Founder and President of The Ellie Soutter Foundation
In memory of his daughter Ellie, Tony founded The Ellie Soutter foundation. The core focus of the Foundation is to do all it can to bring Mental health awareness and Concussion awareness to athletes, parents, children and adults. Providing support for young people, who have a demonstrable talent for winter sports, who would otherwise be unable to maximise their potential because of a lack of financial resources.
“At the age of 21 I had my own company working across London and Europe for some very prestigious clients. I was married and had a beautiful daughter called Ellie in 2000. Unfortunately, I split with her mother a year later and became a single dad, very uncommon at the time and quite a challenge.
When Ellie was 9 years old, I decided to move with her to the French Alps to get a better work/life balance. It was tough at first for both of us, but it soon became home. Living in the Alps, Ellie took up snowboarding at 12 years old much to my surprise as she was a very accomplished skier. She excelled at snowboarding and was selected by Team GB for the Junior elite squad, becoming the UK’s most progressive snowboarder. At 16 she became Vice Champion of the Junior Freeride World Tour, and at 17 won Bronze at the European Youth Olympics for GB.
Unfortunately, after a series of injuries, and the pressure of being an elite athlete, it all became too much for her and she took her own life on her 18th birthday.”