Andrew McGowan
Andrew has significant experience of implementing business development and operational projects within the financial services and related industries. Based offshore in Jersey since 2004 he has an excellent understanding of the advantages that can be gained through sensibly structured offshore arrangements.
• An energetic leader, skilled communicator and team builder with extensive experience in the financial services sector, including hedge funds and precious metal alternatives
• Hands-on experience of establishing business operations in Jersey including recruitment, compliance, tax, operational procedures and regulatory / employment licences
• Worked on offshore trust structures with trustees, lawyers, investment advisors and administrators
• Experience of company valuation and presentation of business cases for raising finance to international investors including UK and US based venture capital houses
• Led significant assignment over 18 month period to provide advisory and project management support to a leading investment bank and asset manager in the Middle East, overall objective was to ensure operational and risk framework in place for regional expansion
• Designed systems for risk control and reporting within securities trading environment
• Experience of working with start-up operations at the Dubai Internal Financial Centre as well as the local UAE markets (Dubai Financial Market and Abu Dhabi Securities Market)
• Track record over 15 years at JPMorgan / Flemings based within the control functions with primary focus on secure development of the asset management business, both within Continental Europe and the Far East (Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan)
• Registered with the Financial Services Authority as an Approved Person whilst at JPMorgan
• Qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC)
• During time at Coopers & Lybrand specialised in full range of support for small businesses including technology, audit & financial reporting, business planning and raising finance.
Ben Saunders
Ben Saunders is a record-breaking long-distance skier, with three North Pole expeditions under his belt. He is the youngest to ski solo to the North Pole and holds the record for the longest solo Arctic journey by a Briton. Since 2001, Ben has skied more than 2,500km (1,500 miles) in the high Arctic, which he recently worked out equates to two percent of his entire life living in a tent. Ben takes an active part in many of our motivational away days.
• Educated at the RoyalMilitaryAcademySandhurst.
• Worked as an instructor at the John Ridgway School of Adventure in the Scottish Highlands (once billed as 'the UK's toughest management training school').
• He has run several marathons (New York is his favourite course and 2:55 is his best time to date), two ultramarathons, and aims to start competing in Ironman-distance triathlons before too long.
• One of the UK's leading motivational speakers.
• Ambassador for The Prince's Trust, A Patron of the British Schools Exploring Society, an Ambassador for Global Angels, an Honorary Vice-President of the Geographical Association, and supports the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and the Orchid Cancer Appeal.
Hamish Taylor
Hamish Taylor has a CV that the Times described as “takes some beating”. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sainsbury’s Bank, Chief Executive Officer of Eurostar Group, Head of Brand Management at British Airways (responsible for First, Club, Concorde, Shuttle, etc) all before the age of 40. Prior to that worked at PriceWaterhouse and Procter & Gamble Ltd.
He is an innovator and brand expert who has successfully turned major businesses around. Hamish lectures on the international conference circuit. His record of innovation by transferring ideas between sectors led “The Inspired Leaders Network” to add “master thief” to his the title.
• Significant academic, sporting and business success.
• Exceptional fast track career through high profile business roles.
• Achieved rapid growth in profit from inherited break even position at Eurostar.
• Innovator. Major product launches for Club Europe, Club World and First Class (including the introduction of flat beds). Innovation in Banking sector by adopting a retailer approach to traditional banking.
• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport, The Rail Professional Business Manager of the year in 1998 for his results at Eurostar.
• A trustee of the Robert T Jones Memorial Scholarship.
• Consulted or spoken for a variety of organisations including Microsoft, RBS, BAA, Camelot, Inland Revenue, Kimberly Clark, Post Office, Ernst and Young, Diageo and the Economist.
• Chairs the EMEA advisory board for EmoryUniversity from whom he also recently received the “Sheth Distinguished International Alumnus” award.
Simon Griffiths
Specialises in preparing companies for exit and prior to that has worked on a number of turnarounds. He has successfully achieved the "On, Up and Out" for a range of businesses.
• He has successfully achieved the " On, Up, and Out" for a range of businesses. Held various board positions (Managing Director, Finance Director, Commercial Director) across a range of companies. Institutionally and privately owned from start up’s to PLCs.
• Raised Capital, merged, bought and sold companies.
• Presented and successfully raised pre-IPO funding via road show.
• Prepared pathfinder documents to meet AIM requirements.
• Worked with a number of Institutional Investors.
• Worked with Business Angel Consortium.
• Worked closely with transactional service teams including KPMG, Mazars, Grant Thornton and PKF.
• Worked across all business functions. Extensive experience of Systems Implementation - Accounts, CRM and CMS.
• Experience across a range of sectors that include, publishing, finance, new media, software, recruitment and manufacturing.
• Negotiated significant deals successes against the odds.
• Chartered accountant (Coopers & Lybrand now PWC).
• Specialised in insolvency division (Include high profile cases in the 1980's eg Barlow Clowes).
Authored “Lease Evaluation and Taxation” with Ernst and Young (Published by Euromoney) and series of handheld Psion guides and various articles.