Rob Atkinson Email & Phone Number

Nottingham, England, United Kingdom

Part-time freelance role providing full suite of in-house legal services to Promethean Particles, a University of Nottingham spin-off, as a leading global supplier of cost-effective, industrial-scale nanoparticles and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for CO2 capture.

Fractional GC position providing legal advice to Panaseer, a fast-growing SaaS business with offices in the UK and US, which offers a continuous monitoring platform for cybersecurity controls.

Bristol - London

I act as Legal Director for Black and White Hospitality which operates as the Master Franchisor for Marco Pierre White restaurants and manages multiple hotels. I also act as personal advisor to the White family.

London - Manchester

Acted as Legal Director for Sorted Group, a global SaaS company which powers carrier management, delivery tracking and automated returns management. Previously recognised as one of the UK's most successful digital businesses by Tech Nations Future 50. Oversaw full range of legal issues which come as standard in a high growth, multiple investor SaaS business which culminated in a concurrent share sale and AIM listing via reverse take over.

Sauce provides no-nonsense legal services, recruitment and HR to the hospitality industry and beyond.

Early stage investor in Natural Birthing Company which supplies a unique, natural, vegan and award-winning product range for all pregnant women and new mums. Available from Boots, Superdrug, Holland & Barrett, as well as Harrods pharmacy. Successful exit on sale of business in June 2021.

Partner and Midlands' region head of Northco Management, offering trusted, discreet and reliable interim business support across a variety of functions. Acting on behalf of shareholders and financial institutions, as well as PE and VC firms, often being called into challenging, hostile and distressed business environments. Projects included an overheads reduction exercise, a management re-shuffle, steering a business through voluntary administration and assisting a business being acquired.

I was co-founder and Director of student lifestyle company Uni2 Rent which provides managed accommodation to students in prime areas. I started the business with 2 others and experienced the full spectrum of start-up headaches from attracting investors (VC and private) and grant funding, managing incredibly tight cash flow, almost going bust a few times(!), shareholder bust-ups, attracting more funding and eventually building a sustainable profitable business. Uni2 launched an app (many times!) and used innovation to break into a crowded market. Along with another founder I exited in 2017 leaving the other founder in sole control of the business that continues to prosper to this day.

The Legal Director is a legal consultancy that provides businesses with experienced, high-calibre lawyers on a part-time or flexible basis. Its lawyers are highly qualified with many years’ experience of working inside businesses, not law firms. This allows them to operate as a trusted advisor and to provide the best combination of legal and strategic advice, to deliver maximum commercial benefit. I acted as interim General Counsel for a number of businesses steering them through particular projects and combining my legal and management experience to good effect.

Sat on the board of Landmark Wholesale, a foodservice buying group with combined member annual turnover of around £3billion.

Notts

After re-locating to the UK for a change of scene (and career) I worked as Managing Director and co-owner of Caterway, a foodservice company supplying catering products to retailers and wholesalers across the UK and Europe. Originally purchased pre-administration, I dealt with the challenges of a cash-poor business in a highly competitive volume driven market place, managing to turn the P&L around. I consider this role my real-life MBA...very few lawyers or advisors have this coal-face experience and it shows in the advice I give now.

I worked as Counsel for PepsiCo based at the Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) head office in Dubai. I provided legal support across a whole range of issues with particular emphasis on leading Pepsi's anti-bribery program across AMEA including setting up and managing a face to face training program across all AMEA offices, delivering training and responding to anti-bribery queries across the sector. I also worked on a number of cross-border deals. A brilliant role surrounded by super-talented people that took me around the world on business travel.

I served as General Counsel to Island Global Yachting (“IGY”) a joint venture between the Government of Dubai and a New York based investment bank during the BOOM Dubai years. IGY was a multi-national real estate investment organization focused upon the acquisition, development and operation of luxury marinas around the world. I worked on deals in UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Turkey and Greece and was also instrumental in introducing a comprehensive anti-bribery program to IGY. The regional office closed almost overnight when the crash hit Dubai.

Dubai

I was based in the Dubai office of this St Louis based multinational and, as the first lawyer on the ground, was responsible for building the MEA law function. Heavily involved in the oil and gas industry, I led negotiations for numerous high value commercial contracts around the Gulf. I also led implementation of the company's anti-bribery and compliance programs in the region conducting face to face training and leading a number of complex/multi-jurisdictional internal investigations.

I had sole responsibility for all litigation across the Peugeot network within UK. I acted on the company's behalf as a trial advocate and successfully pleaded many cases against individual litigants and trade unions at Courts and Employment Tribunals, appearing in every ET in the country...what a way to see the UK!

Leicester

I was the firm's first dedicated employment lawyer and established the employment law department at Spearing Waite. My particular emphasis was employment law within professional sports and worked with the cricket, football and rugby clubs of Leicester. I also worked closely with Portsmouth Football Club in restructuring their management team following a change of ownership. Great niche firm to work at, sadly swallowed up by a big fish.

Law/French, 2:1

Keele University - 2:1 Law/French degree including a year spent teaching English and playing rugby in Lyon, France.

Legal Practice Course