies to Virgin Holidays, Robin shares what it takes to scale a business from scratch, build teams that last decades, and lead with honesty above all else. His unique “traffic-light” method for decision-making and people-first hiring mindset reveal how he's stayed grounded while growing across the UK, Australia, South Africa — and soon, the US.

If you're curious about global entrepreneurship, leadership rooted in values, or how to turn rejection into redirection, this episode is for you.

🔑 Topics:

How Robin Deller built a £200M business
Virgin Holidays & Emirates Group deals
Scaling travel ventures globally
The mindset behind honest leadership
Hiring, mentorship & money philosophy

Aleksandra King

Host

Elliott King

Host