{{Short description|British businessman}} '''Denys C. Shortt''' OBE is a British businessman.<ref>[http://www.stratford-herald.com/46082-review-into-stratford-combined-authority-snub-looks-likely.html "Review into Stratford combined authority snub looks likely"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101113415/http://www.stratford-herald.com/46082-review-into-stratford-combined-authority-snub-looks-likely.html |date=2016-01-01 }}. ''Stratford-upon-Avon Herald'', 10th Jan 2016</ref>
==Early life==
Shortt attended Eagle House Prep School in Surrey and Warwick School in Warwick. At Warwick School he was selected to play hockey for England at age 15. He played for England at U16, u18 and U21 levels for both indoor and outdoor hockey. ==Career==
Shortt founded DCS Europe plc in 1994 at his home in a stable block in Buckland, Broadway, England.<ref>[http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/westmidlands/news/113502-dcs-praises-linkedin-for-2010-boom.html# Denys Shortt of DCS Europe praises LinkedIn for revenue increase THEBUSINESSDESK.COM<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 2012 DCS employed 250 people with sales of £148 million.<ref name=cows>[http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/business-news/stratford-millionaire-reliant-wifes-cows-10512614 " Stratford millionaire is reliant on his wife's cows"]. ''Birmingham Post'' 28 Nov 2015</ref> The company distributes health and beauty products.<ref>[http://www.bqlive.co.uk/2015/09/01/making-connections/ "Making connections "]. ''Business Quarterly'', 1 Sep 2015</ref> In 2020 DCS Group UK Ltd employed 400 people with sales of £268 million and are now headquartered in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. The company also owns a new toiletries factory in Redditch, Worcestershire, England. In 2022 DCS Group UK Ltd reached annual sales of £320m. In 2024 The Grocer Magazine stated DCS Group had reached annual sales of £350m.
In 2000 he started Enable Software with co-founder Andrew Butt in Buckland in an old stable block. Enable Software started with 3 employees and now employs 25 with annual sales of £1.7 million. In 2020 Enable raised $12m in Silicon Valley with Menlo Ventures. Andrew Butt co-founder moved to the Head Office in San Francisco. In 2021 Enable raised $45 million in a Series B funding. The company now headquartered in San Francisco employs over 600. In 2023 Enable raised a Series D of $120m to become a Unicorn - valued at $1.12bn. Total amount raised $276m. Denys Shortt exited the company in 2023.
==Pro-bono activities==
In Dec 2010 Shortt became Chairman of the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.<ref>[http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/businesslatest/2010/12/16/denys-shortt-named-chair-of-new-coventry-and-warwickshire-lep-65233-27837852/ Birmingham Post: Business news, local news, expert opinion<!-- Bot generated title -->]{{Dead link|date=March 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref><ref>[http://news.warwickshire.gov.uk/blog/2012/03/22/rural-growth-for-warwickshire/ Rural growth for Warwickshire – Warwickshire News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> He retired in May 2012.<ref>[http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/business/business-news-denys-shortt-leaves-3025279 Business News: Denys Shortt leaves strong legacy at Coventry and Warwickshire LEP - Coventry Telegraph<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
He was on the advisory Board of Warwick Business School, and he was a Director of Stratford Town Football Club.
Shortt founded an organization "Business Supporting Stratford" to facilitate charitable donations from Stratford area businesses.<ref>[http://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/let-us-help-business-supporting-stratford-7451/ Business Supporting Stratford "‘Let us Help ‘ – Business Supporting Stratford "]. ''Stratford Observer'', Aug 06, 2015</ref><ref>[http://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/businesses-in-stratford-are-here-to-help-9517/ "Businesses in Stratford are here to help"]. ''Stratford Observer'', Nov 12, 2015 Sophie Heaviside</ref>
==Awards==
Shortt was 2000 Entrepreneur of the Year<ref>[http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EoY_-_Central_award_recipients/$file/EY_EoY_central_award_recipients.pdf Central region awards recipients ''EY'']</ref> and he was presented with a Growing Business Award in 2011.<ref>[http://realbusiness.co.uk/article/8551-growing-business-awards-2011-winners-revealed winner "Growing Business Awards 2011 winners revealed"] ''Real Business''.</ref>
Shortt was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to the Economy in the West Midlands.<ref>[http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/business/business-news-shortts-obe-well-2822566 Business News: Shortt's OBE well deserved, says MP - Coventry Telegraph<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/business/stratfords-denys-shortt-branded-one-2822547 Stratford's Denys Shortt branded one of the UK's great entrepeneurs [sic] after OBE - Coventry Telegraph<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==Personal life==
Shortt is married with a son and daughter.<ref name=cows /> He is a helicopter pilot. He was Chairman of the Ladykillers Hockey Club.
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Shortt, Denys}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:British businesspeople Category:British Eurosceptics