David Plummer Email & Phone Number

Harare, Zw

The concept of the “Investable Leader” was born out a series of conversations with investors in 2017 when leadership was identified as the common theme in the under performance of the sector. Over the past eight years, we have interviewed, evaluated, assessed and referenced thousands of leaders. We have also interviewed founders, CEOs and their leadership teams, as well as investors and banks, to listen to, hear and understand what even the most in-depth studies and research don't (and won't) talk about; Why (most) leaders fail. It is a missing conversation that is costing companies, investors and economies trillions every year, and founders, leaders and their teams their potential, their dreams, and, sometimes, their livelihoods too.The Investable Leader is an invitation to have not just this missing conversation, but every other one too.

Harare, Zw

Triage is an emerging markets search firm focused on leadership, strategic and business critical hiring across the African continent (and beyond). We work with entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, investors and investor backed businesses solving some of the world’s most important problems, from meeting people’s essential needs (and the infrastructure needed to support them), to protecting and restoring nature, stabilising the climate, and building resilience (agriculture, landscapes, communities and supply chains). We also partner with other leading change makers to reach our impact at scale.

London, Gb

Beyond Zero is a leading Environmental Asset Manager that has pioneered a number of firsts in the use of data, science and technology to identify, unlock and increase the value of land and the environment.Traditional approaches and partnerships cannot address the complexity of the challenges we face, so we take a multi-stakeholder and systems wide approach, redesigning incentives and the monetisation of environmental assets, and taking shared responsibility (and accountability) for impact and outcomes at farm, community, regional and national scales.We play a crucial role in building resilience by developing business models that support the growth and development of environmental markets and the transition to a low carbon economy.We also deliver high quality, high-integrity projects that are trusted by investors and the markets.

Aberystwyth, Gb

Environment Systems is a leading supplier of evidence and insights to the worlds environmental and agricultural markets.

Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Co

Cultivando Futuro (CF) is an information system that generates digital identities for value chain actors within the agriculture industry. CF collects comprehensive "ground truthed" data directly from smallholder farmers and uses this information for the benefit of all stakeholders to inform strategic decision making, for example which projects to fund, where and with whom.

Triage’s technology business partners with the world’s leading geospatial platform and earth observation data providers to unlock "The Value of Where".We use spatial data and analytics to answer high value questions and solve complex, often systemic, problems. We then visualise everything so clients can see, interrogate, manage, share and report on current state and monitor progress towards the desired state. Our technology also enables clients to assess opportunities across all three capitals (natural, social and financial), factor in climate change, evaluate the effect of their decisions on growth, development and impact, and negotiate trade offs.

Lumen Energy is an independent renewable power producer that uses a distributed generation model to collect energy from many sources, reduce the environmental impact of power production and improve security of supply.Key Achievements- Led investment round with US based PE firm resulting in heads of terms for an initial £100m; and- Developed operating plan and supply chain to execute strategy.

London, Gb

Freetricity is one of the UK's leading renewables development and project management companies.Key Achievements- Protected locked in assets of over £10m; and- Developed IPP (independent power producer) strategy.

Early stage, fast growth, technology company. Executive role responsible for providing pro-active leadership for all Board activities, handling all investment aspects of the Group, managing key stakeholder relationships, leading fund raising (venture, private equity and angel), mentoring senior team and advising on strategy.Key Achievement- Led seed funding round of $1m from VC’s, angel investors and NESTA.

Working with entrepreneurs and business owners, executive leadership and senior teams, start-ups to multinationals, social enterprises to not for profit organisations to define, unlock and create value.

London, Gb

Board level role following acquisition of 17 centres from the MLS Group. Led landlord negotiations and managed integration / transition of business centres into MWB's CEC brand.Key Achievement- Negotiated and agreed an increase in IMP (original WH tenant) contribution to Winchester House lease from £120k p.a. to £225k p.a. for four years, a £420k P&L (and cash) benefit.

Asked by founder and majority shareholder to lead turnaround of business. Group included business centre operator, IT, FM and M&E companies.Key Achievements- Reduced controllable costs by over £4m p.a., improved sales performance by 47%, grew occupancy by 18.2% (66% to 78%), moved the business to profitability and cash positive with a c. £7m positive swing in EBITDA;- Identified £3m of additional cash from within the business, e.g. lease finance of £2m, SBRR of £500k and procurement led savings of £500k;- Secured two offers of working and equity capital from Hill Capital and Epic Private Equity totalling £5m;- Preserved landlord value in excess of £50m and over £14m in annual income; and- Secured a future for suppliers, an outcome for shareholders and continued employment for all staff.

Edinburgh, Gb

Joined Parity Group as part of business recovery team and as Managing Director responsible for the Resources business.Key Achievements- Business recovery and turnaround, increasing shareholder value by 78% following Rights Issue and Firm Placing of £16.5m in April 2006;- Managed business from marginal profitability to upper quartile performance, growing revenues from £81m to £117m (44%), margin from £8.4m to £11m (31%), profitability from £1.4m to £3m (118%) and return on margin from 16% to 27% (66%);- Implemented three-year strategy to grow return from 16% to 38%, and profitability from £1.4m to £6m; and- Led planned disposal of Resources business. Process lasted 7 months resulting in three firm offers of £35m (trade, private equity and MBO).

Broad based consulting company that included several start ups, coaching and mentoring owner / managers and helping companies maximise profits and cash.

London, Gb

Responsible for newly acquired business (Triage Consulting), and Spring's vertical markets and international businesses.Key Achievements- Integrated loss-making Spring Connect (-£2.5m) and international businesses into Triage Consulting, reducing operational costs by £1.6M whilst growing revenues by 350% and maintaining profitability; and- Acquired business grew from £13m in 2002 to £45m in 2004, CAGR of 86.1%.

Founded, developed and grew market leading technology recruitment business to £24.7m in six years, working in over 60 countries worldwide.Key Achievements- Grew business from £1.2m in year one to £24m in year five, CAGR of 82.1%;- Managed business to deliver profit of £1.2m on turnover of £24m in recession, representing a return on sale of 5% and return on margin of 28%;- Secured £200,000 retainer from Nortel Inc. to identify and recruit senior management team (GSM). The assignment was delivered within four weeks with fees of over £350,000;- Secured MSI account to recruit for, develop and build US consulting business. Recruited 69 candidates from 13 countries with fees of £412,000 in year 1;- Developed and implemented performance-based engagement model for contingent workforce, with average margin of 45%; and- Sunday Times / Virgin Fast Track 100, Real Business Hot 100 company and member of 100% Club, a European award of best companies to work for.

Maidstone, Kent, Gb

Started and grew profitable Telecoms business to £4.1m turnover in three and a half years.Key Achievements- Major account wins including Nortel, Orange, Energis and CMR (Westinghouse); and- Billed £850k of gross margin in third year.