BOTH sons of St Albans optician Robert Roope, have been named among the most successful entrepreneurs of today’s digital business sector.
The British Interactive Media Association (BIMA) in association with The Drum, a media and marketing news and events website, published its Digital Hall of Fame book earlier this month and both Tom and Nicolas Roope are included.
The panel which assessed the entrepreneurs featured representatives of firms including Google, BSkyB, Fortune Cookie and Propel.
Tom, 43, is the creative director and founding partner of Rumpus Room, which specialises in hybrid communication and works with agencies, broadcasters, charities and clients to design and develop technology to create social entertainment. The company has worked on music videos for Lily Allen and the Pet Shop Boys and on adverts for Coca Cola and Cadbury.
Nicolas, 40, runs Poke London, a digital agency which employs 60 people in its London office and a further 25 in New York. He also helped set up The Lovie Awards, Internet Week Europe and created Plumen, the energy saving light bulb.
Both Roopes attended Verulam School in the 1980s after the family moved to the city in 1973. Tom went on to study New Media at Westminster University and Nic studied Art & Design at Liverpool University.
Dad Robert, who owns Robert Roope Opticians in George Street, said he was obviously proud of his sons’ achievements.
“They’ve both done enormously well and I’d like to think they can encourage other students in St Albans to go on and do the same,” he said.
