Neil's Non Executive roles include 6 years as a Board member of The Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (and as Chair of the Audit Committee of its predecessor The Mersey Partnership) with a strong interest in the Northern Powerhouse and devolution and a current (11 years) as Board Trustee of a community based registered charity.Neil has taken on a couple of NED / Audit Chair roles in the last 12 months as part of a new career after 31 years as a partner at Grant Thornton. His future focus will be as a commercial sounding board, NED and various Charity Trusteeships.Neil trained as a Chartered Accountant at Price Waterhouse, becoming a tax specialist from 1988. He joined Grant Thornton in 1990, becoming a partner in 1997 (Grant Thornton being the seventh largest accounting network globally). Neil held extensive client relationships as well as diverse management experience (Marketing Partner, Office Tax Partner, National Head of Property & Construction sector group, Liverpool Office Managing Partner /Senior Partner 2007 onward). Neil has 30 years tax and growth advisory experience focused on entrepreneurial businesses, from professional services practices and real estate businesses, operating as partnerships, large private corporates to PE-backed and family businesses, in the UK and expanding overseas.