Board & Non-Executive.

Chaired the governing body of an award winning Further Education College through a period of sustained growth and organisational complexity, including the Covid pandemic.

• During my time as first a governor and then Chair we grew turnover from £17 million to over £30 million and won multiple national awards.
• I was the daily interface between Board and executive team, ensuring accountability, strategic clarity and balanced decision-making.
• Led recruitment of CEO/Principal, Clerk/Governance Advisor and multiple senior appointments.
• Active mentorship to senior leadership — robust challenge combined with practical support.
• Focused on inclusion at board meetings, whilst encouraging the Senior Management Team to share their decision making process rather than just skilfully presenting the final proposal.
• Previously served as Chair of Audit.

Innovative UK and US energy technology business in a capital raising growth phase.

• Advising on governance, corporate structuring and risk.
• Supporting strategic planning and fundraising within a technically complex environment.
• Overseeing the legal framework surrounding fundraising and stakeholder arrangements as well as grant implementation.
• Negotiating commercial IP agreements and arrangements for a major Solar and Battery as well as lab facilities in the UK and the US.

Board advisor to a fast-moving founder-led business.

• Support the founders with structuring advice, including formation and long-term incentivisation.
• Developed underlying commercial agreements used by the business with its clients.
• Provided practical legal and tax advice when management wished to reorganise roles within the business.

Sat on the Investment Committee of the Private Credit team (approx £1 billion under management) with responsibility for credit decisions.

• Developed lending products and team with a £100 million book.
• Oversight of wider portfolio of £350 million.
• Worked extensively with innovative, founder-led businesses including Marshmallow and Bike Club — particularly those transitioning from equity-only funding to structured debt.
• Integrated ESG considerations within lending structures and monitoring as part of commercial risk assessment.
• Transaction range: £2m to £25m.

Practising Solicitor Advocate specialising in commercial, corporate and tax matters.

• Advise on commercial structuring, disputes and tax matters.
• Used to negotiating with HMRC and other regulatory bodies for clients including disciplinary matters.
• Provide long-term structuring and succession advice for entrepreneurs and families, balancing human and tax considerations.
• Regularly use alternative dispute resolution to help clients achieve pragmatic outcomes to contentious issues.

Advisory work focused on structured finance, specialist fundraising and lending platforms.

• Designed and structured lending propositions across multiple sectors.
• Consulted to businesses developing new funding models, including launch of a crowdfunding platform.
• Fundraising assignments, based on 20 year track record of raising capital — up to £70 million per transaction.
• Interim non-executive roles within established trading businesses.

Built a trade finance lending business from concept through to funding approximately £80m of trade per annum.

• Responsible for concept, risk framework and operating procedures.
• Raised all equity and debt within the business.
• Diverse transaction base included funding cattle, bomb disposal robots, chocolate fountains and diesel generators.
• Built and managed the business through to exit via sale of shares.