Meet the C2S Leaders

Many will already be familiar with the friendly face of Roman Cooper - Executive Director of Allcooper Group. Roman is an expert on all things fire and security, with over 30 years’ experience under his belt since starting out as an apprentice. Now as Director and co-owner, Roman proudly oversees the running of his family business, which is based in Gloucester and employs 100 staff.

Roman has a big enthusiasm for Gloucestershire business. He has completed a 7-year term on the board of GFirst LEP and was one of the first to complete the University of Gloucestershire’s MBA in business.

BPE Solicitors is a top 200 UK law firm headquartered in Gloucestershire. We provide a range of legal advice to companies from exciting early stage ventures and regional SMEs to national and international organisations. As well as our business offering, we have a strong private client practice advising

individuals in relation to wealth, property and family matters. BPE was a finalist for Regional Law Firm in The Lawyer Awards 2018. John advises on corporate transactions and is the firm’s Senior Partner. In addition to his legal practice, John is an Honorary Consul to Estonia and a director of the Everyman Theatre.

Cordell Ray is Chief Executive of the charity Caring About Communities & People. The charities vision is to prevent youth homelessness through strengthening families and promoting independence. Cordell is driven by a desire to create positive social impact, he passionately believes we can all add value by doing something extra, every day.

Cordell is also a Director of Aspire Gloucestershire and Gardners Lane and Oakwood Federation. He is also a Trustee of the Gloucestershire VCS Alliance. In his spare time Cordell is a keen runner and enjoys spending time with his family.

Chris specialises in large corporates and manufacturing businesses. He has presented and written articles about global business opportunities as well as the challenges facing the manufacturing sector. Other Partners in Cheltenham specialise in family businesses, property and construction, professional practices, non profits and private wealth.

Crowe UK is a national audit, tax and advisory firm with multi-disciplinary specialist teams providing all-round service to clients of all sizes. The firm is the UK member of Crowe Global, the 8th largest accounting network in the world.

Cyber Security Associates (CSA) provides advice, guidance and a range of managed cyber services to the SME market to help businesses protect, detect and educate against the growing cyber threat.
All these services have been designed to be affordable, tailored to each individual business

needs and easy to understand. Dave, also known as ‘Big Dave’ has been with the company since the beginning as one of its founders and is now the Director for Support. Dave is not a real Cyberman #DoctorWho

Nigel Church, Managing Director at First Solution leads an experienced team of technology professionals and manages a range of high value technology partnerships. Nigel launched his career at Xerox, moved to US software giant PTC and then internet business Global Cloud Exchange. Having held senior roles across a broad range of technology businesses

he has established a business that is focused on delivering the right outcomes from technology for its customers. First Solution deliver secure highly available managed technology solutions that enables customers to digitally transform their business, to disrupt their markets or meet demands of the modern connected customer.

Gloucestershire College (GC) is a modern, career-focused college that educates motivated and ambitious students and provides employers with specialised commercial services and support. The largest provider of
apprenticeship training in the county, GC is nationally recognised for its award winning apprenticeship programmes. Andy Bates is Chief Financial Officer at Gloucestershire College, with extensive experience

in Finance and Business. Andy has held roles at EMI Records, Daily Mail Group, EMAP and FTSe 250 Magazine and Media Group, before joining GC in 2013. Andy is passionate about providing businesses with the skills they need, making a measurable impact on the organisations through a pipeline of skilled apprentices as well as training for existing staff members. At GC, Andy is responsible for all employer training, commercial ventures, and financial strategy and support services.

Unleashing potential is Beryl’s motivation - organisational change consultancy, executive coaching and
enabling informal learning in the workplace through 26 Steps toolkits. Working across many industry sectors,
the 26 Steps toolkits mobilise managers to add value to their businesses whilst introducing a coaching culture. Beryl is a Lecturer at University of Worcester Business School in Leadership

and Change and a Senior Leader Masters Degree Apprenticeship coach.
A Peter Jones Enterprise Academy, the business funds and runs an annual Be Your Own Boss programme for young vulnerable adults in Worcestershire. C2S businesses are very welcome to support this through work
experience, volunteering, apprenticeships, guest speakers, and employment.

House Parties was created over 13 years ago to meet the increased demand for luxury large houses for weekend breaks. Our clients come to us to celebrate milestone birthdays, anniversaries, hen party retreats, corporate retreats as well as family holidays. We help property owners and investors to achieve the best income, often achieving much higher

rentals than could be achieved though long term rentals.
We offer various consultancy packages to potential property owners and offer advice on all stages of the process of getting a property to market, from initial purchase through to furnishing and final set up requirements.

Investec Wealth & Investment offer a complete Financial Planning and bespoke Investment Management Service in Cheltenham for anyone with over £250,000 of investable assets. We have a dedicated team of 28 based at Festival House on Jessop Avenue comprising a growing Financial Planning team and 10 investment managers who between them look after approximately £850m of investment assets for our 1,500+ clients. Financial advice is required at various points over time

and a persons savings & investments need to be steered adroitly through the ups and downs of an increasingly volatile economic & geopolitical landscape. We are passionate about helping our clients transition through life as seamlessly as possible, confident that they can achieve most if not all of their dreams for themselves and their family. Please be aware, with investment your capital is at risk.

Nick leads the team of employment solicitors at Lodders and also heads up our Cheltenham office. He specialises in employment law, covering both contentious and non-contentious cases. He acts for both employers (ranging from privately-owned companies to listed FTSE companies) and employees of ranging seniority and interests. Nick’s work includes the handling of employment tribunal claims of all kinds and he
regularly undertakes High Court litigation for clients

with contractual issues arising out of employment relationships.
Nick also regularly advises on employment-related shareholder issues and enjoys a wealth of experience in acting in respect of regulatory issues involving organisations such as the Rugby Football Union, the General Medical Council and the Financial Conduct Authority. He is also a qualified mediator and is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.

Our strong technology heritage makes us a safe pair of hands and allows us to form true partnerships with our clients to ensure a smooth transition to the Cloud. “Cloud is not a standard” and we work with our clients to build and implement the right solution for their unique requirements, making use of best of breed services from a multi-vendor managed supply relationship.

Midland Comms holds the highest accreditations with the UK’s leading network operators, carriers and IT vendors. We manage this technology on your behalf with a dedicated account manager and customer service support available as and when you need it. We guide and implement clients through the evolution from siloed communications to an integrated infrastructure. This convergence allows you to improve the productivity, accountability and flexibility for your workforce and clients

Mark Martin has over 30 years in the construction industry and is co-owner and director of Midlands and London based multi-disciplinary design and engineering company One Creative Environments Ltd. A BIM Level 2 accredited practice. During his career he has worked on a diverse range of projects including Heathrow Terminal 5, Disneyland Paris

and Eton Olympic rowing lake. In 2015, Mark was elected as Chair of the WLEP Business Board and is also a non-Executive Director. He enjoys using his diverse knowledge and passion for the Midlands to drive innovation and growth throughout the region and beyond to attract inward investment.

Simplicity provide a comprehensive range of funding, back office and technology services that help recruiters run more efficient, compliant and cost-effective businesses. We remove the burden caused by financial constraints and time-consuming business management, allowing recruiters to focus on sustainable growth.
Jonathan Viney has a full pedigree of growing and developing businesses. His focus at Simplicity is

always on the customer and how we innovate our services to help them achieve their growth aspirations.
Through managing customer relations, implementing a marketing strategy and coordinating a sales team, Jonathan is always keen to understand the customers’ needs and exceed expectations.

Andy Barham, Manging Director Premiere Kitchens & Furniture joined the Markey Group in 2007. Initially delivering modular construction on the construction side of the business, he moved into Premiere Kitchens and Furniture, who at the time were 100% focused on social housing. Andy became Managing Director in 2014 and re-set the strategy and has since

diversified the business, and whilst social housing is at the core of the business, high end developer, student, distribution and modular kitchens and furniture all now make up a broader product portfolio. His hallmark is balancing customer centricity with strong values based, empowered colleagues.

Will joined the Renishaw graduate scheme in 1996. He holds a degree in physics from Oxford University and an MBA from Bath University. He became Director and General Manager for the Laser and Calibration Products
Division in 2007 and subsequently Director and General Manager of the Machine Tool Products Division in 2014. He was appointed Director of

Group Sales and Marketing in 2015 and became a member of the Executive Board. In 2016 he was appointed to the Board as Group Sales and Marketing Director and in February 2018 he was appointed Chief Executive, taking over from Renishaw’s co-founder Sir David McMurtry. Will is responsible for product divisions, overseas sales subsidiaries and human resources.

Julia is Managing Director/ co-owner of Dr led care company, Saracen Care. Values are fundamental to what they do along with a mantra of “Doing everything Well”. Rated as “Outstanding” with the Care Quality commission (CQC), Saracen support vulnerable adults presenting with a learning disability; mental

health; acquired brain injury and complex medical conditions such as Huntingdon’s either in their own homes or supported living. For Julia, people are at the heart of her business – empowering the people they support and valuing and supporting the people they employ.

Rachel is a Warwick Business School graduate, with a background in finance, hospitality and the charity sector. Rachel joined St Richard’s Hospice in 2007 and has grown to lead a team of eleven to deliver upon income budgets of over £1.8 million. Rachel has an array of charitable sector experience including developing corporate partnerships,

individual giving campaigns and a wide range of events. In recent years Rachel has specialised in digital learning to enhance online revenue fundraising and has incorporated new technologies such as tap and donate. Rachel loves change and innovation and leads the team with passion and dedication.

As CEO, Sarah Bryars leads the team at Target to deliver award-winning communications for clients in a fast changing, competitive and noisy world. For more than 40 years, Target has been combining real world strategic advice with creative hands-on help to support businesses of all shapes and sizes achieve their aims, offline

and online. From disruptive innovators like ADEY, to much-loved market leaders such as Specsavers, we help clients to be understood, distinctive and chosen. More than ever, people buy from brands and businesses they trust. So, with 75% of a company’s asset value down to reputation, we firmly believe excellent communications
can generate commercial value and boost business outcomes.

Laurie recently joined The Cheltenham Trust as its new CEO. The Cheltenham Trust manages Cheltenham’s most iconic and historic buildings including The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum, the Town Hall, Pittville Pump Room,
Leisure at and the Prince of Wales Stadium. As a registered charity, the Trust contributes to the social, cultural and economic value of the town.

The iconic venues offer unique and exclusive space for meetings, events, social banqueting, concerts, entertainment and conferences in the heart of Cheltenham. The trust now in its fifth year delivers a programme of arts, leisure, sport and cultural events and activities.

Tidal Training Ltd is a national leading provider in the delivery of Mental Health, Medical and Clinical, Health and Social Care and Learning Disability training courses to businesses in the UK through our team of highly qualified
medical professionals. Our innovative and bespoke training raises awareness, knowledge and understanding in nearly 100 subjects from

autism and professional boundaries to acquired brain injury and visual impairment awareness. In 2018, we trained over 12,000 staff and are proud to consistently receive Excellent feedback. Our clients rely us on to create and educate in expert, market leading, precise and fit for purpose training. “We put people before profit.”

A qualified and highly experienced Recruitment professional, Richard founded Hooray in 2017 after moving back to Gloucestershire where he went to school and where his family reside.

Having worked with some large corporate Recruitment firms, Richard has managed large teams and is passionate about building and delivering an agency built on sound ethical principles and good business practices.

Joseph Mullis is Director and Practice Manager at WSP Solicitors. Joseph has worked in the legal services sector as a Practice Manager since he graduated from university. He is keen to ensure all clients receive an excellent service, which he feels is supported by forward looking people management.

Joseph’s commitment to people management is reflected in his membership to the Chartered Institute of Personal and Development, and he is also a student member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Vanessa co-founded Moon Consulting in 2000, perceiving a need for a return to the personal touch in senior level recruitment and is a firm advocate of the company's core values of being distinctive, ethical and approachable.
Vanessa works with a broad portfolio of clients both in the UK and internationally, ranging from listed PLC’s, private equity groups, SME’s to equity-backed businesses.

Her experience of over 25 years of senior management and recruiting at board level has given her a deep understanding of the talent of the South West and beyond. She is Master of the Guild of Guardians for 2019/2020 and was President of The Dolphin Society 2017/2018.