Financial & Operating Partners
NICK DENNISTON assists companies on strategy, M&A, capital raising and investments and financial strategy. From 2005 to 2009 he was CFO and Interim CEO for Argo International (formerly Heritage Underwriting Agency plc-Lloyd’s Underwriting Business; annual premium income £500m - AIM listed with 1400 shareholders; May 2008 sold to Argo, Bermuda based insurer). He qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Young in 1981. Between 1982 and 1995 he worked at SG Warburg, latterly as an Executive Director, working on mergers and acquisitions and equity issues. In 1995 he was appointed Finance Director of the CDC Capital Partners, a UK Government owned US$2 billion emerging markets investment business. In 2000 he was appointed as a managing Director of Securitas Capital, Swiss Re's private equity investment firm. Nick read Agricultural Economics at Oxford University.
Sector Specialisation - Insurance, Financial Services
MICHAEL HALL is a chartered accountant who specialises as an interim manager in the distressed business market. Michael is currently Finance Director of Past Times. Before working as an Interim Manager, Michael had 18 years experience in the Corporate Recovery units of UK accountancy practices, latterly at Deloitte where he was a Director. Michael read Economics at Birmingham University.
Sector Specialisation - Turnaround Situations (General), Retail
JOHN HORNBY is currently full-time CEO of Nexus Industries, where he was previously the Operations Director. Prior to this John was at Perma, and spent four years with Arlen plc working in a variety of roles throughout the Group and was instrumental in putting together the acquisition of the Arlen businesses by Perma. Previously he worked as a management consultant having completed an Economics degree at Oxford University.
Sector Specialisation - Turnaround Situations (General), Manufacturing, Wholesale
MATT STEVENS is currently CEO of bigHead, an EPIC Portfolio Company, a position he has held since 2008. Previously, Matt was CEO of Berkshire International, a specialist manufacturer of contamination control products. Responsible for European and SE Asian markets, Matt led the development of Berkshire’s international business to include local manufacturing and product development. Matt regularly tutors at The Leadership Trust. He holds an MBA from The Export Academy, Germany and is a fluent German speaker. Matt read Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University.
Sector Specialisation - Turnaround Situations (General), Manufacturing
MIKE TAYLOR is currently Managing Director of Past Times and Whittard of Chelsea under EPIC ownership. Prior to this he was Managing Director of Musgrave Group, a privately-owned Irish wholesaler with a turnover of €4.5bn. Prior to this he was Commercial, Development and then Managing Director (Home Shopping Division) for Budgens Plc, a food retailer which was later acquired by Musgrave.
Sector Specialisation - Turnaround Situations (General), Retail
JO WELMAN was until March 2010 Chairman of EPIC Investment Partners Limited, a US$5bn asset management firm that he founded in 2001. Prior to this he was Executive Chairman of Brit Insurance Holdings PLC and managing director of the investment management subsidiary of Rea Brothers Group plc. He spent 10 years at Baring Brothers where he managed several large segregated UK and US public company pension funds and The Barings UK Smaller Companies Unit Trust. Jo read economics at Exeter University.
Sector Specialisation - Insurance, Financial Services
The Financial and Operating Partners are without legal powers or duties.
