Following prison sentences for financial offenses, two former executives are embarking on new business ventures. Riordan Maynard, once the CEO of mobile phone company Touchbase, and Sushovan Hussain, former CFO of technology firm Autonomy, have both established businesses inspired by their time incarcerated.
Maynard led Touchbase from a small operation to a multinational corporation with offices in Europe, Australia, Asia, and the USA. However, the company faced significant losses after the 2008 financial crisis, leading to a U.S. jail sentence for Maynard, where he spent five and a half years. His experiences in prison, including witnessing violence and struggling with mental health, ultimately sparked an idea for a new business.
Hussain was instrumental in growing Autonomy, a British technology company, before its sale. He was later convicted of fraud in the U.S. and sentenced to five years in jail in 2019. Upon release, Hussain found that securing insurance and bank accounts was challenging, a common hurdle for ex-offenders. This experience inspired him to found a new business focused on assisting former inmates in reintegrating into the workforce.
These initiatives highlight the difficulties faced by individuals re-entering society after serving time, particularly in rebuilding professional lives and accessing essential services. The BBC Sounds program "The Bottom Line - Redemption" explores these journeys, featuring discussions with Maynard and Hussain about their post-prison business endeavors and their motivations.