Experience

Vuealta Consulting

• United Kingdom
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chairman

  • Aug 2022 - Present

  UK; USA; APAC Vuealta is a Global Anaplan Partner dedicated to delivering powerful scenario planning and forecasting solutions for Supply Chain, Finance and Operations. It is backed by YFM, and I joined as Chairman as part of their latest funding round. Vuealta's team of certified Anaplan experts work across all industry verticals applying industry knowledge combined with Anaplan modelling skills to deliver planning applications to organizations around the world, helping them to successfully orchestrate… Show more Vuealta is a Global Anaplan Partner dedicated to delivering powerful scenario planning and forecasting solutions for Supply Chain, Finance and Operations. It is backed by YFM, and I joined as Chairman as part of their latest funding round. Vuealta's team of certified Anaplan experts work across all industry verticals applying industry knowledge combined with Anaplan modelling skills to deliver planning applications to organizations around the world, helping them to successfully orchestrate business performance. For more common business planning processes in Supply Chain, Vuealta offers a series of pre-built SAAS applications, powered by the Anaplan platform. Vuealta has offices across the US, Europe and APAC and supports Anaplan customers on a both a local and global scale. www.vuealta.com Show less



Firebolt Group

• United States
• Technology, Information and Media
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Non Executive Director

  • Oct 2021 - Present

  Headquartered in Detroit with operations in UK and China. Firebolt is a global manufacturing and activation partner for brands seeking impactful extension solutions at scale. www.firebolt-group.com



MTM

• United Kingdom
• Business Consulting and Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chairman

  • 2016 - Present

  London, United Kingdom MTM London is an independent research and strategy consultancy. They are specialists in the media and technology sectors, providing expert advice to clients on how to succeed in fast-moving, digitally-driven markets.



Bowen Craggs

• United Kingdom
• Business Consulting and Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Non Executive Director

  • 2014 - Present

  London, United Kingdom Bowen Craggs are experts in global online corporate communications. They help major global corporations to improve and measure the effectiveness of their websites, mobile and social channels. I invested in the business and continue to advise them.



bloc

• Real Estate
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Non-executive Director

  • 2009 - Present

  London, United Kingdom Bloc Group is the leading UK partnership development company working with land, property and infrastructure owners to maximise the value and outputs from real estate. I sit on the Boards of its major joint ventures with Canal & Rivers Trust and Network Rail.



R.O.EYE

• United Kingdom
• Advertising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chairman

  • 2007 - Jan 2021

  Manchester; London; Berlin. R.O.EYE is a digital marketing agency specialising in affiliate and performance marketing in the UK and Europe. I invested in the business and worked with the founder, Mark Kuhillow and the rest of the Board to grow and develop the business. The business developed the Attribution platform, Singleview, which was successfully sold to Affiliate Window, part of the global Axel Springer Media group.



Flipside Health

• United Kingdom
• Advertising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Non Executive Director

  • Sep 2017 - Jan 2020

  London, United Kingdom Aqueduct are a team of strategic thinkers, designers and engineers. They create beautiful, engaging and effective digital experiences that delight. They believe in collaborating with clients and partners, co-creating and co-locating to get better solutions in less time. I invested in the business and provided support on their growth strategy. The business was successfully sold to Flipside Group, part of Weber Shandwick (IPG) in January 2020



The UX Agency

• United Kingdom
• Design
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Board Advisor

  • 2016 - Jan 2018

  Thame, Oxford and London. The UX Agency are a user experience design agency specialising in global product and service design. I worked with the founders, Ed and Louise to help them grow the Agency.



Freedman International

• United Kingdom
• Advertising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Board Advisor

  • 2014 - 2015

  London; New York; San Francisco Freedman International is a global marketing implementation agency. It get clients’ projects out and performing in multiple media, multiple languages and multiple markets, fast. I joined Kevin Freedman, the founder of the business at a time of significant change and restructuring for the business and worked with him and the senior managment team to grow and develop the business.



Incubeta

• United Kingdom
• Advertising Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Board Advisor

  • 2012 - 2015

  London Net Media Planet is an award-winning digital agency helping ambitious brands to maximise their potential online through multiple channels including Paid Search; Social; Display advertising and Performance marketing. I joined Sri Sharma, the founder of the business, to work with him and his senior managment team to build on its already impressive record of growth and profitability. This led very quickly to me leading the negotiations on the sale of the business to Incubeta, a South African… Show more Net Media Planet is an award-winning digital agency helping ambitious brands to maximise their potential online through multiple channels including Paid Search; Social; Display advertising and Performance marketing. I joined Sri Sharma, the founder of the business, to work with him and his senior managment team to build on its already impressive record of growth and profitability. This led very quickly to me leading the negotiations on the sale of the business to Incubeta, a South African performance marketing group. I then stayed on to advise the management team through the earn out period and left when this was successfully completed. Show less



EY Seren

• United Kingdom
• Design Services
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Chairman

  • 2010 - 2015

  London, United Kingdom I had joined Seren as a Board Advisor, working with the founders, Terry Heath and Ellen Jones, in 2010. The brief was to assist them to introduce more formal systems and controls into the business, whilst also broadening its client base and continuing its strong profitability, with an eye towards an eventual exit for the founders. In 2012 the idea was floated that this process could be accelerated through a merger with another busines that I Chaired, Foviance (qv) . This was successfully… Show more I had joined Seren as a Board Advisor, working with the founders, Terry Heath and Ellen Jones, in 2010. The brief was to assist them to introduce more formal systems and controls into the business, whilst also broadening its client base and continuing its strong profitability, with an eye towards an eventual exit for the founders. In 2012 the idea was floated that this process could be accelerated through a merger with another busines that I Chaired, Foviance (qv) . This was successfully executed, with the combined business taking the Seren brand:-http://www.thedrum.co.uk/news/2012/08/22/ben-langdon-head-seren-following-foviance-merger The combined business was re-focused as a Digital Transformation consultancy and was successfully sold to EY in 2015, in a deal that was the first UK acquistion made by EY. Show less



MyMCart

• Chairman

  • 2011 - 2014

  Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom Acted as Non-executive Chairman for this mobile e-commerce start up. With backing from the NE Technology fund, the business aimed to make mobile commerce available to the smallest SME. Led the business through two rounds of funding and a subsequent sale to Isomob Ltd.



Line Digital Ltd

• Board Advisor

  • 2010 - 2014

  Edinburgh, United Kingdom Line Digital is a creative digital agency based in Edinburgh specialising in web design, web development and online marketing strategy. I joined Ross Laurie, the founder of the business, to work with the Board with a clear remit to improve growth and profitability with a view to an exit. This was successfully achieved when the business was sold to Cello Group in 2014, and now forms part of their Digital marketing division, Blonde.



PRELOADED

• United Kingdom
• Computer Games
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Non-executive Director

  • Jan 2007 - 2014

  London, United Kingdom Preloaded is a BAFTA-winning applied games studio that create games which empower, educate and transform behaviour. I joined the Board in 2007 and invested in the business following an extensive restructure. I worked with Paul Canty and Phil Stuart to refocus the business solely on Gaming, and this strategy paid off with significant growth in revenues and profits. I then led the successful sale of the business to the AIM-quoted Company, Learning Technologies Group. I stepped down from the… Show more Preloaded is a BAFTA-winning applied games studio that create games which empower, educate and transform behaviour. I joined the Board in 2007 and invested in the business following an extensive restructure. I worked with Paul Canty and Phil Stuart to refocus the business solely on Gaming, and this strategy paid off with significant growth in revenues and profits. I then led the successful sale of the business to the AIM-quoted Company, Learning Technologies Group. I stepped down from the Board, but remain a shareholder in LTG. Show less



Skyron Limited

• United Kingdom
• Information Technology & Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Board advisor

  • 2010 - 2013

  London, United Kingdom I joined Yannis Marcou, the founder of the business, at a time when the business was struggling with cash flow and profitability issues. I helped Yannis to navigate through these issues, and advised on a number of operational strategies to improve growth and profitability. We then executed two transactions, an MBI and a merger with MDB Consulting, which successfully achieved the growth and repositioning of the business. I exited my investment and left when this was achieved.



Foviance

• United Kingdom
• Research Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chairman

  • 2007 - 2012

  London, United Kingdom Foviance had been created from the merger of the Usability Company and Web Abacus in 2005. Unfortunately the merger had been based on flawed logic and poorly executed, with the result that I took over as Chairman with a Rights issue on the agenda. This was avoided through my own investment in the business and a significant restructure to create the UK’s leading user experience and analytics consultancy. Although profitability was achieved, the banking crisis hit the business hard and growth… Show more Foviance had been created from the merger of the Usability Company and Web Abacus in 2005. Unfortunately the merger had been based on flawed logic and poorly executed, with the result that I took over as Chairman with a Rights issue on the agenda. This was avoided through my own investment in the business and a significant restructure to create the UK’s leading user experience and analytics consultancy. Although profitability was achieved, the banking crisis hit the business hard and growth plans were not achieved, leading to a change of managment team and to me taking over as interim CEO in 2011. I then recruited an Ad Industry heavyweight, Ben Langdon, to lead the business. We agreed on a strategy of organic and non-organic growth to accelerate the business' progress and I was able to negoatiate a merger with Seren, (qv) a digital design business, where I was already a Board Advisor. This was successfully completed in 2012. Show less



Wheel

• Technology, Information and Internet
• 1 - 100 Employee

• CEO

  • 2000 - 2006

  London, United Kingdom Wheel was the leading Digital marketing Agency in the UK. I took over as CEO following the failure of Primedia, (South Africa's leading media group and Wheel's major shareholder) to successfully float the business. I undertook significant restructuring of the business, and then, together with Ewen Sturgeon, purchased it from Primedia. We then grew the business organically, and through a number of small tactical aquisitions and subsequently sold it to LBi, where it now exists as a major part of… Show more Wheel was the leading Digital marketing Agency in the UK. I took over as CEO following the failure of Primedia, (South Africa's leading media group and Wheel's major shareholder) to successfully float the business. I undertook significant restructuring of the business, and then, together with Ewen Sturgeon, purchased it from Primedia. We then grew the business organically, and through a number of small tactical aquisitions and subsequently sold it to LBi, where it now exists as a major part of LBi Digitas. Show less



Catalyst Solutions

• Chief Operating Officer

  • 1999 - 2000

  UK and USA Catalyst Solutions was a group of technology businesses including an IBM reseller; a BPCS implementation business;an SAP and JD Edwards reseller; Data centre operator; Disaster recovery operator and a technolgy consulting business. The business had grown rapidly without sufficient control and was facing a cash flow crisis. I worked directly with Ken Olisa, the Chairman, in putting controls in place and ultimately in breaking up and selling off the constituent parts of the Group in order to… Show more Catalyst Solutions was a group of technology businesses including an IBM reseller; a BPCS implementation business;an SAP and JD Edwards reseller; Data centre operator; Disaster recovery operator and a technolgy consulting business. The business had grown rapidly without sufficient control and was facing a cash flow crisis. I worked directly with Ken Olisa, the Chairman, in putting controls in place and ultimately in breaking up and selling off the constituent parts of the Group in order to return cash to shareholders. This included the £40m sale of the Disaister Recovery business to Guardian IT. Show less



Pullmans Group

• Group Finance Director

  • 1994 - 1998

  London, United Kingdom I led the advisory team negotiating the MBO of London Coaches from London Transport and then invested in the business directly and joined the Board. The business owned and ran the Original London Sightseeing Tour (open top bus tours) plus a large coaching business. We restructured the business (which had been loss-making in public sector ownership) , transformed its profitability and successfully sold the Sightseeing business for £5m to Arriva PLC. We were less successful with the Coaching… Show more I led the advisory team negotiating the MBO of London Coaches from London Transport and then invested in the business directly and joined the Board. The business owned and ran the Original London Sightseeing Tour (open top bus tours) plus a large coaching business. We restructured the business (which had been loss-making in public sector ownership) , transformed its profitability and successfully sold the Sightseeing business for £5m to Arriva PLC. We were less successful with the Coaching business, was was wound down and sold in smaller parts. Show less



Capita Corporate Finance

• Associate Director

  • 1990 - 1993



EY

• United Kingdom
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 700 & Above Employee

• Chartered Accountant

  • 1987 - 1990