I’m a founder and long-time operator who’s spent most of my career building, fixing, and scaling businesses alongside other founders.I started out as a Chartered Accountant at Coopers & Lybrand before moving into corporate finance at Baring Brothers. In the late 1980s I became a founding partner of Baring Brothers Hambrecht & Quist’s European venture business (now Baring Private Equity Partners), where I helped set up venture funds and invested in early-stage technology companies in the UK, US and Japan.Since the early 1990s my focus has been on founder-led companies, special situations and turnarounds —often investing my own money, stepping into management when needed, and staying close to the operational reality. Over the years I’ve been a Managing Director, Finance Director and Chair across a wide range of businesses, from software and electronics to logistics, media and life sciences.I’ve seen businesses scale smoothly, unravel painfully, and come back stronger after tough decisions. What’s kept me engaged is working with founders on the practical stuff —cash, governance, product decisions, hiring, and navigating the moments where theory meets reality.