Simon Mcqueen Email & Phone Number

London, Gb

London, United Kingdom

Bright Heart Education is an SEN-focused tutoring agency. Its nurturing approach boosts learning and confidence. It won the prestigious Tuition Business of the Year award in the 2022 National Tutoring Awards. It is also an accredited National Tutoring Programme (NTP) provider. I partnered with an experienced tutor and teacher - Dr Ryan Stevenson - to help realise his vision of helping students to reach their full potential by specifically addressing their individual needs.I initially provided consulting services to Bright Heart as a corporate advisor to help it prepare for a successful launch but joined the company as a director and shareholder in September 2018 to help manage and grow the business as Co-Managing Director, with a focus on strategy, finance and operations.

London

Proterra Investment Partners is a successor firm to Black River Asset Management and acquired Black River’s $2.1bn AUM private equity / venture capital business from Cargill Inc. through a management buy-out effective January 2016. I was a PE portfolio manager until February 2018, when I transitioned into a corporate development consulting role at a Proterra portfolio company to provide M&A / strategic advice to help execute its business plan. I served as a director on 3 Proterra portfolio company boards until end June 2018. I remain a fund Limited Partner. Key portfolio manager activities:► negotiated and structured proprietary transactions to back quality management teams with growth equity investments, targeting investment sizes of $15 – $50 million ► managed detailed legal, financial and commercial due diligence as part of a disciplined investment process► provided strategic advice and oversight at a board level► enhanced value through working closely with senior management on corporate development and business plan execution to help position companies for successful exit► improved financial controls and management reporting and provided oversight of the budgeting process at portfolio companies through working closely with senior financial officers► managed quarterly valuations and liaised with fund investors

London

Black River Asset Management was established in 2003 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Cargill Inc., and managed funds across hedge fund and private equity / venture capital strategies. In September 2015, Cargill and Black River announced that three Black River businesses were pursuing plans to spin off into three independent firms to position each business to best serve investors. At the time, Black River had ~$7.4bn of AUM. Independent successor firms to Black River are Proterra Investment Partners, Garda Capital Partners and Argentem Creek Partners.I worked as a portfolio manager across 2 funds (role as described for Proterra above) and was an observer to 1 portfolio company board in the initial fund and a non-exec director on 3 company boards in the second fund.► promoted to Director & Portfolio Manager in 2011 from Senior Associate & Portfolio Manager

London, United Kingdom

Argent Partners is an independent corporate finance advisory firm focused on the provision of strategic and financial advisory services, with its main services being opportunity identification, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), disposals and strategic advice. I was responsible for 9 mandates as lead professional (i.e. reporting directly to partner), including acquisitions, disposals, strategic advisory, defence and financings. I also participated in several important projects and recruited, managed and trained professional staff and assisted in marketing and developing client relationships.► promoted to Manager in January 2008 and to Senior Executive (from Executive) in January 2007 ► joined a former Argent partner to move into a private equity role at Black River

London, United Kingdom

Moved to London and joined UBS after a month of travelling in the US.Business unit controller for the structured libor derivates trading desk.

Greater New York City Area

3-month secondment post qualification as a chartered accountant. I performed detailed reviews of real estate private equity fund structures and acquisition transactions, and managed a team of auditors.

Cape Town Area, South Africa

Fast-tracked to role of manager on an audit mid-way through articles and performed the role of auditor in charge at several premier Deloitte clients, supervising teams of up to 10 auditors. Undertook various non-audit assignments (CGT valuations, cash forecasting, business development consulting, post-merger reviews and due diligence reviews).

Postgraduate Diploma (Pgdip) In Strategy & Innovation

Distinction for the final integrative assignment which addressed scaling Bright Heart Education.

Bachelor Of Commerce Honours, Financial Accounting, 1St Class Honours

1st overall in class | 1st for honours thesis ► thesis investigated the incidence of income smoothing in the South African banking sector.

Postgraduate Diploma In Accounting (Pgda), Accounting

2nd overall in class | Class prize - Managerial Accounting and Finance

Bachelor Of Business Science Honours, Finance, 1St Class Honours, Distinctions Both Majors

Activities and Societies: Finance tutor; Rag RookiesClass prize - Finance Honours | Class prize - Finance Honours Thesis (group thesis) |.