Meet the C2S Leaders

Business Support • Online • In Print • In Person

Dave Giles • Managing Director • Abbey Business Interiors • https://www.abbeybusinessinteriors.co.uk

Dave-Giles

Dave, Managing Director of Abbey Business Interiors has paved his way in the industry over the last 29 years, delivering large scale projects and building long-term industry knowledge and relationships. Abbey’s office may be based in Cheltenham but the team

work nationally to deliver small to medium sized projects right through to larger projects that have scale and complexity. The team work across FF&E, hospitality interiors, project management, moves, CAD planning and fit-out and refurbishment with the main aim of creating people, inspired spaces.

Steven Badrock • Managing Director • abc Services • https://www.abcservicescheltenham.co.uk

Steve-Badrock

Steven Badrock Is the managing director of ABC SERVICES in Cheltenham since 2003, which is the largest independent garage of its kind in the South West. With a team of 30, in 2019 we completed work on over 160,000 vehicles (cars/vans) for maintenance, service, mot, diagnostic and body repairs.
Steven has successfully created an alternative for company fleets and families based in

Gloucestershire. ABC SERVICES has now has attained software for every type of car and
van in the current market. Saving you up to 50% compared to main dealers. For convenience we collect and deliver so your staff are not interrupted.
We successfully already look after several
C2S fleets and look forward to helping others
in the region.

Robert Games • Patent Attorney/Director • Albright IP • https://www.albright-ip.co.uk

Robert Games is the Managing Director of Albright IP, a professional firm of British and European Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys, based in Cheltenham. As well as being an Engineer and a creative thinker, Robert is an experienced Chartered British Patent Attorney, European Patent Attorney, IP Litigator (Patents), and Trade Mark Attorney.

Having graduated with an Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering, he worked at the UK Intellectual Property Office as a Patent Examiner in the Engineering Division. Robert qualified quickly as a Patent Attorney and worked for two of the of the country’s leading Patent Attorney firms. He founded Albright IP (formerly Albright Patents) in 2007.

Robert is a people person who understands the requirements of busy entrepreneurs and business leaders. He has worked on a broad range of patent and design matters and has experience of handling patent portfolios across many fields within the general engineering sector.

Robert enjoys managing the day-to-day running of the firm, as well as maintaining a very active case-load, regularly meeting new clients to add to the company’s healthy portfolio. He also provides support to our trainee attorneys, encouraging them to gain the experience they need to progress in their careers.

Adrian Hocking • Patent Attorney/Director • Albright IP • https://www.albright-ip.co.uk/

Adrian is a highly motivated and conscientious Chartered British Patent Attorney, European Patent Attorney, and IP Litigator (Patents) with more than 20 years of experience in sectors ranging from general engineering, automotive and aerospace, to medical devices, telecoms and software.

His life in Intellectual Property began in Tokyo where he worked for three years in a Japanese patent law firm. He dealt with technical developments in digital photography and compression algorithms from Pentax, as well as assisting with translation matters.

On his return to the UK, Adrian joined a leading national Patent Law Firm where he trained and qualified as both a Chartered British Patent Attorney, European Patent Attorney, and IP Litigator (Patents).

In addition to being a Patents Director of Albright IP, Adrian handles all aspects of patent and design preparation, filing, and prosecution in all territories globally, particularly in the areas of general engineering, automotive, aerospace, telecoms, and software. Adrian also advises clients on contentious IP matters, such as patent infringement. He enjoys guiding his clients with clear and proactive advice to help their businesses succeed.

Julia House • Chartered Trade Mark Attorney – Director • Albright IP • http://www.albright-ip.co.uk

Albright IP is a full service patent and trade mark attorney firm. Our first-class attorneys have exceptional expertise and will represent you before the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO), the European Patent Office (EPO) and internationally before the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). We can also obtain patent rights for you in almost any country throughout the world.

Julia House is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney within Albright IP; a professional firm of British and European Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Julia is an experienced attorney described in the 2022 edition of the WTR 1000 (The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals) directory, as being “Practical and focused, providing top-notch, outstanding trademark prosecution work. She is a pleasure to work with.”

She has experience of all aspects of trade mark practice, which enables her to provide an insightful and commercial approach to brand management and protection, including the complex issues of ownership and licensing.

The specialist attorney teams at Albright IP have many years of experience in invention and brand protection, and work for clients in the UK and around the world. they advise on all aspects of IP protection and enforcement, including drafting, filing and prosecuting Patent, Design and Trade Mark Applications.

Katie Oliver • Chartered Trade Mark Attorney – Director • Albright IP • http://www.albright-ip.co.uk

Katie Oliver is a Director and Trade Mark Attorney at Albright IP. Katie qualified as a Trade Mark Attorney in 2002 and joined Albright IP in 2009. Today she heads up Albright IP’s specialist Trade Mark team which has been repeatedly ranked by the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA) in their annual top-filer rankings.

Commercially focused, Katie has extensive experience in all aspects of Trade Mark law, including Trade Mark selection and searching, Trade Mark portfolio management, filing and prosecution of Trade Mark applications around the world, initiating and defending Trade Mark opposition, invalidation and revocation proceedings, and Trade Mark defence and enforcement.

Katie is well known in the IP world and has been named in the latest edition of the World IP Review Leaders as well as the World Trade Mark Review. Katie puts this success down to their attorney led approach which delivers a commercially focused service, helping businesses of all sizes to protect their brands and IP all over the world.

Established in 2007, Albright IP operates with a six-strong trademark team. It employs 35 people across the company and has seen significant growth over the past few years, currently working with more than 2,000 companies across the world, including Europe, the US and China.

Mark Williams • Director of Sales • AMAG Technology • https://www.amag.com

Mark-Williams

AMAG is the technology arm of G4S, the world’s largest security company, operating in 90 countries with more than 570,000 staff. AMAG’s international headquarters in Tewkesbury is home to its global manufacturing and R&D facility. AMAG products help its customers reduce cost, mitigate risk and increase compliance via an array of solutions including access

and identity management, video and visitor management, command and control and incident and case management.
Mark heads up the EMEA division and has extensive global experience in the electronic security sector having held a number of senior positions both in the UK and the US.

Kami Dukes • Director of Business Development • AMAG Technology • https://www.amag.com/

Kami Dukes is the Director of Business Development for AMAG Technology. She authentically leads her team to work with security leaders while specifying Symmetry solutions, and spearheads AMAG’s annual Security Engineering Symposium where Fortune 500 customers learn about technology and trends.

Kami exceptionally balances the demands of her career with the challenge of homeschooling her daughter. She’s modelling critical life skills: communications, time management, diligent work completion, and leadership...a silver lining of the pandemic.

Jon White • Director • Apex Architecture • http://www.apexarchitectureltd.com/

Following nearly 10 years within the Timber Engineering sector, Jon joined Apex in 2005, gaining his Chartership status during this period and became a Director in 2019.

Whilst working directly with clients, Jon also focusses his time and energy on both business development and the mentoring of staff on their Chartership routes ensuring the high standards are maintained. Jon is always keen to ensure the best solutions are found to each and every project.

With a passion for marketing and identifying client needs, the opening of our third practice in Cheltenham in 2021 was an exciting period for the business, coming off the back of a tough year.

Regarding the new office in Cheltenham, Jon says " This represents a great opportunity for Apex to continue to offer the same high standards to a new client base of both private and commercial clients both in and around Cheltenham itself and of course throughout the Cotswolds and surrounding areas. "

Jon is keen to continue to break down barriers and to further demystify the architectural process to ensure clients really do gain a great understanding of the profess and therefore gain a better perception of the values of our appointment.

Charlie Vine • Director • Apex Architecture • http://www.apexarchitectureltd.com/

Charlie joined the practice in 2006, gaining MCIAT Chartered status soon after and was recognised for his passion in both design and Architectural Technology. Charlie become a Director of the business in 2011.

He was a keen rugby player in his former years, with many seasons at Lydney. Being a Gloucester fan, we are proud to be members of their Business Club, and advertise at Kingsholm.

Charlie’s passion for design, mixed with a pragmatic and commercially sensitive approach ensures best value for our private clients, whilst achieving maximum profit for developers.

Charlie’s energy and focus continues to deliver results to our clients and in more recent years has helped to ensure the strategic growth plans have been successfully implemented.

Richard Jones • Director • Apex Architecture • http://www.apexarchitectureltd.com/

Richard has been at Apex for over 25 years, he joined whilst studying at UWE Bristol in the late 90’s and gaining his RICS Chartership in the early 2000's.

Richard is responsible for both the Finances and business development of the practice. He is also involved day to day on a range of projects, assisting the team, bringing in his specialist knowledge and skills regarding surveying and legal matters to ensure the best client advice is always provided.

Richard's stewardship as FD has been instrumental in providing a stable platform to allow both growth and clear strategic plan to further develop the business.

Here's to the next 25 Rich!

Jim Stevenson • Associate Director • Aston Lark • https://www.astonlark.com

Aston Lark is a top 5 independent Chartered Insurance Broker trusted by over 100,000 clients for business insurance, risk management, employee benefits and bespoke personal insurance. In a faceless world of indifferent service, our vision is to put CARE back into the broking business. I am a Chartered Insurance Broker with 30 years’ experience at major composite insurance companies and high-performing insurance brokers, advising clients within many sectors about a wide range of commercial insurance products & introducing complementary financial services e.g. risk management, high net worth personal insurance for discerning individuals, employee benefits and financial planning.

My career has progressed from technical insurance roles through sales into senior leadership. I am a “grafter” driven by quality, reputation and continual improvement to consistently deliver high performance, achieve results, meet challenges head-on, identify and seize opportunities in a dynamic environment.

Our expertise and services are wide-ranging but our customer service is always personal. Our staff work within local communities to understand clients and everything in their world. It’s also important for me to enjoy work and have fun!

Lee Hibbert • Director of Digital Assurance • Bamboo technology Group • https://www.bamboo.tech/

Lee has 35 years’ experience in Risk Management, serving in both the UK Military, Law enforcement and Government. Working previously as an Operational Commander in the Technical Collections Division at the NCS and Serious and Organised Crime Agency, Lee has a Post Grad Diploma in Business Continuity, Cyber Security and Emergency Management and an MSc in Organisational Resilience. He is a qualified teacher and visiting lecturer in the UK and abroad.
Working as the Digital and Cyber lead at Bamboo Technology Group, the team are creating digital assurance solutions to defeat cybercriminals, while meeting compliance and delivering long-term cyber resilience.

The teamwork to deliver digital assurance services to businesses, with an in-house Cyber Threat Intelligence unit (CTI) and Incident Response Team (CIRT), all delivering high levels of service from the Security Operations Centre (SOC) situated in offices near Cyber Central, the UK’s focal point of activity in cybersecurity, adjacent to GCHQ. Bamboo is certified to ISO 9001 and 27001 BSI standards. They are a NCSC approved Cyber Essentials (CE), CE Plus and IASME Gold certification body.

Linda Smith • CEO • Betaden • https://www.beta-den.com

Linda-Smith

Linda Smith is the Founder and CEO of BetaDen, Worcestershire’s first commercial technology accelerator funded by WLEP. She joined Worcestershire LEP in Summer 2017 to develop and launch a programme that would support new and emerging technology companies to progress to investment readiness or bring new solutions to technology supply chains. Linda’s background includes working in the industry in business

development and sales roles for high growth technology companies, which then extended into international trade and export; previous roles have included Director of International Trade for the UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) and directorships in several small tech companies. She has an abundance of knowledge and experience of US/EMEA markets, specialising in defence, aerospace and security sectors.

Paul Owen • Director • Bio-Cirle Surface Technology • https://www.bio-circle.co.uk/

For over 20 years Paul has pioneered businesses that are looking to do things better. Whether that’s efficiency, safety, cost, service, environmental impact or all of these. Paul is hugely motivated by not just settling for the ‘old way’ of doing things. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience in relation to Clean Tech and Green tech, having been lucky enough to build at least half a dozen business from Start-up / early stage to multi-million pound businesses, and with a particular interest in surface cleaning, chemistry, process improvement and sustainability. This background served as a solid platform for bringing the German Bio-Circle brand to the UK in 2017, ‘Bio-Circle Surface Technology Ltd’.

Bio-Circle operate in over 15 countries with their own subsidiary organisations and have a presence in more than 65 countries world-wide. The Bio-Circle mission very much aligns with Paul’s - to transform archaic processes into efficient, streamlined processes that are cost and carbon conscious and help organisations fulfil their potential - Bio-Circle call this MAKING GREEN WORK. Paul pours this ethos into a number of areas - through his Board Advisory and NED work, his mentorship with start ups at various Universities and Entrepreneurial Spark, and as Board Member and Trustee at Coventry University, The Cheltenham Trust and Ribston Hall.

Kevin Costello • Director • Blossom Vehicle Leasing • https://www.blossomvehicleleasing.co.uk/

Kevin - Father of two older teenagers, dog lover, poker, skittles and scrabble player! He loves most sports, especially rugby, basketball and baseball.

Blossom Vehicle Leasing supply all new cars and vans available in the UK, to business and personal customers alike. Established in 2008, the majority of our customers lease, though we provide all types of finance depending on what best suits our customers. We'll take the time to truly understand 'pains' and needs and provide an appropriate solution. We pride ourselves on providing outstanding customer service and we were delighted to receive recognition for this when we were presented with the 'Best In House Team' award with one of the UK's biggest funders recently.

For some of our bigger customers we also offer a full 'Fleet Management' service which includes (free) access to our customer vehicle portal - a great tool to help Fleet Managers and business owners manage their company cars and vans.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we love what we do! We're experts in our field and get huge satisfaction when we help people save money and make better, more informed decisions regarding their vehicles and funding choices.
Look forward to speaking to you soon and learning more about your business too!

Chris Aldridge • Employment Team Lead • BPE • https://www.bpe.co.uk/

BPE Chris Aldridge

Chris leads BPE’s Employment team, specialising in Employment law and collaborating with the Corporate and Commercial teams on the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions. He has a particular expertise in bringing and defending high value, complex tribunal litigation as well as advising on disciplinary, grievance, whistleblowing and discrimination for both employers (ranging in size) and employees. This is in addition to advising on the full spectrum of employment issues including executive terminations, wrongful and unfair dismissal and large scale reorganisations.

BPE is a full service law firm based in Cheltenham. 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.

Adam Kean • Partner • BPE • https://www.bpe.co.uk/

As a Partner in the Corporate team, Adam advises local, national and international clients on a range of matters including mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments and equity capital markets transactions. Adam has significant experience in private equity and the renewable energy sector, specialising in renewable energy projects across all technologies, and has acted for some of Europe’s leading renewable energy funds. He is responsible for some of the team’s biggest clients and has been shortlisted for several awards including Emerging Dealmaker of the Year in the South West Insider Dealmaker Awards 2020.

BPE is a full service law firm based in Cheltenham. 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.

John Workman • Senior Partner • BPE Solicitors • https://www.bpe.co.uk

John Workman is a partner in the Corporate team at BPE Solicitors. He advises on corporate transactions and is the firm’s Senior Partner having lead a management buyout of the firm in 2005. John has over 35 years’ experience and is well-known for his specialist corporate knowledge.
In his role as Senior Partner, John is part of the senior management team at BPE, playing a key role in the firm’s strategy as well as being at the forefront of client facing activities and managing key client relationships. In addition to his legal practice, John is an Honorary Consul to Estonia and a director of the Everyman Theatre.

BPE is a full service law firm based in Cheltenham. 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.

Antonia Shield • Managing Partner • BPE Solicitors • https://www.bpe.co.uk/

Antonia is Managing Partner at BPE Solicitors. She has over 20 years’ experience advising companies on a range of legal property matters. Antonia joined BPE in 2002 and was previously Head of Commercial Property. Since taking over as Managing Partner in 2019, she has focused on shaping and developing the operational aspects of the firm whilst retaining her role as key point of liaison for several significant property clients. Working alongside the wider senior management team, Antonia plays a pivotal leadership role in the firm’s strategy whilst maintaining her legal role supporting organisations with significant and often complex property assets.

She is a trustee of The Summerfield Charitable Trust and currently sits on the Cheltenham Economic Recovery Taskforce.
BPE is a full service law firm based in Cheltenham. 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.

Helen Cankett • Partner • BPE Solicitors • https://www.bpe.co.uk/

Helen is a Partner and Head of Family law at BPE Solicitors. She is a Family Mediator and Collaborative Lawyer with almost 19 years’ worth of experience and specialises in all aspects of divorce/separation and the related financial aspects.
Helen is an active Family Mediator with regular referrals from local solicitors. She is accredited by the Family Mediation Council in All-Issues Mediation.
She also collaborates with our Corporate and Private Wealth Partners to provide high net worth individuals and business owners with a ‘Corporate Wills’ package that takes into consideration the protection of their business and personal assets now and in the future.
Helen is a Resolution Accredited Specialist, a member of the Law Society’s Advanced Family Law Panel and Pod Liaison Officer for the Gloucestershire Collaborative Pod.

BPE is a full service law firm based in Cheltenham. 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.

Sarah Kenshall • Partner • BPE Solicitors • https://www.bpe.co.uk/

Sarah is a Partner in BPE’s Technology Team where she advises clients on commercialising evolving technologies. Sarah joined BPE in October 2020 and plays a pivotal role in building the firm’s Technology Sector offering. Sarah’s passion for technologies is has grown over the past 20 years where she has gained significant experience in the financial service and telecoms sector. Sarah brings a depth of operational experience to her advice having worked both in-house and in private practice and advises clients on structuring new business models and as well as providing practical risk analysis and guidance, most recently in the realms of cloud, data and analytics and payment service technologies.

BPE is a full service law firm based in Cheltenham. 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.

Jo Bewley • Partner • BPE Solicitors • https://www.bpe.co.uk/

Jo Bewley is a Partner at BPE Solicitors and is Head of the Commercial Property team. She is a key liaison and account manager for some of BPE’s most significant property clients including Mears Limited and Pure Gym. Jo has over 20 years’ experience and is well-known in the sector for balancing her technical and legal knowledge with the commercial needs of her clients. She has developed a particular specialism in advising surgeries and super surgery development, and also counts care home organisations amongst her clients. As well as leading the Commercial Property team, Jo heads up the firm’s property services division, managing the links among the wider property services offered by BPE from Residential Property to Construction.

BPE is a full service law firm based in Cheltenham. 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.

Christine Jackson • Partner • BPE Solicitors • https://www.bpe.co.uk/

Christine Jackson

Christine is BPE’s Technology Team Leader and looks to drive collaboration between the multiple specialisms offered by the Technology team members.

Technology has been a central theme throughout Christine’s practice. After enjoying long term secondments in the communications and retail sectors, Christine continued to flourish as a private practice solicitor in sectors including life sciences, education, manufacturing, engineering, gaming and sport.

Christine is lauded for giving a considered commercial steer. She is adept at building relationships and values getting to know clients and organisations in order that she may apply her technical expertise to advise on the most appropriate next step.

BPE is a full service law firm based in Cheltenham. 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.

Nick Bracey • Sales Director • Brace Creative Agency • https://www.brace.co.uk

nick-bracey

Hi, I’m Nick and for over a decade now I’ve enjoyed helping some of the biggest names in industry achieve their goals whilst helping small and medium enterprises grow to their full potential. At Brace Creative we started on a local level and have never forgotten our roots, but we’ve always aimed high.

It’s these lofty ambitions we seek to bring to all of our clients. We’ve worked with charities, locals governments and schools, those just starting out, as well as industry giants. We know the online community inside out and we cater every package for you.

Paul Nurden • Head of Office • Brewin Dolphin • https://www.brewin.co.uk/cheltenham

Brewin Dolphin is one of the UKs leading Wealth Managers Founded in 1762, we are here to help you achieve your ambitions through expert, personalised financial planning and investment management advice.

Paul has worked in the industry since the eighties and has seen many changes over that time. Often driven initially by regulatory pressures but all leading to the high levels of service and care our clients receive. Paul is passionate about ensuring that clients receive the highest quality advice and are prepared for the changes that they face over a lifetime.

Helen Farley-Higgs • FCSI Divisional Director • Brewin Dolphin • https://www.brewin.co.uk/

I am a Chartered Wealth Manager with Brewin Dolphin and have worked in the investment industry for nearly 30 years. Working with Brewin allows me to have the support and security of a large company whilst giving me the flexibility to offer a very personal service. Building strong relationships and understanding clients’ needs and long-term hopes enables me to help them build a strong

financial plan which is very satisfying and rewarding. Staying with the client as that plan works out over the years and helping to amend it to meet challenges continues to drive my passion for the role.

Steven Creed • Managing Director • Brickhampton Golf Complex • https://www.brickhampton.co.uk

Brickhampton Court has a reputation for quality hospitality, great service and professionalism with a wide range of facilities that do not just cater for the golfers. Brickhampton Court Golf Complex provides a friendly and welcoming atmosphere to its members and visitors alike.

Meeting the requirements of our clients whether it is; sporting, business or social events serving between; 20 to 120 people by delivering outstanding service. Through our professionalism and first-class service, Brickhampton has established itself as the premier venue in Gloucestershire.

Marcus Gomery • Group Managing Director • Brunsdon • https://www.brunsdonfinancialservices.co.uk

Marcus Gomery is Managing Director of both Brunsdon Financial Services Ltd and its appointed representative Brunsdon Employee Benefits Ltd. Marcus has worked in the financial services industry for nearly 30 years. He has a reputation for motivation and is an accomplished public speaker. Outside of work, Marcus enjoys spending time with family, playing golf and following most sports. He is a regular attendee at Gloucester Rugby (Brunsdon Financial has had a corporate box there for many years) and likes nothing more than the roar of the crowd on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Brunsdon Financial is a long-established financial services organisation. It is committed to providing high quality, focused and holistic financial advice and prides itself on the fact that the business has developed largely through recommendation, long-term client loyalty and relationship building.

Steve Kenyon • Director and Employee Benefits Consultant • Brunsdon Employee Benefits Ltd • https://brunsdonfinancial.co.uk/corporate-services/employee-benefits

Steve has an educational background in health and physiology and specialises in the Group Risk and Health and Wellbeing sector. Steve's role involves meeting with existing and potential clients to discuss and review their current employee benefits offer and then suggesting and recommending solutions that meet their needs, budget and culture. Existing clients benefit from continued dedicated account management, including regular policy reviews and employee engagement initiatives.
Steve says: "‘My enthusiasm and passion is to ensure my clients are educated and utilise all available benefits to support their employees’ health and wellbeing.

Amongst the insured employee benefit schemes on which Steve advises are: group private medical insurance, group income protection, group life, critical illness cover, sick pay insurance, private medical insurance, health insurance cash plans, employee assistance programmes, health assessments, various group insurance policies, for example travel, gadget and dental.
Steve says: "‘My enthusiasm and passion is to ensure my clients are educated and utilise all available benefits to support their employees’ health and wellbeing. I firmly believe that improved wellbeing builds on positive engagement, enhanced physical and mental health and improved reward recognition and retention."

Brian Morman • Chairman • Brunsdon Financial • https://brunsdonfinancial.co.uk/

Brian has been in financial services most of his working life, becoming CEO in the year 2000. He is a Senior Financial Adviser with a large portfolio of prestigious individual and corporate clients and is also head of Brunsdon’s marketing and client communications team. As a strategist, his direction has helped drive the company forward.

Brian has a ‘can do’ attitude and rarely takes ‘no’ for an answer. He is a committed family man, loves playing golf, walking his dogs and riding his motorcycle! He is the author of the self-help book, The Little Guide to Your Bigger Future™

Neil Saunders • General Manager • Bürkert UK Limited, part of the Bürkert Group of companies • https://www.burkert.co.uk/en

Neil is responsible for the management of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

A qualified engineer with a Degree in Mechanical Engineering & Business Studies, Neil joined the Business in February 1998 fresh out of University, developing his career at Burkert over the years.

Bürkert manufactures and sells mechanical and electronic process control equipment in component and customised system solution formats to a very diverse and wide range of industries. Headquarters are based in Germany and UK Ireland sales office in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. A family owned business, the company has offices in 36 countries worldwide and over 3,000 employees.

Neil is passionate about building teams and loves having the opportunity to collaborate with inspiring and talented people every day.

This creates the platform that paves the way towards fulfilling the company’s vision and outlines ways for every employee and every process to contribute to our overall goal.
Neil is a keen sportsman in his spare time, as his town’s local cricket team captain and former football captain, he likes to keep fit and socialize when he can.

Jason French • Director • Business Doctor • https://www.businessdoctors.co.uk

Jason-French

I work with businesses and leaders who have come to realise that fundamental change is necessary in order for them to achieve their goals. I own Business Doctors in the region, a business consultancy specialising in facilitating growth, value, structure and leadership to allow

businesses to ACHIEVE THEIR VISION. I bring to bear resources including 18 years as an Officer in the British Army with great depth of experience in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organisational Design. These are underpinned with a BSc and MBA, all delivered through an unbeatable system which has helped over 10,000 companies grow and thrive.

Ramona Ray • Director of Community Based Services • Caring for Communities and People (CCP) • https://www.ccp.org.uk/

Ramona Ray started her career journey in Hotel Management, within a 5-star Hotel located in Muenster, Germany. Ramona relocated to the UK in 2000 where she joined Caring for Communities and People (CCP).
Working from a Full-Time Volunteer, Ramona held several management positions before being promoted to her current role, Director of Community Services, overseeing a diverse and extensive portfolio of Community Based Support contracts.

Ramona is passionate about Early Help Family Support and is a trained Positive Parenting Practitioner, Family Mediator, Master Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming and qualified in ILM Management Level 5.

Cordell Ray MBE • CEO • CCP Charity Caring About Communities & People • https://www.ccp.org.uk

"Cordell Ray is Chief Executive of the charity Caring for Communities & People (CCP). The charities vision is to prevent the causes and reduce the effects of homelessness, family breakdown and exclusion. 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 The Child & Family Learning Trust and the Chair of Governors with 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."

Claudine Morgan • Legal Director • Charles Russell Speechlys • https:// www.charlesrussellspeechlys.com

Charles Russell Speechlys is a law firm headquartered in London with offices in Cheltenham, Guildford, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong. We have an unusually broad range of skills and experience across the full spectrum of business and personal needs. This gives us a wider perspective, clear insight and a strongly commercial long-term view. We use this approach to secure the growth of our clients as they move confidently into the future. Clients find our more considered and personal approach a refreshing alternative to conventional business law firms.

Claudine is a highly experienced litigator, based in Cheltenham, who acts for corporate and individual clients on a variety of commercial disputes destined for the High Court. Her work has a particular emphasis on contractual disputes, breach of fiduciary duties, shareholder duties, D&O claims, civil fraud, breach of warranty, professional negligence, sale of goods and supply of services, and misrepresentation.
Her Chambers & Partners ranking as Up and Coming reflects her ability to manage complex and technically demanding cases. Commercially astute, she is passionate about pursuing the right outcome for her clients. Claudine has experience litigating through the Courts domestically and internationally. She is also experienced in resolving disputes through mediation and by alternative means.
Claudine is a member of the Firm’s Women in Leadership in Law committee and an active contributor to our Achieving Balance initiative.

Heath Gunter • Chief Executive • Cheltenham Business Improvement District (BID) • https://cheltenhambid.co.uk/

Heath Gunter is Chief Executive of Cheltenham Business Improvement District (BID) and Executive Board Member of Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce. He leads the work of the BID which is a business-led, not-for-profit organisation delivering services which make Cheltenham town centre a great place to work, live, visit, study and do business. The BID will invest £2.8 million in Cheltenham between 2021 and 2026 by supporting businesses, delivering events, enhancing the townscape and marketing the town.

Projects the BID has delivered are the Christmas lights, entertainment and markets, ADHD Umbrellas, Wimbledon big screen and the Cheltenham giant wheel, to name only a few.

Heath has a background in commercial management, particularly within the independent school and event sectors.

Eve Jardine-Young DL • Principal • Cheltenham Ladies College • https://www.cheltladiescollege.org/

Eve lived in Malawi, Central Africa, and was educated there at Saint Andrews International High School until 1989, when she accepted a scholarship to the Cheltenham Ladies' College for Sixth Form. After she left school, she studied Engineering Science at Pembroke College, Cambridge. Having worked in industry for a little while, Eve then entered the teaching profession, beginning at Radley College in Oxford, later moving to Epsom College in Surrey where she taught Economics.

In 2005, she moved to Blundell's School in Devon, where she was Director of Studies for six years. She became Principal of Cheltenham Ladies' College in 2010.

She was appointed Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire in 2017.

Neil Madle • South West Lead • City Fibre • https://www.cityfibre.com/

Neil joined CityFibre from Surrey-based medical company Xstrahl, where he was commercial director. Prior to that, he spent 13 years as European corporate communications and investor relations director with US-owned Varian Medical Systems, working both in the UK and the USA. Prior to that, he was based in Swindon for 14 years handling senior communications roles for Raychem (now Tyco) and Equiinet, both based in Dorcan. A trained journalist, he started his career as a reporter on local newspapers such as the Marlborough Times and the Bath Evening Chronicle. He lives in Chippenham with his wife of 34 years and two children and says he has a huge affection for this part of the UK, which is why he is so pleased to be overseeing such exciting projects in some of the south west’s most vibrant and ambitious locations.

As City Manager for Swindon, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Bath with CityFibre, the UK’s largest alternative provider of wholesale fibre network infrastructure and the builder of Gigabit Cities, Neil is responsible for the successful rollout of these multi-year projects. Across the UK, CityFibre is investing £4 billion to bring comprehensive full fibre access to up to 100 towns and cities, targeting some eight million premises or 30 percent of the country’s homes. CityFibre is also providing full fibre for businesses, public assets and to support 5G rollouts across the country and is creating some 10,000 jobs along the way. A modern digital infrastructure such as this plays a crucial role in growing and protecting local economies, even more so during these unprecedented times when connectivity has proven vital to residents, businesses and public services alike.

Lindsey Young • Chief Executive Officer • Clarkson Evans • https://www.clarksonevans.co.uk

Clarkson Evans is one of the largest electrical contractors in the UK, with a workforce of over 900 staff and turnover approaching £55m. It specialises in wiring new homes and last year completed nearly 20,000 properties. Thanks to its hugely successful in-house electrical apprenticeship programme, Clarkson Evans has been able to develop the skilled workforce needed to expand from the ‘one-man-bad’ started by Steve Evans in 1981.

Lindsey Young is the company’s Chief Operating Officer and a regular attendee of C2S Leader events. She joined Clarkson Evans in 2001 in an administration role and has progressed within the company, becoming COO in 2018.

Simon Reichwald • Chief Progression Officer • Connectr • https://www.connectr.com/

For almost 30 years’ Simon has worked in Talent Acquisition. In recent years his focus has been on enabling firms to access untapped, diverse pools of talent (from young people to returners and over 50’s) and then removing barriers to enable talent to progress into work and critically progress when in work.

He was one of the Delivery Partners for a Govt commissioned taskforce with the City of London Corporation (2020-22) which has lead to the setting up of a new membership body Progress Together (in May 2022) to boost socio-economic diversity at senior levels in UK Financial and Professional Services.

He was awarded ‘Freedom of the City of London‘ in recognition for his work.

He is a member of the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce, and although London focused, impacts all the UK.

He was appointed an ISE Fellow in 2022, (Institute of Student Employers) having been Honorary Vice-President (2017-2020) with a brief to shape the apprenticeship strategy for its’ members, The focus of that work is how apprenticeships can be a powerful tool to address the very real skills challenges facing UK Plc; so to both support the progression into work, as well as the development of future skills and progression when in work.

He is an Honorary Teaching Fellow as part of the ‘Leaders in Residence’ programme at Lancaster University Management School.

He is Deputy Chair for the Apprentice Diversity Champions Network (ADCN). It was launched by the Department of Education, as a network of employers to support the Government’s commitment to Diversity through Apprenticeships.

He used to be a runner (6 half marathons and 1 London Marathon), but now is a cyclist having cycled from London to Paris in 2022 and in the summer of 2023 Gloucestershire to Essex, all for charity.

And because there is always more you can do & give (!), he coaches and runs womens’ cricket for Cheltenham Cricket Club.

Martina Spreckley • Senior Talent Acquisition Manager • Connectr • https://www.connectr.com/

Martina Spreckley qualified as a solicitor and worked as an HR manager in Financial Services for many years in London, Paris and Bristol. Martina took a career break to raise her young family whilst also volunteering as a Witness Support at the local Magistrates court.

Martina returned to the corporate world, initially as a freelance headhunter and then joining Connectr in 2015.

Martina is a highly experienced talent acquisition professional and has worked on many high profile recruitment campaigns for partner clients sourcing amazing apprentices, interns and graduates strongly aligned to clients’ corporate culture and values. Recently Martina has been working with pioneering clients looking to hire over 50s talent into the workplace. Martina specialises in Tech, Construction, Legal and Financial Services.

Martina has had the most fulfilling time working alongside incredible colleagues on countless successful and challenging recruitment campaigns for our partner clients.

Anna Hadden • Talent Acquisition Manager • Connectr • https://www.connectr.com/

Anna Hadden graduated from Cardiff University in 2018 with a degree in French & Italian.

Anna worked in the fmcg and retail sector for Lidl where she recruited for store, logistics and office-based colleagues from entry level up to senior management, as well as gaining experience in Supply Chain and core HR.

Anna thrives on the buzz after she’s successfully placed a candidate, especially those hard-to-fill positions. She loves to nurture candidates through the recruitment process, offering support and guidance, be that interview coaching or assessment centre advice. Anna enjoys the personal touch; meeting a candidate at a careers fair or putting the face to a client’s name after building an initial rapport over the phone.

Anna is a keen linguist and now learning Spanish and also trying to get my rusty German back up to A-Level speed. She likes to put her language skills into practice at any opportunity, when speaking to multi-lingual candidates and clients, or with an escape or two to the sunny Mediterranean each year.

Charlotte Chambers • Senior Talent Acquisition Manager • Connectr • https://www.connectr.com/

Charlotte Chambers graduated from Nottingham Trent University with a BA Hons in Fashion & Knitwear and embarked on an 18-year career in Fashion Buying. Charlotte worked in the UK and the Middle East, starting as a Junior Designer with Arcadia and steadily climbing the ranks. Charlotte’s career journey included buying for Marks & Spencer in the Middle East and culminated in her role as Head of Buying at Principles and later, Austin Reed Group.

After a short career break, Charlotte wanted a new challenge to leverage her skills and experience in a different capacity and joined Connectr in 2015.

Charlotte brings a unique perspective and understanding of the importance of nurturing undiscovered talent and fostering talent pipelines across various sectors with multifaceted expertise with a focus on the rapidly developing over 50's sector, as well as the Retail, Financial Services, and Construction Industries at both apprentice and graduate levels.

Charlotte discovered her calling at Connectr and has never looked back!

Kate Earle-Davis • Head of Talent Acquisition • Connectr • https://www.connectr.com/

Kate Earle-Davis qualified in law, worked in the legal and oil sector and is the Head of Talent Acquisition at Connectr. Kate leads the talent acquisition team and is responsible for internal resourcing for the Connectr team.

Kate helps organisations attract and secure undiscovered and hidden talent and she has been involved in the search for apprentices, graduates, work experience, internships and over 50s work too.

An expert at sourcing extraordinary talent for those hard-to-fill roles, Kate has tenacity, resilience and always finds a resourcing solution. She has worked across all industry sectors with specialism in financial services, insurance, professional services and retail.

Kate is passionate about helping organisations thrive in today's ever-changing business landscape and if you’re looking to shake up your approach to talent attraction, acquisition, management and retention, let’s connect! She’d love to chat about how Connectr can support your organisation's goals.

John Everitt • Founder & Director • Coombes Everitt • https://ce-architects.co.uk/

As one of the original founders and Directors of the award winning Architecture firm, Coombes Everitt, established in 2000, John still oversees all Architectural projects. Leveraging years of expertise in designing and developing open-market residential projects to address diverse housing needs, John directs the business's focus toward sustainable design principles often taking on challenging properties that require listed buildings consent, or situated within conservation areas.

Toby Coombes • Founder & Director • Coombes Everitt • https://ce-architects.co.uk/

As one of the original founders and Directors of Coombes Everitt, Toby has cultivated a distinguished career post-RIBA, specialising in private, commercial and developer-led projects that have gained award-winning status. Throughout his journey, Toby has remained steadfast in his focus in ensuring that the practice fulfills its mission - to craft beautiful spaces that enhance the way we live, learn, work, and play.

Mike Court • RIBA Chartered Architect • Coombes Everitt • https://ce-architects.co.uk/

Mike Court is an RIBA Chartered Architect boasting more than two decades of expertise in the field of architecture. Mike has also been a technical advisor to the Department for Education for the last 10 years and has experience ranging from early years, primary, secondary, academy, special educational needs, further and higher education, as well as elder care and leisure sectors. As a member of the Coombes Everitt leadership team, Mike leverages his strategic problem-solving and project management skills to craft sophisticated architectural designs.

Vic Wheeler • Technical Director • Cosgrove & Drew Engineering Services • https://www.cde-services.co.uk/

Having worked as a heating engineer for the last 15 years, in commercial, domestic, and renewable maintenance and installation services, I have built up a vast knowledge of how our industry works.

I am responsible for the Technical Services division for Cosgrove and Drew Engineering where my team and I look after customers for all maintenance, small projects and facilities management services across the length and breadth of the UK.

I have worked in a number of leadership roles and have been fortunate enough to work with some of the best industry leaders in thought-leadership when it comes to the future of energy and at Cosgrove and Drew, we are very much involved with this from all angles.

Martin Holmes • Director of People • Creed Foodservice • https://www.creedfoodservices.co.uk

Creed Foodservice has grown to become one of the UK's leading independently owned foodservice wholesalers specialising in a comprehensive range of multi-temperature products and services to caterers throughout the country, providing great service through great people.

Martin joined Creed in 2013 with extensive experience in the food industry, including roles in catering management, wholesale and distribution working in a number of senior sales, business improvement and people roles. At Creed, Martin has responsibility for HR and Organisational Development “ the people stuff” and is passionate about creating business success through strong organisational values and culture, employee engagement, wellbeing and development.

Chris Mould • Corporate Audit & Advisory Partner • Crowe • https://www.crowe.co.uk

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.

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.

Nick Latimer • Tax Partner • Crowe • https://www.crowe.com/uk/croweuk

Nick Latimer – is the Tax Partner within the Crowe Cheltenham office and advise business owners, entrepreneurs and families on appropriate ways to structure their affairs to make the most of tax allowances and reliefs.

He specialise in income tax planning, capital gains tax planning, partnerships, inheritance tax, and trusts, as well as advising internationally mobile individuals who may or may not be domiciled in the UK.

Gemma Brindley • Director • Crowe UK • https://www.crowe.com/uk/croweuk/about-us/our-offices/cheltenham-office-information

Gemma is a Director at Crowe in Cheltenham. She oversees the corporate tax work of the office including advising on capital allowances and R&D tax relief claims. Having taken the lead on the property and construction specialism locally for a number of years, Gemma is also Crowe’s local Women’s Empowerment Champion encouraging equality and an inclusive approach in the workplace. Gemma is currently broadening her expertise by acquiring international tax qualifications”.

David Woodfine • Director • Cyber Security Associates • https://www.csa.limited

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

Emma Taylor • Warden • Dean Close School • https://www.deanclose.org.uk

Dean Close is a flourishing co educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 3 18 years, offering outstanding teaching and extensive opportunities, particularly in creative and performing arts and sport; the school has a national reputation for hockey. Dean Close has a strong Christian ethos and pastoral care, guidance and individual support is of paramount importance there.

The Dean Close Foundation has recently expanded with the addition of another prep school in Chepstow, and 5 nurseries. Emma Taylor joined as Warden and CEO in September 2017, after 10 years as Head of Christ College, Brecon. Emma is a champion for co-education, for the benefits of boarding, and for both excellence and inclusivity inside and outside the classroom.’

James Morrison • Head of Brand • Direct Wines & Laithwaites • https://www.laithwaites.co.uk/

james morrison profile

James has been Head of Brand at Laithwaites since August 2021 and before that he spent 11 years at Waitrose & Partners as Head of Brand Marketing.
Ever since Tony Laithwaite went to Bordeaux in the 60s, family and friendship has been central to their journey. For over 50 years they have been delivering wine the right way – from people who love making it to people who love drinking it. they never overcomplicate things.

Born in Lancashire and now based in South Oxfordshire, Tony Laithwaite founded the original ‘Bordeaux Direct’ company (now Laithwaites) in 1969. he has followed his passion for half a century, working in the vineyards of Bordeaux in the 1960s and now co-chairing the UK’s biggest wine company with his wife Barbara.

Paul Nicholls • Business Development Director • DRPG • https://www.drpgroup.com

Paul heads up Business Development at DRPG - a completely integrated creative communications agency. With 30 years experience in developing and growing mutually successful client relationships with some of the biggest and brightest brands in the UK and beyond, Paul has access to an incredibly creative, innovative and results focussed team at DRPG.

Concentrating on bespoke solutions that centre on objectives and results rather than the media or channel of delivery enables Paul and the 370+ strong team to deliver outstanding and measurable results for their hugely impressive client portfolio.

DRPG has an unrivalled blend of in-house expertise which is illustrated below. Angela, the image I have suggested is also attached

This year, DRPG celebrates its 40th anniversary and continues to grow - now a global organisation and continually delivering on its promise that Anything’s Possible.

Dagmar Mackett • Global Development Director • DRPG • https://www.drpgroup.com/

Dagmar Mackett – Global Development Director
Dagmar is DRPG’s global development director, addressing clients’ requirements for more internationally focused communications solutions. She has been with the business since 2009 when she joined as board director for film and video, building an award-winning film and animation team that provides creatively compelling solutions for a variety of clients in different industry sectors. Her focus now lies in developing the company’s profile abroad and supporting the global expansion of the group.

Dale Parmenter • CEO • DRPG • https://www.drpgroup.com/

Dale left school with just one goal in mind, to run his own business. He has now been in the events and communication industry for over 40 years. DRPG a creative communication agency in the UK, employs over 350 specialists across 5 locations in Worc, London, Windsor, USA, and Germany. Dale is passionate about talent and putting people first.

DRPG appeared in the Sunday Times best 100 companies to work for list this year, coming 16th and was awarded the Investors in People Platinum status. In 2015 presented with the events industry personality of the year and in 2016 honoured with a fellowship award for services to Communication, presented in the House of Lords.

Gary Thomas • Head of Sustainability • Ecotricity • https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/

Gary looks after all things sustainable across the Green Britain Group - including Ecotricity, Forest Green Rovers (the greenest football club in the world according to FIFA), Britwind, EcoTalk, Skydiamond and Devil's Kitchen.

Ecotricity is a British energy company based in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Known as a global lead on sustainability. Founder Dale Vince and the team are
passionate about saving the planet and doing everything they can to support this goal. From Forest Green Rovers FC being the only green football club in the world and producing green fuel to innovating technology to produce environmentally produced diamonds.

Lee Summers • Managing Director • Elmrep Office Solutions Ltd • https://elmrep.co.uk/

Lee joined Elmrep in 1993 as a YTS Trainee and then bought the business in 2011. He has taken the business from strength to strength including pioneering the way to manage businesses office printing and scanning needs. A unique one-way monitoring system that allows them to know there is a problem before they do!

Lee is also the President of the Rotary Club of Gloucester Quays which has seen him and his team raise thousands for local charities.

In his spare time Lee likes nothing better than two wheels! Whether that be Mountain Biking, Motorcycling or the even lycra brigade!

David Jones • Managing Director • Evans Jones Property and Planning Consultancy . • https://www.evansjones.co.uk

Evans Jones is an independent firm of Chartered Surveyors and Planning Consultants, advising on all aspects of the acquisition, development and management of Commercial Property across the UK. Founded in 1972 and based in Cheltenham, the team work across the UK and have regional operations in London and Reading.

David Jones is Managing Director and Head of Planning at Evans Jones. David has an enviable reputation for getting results and has particular strength in the residential, education and leisure sectors and deals with larger or more contentious projects. David has over 35 years’ experience and has built in-depth knowledge and lasting relationships in the local business community.

Mark Goucher • Chief Executive • Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham • https://www.everymantheatre.org.uk/

Mark Goucher has been Chief Executive of the Everyman Theatre since 2017. A West End producer with over 30 years experience, Mark has used his connections in the industry to raise the profile of the Everyman nationally and increase the range of high quality work, working with producers and companies who would not otherwise have come to Cheltenham.

The Everyman has acted as an opening venue for many top shows and now co-produces with a range of other theatres and producers, including Bath Theatre Royal, the Northampton Royal & Derngate, Curve Leicester and most recently Love Productions, to host the premiere of Great British Bake Off, The Musical, which is transferring to the West End in 2023, a first for the Everyman.

Nigel Church • Managing Director • First Solutions • https://www.firstsolution.co.uk

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.

Orhan Ertughrul • Managing Dircetor • G-SMATT • https://www.g-smatteurope.com/

Orhan has worked in high-tech and entrepreneurial enterprises for over 20 years. He runs two businesses in Gloucestershire. G-SMATT Europe delivers an innovative South Korean transparent media glass used for media facades in a range of markets (www.g-smatteurope.com). G-SMATT has an innovative media glass solution that imbeds LEDs in laminated glass using laser etched circuitry on the surface of the glass. Inflectix finds cutting edge start-up synthetic biology and biotechnology companies in Europe and the US and partners them with South Korean investment capital (www.inflectix.com). He is passionate about the application of technology to solve health and environmental problems.

This means that the media glass retains almost complete transparency whilst having the ability to play rich media. The company has recently completed projects at Merchant Square in London and for British Telecom at their Ad Astral park research centre. G-SMATT Europe is working extensively with partners in the Middle East and Europe. Inflectix is about two years old and has in its portfolio investments as diverse as an oral probiotic solution to bad breath and tooth decay, and a company that creates hydrogen from food waste. Inflectix selects companies for investment that we believe will have a positive impact on human health or the environment.

Mike Goode • Managing Director • GB Solutions • https://www.gbsolutions.co.uk

GB Solutions are an established, regional recruitment agency based in Gloucestershire. Within easy reach of Bristol, Birmingham and Swindon, we serve clients ranging from FTSE 100s to SMEs.
Our talent pool spans from graduates, experienced and qualified professionals up to board level. Our committed team of consultants operate across five specialist sectors:

IT, Sales, Office and HR, Marketing and Finance. Acting as Business Partners we provide permanent, temporary and contract staff. To find out more about GB Solutions and the talent we can bring to your business call us on 01452 412999

Karen Taylor • Managing Director • Gloucestershire Airport • http://www.gloucestershireairport.co.uk/

Karen Taylor is Managing Director of Gloucestershire Airport, one of the busiest general aviation airports in the UK. Formally appointed Managing Director in January 2021. Karen firmly established her credentials as a capable leader in her earlier role as Commercial Finance Director. In this capacity she was instrumental in securing funding to deliver a major capital improvement programme which will, ultimately, provide the foundation on which Gloucestershire Airport now fulfil its long-term vision for growth, and ambition to establish itself as a ‘gateway to growth’ for the wider region.

Recently described by Aviation Business News magazine as “busy and brilliant” Karen is now steering the airport through this period of significant change, with a programme of work now underway to refurb two of the runways, install new radar comms, and successfully deliver the new CGX Connect Business Park development.

Andy Bates • Chief Financial Officer and Vice Principal at Gloucestershire College • Gloucestershire College • https://www.gloscal.co.uk

Since joining Gloucestershire College as Chief Financial Officer and Vice Principal in 2014, Andy Bates has driven a number of high profile projects. These include introducing a business partner model to improve financial visibility throughout the organisation and Gloucestershire College’s Institute of Technology bid consequently securing £3 million of funding for outstanding new cyber and engineering facilities.

Andy is responsible for leading the financial strategy, employer training and all commercial activities across Gloucestershire College’s three campuses in Cheltenham, Gloucester and The Forest of Dean.

Gloucestershire College is a modern, career-focused college that educates ambitious students and provides employers with specialised training services and support, including professional courses, apprenticeships, traineeships and the government’s new Kickstart Scheme. As the largest provider of apprenticeship training in the county, GC is nationally recognised for its award-winning apprenticeship programmes and is a proud supporter of the local business community.

Matthew Burgess • Principal and Chief Executive • Gloucestershire College • https://www.gloscol.ac.uk/

Matthew Burgess was appointed as Principal and Chief Executive of Gloucestershire College in 2013 having joined in 1998 as Vice Principal for Finance. Supported by the Board of Governors, Matthew proudly leads all aspects of Gloucestershire College including its strategic direction, educational character, student outcomes and financial position.

An advocate for how FE supports local businesses, passionate about helping young people to achieve their potential and an ambassador for apprenticeships, Matthew ensures GC provides choices, pathways and support for all to help the local community thrive.

Committed to equipping students and businesses with the skills required for today and tomorrow, Gloucestershire College forms an invaluable part in meeting the future challenges and demands for skills both locally and nationally. Proudly part of the West of England Institute of Technology, Gloucestershire College is at the cutting edge for digital and technical innovation and education.

Julie Tegg • Director of Apprenticeships and Employer Training • Gloucestershire College • https://www.gloscol.ac.uk/

Julie Tegg is the Director of Apprenticeships and Employer Training at Gloucestershire College. Awarded ‘Gloucestershire’s Apprenticeship Training Provider of the Year 2020’, Julie steers GC’s professional training provision with her senior leadership experience and exceptional knowledge of apprenticeships to provide an outstanding service for employers and apprentices alike.

Having joined GC in 2012 and is passionate about apprenticeships and their positive impact on both the individual and businesses as a whole. Julie and the team at GC are on a mission to change the stereotypes of apprentices and encourage everyone to utilise the scheme to develop professionally throughout their career.

The college is one of the leading providers of apprenticeships in the region and recognised nationally for the quality and impact of its apprenticeship programmes. Committed to providing employers with the right training for their business, Julie leads Gloucestershire College’s vast and experienced team of Business Consultants, Training Coordinators, Assessors, Trainers and Tutors, ensuring quality is always the top priority.

With apprenticeships in Engineering, construction, carpentry, accountancy, HR, marketing, IT, cyber, administration, hairdressing, hospitality and more, Gloucestershire College is the largest provider in the county. Providing training for both new recruits and existing staff members, GC can help all professionals to upskill and bring essential new skills into businesses.

Taking each and every apprentice’s experience personally, employers can expect top-class service and support every step of the way.

Scott Lawrence • Partner • Hazlewoods • https://www.hazlewoods.co.uk/

Scott is head of the Hazlewoods Corporate Services team. He has over 26 years’ experience advising corporate clients, family businesses and entrepreneurs from various industries including manufacturing and engineering, wholesale and distribution and motorsport. The majority of Scott’s clients have an international dimension: importing or exporting goods and services, and many have overseas trading operations. Scott is also head of the Charities and Education team, which provides expert advice to charity and academy clients. He has a Diploma in Charity Accounting and also serves on the National HLB Education team.

Whether your charity is new or long established, or if you manage a school making the transition to academy status, his extensive experience enables him to understand your unique issues from your perspective.

In response to the rapidly changing environment we now live and work in, businesses require support and advice more than ever before. Scott and his team continually produce articles, webinars and insightful top tips to support businesses and entrepreneurs that provide them with ideas to adapt and grow.

Ruth Dooley • Partner • Hazlewoods • https://www.hazlewoods.co.uk/

I’d rather be a gorilla” said my friends when I told them I wanted to become an accountant. Before I came to Gloucestershire I was working for Mars and that gave them lots of free chocolate – hence their rude comments!

Thirty years on it has turned out to be a fantastic career choice for me. Accountancy can take you in all sorts of directions, whether in practice or within a business. My personal route has been through audit to tax, which I have always found to be challenging and fulfilling. Clients seem to appreciate good tax advice; especially when it leads to tax savings! In the last ten years I have also become a business valuer and an expert witness, primarily for divorce cases and tax professional negligence claims.

It has been a great career as a woman; I have never felt there was a glass ceiling in accountancy. At Hazlewoods, our professional staff are split equally between men and women and we are definitely a meritocracy.

I have also had the opportunity to be able to contribute to the wider Gloucestershire business community. I am a member of the Honourable Company of Gloucestershire, a Visiting Fellow at the University of Gloucestershire and a board member of GFirst LEP, which keeps me pretty busy in addition to the day job!

A gorilla’s life might have its attractions but I would recommend accountancy as a far better career choice.

Rebecca Copping • Director • Hazlewoods • https://www.hazlewoods.co.uk/

Having joined Hazlewoods in 2018, I have worked on a large number of private company, family business and corporate audits, and various inbound subsidiaries, and love the challenge and variety that working here provides. I have a particular interest in companies in the food and drink industry and take the lead on working in this industry at Hazlewoods.

Outside of work you can find me cycling, running, and spending time with my young family.

Alison Townsend • Director of Marketing • Hazlewoods • https://www.hazlewoods.co.uk/

Alison Townsend

With over 25 years marketing experience across both B2B and B2C, Alison has led growth and brand awareness campaigns in regional, national and international markets.

Alison cut her marketing teeth working for complex global organisations in London - Deloitte & Touche and SITA Airline services. She was promoted through the ranks, using her strong management and communication skills to co-ordinate work across numerous teams and countries. Now as Director of Marketing for Hazlewoods - accountancy and business advisers to regional and national clients – Alison is channelling her marketing skills to continue to grow the firm’s brand presence and its business development capacity.

Moving to Gloucestershire with her family, Alison then headed up marketing teams for local organisations including Nelson Thornes publishers, Cheltenham College and Gloucestershire College. She has a well-known presence in the local business community, and is a strong advocate of the Golden Valley development and all the opportunities it will bring to our region.

Alison’s main passion is enabling teams to excel and cultivating strong and respected stakeholder relationships to strategically grow both business and brand.

Richard Arthur • Director • Hooray Recruitment • https://hoorayworks.co.uk/

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.

Ian Moriarty • Operations Director • Hooray Recruitment • https://hoorayworks.co.uk/

With 15 years of Business Development and Account Management experience, Ian has worked in the Property and Recruitment sectors extensively and brings a wealth of knowledge to Hooray.

Ian manages the day to day operations at Hooray, overseeing everything from Finance to Marketing as well as looking after a portfolio of valued clients.

Stephen Beer • Divisional Lead - Professional Services • Hooray Recruitment • https://hoorayworks.co.uk/

Stephen has a wealth of recruitment experience gained from a career in both agency and RPO environments. Having worked for large consultancy and financial services businesses in London and Birmingham for the previous 10 years, Stephen returned to his recruitment roots and joined Hooray in 2020 and now leads the Professional Services specialist division.

Dan Hulme • Divisional Lead - Healthcare and Education • Hooray Recruitment • https://hoorayworks.co.uk/

Having been in recruitment since 2017, Dan has spent the last five years specialising in recruitment for the Healthcare + Education sectors.

Covering temporary and permanent vacancies from entry through to Director level, Dan is equally successful finding niche social care specialists as he is at finding business support candidates for the increasingly busy and challenging Healthcare sector.

Tina Seymour • Chief Executive • Hope For Tomorrow • https://hopefortomorrow.org.uk/

Tina is passionate about Hope for Tomorrow and the service and benefits it provides to patients. She joined the charity in January 2015, after her mum was treated on the Gloucestershire unit.
It is very different from the world she came from, but she enjoys the variety with each day being different and having to learn so much. She is a tenacious individual who thrives on watching her team develop and succeed.

She is proud of the difference her small team make to patients’ lives and is often extremely touched with the letters that are received in the office from patients’, their families or just supporters. She studied business and management at many levels, gaining her MSc in Management.
When she is not working, she loves being at home in her garden, or cooking and socialising with her friends. She visits her family in Italy often and is a long suffering Arsenal fan.

Angharad Wrigley • Founder • Hot Tubs Rock • http://www.hottubsrock.co.uk/

Angharad Wrigley Profile

Angharad is a dog loving entrepreneur with a background in customer service who after trying a variety of different careers, knew that being the master of her own destiny was the only option…

Angharad founded Hot Tubs Rock in 2015 which has grown from strength to strength with every year. They pride themselves on fantastic customer service and looking after their growing team as well as they do their customers.

Passionate about advocating local businesses Angharad then founded Local Business Rocks in 2020, knowing the struggles and the reality of entrepreneur life and wanting to provide a place for networking, collaboration, support and learning all under one roof and currently has 60 local independent businesses in their membership.

Most recently Angharad with her partner Joe have founded Velvet estates and together they hope to bring the best holiday homes to the region, creating jobs, using local businesses and promoting the local area.

Cathy O’Donoghue • Managing Director • HR Champions Ltd • https://www.hrchampions.co.uk/

Imagine your business is perfect. Your employees are engaged, motivated and work to 100% of their ability and at least 85% of their capability. They set their own objectives and achieve them. They recognise their own development needs and implement appropriate personal development plans. Staff are never absent and always turn up for work on time. They never argue, steal, lie, falsify

documents, harass or bully others, turn up to work drunk or use foul, abusive or discriminatory language. Disciplinary and grievance procedures would be unheard of, and dismissals….? It’s a nice thought, but we all know the reality, and that’s why HR Champions exists.

Jonathan Rathbone • Head of the Corporate and Commercial Team • Hughes Paddison Solicitors • https://www.hughes-paddison.co.uk/

Jonathan Rathbone

Jon Rathbone is head of the Corporate and Commercial team at Hughes Paddison. Jon joined in 2017 with over 15 years’ previous experience working in private practice for national firms as well as acting as Group Legal Counsel for Mulberry Group PLC. Jon also designed the Pourty Easy-To-Pour Potty, one of the bestselling potties in the UK, establishing a successful business selling children’s products to the likes of John Lewis and Amazon.

Jon draws from his experience setting up his own business and working in house for Mulberry to take a pragmatic approach and help clients to address their risks and optimise their opportunities.

Richard Ogden-Metherell • Managing Director • i2i Recruitment • https://i2irecruitment.co.uk/

I started in recruitment as i2i Temps Consultant over 15 years ago I have learnt my skills from the ground up. I am proud to now employ over 25 people and provide a professional, fun working environment for my staff. The reward in finding our Candidates new opportunities and delivering to our Clients an outstanding service due to our unique recruitment process. Our purpose is to introduce the best candidates and employers that ordinarily would not have met. We help candidates realise their true potential and the value they can add to a business. We help individuals not CV’s.

Charlie Ogden-Metherell • CEO • i2i Recruitment • https://i2irecruitment.co.uk/

Charlie Ogden-Metherell is the founder and CEO of i2i Independent Recruitment Consultancy which is now the leading independent Recruitment Consultancy in Gloucestershire. Having been born and bred in Cheltenham Charlie was introduce to how to provide the best quality service by her late father Nigel Dimmer who owned Martin & Co the Jewellers. With this knowledge behind her she decided to forge out on her own in 2003 from the garden shed. With the solid foundation of service before sales, the business grew from strength to strength and now employs over 20 staff in the Cheltenham office. In 2010 Charlie’s husband, Richard, took up the role of MD and has directed the business to new levels and plays a pivotal part in the day to day success of the company.

i2i recruitment is a unique independent recruitment agency based in Cheltenham providing recruitment solutions for the South West Region, taking a personal approach to introduce the best candidates and employers that ordinarily would not have met.

Benjamin Murphy • Managing Director • Iguana Group • http://www.iguanagroup.co.uk/

We are a pioneering exhibition design agency based in Wychbold. We work with clients from a wide range of
industries – anything from aerospace to hair & beauty to mobile communications to medical prosthetics! Our work takes us around the world and we regularly deliver exhibition stands in the UK, Europe, Middle East, North America and the Far East. Our company ethos is centralised around

innovation and creativity – delivering the “marmite factor” – alongside an unwavering focus on client relationships. From a personal point of view, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my wife and two young boys. Asides from that I play the trumpet.

David Marriott • Director and Co-Founder • Indeloy IT Solutions • https://indeloy.com/

For over 20 years Dave has been a powerhouse of passion in IT sales, providing exceptional customer satisfaction and retaining clients. Having worked with some of the largest vendors, distributors and resellers in the UK, Dave has a wealth of knowledge and an unstoppable desire to provide the best possible service level to his customers.

Since starting the business in August 2020, he has been instrumental in driving the sales growth of the company and establishing a customer service standard that makes Indeloy a trusted supplier of choice.

Stanislava Dawood • Finance Director • Indeloy IT Solutions • https://indeloy.com/

As a key part of the company leadership team, Stanislava has been pivotal in establishing strong financial controls, industry best practices and exceptional relationships with the company’s customers, suppliers and partners. As a business approaching their third year of trading, Indeloy has established a strong reputation for being fiscally sound, with detailed financial planning, forecasting and a commitment to pay their partners on-time every time.

Stanislava is also a key contributor to the operational management of the team at Indeloy and her passion, commitment and determination to succeed has been essential to the business’s success.

Jamie Sleigh • Director and Co-Founder • Indeloy IT Solutions • https://indeloy.com/

A passionate and enthusiastic leader with over 20 years experience in different roles and industries, Jamie has built an exciting, rewarding and highly people focused environment where everyone can thrive. As a strong mental health advocate, people and wellbeing is a major focus for Indeloy where team cohesion, positivity and celebrating successes is a core foundation of their values.

Since the business was launched, Jamie has established many of the operational aspects of the company from systems, security, people and processes although his true passion is looking after customers and building relationships.

Ed Mawle • Senior Investment Director • Investec Wealth and Investment Limited • http://www.investedwin.co.uk/

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 in excess of £1bn of investment assets for our 1,700+ 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.

Jenni Wharfe • Finance Manager • ISO Quality Services Limited • https://www.isoqsltd.com/

With coming up to twenty years’ experience, and with an ACCA qualification, Jenni is ISO Quality Services Limited’s Finance Manager. ISO QSL Lltd is a family owned and run business, who specialise in ISO certification, training and consultancy. Having originally started her career working in practice, Jenni moved over to industry and has worked with ISO QSL since the earlier days of 2011. Her role within the company has grown alongside the company and is now not

only to head up the finance team and oversee its daily functions, but also to sit on the Leadership Team, helping with strategic analysis and business planning.
Jenni’s passions lie in problem solving and in driving continual improvement. In being part of the leadership team, Jenni enjoys exploring new ways of working, and helping ISO QSL push forwards in its vision of being the employer and ISO provider of choice.

Debbie Farr • HR & Facilities Director • ISO Quality Services Ltd • http://www.isoqsltd.com/

Debbie is the HR & Facilities Director at ISO Quality Services Ltd, a family owned and run business, specialising in ISO Certification, Training and Consultancy. Debbie joined the organisation in 2014 to assist with the newly formed training division before following her passion for HR in 2019. Working alongside the Leadership Team, she takes the lead on the organisations health and wellbeing initiatives, supports the team on HR issues and maintains the workplace environment. As an active board member she is also responsible for assisting in driving the business forward, alongside her fellow directors.

She draws on a variety of experience from her previous roles in recruitment; housing and hospitality and works hard to support the ISO QSL team both professionally and personally. This has led to recognition with awards for training, wellbeing and employer of the year. She is also known as the chief party planner, birthday organiser, ISO Christmas Elf and all-round spreader of goodwill and cheer!

Jennifer Appleton • Director • ISO Quality Services Ltd • http://www.isoqltd.com/

ISO Quality Services is an ISO Certification, Consultancy and Training Organisation. As a business they work prominently with SME’s to help them improve their business performance through good process management. Jennifer joined her family run business in 2010 and has been passionate about helping UK businesses grow and thrive ever since. The core values of the

organisation being to display positivity, passion and professionalism, be dynamic and deliver and to always be approachable and authentic have allowed the business to blossom and the company are proud of the quality of the clients that they have supported over the 19 years they have been in business.

Craig Baker • Deputy Managing Director • Kohler Mira Ltd • http://www.kohlermira.co.uk/

Craig, who began his career at Mira Showers as a design engineer over 20 years ago, has since occupied a number of roles, including Senior Project Manager: Mixer Showers and New Product Development Director.
His proudest career moment to date was being awarded the Chairman’s Award in 2009 – an

annual award only presented to one of Kohler’s 35,000 associates worldwide. He is married with three boys, and enjoys family time and holidays, as well as training and competing in local triathlons.

Sarah Sadler • Finance Director • Kohler Mira Ltd • http://www.kohlermira.co.uk/

I started my career as Mira’s first Finance Apprentice, qualifying as a Chartered Management Accountant in 2007, and was appointed Finance Director in 2015.
Working in a global organisation such as Kohler Co., I have had the amazing opportunity to hold many finance positions across several business units. I’m keen to learn and push myself and drive my development, so last year I enrolled on an MBA course.
Balancing my career, study and being a mum to two gorgeous boys certainly keeps me busy, and I love it!

Working in a global organisation such as Kohler Co., I have had the amazing opportunity to hold many finance positions across several business units. I’m keen to learn and push myself and drive my development, so last year I enrolled on an MBA course.
Balancing my career, study and being a mum to two gorgeous boys certainly keeps me busy, and I love it!

Pete Hoddinott • Managing Director • L3 Harris • https://www.l3harris.com/en-gb/united-kingdom

Pete Hoddinott is the Managing Director of L3Harris Technologies’ Intelligence and Cyber EMEA business area. With over 30 years of leadership experience within the defence and security sector, Pete inspires his team, ensures they always feel valued, and is a big advocate for the power of collaboration, communication, and teamwork. Dedicated to driving the business’ substantial plans for growth, he shares its people’s commitment and passion for making the world a safer place. Outside of work, Pete is married with two children and two step-children, enjoys playing golf, skis as much as possible, and has an interest in vintage cars.

Andy Hawker • Head of Logistics • Laithwaites • https://www.laithwaites.co.uk/

Andy Hawker - Head of Logistics for the Laithwaites business on the Gloucester Business Park and the C2S Leader representing the Laithwaites business. Gloucester is the centre of all UK Operations with over 400 staff and is open 7 day a week, including our award-winning Call Centre, Sales Team, Warehouse and most
mportantly our Wine Tasting Shop.

The Laithwaites family are all actively involved in the business still and 2019 celebrate 50 Years since starting. I have progressed from watching my children grow up whilst being at Laithwaites to the birth of my first
granddaughter in 2018 which is bringing a another level of enjoyment for our family.

Bob Holt • Chairman/NED/Investor • Leadership Today Ltd • http://www.leadershiptodayltd.com/

Not many Leaders can say they have taken a business from £9m to over £1Bn but Bob is one of these exceptional individuals who have innovated within their field of expertise and deserves the description of being an inspiring leader. With a flawless history of leadership success, Bob is one of the UK’s most acclaimed businessmen. He is most famously known for his pivotal role in the rise of Mears Group PLC and now Bob holds numerous executive and non-executive positions.

Since taking control of Mears in 1996, Bob led the business onto the stock market, building an order book value of £3billion and steered the company to its market leading position. Bob is currently holding executive and non-executive roles in several companies where he continues to be instrumental in guiding businesses to make beneficial changes that will not only improve the business itself but will aid communities and have a positive impact on the lives and welfare of others.

Sinead Johnson • Director • Lexington Corporate Finance • https://lexingtoncf.co.uk/

Sinead Johnson joined Lexington Corporate Finance in January, leading on Debt Advisory which includes supporting National and International businesses with growth funding, refinancing and funding for M&A. She spent the previous twenty years working for the UK’s largest banks where she qualified as a Chartered Banker.

Lexington is an award winning boutique advisory firm based in Cardiff, with a team that prides themselves on being collaborative and authentic.

Sinead is passionate for bringing people together. She has most recently been working on blended debt/private equity fundraises.

She loves anything food and travel related, spending time with family and friends, exercise and maintaining a positive balanced outlook on life.

Tom Coombes • Director • Lexington Corporate Finance • https://lexingtoncf.co.uk/

Tom is a Director at Lexington Corporate Finance and focuses on advising ambitious businesses and management teams on achieving their long term ambitions.

He qualified as a Chartered Accountant after securing a degree in Economics from the University of Bath, and has worked with mid-market businesses for over ten years.

He has recent relevant global corporate finance experience across trade sales and private equity transactions, with a real focus on manufacturing, supply chain and business services.

He is an avid Liverpool fan and is passionate about exploring new cities with his wife.

Thomas Edwards • Director • Lexington Corporate Finance • https://lexingtoncf.co.uk/

Thomas is a Director at Lexington Corporate Finance, a Corporate Finance boutique based in Cardiff. Thomas has significant experience in both Lead Advisory and Transaction Services.

He has led a variety of both trade and private equity transactions both in the UK and Europe across a variety of sectors, with a particular interest in technology, healthcare and consumer sectors. He specialises in both trade sale and Management Buy Out transactions and has worked with a number of Management teams leading them through to a successful transaction conclusion.

Thomas has a first class honours degree in Accounting and Finance and is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He also holds the ICAEW Corporate Finance qualification.

Thomas has a passion for live music, most sports, in particular Swansea City FC.

Suzanne Booker • Director of Care & Deputy CEO • Lilian Faithfull Care • https://www.lilianfaithfull.co.uk/

Lilian Faithfull Care is a charity caring for 300 residents across our care homes and day centres in Gloucestershire. An elderly care and dementia professional working at the charity for nearly 25 years!

Suzanne is very passionate about her job and she loves seeing every day our remarkable residents and incredible compassionate care team. No two days are the same, with vision and drive we continue to provide the very best in elderly care in the county.

Tracy Clarke • Human Resources Director • Lucozade Ribena Suntory • https://www.lrsuntory.com

Lucozade Ribena Suntory is a leading soft drinks business in the UK. Our much-loved brands include Lucozade Energy, Lucozade Sport, Ribena and Orangina. We are committed to providing healthier drinks and inspiring active lifestyles.

Tracy broke a Guinness World Record with World Heavyweight Champion boxer Anthony Joshua.

Mark Atkinson • Director • MA Technical Copywriting • https://www.macopywriting.co.uk/

Mark has more than 20 years’ UK and international experience, delivering best-in-class technical copywriting and graphic design projects for brands including Serco, Huawei, Deutsche Bahn, ACCA, IBM and Emirates Group. He currently heads MA Technical Copywriting.

With a strong corporate and technical background, Mark works as an integral part of cross-functional client strategy teams within the engineering, technology, supply chain, professional services and other sectors. Combining his sector knowledge with an innate sense for capturing the right brand tone, he is quick on his feet, hits the ground running and delivers within agreed timelines and budgets.

Michael Chittenden • Owner/Director • Manor by the Lake • https://www.manorbythelake.co.uk

I have over 30 years’ experience in both the property business and the service industry, owning and operating wedding venues, hotels and care homes. My first property purchase, in 1985, was a one bedroom flat and since then I have undertaken a wide variety of property projects in varying locations - from Gloucestershire to Suffolk, various London and Essex boroughs, and Moscow, Russia.

When I passed my driving test two days after turning 17, I became one of the youngest people ever to race at Brands Hatch! My hobbies, when I have time, include collecting classic cars and playing golf.

Nathan McLoughlin • Managing Director • McLoughlin Planning Ltd • https://www.mplanning.co.uk/

Nathan established McLoughlin Planning in 2009 focusing on a simple objective: to get results for clients by providing high quality planning consultancy.
Based in Cheltenham, but working nationwide and drawing on over 25 years of experience, Nathan has been pivotal in winning planning permission for a wide range of developments, from strategic promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.
His reputation for integrity, ability to think innovatively and the respect he has gained has developed a growing business, thriving on personal recommendations from clients and industry colleagues.

This has been achieved through forensically examining planning policy and how they can be applied to support a client’s project.
His reputation for integrity, ability to think innovatively and the respect he has gained has developed a growing business, thriving on personal recommendations from clients and industry colleagues.

Jenny McLoughlin • Finance Director • McLoughlin Planning Ltd • https://www.mplanning.co.uk/

McLoughlin Planning is an independent, results focused consultancy and has an expansive experience of many areas of planning consultancy.
Providing the best advice to anyone who asks us is at the heart of what we do. Our approach is always guided by our three principles of Integrity, Innovation and Intelligence.

Jenny trained as an accountant with KPMG and went on to establish McLoughlin Planning with Nathan, her husband. She takes the lead on all aspects of running the business, leaving Nathan to focus on the planning consultancy. Leading not only the work on accounts and HR but also business development, marketing and strategy, Jenny is driving an exciting period of growth for McLoughlin Planning.

Luke Menzies • Director • Menzies Law • https://www.menzieslaw.co.uk

Menzies Law is a specialist employment law firm - with a difference. We’ve avoided the fancy offices,
raditional structure and ‘sitting on the fence’ style of advice, and instead focus on highly commercial, pragmatic advice, delivered in a cost-effective and transparent way. Our innovation has led us to being
recognised as the Employment Law firm of the Year (outside London) for 2018.

Luke Menzies started Menzies Law in 2009. His experience is diverse, with the manufacturing sector a particular specialism. A champion for gender equality, Luke is the region’s leading expert on Equal Pay and the Gender Pay Gap.

Adrian Ward • Business Restructure & Projects • Mercian Events • https://www.mercianevents.com/

Adrian has worked in the Audio-Visual Events industry for over 40years and is well known by clients for his logistical expertise, specifying the right product for the event and being able to deliver within budget. Post COVID he has been working at Mercian Events re-structuring the company after a period that saw several companies, large and small, disappear from the events industry due to the pandemic.

He has worked with a wide variety of clients in different sectors of industry. In his spare time, he takes an active part in Scout activities working with the 14–18-year-old Explorer Scout sections.

Sharon MacArthur • Managing Director • Miss Menopause • https://www.missmenopause.co.uk/

Sharon MacArthur Miss Menopause

Sharon MacArthur, Miss Menopause is also Founder and Leadership Confidence Coach at Red Handbag. Originally started to help women with confidence issues in the workplace, Red Handbag has grown to help businesses at all levels develop brilliant leaders. Miss Menopause has been created to fill the void of educational services needed by women and their organisations as they reach menopause. Most women will tell you that they had “the chat” to teach them what was about to happen to their bodies as they reached puberty. Sadly it is estimated less than 10% of companies across the UK are educating their workforce about menopause and the impact it could have.

At Red Handbag we are passionate about getting rid of poor management behaviours, through coaching, training and mentoring. Everyone can benefit from leadership development getting results from what you do, not just what you know.

Miss Menopause is on a mission to educate employers on the impact of menopause in the workplace and how to support employees.
Standing in the queue at my local store a young woman commented on my handbag. “I love your handbag and I wish I had the confidence to have a red handbag. My Dad got me a cream bag for Christmas and I dare not use it in case it gets marked. I just don’t have the confidence to use it”

“Well”, I said “if I were you I would take your cream handbag out of the wardrobe, put a mark on it yourself, somewhere you can’t see it. Then you won’t be stressed any more about using it, as the thing you are most worried about will already have happened! Then you can use it can’t you?”
“Wow, I never thought of that, I’m going to do it !”

This event, although small and ordinary, is what the spirit of coaching is all about. Helping others to see there is an alternative way of thinking, then taking action. Originally started to help women with confidence issues in the workplace, Red Handbag has grown to help business at all levels develop brilliant leaders.

Barry Doak • Partner and Sales Director • Monatrix • https://www.monatrix.com/

Born and raised in South Africa, Barry Doak is the Partner and Sales Director at Monatrix, a position he has held since 2007.He has over twenty years' experience in electronic security, with a specialism in Access Control and has worked with companies such as Sensormatic and ADT.

In his role at Monatrix, Barry is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company's sales team and ensuring that the strategic direction of the company remains aligned with its core values. A passionate customer service professional, Barry works closely with Monatrix clients to ensure that the most secure security systems are in place at their sites.

Paul Gillings • CEO • Monatrix Limited • https://www.monatrix.com/

Paul Gillings is the CEO and co-founder of Monatrix Limited. He founded the company back in 2003 and has been instrumental in its success, driving it to become a leading electronic security specialist and integrator. Over the years, Paul has developed an unrivalled understanding of electronic security, which he uses to provide businesses with the perfect security solution for their needs – whether it's a legacy system or a cloud-based security solution.

With over 26 years' experience in the industry, Paul is dedicated to ensuring businesses have the right security in place to protect their people and assets.

Simon Quinn Firp • Director of Executive Search • Moon Executive Search • https://www.moonexecsearch.com/

Simon is Director of Executive Search at Moon Executive Search and brings over 20 years of experience in the Executive recruitment industry. He was made a Director of the business in 2019 in recognition of his high-level experience, knowledge of the market and utmost commitment to integrity and ethical values.

He manages high level retained search campaigns for C-Suite, Non-Exec and senior appointments, including PE and VC backed entities. He operates across multiple sectors regionally, nationally and internationally. Simon brings a developed network of CEO and Chair contacts within FTSE Plc’s and as well as representing Moon on panel interviews, he is Chair of Babbasa which supports disadvantaged young people in Bristol and the current President of the Old Colstonian Society.

Vanessa Moon • Co-Founder • Moon Executive Search • https://www.moonexecsearch.com/

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.

Zoe Davies • Sales Manager • Move Property Sales & Lettings • https://move.uk.net/

Zoe is more than just a seasoned professional; she is a dedicated advocate for exceptional client experiences. Known for her people-centric approach, she thrives on building lasting connections and delivering outstanding results. Her market knowledge, cultivated through work in Worcester, Malvern, and Hereford, is a valuable asset that ensures her clients receive the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Kris Smith • Director of UK and Portugal • Omega Resource Group • http://www.omegaresource.co.uk

A history of delivering the best talent: We are proud of our heritage, ambition, and reputation, which reflected in the long-standing relationships we have with both clients and candidates, in the award-winning delivery of local and national recruitment campaigns.

We focus on delivering high-value, bespoke recruitment solutions using our in-depth knowledge of the automotive, aerospace, engineering, manufacturing, power energy renewables, logistics and professional services markets. With a large network of recruitment experts, we have the ability to deliver specialised services on any scale.

Heading up Omega, we have Kris Smith who has recently been promoted to Director of UK and Portugal, following a long tenure with the business. Having started completely fresh into our field back in 2011, Kris has an overarching understanding of all recruitment practices, with support from an internal compliance and operations department, which in turns allows him to provide our customers and candidates a service that is second to none. kris.smith@omegaresource.co.uk or 01453 827333

HAYLEY PARKER • Director • Ops Box Ltd • https://www.ops-boxgroup.com/

Hayley Profile

As founder of OPS-BOX Group, Hayley is passionate about supporting businesses to achieve their potential. She has over 20 years’ experience working in the UK and internationally both as an employee for Lloyds Banking Group, and as a consultant providing interim management to SMEs.
As well as being successful working directly with businesses as a relationship manager, corporate financial adviser and area director, Hayley has also held senior operational roles where she led and motivated teams, delivering compliance and regulation along with large-scale and complex projects. She has a very clear and precise understanding of the challenges that businesses and their owners face.

Hayley is a highly motivated and engaging professional with the ability to turn any problem into an opportunity. With her extensive knowledge, wide-ranging experience and inspired approach she has, over the years, developed a reputation that’s built on reliability, respect and trust.
Whether providing general advice and guidance or working side by side with business owners and their management teams on specific projects, Hayley brings a wealth of valuable expertise to every business challenge.

Rachel Harber • Director • Organised Consulting • https://organisedconsulting.co.uk/

Rachel is a CIPD fellow with over two decades of HR and recruitment expertise. Rachel is the 'HRD without the cost commitment’, and provides flexible HR Solutions, specialising in People Strategy aligned to Organisational Strategy. She has a passion for ensuring that a business knows where it wants to get to, and aligning their talent strategy to get them there.

With her many years’ experience in the spanning wide ranging sectors from Manufacturing to Care, Technology to Charity, she has an understanding of a wide range of challenges and solutions.

Alice Fox • Commercial Director • PBS Printed Banners & Signs Ltd • https://www.printedbannersandsigns.co.uk

Alice-Fox

Alice Fox is Commercial Director at PBS Ltd, a team of print and signage specialists based in Malvern. Known for their superfast turnaround but without compromising on quality, with a passion for creating bespoke, innovative signage solutions. PBS supply print & signage to both SMEs and national brands such as Morgan

Motor Cars, National Trust, DuPont and Reach Events. Their factories are fully equipped with the latest print and cut technology and an experienced in-house design team to help put your ideas into production. In her spare time Alice enjoys dressmaking, with an ambition of making one item of clothing each month.

Terry Edgell • CEO • Premier Forest Group • https://www.premierforest.co.uk

Terry Edgell is one of three founding shareholders of Premier Forest Group which was formed in 1993 and he also acts as the groups CEO. Premier Forest is one of the largest vertically integrated timber companies in the UK. The group operates from 15 sites across the UK and Ireland and is principally engaged in the

wholesale importation, distribution, sawmilling, processing and merchanting of timber and timber based wood products. The company has an acquisitive appetite and together with its significant organic growth record; is targeting a turnover approaching £200 million over the next 3 years.

Vicky Williams • Company Secretary • Premier Forest Products Ltd • https://premierforest.co.uk/

I was 17 when I joined Premier Forest Products Ltd. The company was just going into its fifth year of business and I was starting out as an admin apprentice. That was 23 years ago and Premier has grown to a team of 400, with 16 sites in the UK and Ireland and a turnover of £170M. Meanwhile, I’ve gone from apprentice to company secretary. I think it’s fair to say we’ve grown up together!

As well as being an admin apprentice, I’ve been an admin assistant, admin manager and HR manager before I became Company Secretary in 2019. If you’d told me on that first day in 1998 that this is where I’d end up I’m not sure I’d have believed it.

Starting in such a junior role and working my way up means that I’ve gained a really thorough understanding about how the business works. I’ve seen it from all angles and I know what will work and what won’t.

The last year has been a year like no other I’ve ever experienced. Busy would be an understatement. From those very early days of fear and uncertainty we turned everything around.

We had no choice but to keep going through the pandemic, we had government contracts to fulfil (we supplied products to the government’s Nightingale Hospitals) and to do that we needed to make sure that our brilliant team was kept safe. I worked closely with the Health & Safety Manager to ensure that procedures were followed to the letter.

Of course, the first lockdown also coincided with some glorious weather so our retail sector was incredibly popular as people started to work on home and garden improvements.

There are no two days the same for me and I really love what I do. I’ve seen Premier go from strength to strength and I’m so proud of the part that I’ve played in that success. From the early days as one of the company’s most junior staff members, I’m now in the room when important decisions are being made and the directors really value my input which is a great feeling.

I love working with people and supporting others to succeed. If I had advice for others starting out in their careers it would be to set goals and just keep going until you reach them. Nothing is unattainable if you work hard enough.

Andy Barham • Managing Director • Premier Kitchens and Furniture • https://www.premierekitchens.co.uk

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.

Richard Muller • Managing Director • Prima Dental Manufacturing Ltd • https://primadental.com/

Richard Muller image

Richard Muller started his career in the dental industry over 30 years ago, joining Prima Dental in 1998 as Sales and Marketing Director. Promoted to Managing Director in 2000 he has led the transformation of the Prima business from a £5m business to an international group delivering revenue of £36 million in 2022. The key to success has been a clear understanding of the world marketplace and its requirements backed by investment in the latest technology and the support of a committed team. Continuous growth and a passion for export sales has always been major driver of in his career.

Kevin Pope • Group Managing Director • Protrack Solutions • https://www.protrack-group.com

I was born and bred in Gloucester and have strong values for the county and the business that thrives in it. My background saw me serving in the armed forces for a lengthy period from the age of seventeen and upon leaving I entered, like most soldiers do, in the security sector. For the last 18 years I have been involved with vehicle GPS products, working for some of the country’s leading telematics providers however for the last 10 years this has been in my own business as the

MD of what I believe is one of the best innovative fleet software and telematics systems in the UK today. We have diversified from basic track and trace software to App based solutions, electronic driver checklists, compliance testing and bar code scanning to job scheduling, electronic signature capture and automated resources. I am extremely proud to be the Group MD of The Protrack Group.

Paul Dyer • Managing Director • QBD • https://www.qbd.co.uk/

Paul Dyer is the Managing Director of QBD, a full-service digital marketing agency that helps growing businesses of all sizes to reach more, attract more and achieve more.
Paul is an experienced entrepreneur with a strong track record of starting and building successful online businesses. He’s a highly skilled digital marketing and SEO professional, with vast expertise in sales & marketing strategy, sales management and strategic partnerships.

He also specialises in helping other businesses identify how they can grow through having a great website and a digital presence that ranks well and generates new business.

Paul has enjoyed a long and successful sales career, holding senior roles at Sony UK and Samsung UK, where he was General Manager, responsible for large teams and budgets.

He first got involved with QBD, as a client, in 2001, and worked with its then owner to help shape its strategy around the ecommerce products it was developing. At the same time, he was also running several multi-million pound businesses created from start-up.

He bought QBD outright in 2010 and has since overseen its growth and transition from a traditional web developer to a full-service digital marketing agency.

Paul’s strengths lie in being authentic and having an inherent understanding of how to grow a business with proven success.

He lives in Evesham with his wife and has two grown up sons. Away from work, he enjoys relaxing with ‘boys’ toys’, photography, drones, flying model aircraft and helicopters. He’s also learning to play the piano.

Dan Bullock • Director • QBD • https://www.qbd.co.uk/

Dan Bullock Headshot

Dan Bullock is a director of QBD, a full-service digital marketing agency that helps growing businesses of all sizes to reach more, attract more and achieve more.

An experienced creative and business development professional, Dan has worked for QBD since it started 11½ years ago and worked for its predecessor for 2½ years prior to that.

Dan joined the firm as a junior programmer and has worked in a variety of roles across the business to develop his knowledge and understanding of the industry, including marketing manager and business development manager, becoming more engaged and involved with our clients and the delivery of their projects.

His main roles are working alongside his business partner, Paul Dyer, to look after the operations side of the business to make sure things run smoothly. He also liaises with clients and oversees the delivery of their projects and ongoing services to help them achieve their objectives.

Dan came straight into the role from university, where he studied graphic design and then new media design. He’s always been interested in the research and development side of design and the bigger picture, in terms of how creative and technical teams fit together to bring ideas to life, which is what the QBD team tries to do with every project they work on.

His strengths lie in being able to bridge the gap between the technical and creative worlds and look at how that can be applied to business to help clients solve their challenges.

Dan lives in Derby with his wife and three children. Away from work, he enjoys spending time with the family, sport and exercise, getting outdoors and travel. He is also a keen photographer and videographer and likes mixing his passion for creativity with his lifestyle by capturing people, places and memories.

Katherine Baines BA (Hons), FCCA • Director • Quantum R&D Tax Ltd • https://www.quantumtax.co.uk/

Kate began her career in accountancy in 2004, after a 10-year career in Retail Management. She trained at a practice in Malvern as an Auditor, and within just 7 years became a Director at a practice in Cheltenham. In 2013 she founded Beacon Accountancy and Tax, with the aim of supporting businesses in the Malvern area.

The practice was an immediate success and in 2018 Kate partnered with Mike Newnham to form Quantum R&D Tax. A company that educates small business owners about the benefits of the R&D Tax Credit scheme and whether they would be eligible or not.

In her role as an accountant, Kate could see how poorly many businesses were initially set up and to help them in 2015 she founded The Business Pod, an online resource for start-ups to get their businesses up and running on a sound footing. The Business Pod’s Start-Up-Hub deals with all the issues that face a new business, from choosing the right structure for the business through to goal setting, marketing, sales, and much more. Kate’s book ‘The Small Business Guide to Setting Up A Business’ is now available on Amazon.

Kate is passionate about giving back to the community. Part of the profits from all her businesses go to supporting projects in line with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development goals, via B1G1. She also supports various other charities such as the RSPCA, and Midlands Air Ambulance.

Michael Newnham • Director • Quantum R&D Tax Ltd • https://www.quantumtax.co.uk

thumbnail_Mike 2020

Mike is a founder and director at Quantum R&D Tax ltd, a specialist R&D Tax Credit consultancy. At Quantum, Mike heads up the technical aspects of the claims process. The company has SME clients across all sectors, including engineering, IT, food, construction, and agriculture.

A Materials Engineer by background, Mike has worked in R&D and innovation throughout his career, having held senior positions at Rolls-Royce Aero-Engines, and ABB Power Generation, and was Engineering Director Bowman Power Group, where he led the design, development and introduction of the UK’s first micro-turbine based Combined Heat and Power system.

The company focuses 100% on R&D and is passionate about helping companies to innovate and thrive. Mike has a deep knowledge of the scheme, having been claiming since the scheme started in 2000.

Nikki Cairns • Client Director • Ranall & Payne • https://www.randall-payne.co.uk/

Alongside Shaun, Nikki manages the Accounts team at Randall & Payne and has an impressive portfolio of clients, with specialities in agriculture, charities and pubs. Day-to-day, she’s always on the other end of the line when clients need advice and guidance, and is proud to work for a highly regarded local firm with a long standing history. In her free time, she enjoys her annual skiing trip – or two if she can fit it in!

Tim Watkins • Managing Partner • Randall & Payne • https://www.randall-payne.co.uk

Randall & Payne are a leading independent firm of chartered accountants offering a full range of accountancy & audit services, specialist tax advice and bespoke business problem solving to clients across Gloucestershire, throughout the UK and internationally. Tim started as an apprentice and is now responsible for the leadership of the firm. His primary area of expertise is Tax, but he looks after everything from accounts and tax to business advice for clients. Tim’s mission for the firm is simple; ‘We make your success our priority’ and by using the team’s wide range of knowledge and experience, they help businesses and individuals achieve their goals. In his spare time, Tim is treasurer of the Friends of Gloucester Cathedral, enjoys travel and running, and is a lifelong (forever suffering) Leeds United fan.

and tax to business advice for clients. Tim’s mission for the firm is simple; ‘We make your success our priority’ and by using the team’s wide range of knowledge and experience, they help businesses and individuals achieve their goals. In his spare time, Tim is treasurer of the Friends of Gloucester Cathedral, enjoys travel and running, and is a lifelong (forever suffering) Leeds United fan.

Will Abbott • Partner • Randall & Payne • https://www.randall-payne.co.uk/

Will is partner and head of Management and Business Advisory Services at Randall & Payne. Helping business people achieve success by bringing clarity and commitment to their plans, he works with many sectors to develop and implement strategy. With over 25 years’ experience in practice he is passionate about helping clients solve problems and ensuring they, their teams and their businesses are the best they can be. A dedicated MAMIL he can be seen cycling the highways and byways of Gloucestershire and further afield most weekends.

Shaun Pegler • Client Director • Randall & Payne • https://www.randall-payne.co.uk/

Alongside Nikki, Shaun manages the Accounts team at Randall & Payne, has a substantial portfolio of clients and meets with new prospects to understand their business goals. Shaun works closely with clients to prepare financial statements, year-end planning and identify key tax-planning opportunities. Any free time is spent with his two boys, going on adventures and playing games – generally boys being boys.

Ryan Moore • Client Director • Randall & Payne • https://www.randall-payne.co.uk/

Ryan is Head of Audit and Assurance at Randall & Payne and works closely with executives in organisations across a number of sectors, including Charity Boards and Academies. Having trained in audit at the Big 4, Ryan joined as the firms’ Responsible Individual and draws on his experiences to help clients create value and develop their business ambitions. He is also a member of the Disciplinary and Regulatory Committee for the ACCA. Outside of work, Ryan enjoys spending time with his growing young family and can often be found riding the waves on his surfboard!

Rob Case • Partner • Randall & Payne • https://www.randall-payne.co.uk/

Rob oversees Randall & Payne’s Tax department and its specialisms, with his own being VAT. Rob helps clients to meet their obligations, will seek to minimise their tax burden and reduce the risk of any tax investigation, and works heavily within the construction, property, education and charity sectors. If you’re a keen runner like Rob, you might spot him pounding the streets or taking part in a parkrun event.

Oliver Newbold • Partner • Randall & Payne • https://www.randall-payne.co.uk/

With an eye for a promising opportunity, Ollie leads Randall & Payne’s Corporate Finance team, securing futures for ambitious businesses and their owners. He handles company acquisitions and sales, financing, due diligence and valuations.

Ollie is also heads up the Payroll department, working to help provide payroll solutions that relieve the frustrations of an in-house system. Out of the office, he loves spending time with his two children – their artwork is often proudly on display at his desk.

James Geary • Client Director • Randall & Payne • https://www.randall-payne.co.uk/

James Geary, Client Director
James is Randall & Payne’s lead in corporate tax and specialist in R&D tax credits. He also specialises in corporate restructuring, employee share incentives and investment tax reliefs. He ensures a high standard of corporation tax compliance is maintained for clients. He also volunteers for the Chartered Institute of Taxation on one of their technical committees with direct links to policy makers in the government, as well as chairing the local members’ branch. He can be found playing table tennis with colleagues in his lunch break and out of work he’s a keen stage performer and musical director for stage musicals.

Richard East • Chairman • RE Group • https://www.reresourcegroup.co.uk/

Following a career in management, Richard set up RE Resource Group in 2001, specialising in recruitment into the hospitality sector. A natural entrepreneur, Richard has since successfully launched a number of recruitment brands before bringing them together under the RE umbrella.
As Group Chairman, Richard uses his extensive experience as a recruiter to provide strategic oversight to the business - constantly looking for new opportunities to broaden the appeal of the Group

and sourcing new talent to help drive the business forward, and promoting a culture of excellence and professionalism.
In his spare time Richard enjoys being out with his dogs and following his horses. He’s a keen gardener and has a passion for the beautiful island of Ibiza where he likes to spend time relaxing.

James Gibbs • Group Managing Director • RE Group • https://www.reresourcegroup.co.uk/

James joined RE in 2005 and quickly established his reputation as an innovator and problem solver. Widely known for his expert market knowledge across a wide range of sectors, we can confidently say he works harder than anyone else to solve long term recruitment challenges for our clients.
As Group Managing Director, James is responsible for ensuring recruitment best practice and optimising operational excellence across the RE Group,

providing oversight and strategic direction for both our sales teams and network of branch offices and onsite operations.
Away from the business James can be found spending quality time with his family, training for his next marathon or following his passion for horse racing. And not necessarily in that order.

Will Lee • Chief Executive • Renishaw • https://www.renishaw.com

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.

Jacqueline Conway • Group General Counsel and Company Secretary • Renishaw PLC • https://www.renishaw.com

Jacqueline advises and gives guidance to the Board and senior management on legal and governance issues and leads the legal function. Prior to joining Renishaw in 2019, she spent 12 years with Vodafone in a variety of roles within the group legal and corporate secretariat team,

latterly as Group Risk and Compliance Director. Prior to that, Jacqueline had worked across private practice, in-house and government, both in Australia and in the UK, specialising in Intellectual Property law.

Chris Pockett • Head of Communications • Renishaw plc • https://www.renishaw.com/

In over 30 years with global engineering business, Renishaw, Chris has held a variety of commercial roles, gaining experience in areas including global branding, international exhibitions, international marketing communications, sales administration and distribution logistics. He is also a Six Sigma Green Belt.

His current responsibilities include corporate communications, internal communications and investor relations.

Chris is also a company spokesperson and Vice-Chair of the company’s Charities Committee.

He is a Board member of the Manufacturing Technologies Association and Chair of the association’s Exhibition Committee, which is responsible for overseeing the organisation of MACH, the UK’s national show for the manufacturing technologies sector.

Jonathan Dunley • Finance and HR Director • Robert Hitchins Group • https://www.robert-hitchins.co.uk/

Jonathan is Finance & HR Director at the Robert Hitchins Group which has extensive land interests and commercial property holdings throughout Gloucestershire and the South West. Robert Hitchins are active supporters of the local community and are major contributors to the Gloucestershire Community Foundation, of which Jonathan is a trustee, who support a wide range of charities in the county.
After graduating from Cambridge University, Jonathan gained his accountancy qualification at Ernst & Young in London and after a couple of roles in media and luxury jewellery found himself at Grosvenor Estates where he developed his interest in property.

His first director role was at South Kensington Estates before moving to Cheltenham in 2012 with his wife and two daughters to join Robert Hitchins. Outside work Jonathan and his family are passionate about classical and church music.

Simon Tothill • Property & Development Director • Robert Hitchins Ltd • https://www.robert-hitchins.co.uk

Robert Hitchins Ltd is an active member of the Gloucestershire business community with extensive land interests and commercial property thorough the region. Simon leads an experienced team of property professionals. He is looking to strengthen and add to the Robert Hitchins property portfolio and is always keen
to speak to companies wishing to explore their

future property strategy. Robert Hitchins, work closely and build lasting relationships with businesses to enable them to fulfil their property aspirations, whether that means expansion, relocation, remodelling of their existing property facilities or maximising the financial returns that can be made through development or refurbishment.

Katie Armstrong • Company Director • Safehands Recruitment • https://www.safehandsrecruitment.co.uk/

With over 12 years in the healthcare and recruitment industry, Katie has established Safehands Recruitment with people at the heart of its success. Her focus is on delivering the best service to its clients. Katie is passionate about the company’s culture which is one of excellence and enthusiasm. In her spare time, Katie can often be found out on her farm exercising her horses or walking the dogs.

Safehands, supply experienced and skilled staff to support adults and children with complex needs and disabilities in a range of settings: Nursing & Residential Homes, Day Centres, Specialist Schools and Colleges, Supported Living, Hospitals

Julia Everard BSc (hons) • Director • Sarcen Care Services • https://www.saracencare.co.uk

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.

Justin Crump • Chief Executive Officer • Sibylline Ltd • https://www.sibylline.co.uk/

justin crump profile

Justin is a defence, intelligence and security expert with 20 years' service with the British military. CEO, global strategic advisory firm
Author, "Corporate Security Intelligence and Strategic Decision-Making" Board Member and 2021-2 President, Association of International Risk Intelligence Professionals He continues to serve in the UK Reserves . He is CEO of Sibylline Ltd, the intelligence consultancy he founded in 2010, and also serves as Head of Intelligence for The ANVIL Group. Specialties include: Al-Qaeda and the global jihadist movement; global terrorism; Middle East, North Africa and South Asian affairs; defence and security issues; social media; transport and maritime security; intelligence and crisis management.

We have a team of nearly 200 with our principal hubs in London, Singapore, and New York. The Global “Insight Team” is collectively based in London, covering seven regions plus Cyber.

We also have staff in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Dublin, Mexico, and Brazil. Our main US locations include Seattle, San Jose, Phoenix, Washington DC, Chicago, and Austin as well as an extensive global correspondent network

Maurizio Preziosa • MD Steam Specialties • Spirax Sarco Engineering • https://www.spiraxsarco.com/

Maurizio Preziosa, took over as Managing Director Steam Specialties from 1st January 2021 and became a member of the Group Executive Committee. Maurizio will be based at the Group Headquarters in Cheltenham, UK. Maurizio joined the Group in November 2011 as General Manager for Spirax-Sarco Italy, progressing

to the role of Regional General Manager for Southern Europe in 2014, before becoming Divisional Director for Gestra in May 2017 where he led the successful integration and growth of the Gestra acquisition.

Jim Devine • Group HR Director • Spirax-Sarco Engineering • https://www.spiraxsarcoengineering.com

Jim Devine joined Spirax-Sarco Engineering in 2016 and has been an instrumental part of the group executive team that has accelerated the organic and acquisitive growth of the group in recent years. He has a wealth
of experience across a number of industries spanning manufacturing, financial services, resources and engineering; having previously worked for Chemring, British Gas, Centrica, Ford

Motor Company and BAE Systems.Since joining Spirax-Sarco Engineering Jim has transformed the HR function and has actively encouraged the business to consider the people agenda a key enabler of corporate strategy. Jim is passionate about attracting the best business talent to develop careers in HR, and is a strong believer
that HR is a key commercial discipline as opposed to being a ‘partner’ of the business.

Dave Allen • Director and Head of Sales • Square One Networks • https://www.squareone.network/

David has twenty-five years of experience in the Telecom’s Industry. With a clear passion for providing customer service and results that are not only best of breed but cost effective and easy to use for all stakeholders. David has been at the forefront of delivering fantastic Telecom’s solutions to companies across the Southwest and the United Kingdom.

Many of the Region’s companies have trusted David to provide Telecom services which have been fundamental to delivery business essential communication needs. An independent Telecom expert, David has advised and delivered unified communications, contact centres, collaboration, mobile and IT solutions to medium and large enterprise companies.

As a Director at Square One Network, David would never ask a colleague to attend to a task that he is not willing to do personally. David is supported by a fantastic in-house team who have years of experience in providing a one stop shop for all our Square One Customers. David is passionate about upskilling his colleagues with an ambition of building a Team of Industry experts who are at the forefront of delivery Business Telecoms.

In his personal life, David has participated in several events to fundraise in recent years, and these include the London Marathon, The MacMillan Longest Day Golf Challenge, and the Three Peaks Challenge. His most ambitious and thrilling adventure was a 3-week trekking adventure to Everest Base Camp. David is never too far away from a golf course or searching for the complete single malt whisky.

Matthew Burke • Headmaster • St Edwards Independent School • https://www.stedwards.co.uk/

Matthew is Headmaster of St Edward’s Senior School in Cheltenham, a post he has held since April 2020. Prior to working at St Edward’s, Matthew spent two years with the Inspired Learning Group, before which he was Head of St Martha’s in North London, having previously held leadership roles at a number of other Independent Schools. Matthew is passionate about education and the aim at St Edward’s to ensure that all students are provided with an outstanding educational experience, which will lead to happy and successful futures.

St Edward’s School comprises two independent day schools, both located in the heart of Cheltenham. We are a Catholic foundation welcoming students of all faiths and none, who benefit from our outstanding pastoral care and excellent teaching.
Situated on two sites, approximately five minutes from each other, and enjoying over forty-five acres of wonderful grounds, together the two Schools provide academic excellence and a nurturing community for boys and girls ages 1 – 18.

Gemma Evans • Head of Merchandising for both Menswear and Womenswear • Superdry • https://www.superdry.com

Gemma Evans Profile

Gemma is Head of Merchandising for both Menswear and Womenswear at Superdry, with a demonstrated history of working for the biggest retail groups from Value chain to Mid market to Brand. Driving all the key product areas from Womenswear to Accessories, Kidswear and Menswear.
Superdry is a global digital brand, our product offering is diverse and evolves significantly every season. We have built our brand by creating distinctive, affordable, high-quality contemporary products with authentic vintage washes, unique vintage detailing, world leading hand-drawn graphics and tailored fits with diverse styling.

Superdry is a genuine British success story. From our inception in 2003 we have grown into a global business with over £1billion of Superdry product sold across the world each year. We sell on a truly global basis through a broad range of channels, including owned retail stores, franchise stores, our own ecommerce websites, partner ecommerce sites, large multi-brand store chains and smaller independent retailers. There are well over 500 Superdry branded retail locations in over 50 countries, and via our ecommerce and wholesale markets we have enabled the Superdry brand to reach almost every country in the world.

Jack Chandler • CEO • Switch Health Ltd • https://switchhealth.co.uk/

As a multiple business owner and entrepreneur, I deeply believe that honesty and loyalty are the foundation of any successful business. In fact, I am proud to say that I pride myself on my integrity, which is a core value that I bring to everything I do - especially working within the medical insurance industry.

I started Switch Health in 2015 and have built the company up to employ nearly 30 people. We are customer focused and have become a trusted supplier of choice. At Switch Health, my objective is to continue growing our business through our unmatched customer service and a commitment to helping our clients save money while enhancing their coverage.

I truly believe that these are the key components to long-term success in this industry, and I take that responsibility incredibly seriously.

We are very proud of our customer rating as the No 1 health insurance provider on trustpilot. Switch Health is an award winning independant broker, we compare private health insurance whole of market, guaranteeing to save money on health insurance and often increasing the benefits.

Janis Sinton • Managing Director • TasteTech • https://www.tastetech.com

Janis is the Managing Director of TasteTech Ltd, a niche manufacturing company based in South Bristol, specialising in the design and manufacture of controlled release food flavourings and functional ingredients.
She founded the company with her husband in 1992 when they built their first pilot plant in their garage at home. 27 years later TasteTech has 65 employees and annually ships product to food manufacturers in over 40 countries globally.

Janis took over the reins from her husband Roger, following his sudden death in 2007, Along with her son Rob, Janis is still instrumental in the continued growth and success of the company which will include designing and building a new factory over the next few years. Their plan is to remain an independent business and for Rob to take over from Janis when the time is right.

Rosie Runciman • Co-Founder & Sound Doctor • TeamDoctor • https://www.teamdoctor.org/

Rosie Runciman is a co-founder of TeamDoctor and Sound Doctor, with a mission to make health education more accessible, interesting and effective. She worked at the BBC for more than 20 years on Radio 4's Today programme, Newsnight, Radio 5 Live and at The World Service- where she was Editor of the flagship current affairs programme, Newshour . She also won Sony awards for programme content for 9/11 and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

TeamDoctor specialises in workplace health, wellbeing and productivity, with award winning content – nationally accredited courses and an extensive, well-evaluated film library with some of the UK’s leading experts contributing.

Tim Thurston • Co-Founder of TeamDoctor and Founder of Team-i • TeamDoctor • https://www.teamdoctor.org/

Tim Thurston, co-founder of TeamDoctor and founder of Team-i. Tim is a business leader with experience as Managing Director of five different businesses including magazines, newspapers, radio, and local TV stations. During Tim’s career he has led and developed teams to achieve consistent success. With Team-i, Tim has created several Leadership and Team development models that are integrated into TeamDoctor’s line management training programmes.

TeamDoctor specialises in workplace health, wellbeing and productivity, with award winning content – nationally accredited courses and an extensive, well-evaluated film library with some of the UK’s leading experts contributing.

Peter Siddall • Managing Director • Tewkesbury Printing Company • https://www.tewkesburyprinting.com

I started Tewkesbury Printing Company in 1985, expanded to 3 factories within 5 years and gained national contracts for printing, from workshop manuals, company stationery and colour brochures to direct mail. Due to
high growth we built our factory in Tewkesbury allowing us to operate double shifts and weekend schedules. We now have 43 staff, run a 24-hour

operation and continue to grow and service clients from across the country, with multinational companies, some of which have been clients for over 30 years. My son Andrew works in the business and shares the day to day production and sales. We offer a complete service from high end brochures/magazines and printed envelopes to digital and lithographic.

Ria Heap • Fundraising Lead • The Chamwell Centre Charity • https://www.chamwellcentre.org.uk/

Ria Heap is the Fundraising Lead at The Chamwell Centre Charity. Ria has worked in the charity sector since 2015, specialising in facilities, services, awareness and inclusivity for children and adults with disabilities and additional needs. This is very personal to her and she is incredibly passionate about them.

From personal experience with my daughter, who had severe, complex disabilities and care needs, I know just how important the Chamwell Centre is, with its accessible therapies, facilities, activities, and the wonderful community that it offers. Unfortunately, Chamwell Centre was not here in my daughter’s lifetime, so now that it is here, I am passionate about letting everyone know about it.

Laurie Bell • CEO • The Cheltenham Trust • https://www.cheltenhamtrust.org.uk

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.

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.

Derrin & Ely • Joint Managing Directors • The Development Manager Ltd • https://www.thedevelopmentmanager.com

Our company believe that people should do well by doing good. Let’s all gain satisfaction, meaning and prosperity by doing good for others! Career and social mobility is achievable for everyone via apprenticeships:
up-skilling via a systematic Work-Based Learning Plan. We specialise in Tech and Digital because the sector is fast growth (with skills

shortages) and highly profitable (with high salary opportunities). TDM have also operated as a Virtual Learning Environment consultancy for over 12 years. So, larger employers can also engage us to deploy apprenticeships funding to support whole organisation learning and development programmes. Find out more, including our fantastic Ofsted report at: tdm.co.uk

Barry Preece • Director • The Little Jet Company • https://thelittlejetcompany.com/

Barry Preece Profile

Barry Preece has had a love of aviation ever since he was a boy. Now he is Director of The Little Jet Company which is based at Gloucestershire Airport and provides a personal and comprehensive executive jet service for business and leisure.
Barry is supported by a carefully selected team who have an in-depth knowledge of the aviation industry and go above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction.
The Little Jet Company provides a wide range of aviation services incorporating luxurious privately owned executive jets for charter, aircraft management and ground handling services. The company flies to European destinations and also has access to a global jet fleet.

Travel can be arranged from the UK to destinations around the world and private jet travel can also be arranged for clients when they are abroad. The Little Jet Company was set up in 2014 by Barry and Jason Bishop who met at school in Gloucestershire.
When he left school Barry became a professional water skier and represented England. He coached rugby teams in America, and he went on to become commercial manager of Gloucester Rugby Club.
Barry never forgot his love of aviation and in his early thirties he learnt to fly, obtaining a private pilot licence and then an airline transport pilot licence.
Barry and Jason worked around the clock to get The Little Jet Company off the ground, and it has been fantastic for them to see the business grow.
The Little Jet Company has a continuing commitment to Gloucestershire Airport, which is the perfect gateway to the Cotswolds, Oxford, Bristol and beyond. Recent growth has also seen the company open a base in Brighton and Bournemouth.
The company can arrange executive jet travel for anything from a worldwide or European business trip to a special occasion with family or friends, or an international sporting event.
Barry has travelled around the world, but for him Gloucestershire will always be home.

Michael Donaldson • Director • The Value Innovator • https://www.thevalueinnovator.co.uk

Michael Donaldson Seated Col Semi Formal TVI Site 1

The Value Innovator was founded in 2013, a “me-only-company” to support ambitious businesses with my transformational experience and expertise, specifically in the areas of leadership, strategy, and growth. Which was taught, tried, tested, and tuned over 30 years whilst working in British, French and American owned blue-chip companies, from bars of soap at Procter & Gamble, to bars of gold at the Cookson Group.

Where I walked the talk and got the grey hairs from having to live with the consequences of my decisions and the actions of my teams, day in and day out, over many years, in many situations.

This unparalleled experience enables me to walk in my clients' shoes, and quickly add value to their businesses and their people.

Having worked in companies with revenues of hundreds of thousands, to hundreds of millions, I found that the challenges tend to be the same - how to improve the performance of their people, the profitability of their products, and the productivity of their processes - just with a few more or a few less noughts attached.

To see what people, say about working with me take a look at my LinkedIn recommendations or visit https://thevalueinnovator.co.uk/testimonials/

"Michael was very helpful in teasing out key issues and giving me a new perspective on the project. He is quick to grasp new information, breakdown the figures and ask reflexive questions."

"Michael’s business acumen, intelligence and vision are second to none. His passion for brand strategy and instinctive understanding of what is required to differentiate and drive a brand mark him out as an outstanding talent."

Its been a long, and eventful career that spans:
Business integrations, exits and turn-rounds (e.g., £7m loss to £17k profit in 2 years).

Profitable product innovation (e.g., tripling price points).

Improved process productivity (in administration, production, distribution, sales, marketing).

AND of course sales growth (adding 19.3% GfK market share).I have grown existing sectors, and created new sectors, launched new products from the basic commodity to the highly innovative. Led multi-disciplined, multi-cultural teams to deliver strategic, operational & behavioural change in the UK, Europe, and Asia - even selling into China, for China to sell onto the UK and USA.

My experience and expertise enable me to offer client businesses a valuable perspective on how to successfully address the leadership, strategic and growth challenges facing them. If you'd like a conversation call me on 07817 305 122 or email me at michael@thevalueinnovator.co.uk

Clare Seed • Chairman/Founder Director • Tidal Training Direct Ltd • https://www.tidaltrainingdirect.co.uk

Tidal Training Direct Ltd is an Ofqual regulated training and education centre specialising in the delivery of high quality, precise and engaging First Aid training throughout England and Wales. As the sister company to Tidal Training Ltd, all trainers are highly qualified medical professionals including former Army/RAF medics & State Registered Paramedics sharing a wealth of experience and knowledge in workplace and

wider First Aid, CPR, Defibrillator and Anaphylaxis skills. We also hold a monthly open course in Cheltenham for businesses to have their staff trained by a State Registered Paramedic, gaining a Level 3 qualification. Clare is the co-founder of the Cheltenham Defibrillator Campaign and PubLIC hearts to raise awareness and numbers of lifesaving defibrillators in Cheltenham.

Colin Frensham • Founder Director • Tidal Training Ltd • https://www.tidaltraining.co.uk/

TTidal 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. We support businesses, charities, limited companies and public bodies across the United Kingdom. Offering over 100 courses, we train in areas including Epilepsy, Autism, Acquired Brain Injury, Dementia & Alzheimer's, Catheterisation, Syringe Driver, Venepuncture, Care of Medication, Wound Care Management, Self Harm Awareness, Rescue from Ligature.

We are continuously developing new courses to keep pace with market developments and to offer training in highly specialised fields. Guaranteed up to date, fit for purpose training courses, designed and delivered onsite in your own environment to enable and empower your organisations workforce to provide the highest standards of care and support. We are a member of the UK Register of Learning Providers and are an approved accredited Centre with Qualsafe Awards.

Polly Pick • Director of Business Engagement and Partnership • University Of Gloucestershire • https://www.glos.ac.uk

Dr Polly Pick is Director of Business Engagement and Partnerships at the University of Gloucestershire, where she oversees the development of apprenticeships, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and other business to business activities. Polly is passionate about developing work-based leaning programmes that are relevant, contemporary and inspiring.

Since Polly joined the University in 2016, its apprenticeship offer has gone from strength to strength. There are now 18 programmes available, ranging from social work to cyber security. This has resulted in the university’s apprentice population growing to more than 500 learners.

Polly leads on the university’s business-facing services and the development of Higher and Degree Apprenticeships. She is passionate about higher education and its ability to transform lives, believing that vocational education should be useful, applied and focused on developing excellent practitioners. Academically Polly’s discipline is Leadership and Management and Marketing.

The University of Gloucestershire is now delivering apprenticeships in finance, leadership and management, health and social care, cyber security, education and engineering. Programmes available include the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship and the Senior Leader Master’s Degree Apprenticeship (SLMDA), which both result in Chartered Manager Status upon completion.

Lord Michael Bichard • Chancellor • University of Gloucestershire • https://www.glos.ac.uk/

Lord Bichard, who has been associated with the University of Gloucestershire for many years, succeeds Baroness Rennie Fritchie, who stood down as Chancellor at the end of 2021 after serving the University with distinction for more than a decade. Lord Bichard’s inauguration ceremony which took place in October 2022 was attended by around 100 invited guests at the Gloucestershire Business School at the University’s Oxstalls Campus in Gloucester. Lord Bichard has had a very distinguished career, largely in the public services. He was made a member of the House of Lords in 2010 as a cross-bench peer.

Edward Davies • Managing Director • Viper Innovations • https://www.viperinnovations.com/

Viper Innovations Ltd, was founded in 2007 by co-owners and Directors Max Nodder and Neil Douglas. Today Viper is a high-tech, innovative & disruptive SaaS model business serving the subsea oil & gas, rail and other industrial sectors with proprietary, award winning technology and products. As part of planning for that growth the founders decided to appoint a new managing director and Edward Davies joined the business as MD in June 2020. Edward brings 20 years of experience working with fast growing businesses as a consultant, non-executive and executive director.

A solicitor by background, he most recently acted as advisor to the founders of engineering company Adey from start up in 2003, before taking on the full time, executive position of Chief Operating Officer in 2015. He was pivotal in developing and overseeing a strategy that saw a transformation in the business to position it for further rapid growth, international expansion and to undertake strategic acquisition work. Viper is proudly filled with incredible people and bright minds, it is agile, pro-active and disruptive.

Max Nodder • Director & Founder • Viper Innovations • https://www.viperinnovations.com/

Since starting the company in 2007 Viper Innovations have produced a series of award winning and disruptive products and services within the subsea oil and gas industry. Viper are now diversifying into the rail industry, employing over 60 staff and have managed to turn a profit in every year of operation. Starting out as an apprentice, graduating as an engineer and progressing through

to numerous senior management roles in both the UK and Norway, Max developed his business acumen and strategic thinking on the back of large corporate businesses and has learnt to take the good from corporate practice and leave well behind the bureaucracy in shaping the ongoing success.

Neil Douglas • Director & Founder • Viper Innovations Ltd • https://www.viperinnovations.com

Neil Douglas

Founded by Neil Douglas and Max Nodder in 2007, Viper Innovations is a Portishead based company that designs and supplies electrical cable integrity monitoring equipment and analytics software for the subsea and rail industries. A high level of investment in R&D has resulted in an average annual growth rate of 25%. Export sales account for over 50% of revenues. Neil is a direct descendant of Sir Isaac Newton’s grandfather and so science and engineering runs in the family.

Cheryl Luzet • CEO • Wagada Digital • https://www.wagada.co.uk/

Cheryl Luzet is the CEO of award-winning digital marketing agency and HubSpot Partner, Wagada Digital which has offices in Cheltenham and St Albans. Wagada Digital is a results-driven agency, supporting companies to build their brand online and take control of their marketing spend to generate a strong ROI.

Our team of experts work with in-house marketing teams to allow them to take their digital marketing to the next level. As part of our work, we support our clients to ensure that their marketing also attracts and retains the best staff, helping them to develop engaging campaigns to develop their employer branding.

Nick Silverstone • Managing Director • Wagada Digital • https://www.wagada.co.uk/

Nick Silverstone is MD of award-winning digital marketing agency and HubSpot Partner, Wagada Digital. As a values based, data and results lead agency, Wagada Digital work with business to realise their full potential online by optimising their marketing investment and ROI.

The agency has grown a large team of specialists who typically work with client’s marketing teams to ensure the businesses engage with the right audiences, whether that is for increasing lead generation, brand awareness or employer branding. In HubSpot, a Digital Transformation team work with clients from onboarding, migration, set up to supporting their needs on an on-going basis.

Heather Westgate • Managing Director • We Are Marketing UK Ltd • https://www.wearemarketing.co.uk

Heather Westgate has been a marketer for over 30 years.

In 2014 recognising the changing needs of clients, she created We Are Marketing, a dynamic project-based marketing hub which delivers effective marketing strategy, planning and marketing support and mentoring. From creative concepts right through to collateral execution for large, mid-sized corporates and SMEs.

Working closely with clients to help them really understand who their audiences are, developing relevant messages and communicating through the most appropriate channels. Providing marketing expertise, knowledge and experience to deliver integrated marketing strategy to support client’s business objectives.

Mitch Bracey • Director • White Light Hosting • https://www.whitelighthosting.co.uk

Mitch-Bracey

Pioneering the idea of the portfolio career, Managing Director of White Light Hosting Mitch Bracey is compiling all of his skill-set for success. White Light Hosting is your go-to hub for hosting - it’s what makes your website visible on the internet. Without hosting you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. They provide fast and reliable plans that is tailored to you. White Light Hosting also provide endless arrays of domain names to give your business a home online. This is one of your best opportunities to get your brand out there with a website domain name to remember.

fast and reliable plans that is tailored to you. White Light Hosting also provide endless arrays of domain names to give your business a home online. This is one of your best opportunities to get your brand out there with a website domain name to remember. It’s the driver to help direct your customers to your website and of course your business. And, when you’re in need of a marketing plan for your business once you’ve got the essentials covered, then Mitch can assist with that too along with the expert help of team Brace.

Many will know Mitch from Brace Creative Agency who have gone from strength to strength in digital marketing for over ten years in Gloucestershire, but he has another arm to his enterprise.

Bridget Redmond • Managing Partner • Willans • https:// www.willans.co.uk

Bridget-Redmond

Bridget Redmond became Managing Partner of leading Gloucestershire law firm Willans LLP in 2013, seven years after becoming partner in the firm’s residential property department. She has overseen the Lexcel-accredited firm, which is widely regarded for its high-calibre lawyers and focus on client care, through a period of substantial growth.

Willans ranks consistently in national legal guides Chambers and The Legal 500, with many of its individual lawyers named as leaders in their field. The firm is widely regarded for its provision of high-quality, sound and straightforward legal advice to businesses and individuals – locally, nationally and overseas.

Chris Wills • Partner, head of corporate & commercial • Willans LLP solicitors • https://www.willans.co.uk/

Partner and head of Willans’ Legal 500-rated corporate & commercial team, Chris Wills is a corporate and commercial law specialist with almost 15 years’ experience.
He works with clients ranging from start-ups and owner-managed businesses to multi-million-pound companies operating on a global scale.
Chris advises businesses on a range of transactions and issues, including mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity funding, joint ventures and shareholders’ agreements, partnership and LLP agreements, group restructures and commercial collaborations.

He has a particular interest and expertise in the renewable energy sector (particularly developers of, and investors in, wind, solar and anaerobic digestion projects).
Willans is a leading South West law firm, established in Cheltenham in the 1940s. A full-service firm, Willans offers comprehensive legal services for businesses, charities & not-for-profit organisations and private clients, delivering an expert, practical and personal service.
Many of the firm’s departments and lawyers are rated in independent legal guides, Chambers and The Legal 500, with its high-calibre lawyers acting for a wide range of local, national and overseas clients from Willans’ Cheltenham offices.

Willans is a leading South West law firm, established in Cheltenham in the 1940s. A full-service firm, Willans offers comprehensive legal services for businesses, charities & not-for-profit organisations and private clients, delivering an expert, practical and personal service.
Many of the firm’s departments and lawyers are rated in independent legal guides, Chambers and The Legal 500, with its high-calibre lawyers acting for a wide range of local, national and overseas clients from Willans’ Cheltenham offices.

Alasdair Garbutt • Partners • Willans LLP Solicitors • https://www.willans.co.uk/

Alasdair Garbutt - Willans LLP

Alasdair Garbutt is a partner in the Chambers-rated commercial property team at Willans LLP solicitors. He handles a wide range of work in this area, including sales and acquisitions, development transactions, landlord and tenant, security work including lending and refinancing, and property management matters.
He works closely with many large national as well as local clients, advising on all of their real estate needs and is “recommended” by The Legal 500 UK for his expertise.
Alasdair has a particular passion in working with local businesses, whether they be corporate office occupiers, owners of industrial estates or local coffee shops and restaurants.

He has carved out a reputation for supporting them with their property portfolios UK-wide, comprising of retail office, industrial/storage and operational premises.
He is also a trustee of Cheltenham Open Door – a local charity which helps vulnerable people.

Jenny Hawrot • Partner in Employment Law • Willans LLP Solicitors • https://www.willans.co.uk/

Recently promoted to partner at Willans LLP solicitors, Jenny is a lawyer specialising in employment law. Proactive and enthusiastic, she prides herself on spending time getting to know and understanding her clients and their business.

Always focused on the end objective, Jenny helps with matters including contracts, HR, general employee relations and defending tribunal proceedings. She’s also an active member of Willans’ green and charity committees and helps to organise fundraising events and champion the firm’s green policies.

Describing herself as “commercial and personable” Jenny regularly hosts webinars and sits on the Gloucestershire CIPD committee. In 2022, she was named a “rising star” by independent guide, The Legal 500 for a second year and described as “noteworthy for her work advising SME clients.”

A keen rugby fan and Wales supporter, she can usually be found debating Welsh rugby’s successes or failures and plays touch rugby for Cheltenham Tigers.

Judy Chadwick • Director of Skills • Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership • http://www.skills4worcestershire.co.uk/

Judy is the Worcestershire LEP’s Director of Skills, leading on the delivery of various programmes across the LEP and County Council. These projects are working to help inspire and inform young people about the variety of career options available within the county and are improving and increasing the number of interactions local businesses have with schools.
Judy and her team work tirelessly to help organisations better understand the recruitment challenges they face now and going into the future. Her team work closely with schools and businesses, enabling these businesses to get vital guidance and support with creating their future workforce.

Apprenticeships are also a vital part of Judy’s work. Judy has led the team creating the Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards. These awards are focused on celebrating the work, effort and achievements of apprentices, training providers and the employers who support them. The awards have become a staple part of the year for apprenticeships locally.

Lucy McCallum • Head of Residential Property • WSP Solicitor • https://wspsolicitors.com/

Lucy McCallum is an Associate Solicitor and Head of WSP Solicitors Residential Property Team.
Lucy qualified in 2013 and joined WSP Solicitors in 2016. She gained a Law Degree from Bristol University and worked as a paralegal for a number of large national firms. She has been working in conveyancing since she qualified and specialises in a wide range of residential conveyancing services. These include sales and purchases, new build properties, shared ownership and Help to Buy, re-mortgages and equity release mortgages, transfers of equity and probate sales. She has helped thousands of people move home, sell and purchase investment properties, transfer ownership and remortgage their properties.
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Lucy works proactively to solve any issues arising and keeps in regular communication with both clients and agents regarding the progress of a transaction. She prides herself in providing a personal service. This earns her many recommendations from satisfied clients, agents and other third parties.

Peter Mardon • Commercial Director • WSP Solicitors • https://wspsolicitors.com/

Peter Mardon is Commercial Director at WSP Solicitors and manages the Company Commercial Team. He has over 25 years of experience advising businesses from initial concept, through start-up, growth, consolidation and exit.

Peter is himself a director of a successful international manufacturing group and so knows from first-hand experience the value of expert advice and building long term relationships with trusted advisers who know and care about your business.

Judi Bonham • Managing Director • WSP Solicitors • https://wspsolicitors.com/

Judi Bonham qualified as a Solicitor in 1996. She has over 20 years’ experience specialising in all aspects of Family Law. Judi is a member of the WSP Family Law team as well as being the Managing Director of WSP Solicitors.

As well as being a member of the Law Society’s Family Law and Children Law Panels Judi has undertaken training as a collaborative lawyer with Resolution. Judi is recognised by her clients for providing clear, pragmatic advice and understanding what is important to them.

Joseph Mullis • Director • WSP Solicitors • https://wspsolicitors.com/

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.

Ashley Wallace-Cook • Director • WSP Solicitors • https://wspsolicitors.com/

Ashley Wallace-Cook qualified as a solicitor in Scotland in 2001 before also qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2003. He joined WSP’s Wills, Trusts and Probate team in Gloucester in 2013 on the merger with Whitemans Solicitors.
Ashley became a Director of WSP in 2017, and is Co-Head of the Wills, Trusts and Probate team.

Ashley is a Full Accredited Member of Solicitors for the Elderly. He advises clients on the preparation of Wills and powers of attorney, setting up and administering trusts and on estate administration. He also advises on Court of Protection applications and on contentious probate. Ashley’s aim is to offer clear and straightforward advice in a sympathetic manner.

Demelza Pallant • Director • WSP Solicitors • https://wspsolicitors.com/

Demelza is Head of the WSP Solicitors’ Personal Injury Department and was made Director in 2018.
She has over 15 years’ experience in handling personal injury cases. In recognition that she has expertise in all areas of law she has been accredited Senior Litigator of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).
Since qualifying as a Solicitor in 2003 Demelza’s breadth and depth of knowledge within this law has no boundaries. Successfully dealing with and winning accident cases for injured individuals from a wide range of causes. For example, work related injuries; road traffic incidents and dog related wounds.

In addition to her recognised and respected professionalism Demelza understands the stress related to those who have been injured. She offers empathy and understanding to all of her clients.

Beth Evans • Director • WSP Solicitors • https://wspsolicitors.com/

Beth Evans is the Head of the WSP Family Team and has over 20 years’ experience working in family law.
Beth has a wide ranging expertise. She works with her clients to address family related issues from cohabitation and pre-nuptial agreements, to divorce and dissolution proceedings. As well as protecting victims of domestic abuse and resolving financial matters and arrangements for children arising from relationship breakdown.
Beth qualified as a solicitor in 2007 after gaining a First in History from the University of Plymouth. She undertook the Legal Practice Course at the University of the West of England. A member of Resolution, and a Resolution Accredited Specialist, Beth is also a Collaborative Lawyer.

Beth is based in the Dursley office, and is a Director at WSP. She supervises 5 Solicitors as well as the support staff within the Family Team.
Known for her clear, sensible and practical advice, Beth has a sympathetic and understanding approach. A passionate advocate, Beth works in partnership with each of her clients. She helps them to work out what they want to achieve and to then find solutions which reach the best outcome.

Catherine Green • Director • WSP Solicitors • https://wspsolicitors.com/

Catherine Green is the Head of WSP Solicitors’ Litigation team and has 20 years’ experience in litigation work, specialising in business and property disputes.
Catherine has been working in this area since she qualified and has helped many individuals and a great deal of businesses of all sizes. She qualified as a solicitor in 1998 after attending Cardiff University. Catherine completed her training contract with Stevens and Bolton and then worked for various firms. She moved on to join WSP in 2008, and became a Director in 2012.

Catherine has completed several professional development courses in property and civil litigation. She also chaired Stroud Businesswomen’s Network, one of the largest women’s networks in Gloucestershire, for over 7 years. Having lived in Stroud for the last 10 years, Catherine feels that she is firmly rooted in the community.
Passionate about achieving the best results for her clients, Catherine is on hand to advise whenever it is needed most.

Robert Selwood • Deputy Head of Wills, Trusts and Probate • WSP Solicitors • https://wspsolicitors.com/

Robert Selwood started his legal career as a trainee solicitor with Morrison & Masters in Swindon. Following completion of his training contract, Robert worked for 8 years at Winterbothams in Stroud. He took a break from practising law to work as a Procurement Specialist and was awarded a Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Diploma.

Robert returned to WSP’s Wills, Trusts and Probate team in 2017 based in Stroud. In 2021 Robert became Deputy Head of Wills, Trusts and Probate at WSP Solicitors. He advises clients on the preparation of Wills and powers of attorney, setting up and administering trusts and on estate administration. Robert greatly enjoys interacting with, and advising, his clients.

Amy Leivers • Head of Commercial Property • WSP Solicitors • https://wspsolicitors.com/

Amy Leivers qualified as a Solicitor in 2003 and specialises in Commercial Property. She received a Commendation for the Legal Practice Course at the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice and a 2:1 Law Degree from the University of Hertfordshire. Amy moved to Gloucestershire in 2007 and joined the WSP Solicitors Property team in 2017, becoming Head of Commercial Property in 2019.

She has completed thousands of property transactions and is particularly skilled at dealing with complex commercial property transactions.
Amy likes to build good relationships with clients and contacts, and is able to provide clear and practical advice.

Kirstie Carr • Head od Department • WSP Solicitors • https://wspsolicitors.com/

Kirstie qualified as a Solicitor in 2004. She joined WSP’s Private Client Department in Dursley in 2016 and became Head of the department in 2021.
Outside of the firm Kirstie is an ultra-runner. To celebrate her 40th Birthday in 2018 she ran two double marathons and an ultra-marathon within five weeks.

She has just completed her fourth 100-mile ultra in the last 10 months with the fifth coming up in 7-weeks!
Kirstie’s aim is to build detailed and lasting relationships with clients and to offer them prudent and practical advice.

Silas Miller • Head of Marketing and Business Development and a Board Director • WSP Solicitors • https://wspsolicitors.com/

Silas Miller WSP Solicitors

Silas Miller is Head of Marketing and Business Development and a Board Director at WSP Solicitors. He joined the business in June 2019, after working as a Marketing Account Manager developing youth and student marketing strategies for national and global brands. Silas became a Board Director for WSP Solicitors in July 2022.

Focussing on improving the digital marketing and presence of WSP Solicitors in the first instance, Silas has aided in the growth of the business and the brand throughout the county and now contributes, alongside the board on strategic direction.

Originally from London, Silas moved to Cheltenham in 2009 and graduated from the University of Gloucestershire in 2012 with a BA Hons in Media Industries Management. He is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and is currently back at the University of Gloucestershire studying towards an MBA.

Silas lives in Cheltenham and in his personal life is a keen fitness enthusiast and musician, playing in a variety of bands in the county. He is aiming to attempt the Cheltenham Half Marathon for the second time in 2023.

Helena Grant • Head of Prep • Wycliffe Prep School • https://www.wycliffe.co.uk/

Born in Hong Kong, Helena has lived and worked in Tanzania, Kenya and the UK and brings that cultural diversity and experience to her role as the Head of Wycliffe Prep. Helena embodies the pioneering spirit that Wycliffe Prep strives to inspire every individual to become global citizens (from Nursery through to Year 8).

Her infectious energy and positivity have led the school through the challenges of Covid while relentlessly driving academic rigour and increasing the broad and varied range of extra-curricular activities Wycliffe Prep pupils can enjoy. Helena drives positive change, with pupils at the heart of every decision. 'Courageous Leadership' * is a term that resonates strongly with Helena. She strives to instil these values in her team. 9 out of 10 parents recently rated her Leadership as Very Good or Good, reflecting the positive impact she has had since joining in September 2020.

Dr Jayne Nation • Commercial Director • Wynne-Jones IP • https://www.wynne-jones.com/

Dr Jayne Nation is the Commercial Director at Wynne-Jones IP, a firm of intellectual property attorneys with offices in Gloucester, London, Cardiff, Malvern and Telford. An expert in IP strategy, R&D and invention harvesting, Jayne began her career as a scientist. She’s a named inventor in five Unilever patents for popular household brands such as CIF, Domestos and Dove – she knows what it takes to deliver to market.

Jayne later became Global R&D Director for Unilever’s Household Division and won several awards for innovation. Jayne ensures that Wynne-Jones IP deliver clients the service that they need, in a way that works for them.

Dave Morris • Director • Zentano • https://www.zentanogroup.com

Dave-Morris

Dave’s grandfather, Ronald Collette, was the person who inspired him most. He instilled a passion in Dave to be curious and have a thirst for learning. Ronald was a great mentor and role model. His legacy is why Dave focuses on helping people become more self-aware, to overcome obstacles, acquire knowledge and

skills, achieve goals and to be happy, confident and fulfilled. Hence Zentano was born to serve as many people as they can through coaching, mentoring, consultancy, training and facilitation. Everyday Dave asks himself “What can I do for others to help them be the best they can be?”

Rich Horton • Director – Coach, Facilitator, Mediator • Zentano • https://zentanogroup.com/

Curiosity is why Rich is here today as a Director of Zentano. People are often surprised to hear about Rich’s move to coaching given his successful career in IT leadership. But, after an offer to be someone’s “coaching guinea pig” Rich decided IT wasn’t his passion and he made the leap to coaching.

Rich’s curiosity is matched by his desire to support and help people gain insight and achieve their purpose. Rich bought into Zentano’s mission and knew he had to be a part of it. He believes that everyone should try to be a little more curious every day.