Finance Director & Venture Builder at ARK Venture Studio & Ninety (2023-03 – Present)
Innovation consultancy and venture studio building disruptive new businesses focused on protection, prevention and resilience. Group leadership team member, Finance Director, venture lead & founder | VC-backed
- Co-founded and led Inheritly.ai, building the WealthTech business from concept and customer validation through product build, founding-team recruitment and commercial launch, securing three design and distribution partners and its first paying customers.
- Raised £1m+ across multiple pre-seed funding rounds, leading the process from investment case and financial modelling through investor materials, pitches, term sheets and legal completion.
- Redesigned and implemented a new operating model for Ninety’s core consulting business, contributing to a 41% increase in gross profit and improving gross margin from 45% to 74%.
- Developed and tested new ventures across ClimateTech, ClaimsTech and counter-human-trafficking, combining market research, customer discovery and financial modelling to validate opportunities, de-risk investment and inform funding decisions.
- Lead financial planning and management across the venture studio and portfolio, including budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, fundraising and runway management.
- Modernised financial and operational processes through new systems, automation and AI-enabled tools as part of a leaner support model, reducing central support costs by c.65%.
Director, Finance & Operations at EPG (2018-10 – 2023-02)
International education consultancy helping governments strengthen education systems. Leadership team member responsible for finance, operations and people; Interim CEO | c.£3m revenue | 40 staff | 6 countries
- Pivoted the business and operating model, contributing to 30% revenue growth and increasing gross profit margin from 11% to 27%.
- Served as Interim CEO during the CEO’s sabbatical, leading the business across clients, commercial priorities, operations and people in six countries.
- Improved utilisation by 20% by introducing new operational systems and strengthening resource planning across the business.
- Standardised and digitised core business processes, creating a more scalable operating platform and supporting expansion into three new geographies.
- Reviewed the performance of country programmes, closing a loss-making operation and redirecting resources towards stronger programmes and new country opportunities.
- Led finance, people & HR, IT, governance, risk and core business operations across the organisation.
Fund Manager at FSE Group (2016-10 – 2018-09)
Fund management firm providing tailored funding solutions to ambitious social enterprises and SMEs. Managed a £5m impact investing debt fund lending to scale-up social enterprises.
- Originated and assessed lending opportunities, leading commercial due diligence, financial modelling and evaluation of management teams, growth potential and social impact.
- Structured and completed investments from appraisal through Credit Committee and legal completion, subsequently supporting management teams on strategy, performance and growth as a board observer/adviser.
- Sat on the grant panel for a £10m investment-readiness programme, assessing businesses for funding; participants subsequently secured £280m in contracts and investment.
Manager at Step Advisory (2015-01 – 2016-09)
Boutique strategy consultancy working with leadership teams on growth strategy, new ventures, commercial due diligence and execution.
- Helped launch a digital home-services platform, acting as Scrum Master for the development teams and coordinating delivery across product, technology and commercial teams.
- Completed commercial due diligence for Investec, supporting a significant equity investment.
- Built the investment case for the Automobile Association to launch its own insurance business, including market assessment, financial modelling, regulatory considerations and strategic partnerships.
Consultant at TechnoServe (2014-04 – 2014-11)
International non-profit promoting business solutions to poverty.
- Led an operational review of a revolving credit facility serving smallholder farmers across South Africa. Identified barriers to growth and implemented improvements that helped secure additional funding, grew the loan book and increased the number of farmers served.
Accountant and Auditor at Buzzacott LLP (2011-01 – 2014-03)
- Trained and qualified as an ACA, managing and leading international audits including the team’s marquee client, ActionAid International, coordinating teams and outsourced auditors across 15 countries and conducting fieldwork in Kenya and South Africa. Judge for the 2013 RBS Social Enterprise 100 awards, providing due diligence on the financial sustainability and social impact of SMEs.
