Andrew Marshall – Founder & CEO
Over 25 years in business
Andrew Marshall is a Scottish entrepreneur and the founder of Carlowrie Group, a diverse collective of nine brands spanning the hospitality, property, finance, and charity sectors, in addition to an environmental initiative and a community awards celebration.
Over the past 25 years, Andrew has built his portfolio of award-winning businesses and charities, and now employs over 350 people who share a commitment to making a positive impact in their communities. In 2025, his achievements were recognised at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, where he was named Scottish Sustainability Entrepreneur of the Year for Carlowrie Group’s work towards social, environmental and economic sustainability.
Andrew’s first business was a lifestyle concierge company in London, and was launched in 1999. Seeing a gap in the market, this later evolved to include property services and even delivered the first EasyHotel for the EasyGroup founder, Stelios Haji-Ioannou. In 2005 he shifted his focus to property development, transforming traditional London homes into luxury double-basement residences in an innovative approach that set a trend in the sector.
The beginning of Andrew’s charitable journey
While surrounded by some of the wealthiest people in the UK, he couldn’t ignore that thousands of people lived without a roof over their head every night just. Andrew founded his first charity, RESTART Lives, in 2009 to help people experiencing homelessness in London.
A portion of the profits from his business went directly to the charity – and this was the beginning of Carlowrie Group’s charitable journey. Now, 15 years later, RESTART Lives continues to host its weekly drop in for hot meals and connection, provides mental health support, and runs five different support programmes.
Bringing lessons in business back to Scotland
In 2014, after extensive refurbishment, Andrew founded Carlowrie Castle, a luxury events venue near Edinburgh. Recognised as one of the top three venues in Europe by The International Hotel Awards and one of the Eight Best Wedding Venues Around The World by Grazia magazine, Carlowrie Castle is known for its unique blend of heritage and contemporary design.
Venturing into the world of finance, Andrew and his business partner Liam Hurley opened Innovative Partners in 2019. They could see the need for tailored support for small businesses to access funding to grow their businesses. After many years navigating the system themselves, they were ready to share their knowledge with others through this consultancy business. Innovative Partners now supports hundreds of UK businesses looking to grow.
Inspired by the vibrant street food culture in Oslo where he lives, Andrew co-founded Edinburgh Street Food in 2023, creating a permanent home for ten independent food vendors in a busy hospitality scene. Edinburgh Street Food welcomed over 560,000 visitors in its first year and quickly became a local favourite, championing small businesses and diverse cuisine in a vibrant, inclusive setting.
In Andrew’s latest venture, he co-owns the rugged and remote Ronay Island in the Outer Hebrides, where he is embarking on an environmental initiative to improve the biodiversity in this unique slice of Scotland. With 35.5km of rugged coastline, the island has a large amount of wild seaweed growing in the bays, is home to two pairs of white-tailed eagles and has a long history of a strong community.
Alongside these ventures, Andrew leads property development business Marshall Hurley, homelessness charity The Breakfast Bothy, and is closely involved with the annual Isobel Award celebration to highlight local heroes. A portion of all Carlowrie Group profits supports charitable initiatives, underscoring Andrew’s belief that business can (and should) be a force for good.
Establishing The Carlowrie Way
Each of Andrew’s brands operate under The Carlowrie Way, a unique way of doing business that integrates businesses and charities to create an ecosystem that benefits business, communities, and the environment.
In 2023, Andrew was listed in The List’s Top 100 for his contributions to Scottish life and business. The following year, he was named a finalist in the inaugural Barclays Serial Entrepreneur of the Year Award, recognising his innovation, resilience, and leadership across multiple ventures.
Andrew’s success is grounded in his ability to be innovative with his business ideas, build lasting relationships, and empower others to lead. His visionary approach and values-led business model continue to inspire teams, create customers, and drive positive change.
Find out how you can implement The Carlowrie Way into your business here.