As Co-Founder, CEO and Managing Partner of AXIA, Nick is responsible for providing strategic direction and setting the cultural tone for the entire company. Nick provides hands on business and risk consulting services to companies in response to new and changing business conditions, including business restructuring, new business strategies and re-engineering of poorly performing businesses and their processes. Nick was previously managing partner and co-founder of a Houston based professional services startup firm, Sirius Solutions. He served as the Chief Risk Officer for Royal Dutch Shell in London, England where he was responsible for managing risk control, internal audit, and the regulatory and compliance function for Shell’s worldwide energy trading businesses. Nick was the Chief Accounting Officer for Coral Energy/Tejas Gas, the U.S. energy trading and natural gas pipeline division of Shell Oil. He also has had roles in corporate development and group controllership for Quanex Corporation, a Fortune 500 manufacturing company. He began his career in the audit practice at Deloitte & Touche, managing financial audits and special projects for public companies in the energy and manufacturing sector, leaving as a Senior Manager.