High-risk pedigree since early career

• In my early professional life, I spent three years in Russia with Price Waterhouse and others – delivering projects for large domestic and multinational companies while new ventures sprung up around them. In my spare time, I explored Moscow's new business environment on foot, talking to entrepreneurs as they explored new possibilities
• After business school, I built value from risky situations for London start-ups Internet Securities (Euromoney) and Seattle Coffee (Starbucks), helping pave the way to successful acquisitions for both.

Key roles leading major projects and integrations

• I led key integration projects for Starbucks (Seattle Coffee) and Spirit Group (Scottish & Newcastle) in store acquisitions & openings, operations and services, and supply chain.
• I project managed Rio Tinto’s defense against BHP’s hostile takeover attempt.
• I launched TV at TalkTalk and rebranded ntl:Telewest into Virgin Media, leading broad and deep programmes of work that touched every part of the business and put company leadership through rigorous gating to ensure success.
• As COO, I introduced practices better suited to Molton Brown’s growing global brand.
• I built and managed many teams of talented individuals, learning how to select, train, develop, and challenge good people to surpass their own expectations.

Passionate about bringing balance, growth and guidance to new businesses

• Since 2015 I’ve been working with innovators like V-Nova, Farm Direct, Founders4Schools and a new fintech startup, applying and integrating my broad experience across old and new economies and a wide range of operating environments to help create value for new businesses.
• My particular areas of expertise are in driving product-market fit, and more broadly in making sure there is company-wide focus on achieving strategically important outcomes.

Non-executive leadership at difficult pivot points

• As Chairman, I steered Chop’d through a difficult turnaround and leadership transition, paving the way for VC investment and continued growth (Chop’d joined the Calculus Capital portfolio in 2014 and now trades in London, Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds).
• My coaching helped Global Medic Force to grow funding 16x in 3 years, enabling broad expansion.