Rob Hersov - serial entrepreneur

Rob Hersov liked one of his latest investments so much he married the brains behind it.

Hersov, a prolific entrepreneur, saw Medikidz go live at the tail end of the summer. He backed the business and married its co-founder, Dr Kate Hersov.

A website offering both children and their parents advice on spotting health symptoms and how to live a healthy lifestyle, Medikidz has taken the health education world by storm.

“A lot of businesses you hear about seeking investment are merely improvements on other business,” says Hersov. "But there’s nothing like Medikidz out there. It’s a brand for children’s health using five superheroes in a virtual world offering great advice to kids and their parents.”

Health charities, schools and health services are already signing up to the online service at www.medikidz.com.

“Not only is there advice and health tips, there’s an online community kids can get involved with, as well as comics showing the superheroes in medical action.”

Aimed at young people aged between 9 and 15, Medikidz raised £1m for its launch and is already generating revenues.

But it's not just Medikidz keeping Hersov busy of late. He also launched The Nod, a website dedicated to tracking what celebrities get up to, showing fans where they can buy and use products that their famous heroes have given “The Nod”.

There are 750 celebs covered right now on www.thenod.com, with 5,000 products that fans can discover, buy and book to get just a little closer to their idols. So you can buy the same handbag as Beyonce, book dinner at George Clooney’s favourite restaurant, or drink the same brand of coffee as Julia Roberts.

Hersov also helped raised £1m for The Nod’s launch and receives a percentage of products bought through its pages from the retailer.

“The Nod is simple,” says Hersov. “It taps into celeb interest and fans can view their favourite celebs' lifestyle choices and then click through to buy the same product they have seen their heroes using."

Hervov, 49, may be a London-based private investor now, but his previous career has involved many projects in many different sectors. He was born in Johannesburg and is a member of the Hersov family of South Africa, founders of AngloVaal, one of the largest Southern African mining and industrial companies.

After completing his schooling and a spell as an infantry officer in the South African Defence force in 1984, Rob went to New York to work as an investment banker with Goldman Sachs. He then became Business Development Manager for News Corp, reporting directly to Rupert Murdoch, and in the early 1990s  was head of Morgan Stanley’s media investment team. He was then appointed a main board director of French luxury goods group Richemont.

His career has also taken in spells with companies such as leisure group ENIC. The entrepreneur in Hersov really came out when he founded Sportal, Europe’s leading independent interactive sports media company. After that he founded Marquis Jet Europe, which he sold to NetJets where he remains as Vice Chairman.

Hersov, though, isn’t resting on his laurels. He always looking for new investments and has something rather spectacular up his sleeve for the near future.

Hersov is keen on bringing major attractions to emerging markets, where the population is increasingly earning more cash but finding there’s little to actually spend it on in terms of family entertainment.

He’s just backed the attractions group Merlin Entertainments, whose latest project is the enormous 8,500 sq m Turkuazoo aquarium in Instanbul. The aquarium houses 25,000 sea creatures and opened its doors in September.

“We’re looking at more attractions all over the world,” says Hersov. “We’re focusing on places such as Korea, Latin America and Africa, where there’s no breadth of choice when it comes to family entertainment, but there is money to spend on such attractions.”

It seems there’s no stopping Rob Hersov - it won't be long to he moves onto yet another investment project with the same enthusiasm he delivers to each and every one.

Rob Hersov will be speaking at the Entrepreneur Country Forum, In A World With No Money..., on 16 June 2010 at Savoy Place in London.  Register now to secure your place.

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