Grow Impact is a revenue generating, B2B, SaaS system for the research eco-system. The product specifically addresses the long timescales, multiple stakeholders, and multiple funding events that characterise research. It allows researchers to plan the research journey, track progress using real evidence, share their journey with internal and external stakeholders, with visibility over the long-term progress. Research organisations can strategically manage and support their research teams, and funders can see the return on their investment and stay engaged with the research they support over the life of the journey.I joined Grow Impact following the spin-out from TKI to lead the company through product development and commercialisation. I am using my knowledge of Software as a Service and extensive product development experience to accelerate the development of Grow Impact avoiding many of the pitfalls that can exist. My current focus is on fund-raising and associated activities, strategy and planning, and governance, but I am actively involved in all aspects of the business. My international sales and marketing experience is being used as Grow Impact expands into international markets, firstly the UK and later North America. will be valuable as Grow Impact plans and executes the forthcoming expansion into the UK. As well as the CEO I am also Chair of the Board.

Opaxe is a provider of information about publicly traded mining companies to enable and/or enhance investment decisions. We re-publish and disseminate announcements released by companies listed on the major global stock exchanges, making them available on my.opaxe.com. Data from each announcement is extracted and stored, and made available to subscribers. We utilise technology and machine learning for data collection and human intelligence for the value-added services. Our clients fall into four main segments: small investors and brokers; corporates; technical users (geologists, engineers, consultants, junior mining companies, compliance professionals etc); and the media. Typical use cases include: capital raising; shareholder reports; peer reviews, and investment decisions.I manage every aspect of the Opaxe platform – technical specification and ongoing development via an off-shore development team, data collection, entry, and storage via a remote team, and sales and marketing activities.

Mentoring undergraduate and post-graduate students. Providing career advice and support during their studies.

I administer and run the Perth chapter of Warwick Alumni Australia

I mentor start-ups joining the Plus Eight accelerator programme and run master classes on various topics. I focus on strategy, planning and governance and on helping founders think about the future of their start-up so that they make the right decisions at the beginning of the journey. As a result of mentoring Grow Impact I joined the board as Exec Chair.

In September 2014 the operations of New Europe Directories, my original start-up in 2006, were acquired from the main shareholder via a management buyout and renamed Golden Media. I restructured the company introducing a greater range of products and services and today the company operates as a full-service media provider with an emphasis on contract sales and marketing services. I am Chairman of the Board with ongoing responsibility for strategy and all financial activities.

Member of accelerator selection panel – 120 start-ups funded over three years. Mentor and advisor to start-ups and advisory board roles. Start-ups – selection of teams to join the acceleratorMentoring – provision of advice and experience to help start-ups realise their potentialFundraising – advised companies on fundraising strategies and pitching

I presented a variety of business seminars, (starting a business, marketing, business planning/strategy, leading Vs managing) to the Founders Institute community in Sofia and provided hands-on advice and mentoring to start-ups.

Getlokal was founded as a review and recommendation site, exploiting the need for consumer generated content. Launched in Bulgaria and Romania in 2012 it expanded into four more countries by 2013. Through extensive social media marketing, more than 500k active monthly users were acquired generating more than 250k reviews. In 2015 I pivoted Getlokal into loyalty and redesigned the apps and web-site so that small businesses were able to run their own loyalty programmes. I joined the Start-Up Chile accelerator programme in February 2016 specifically to develop Getlokal in Chile and LATAM. I designed and developed a new website and customised the apps which were launched in June. I recruited and trained a local team of community managers who were responsible for customer and consumer acquisition. Innovative marketing campaigns were developed to drive customer acquisition and consumer engagement and use of the apps. Technology – developed and launched a mobile app-based loyalty platform in Chile and Bulgaria – the first of its kind in the countriesLeadership – built high-performing local teams for customer acquisition and community managementOperations – continual development of the app and website to meet specific local market requirementsMarketing – social media activities generated 500k registered users, 250k reviews and circa 250k fans on FacebookStrategy – launched Getlokal to meet consumer demands, expanded into five countries, then pivoted into loyalty to exploit a niche marketFinance – managed all planning, budgeting, fund raising and financial reporting

New Europe Directories was a start-up launched to publish a classified directory in Bulgaria. Initially print only, the first edition was published in Sofia with a circulation of 375k copies just eight months after the company was launched. My initial focus was on building the company through the recruitment and training of high achievers and by implementing best practice in operations, finance and legal activities. Strategically, printed directories had a limited lifetime, so I instigated the development of an online product, launched in late 2007. At that stage my focus switched to sustainability and growth and turnover of circa €1m was achieved in 2009. Moving to 100% digital in 2010 I established partnerships with directory companies in four neighbouring countries to drive cross-border sales supported by joint marketing activities. Strategy – launched Bulgaria’s first mass-circulation, free-to-use classified directory and grew it into the largest, most trusted directory. Re-aligned the company into a full-service media businessMarketing – originated and developed the brand, logo and trademarks and TV, radio and print advertising campaignsTechnology – developed the on-line directory achieving 450k users (13% consumer penetration)Operations – grew the business to more than EUR 1m annual revenue by 2009Funding – raised EUR 7m in funding over multiple roundsFinance – manage the planning, budgeting and finances of the business Exit – purchased the company via a management buyout in September 2014

I joined Yell, publisher of the UK yellow pages and a division of British Telecom, as Strategic Planning Manager. Development and internal communication of group strategy was a key task and I also represented Yell in negotiations with British Telecom and at BT group planning activities. Following a management buyout in May 2001 I was promoted to the executive management team with responsibility for internal and external reporting of results, acquisitions in the US and Spain, asset disposals, and development of group strategy. During the 2003 IPO I managed the data room and led the internal team drafting the prospectus. Following the listing I worked in partnership with the CFO to establish the internal team supporting Yell’s Investor Relations activities. I produced the annual Financial and Corporate Social Responsibility reports including the design of the reports and writing of all non-financial content.Communications – produced the Annual Financial and Corporate Social Responsibility reportsInvestor relations – managed collection and reporting of data for Yell’s IR activities and supported the CEO/CFO at shareholder eventsStrategy – developed group strategy and managed its communication to 3,500 employeesM&A – led the £7m disposal of Yell Data, a direct marketing and database providerCommercial – lead negotiator in the OSIS data supply agreement with British TelecomBusiness development – originated and chaired the New Product Development team Relationships – chairman of the UK Data Publishers Association

Mann Weaver was a boutique management consultancy assisting clients from the local government and not-for-profit sectors in strategy and organisational and business development activities.Change management – led the restructure of a local educational charity to maximise effectivenessOperations – identification of new head office for a youth charityCommunications – developed and ran a marketing course for White Chapel Hospital NHS Trust

Matthew Clark was an independent wines, spirits and beer wholesaling business active across the UK. M&A – managed the integration of four acquisitions to create the leading independent wines, spirits and beer wholesaler in the UK with annual T/O of £220mOperations – reduced headcount and the number of depots to form a network of 13 strategically placed distribution centresCommercial – developed and implemented business plans producing increased market share and annual profit growth from £2m to £8m

VP was a boutique international consultancy providing business intelligence for UK companies looking to expand into the newly opening central and eastern European countries. Consulting – conducted pre-acquisition due diligence audit on a Hungarian pharmaceutical companyCommunications – authored and published reports on the Hungarian, Czech, Slovak and Polish healthcare industries for The Financial Times

Originated and developed a division providing testing, inspection and certification services to British companies exporting to Russia. Successfully transferred the business model to other SGS companies throughout Europe.

Norton Healthcare, now part of Teva Pharmaceuticals, is the leading UK generic pharmaceuticals manufacturer. I joined the company as production manager prior to the deregulation of the industry. Having led the rapid growth of the packaging and distributions operations I was promoted to General Manager with responsibility for all operational activities. Over five years the business grew into the UK’s largest generic producer and is now part of the world’s largest generic manufacturer.Operations – managed an operating budget of £5m to generate annual turnover of more than £50mCommerce – drove significant increases (500% +) in production and a 50% reduction in unit costTechnology – Designed and managed the construction of new production facilities. Managed the relocation of the existing operation into the new facility and delivered the £1m project on-time and under budgetPeople development – Recruited and trained line-managers and instigated a formalised management structureChange management – introduced cultural change throughout the company to produce a customer focused, service orientated operationMarketing – led the rebranding and transition of the company into the UK’s leading generic pharmaceutical company

I managed the chemical analysis team engaged on a 24 hour continuous shift basis in the analysis and reporting of production and geological samples for gold and nickel to ensure the efficient operation of the mining, extraction and refining processes.Technology – development of a new analysis methodology for gold using X-Ray Fluorescence on activated carbon (Carbon in Pulp)