Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United Kingdom based Managing Partner operating in the Consulting space. If you think a Managing Partner is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Dominic Barton
Global Managing Partner Emeritus of McKinsey & Company
Dominic Barton is the global managing director of McKinsey. In his 24 years with the firm, Dominic has advised clients in a range of industries—including banking, consumer goods, high tech, and industrial—but his core area of work is in financial-sector development and reform. In his current role as managing director, Dominic continues to spend half of his time working with clients. Dominic was previously McKinsey’s chairman in Asia from 2004–2009, based in Shanghai, and he led McKinsey’s office in Korea from 2000–2004.
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About McKinsey & Company: McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm and trusted advisor by businesses, governments, and institutions.
Andy Baldwin
EMEIA Area Managing Partner of Ernst & Young
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About Ernst & Young: Ernst & Young is a provider of assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services.
Manish Madhvani
Co-Founder and Managing Partner of GP Bullhound
Manish Madhvani is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of GP Bullhound. Manish has executed M&A and capital raising transactions since 1997, involving some of the best known global internet, software and media companies, including: Spotify, King.com, Believe Digital, WPP, Wipro, Fjord, Hearst Corporation, Accenture, Newscorp and Experian. Manish who was selected as one of the top 40 dealmakers globally by M&A Advisor, started his career at Barclays Capital’s Private Equity team. He has advised the Treasury on Entrepreneurship and graduated from Southampton University with an LLB in Law / MA in Marketing. Manish is a regular speaker on Bloomberg and CNBC and is currently an Ambassador for London Technology Week. He was recognised as one of the leading Entrepreneurs in the UK by the Sunday Times / Maserati 100.
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About GP Bullhound: GP Bullhound is a technology advisory and investment firm that provides transaction advice and capital to entrepreneurs and founders.
Hugh Campbell
Founder and Managing Partner of GP Bullhound
Hugh Campbell is a Founder and Managing Partner of GP Bullhound. Hugh is passionate about technology innovation and entrepreneurs with 15 years’ experience advising and investing in Europe’s current and future Unicorns. He has worked with all the leading growth equity funds in Europe and has sold businesses to Real Networks, Tesco, Disney, Accenture and Experian amongst others. Hugh started his career at Citibank in M&A before moving on to Goldman Sachs where he worked in Equity Research. Hugh is from an entrepreneurial publishing family who sold John Murray Publishers to Hachette in 2002 and founded an e-learning business, Pastest Limited, where Hugh is Chairman. In 2000, Hugh left Goldman Sachs and spent most of the year working and living in Beijing, China before going back to his investment banking roots by co-founding GP Bullhound. Hugh opened the Manchester office in 2013, is a Manchester Grammar School alum and graduated from Pembroke College, Oxford.
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About GP Bullhound: GP Bullhound is a technology advisory and investment firm that provides transaction advice and capital to entrepreneurs and founders.
Jeremy Oppenheim
Founder & Managing Partner of SYSTEMIQ
Jeremy was a senior partner at McKinsey until April 2016, where he worked for 24 years serving some of the world’s leading companies in the finance, consumer goods, technology, healthcare and energy sectors. He worked extensively with multilateral development banks, the United Nations and governments in both developed and developing countries. In 2007, he set up McKinsey’s Sustainability & Resource Productivity Practice, supporting ambitious public, philanthropic and private sector clients to put in place low-carbon, resource-efficient strategies. Prior to this, Jeremy worked at the World Bank from 1988-1993, specialising in economic transformation programmes for middle-income countries. In 2013-2014, Jeremy was programme director of the New Climate Economy project. He sits on a number of non-profit boards, including Global Action Plan (as Chair), the Woods Hole Research Center and Rare (UK). Together with Martin Stuchtey, he is a founder and managing partner of SYSTEMIQ.
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About SYSTEMIQ: SYSTEMIQ supports disruptive early-stage digital/technology ventures with the potential to transform systems in the circular economy, energy
Tim Smeaton
Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Partner of Kubrick Group
Tim Smeaton co-founded Kubrick Group in March 2016. Tim is responsible for the overall strategy of the company and its execution. Tim was previously the CEO of a public company that he grew with his co-founders to have revenues in excess of £200 million and 10 offices around the world. Tim also has a background in the technology industry with multiple non-executive roles, with a strong focus on education and charitable organisations helping them increase diversity in the technology industry. Tim also has experience as an advisor and investor in technology start ups. Tim believes that all organisations have a responsibility to develop their people to compensate for the huge impact that automation and artificial intelligence will have on the global workforce.
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About Kubrick Group: Kubrick Group is a new force in technology consulting, providing fully trained and accredited junior consultants to organisations.
Simon Walker
Managing Partner & Co-Founder of Kubrick Group
Simon walker co-founded Kubrick group with Tim Smeaton in March 2016. Simon is responsible for Kubrick’s client and channel partner relationships, with in depth experience as a business leader and investor. Tim and Simon have worked together for 20 years setting up and growing businesses. Simon spent 6 years in Singapore building a $25m APAC business and returned back to the UK with his family, for the opportunity to establish Kubrick.
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About Kubrick Group: Kubrick Group is a new force in technology consulting, providing fully trained and accredited junior consultants to organisations.
Warwick Hunt
Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer of PwC
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About PwC: PricewaterhouseCoopers is an accounting firm that provides tax, HR, transactions, performance improvement, and crisis management services.
Chris Love
Managing Partner Workforce Transformation of REPL Group
One of REPL’s original two founders, Chris is a renowned expert in workforce management with two decades of retail and supply chain experience. He’s worked with many of the world’s largest retailers, helping to deliver transformational technology and change projects. Chris has gained broad experience across all retail functions and disciplines. He is often called upon to share his expertise and best practice insights with his peers.
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About REPL Group, REPL Group: REPL Group delivers technology and management solutions which transform business operations and processes.
Will Shepherd
Managing Partner of REPL Group
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About REPL Group: REPL Group delivers technology and management solutions which transform business operations and processes.
Alice Roper
Managing Partner of Talentful
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About Talentful: Talentful specialises in helping companies to elevate their talent acquisition strategy.
Mark Kukolus
Founder & Managing Partner of BICPM
Founder & Managing Partner
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About BICPM: Business Intelligence & Corporate Performance Management
Ruth Mortimer
Managing Partner of Econsultancy
Ruth Mortimer is Managing Partner for Econsultancy, which provides digital transformation services through content, research, training, capability work and data. She was formerly the director of the award-winning Festival of Marketing and content director for Centaur Marketing, which comprises Marketing Week, Econsultancy, Festival of Marketing, Creative Review, Design Week, Celebrity Intelligence, Fashion/Beauty Monitor, Year Ahead and Foresight News. She is a PPA award-winning writer and author of five books on marketing. She is regularly asked to host events for brands such as Google and remains on the advisory board for the Festival of Marketing, which under her tenure, featured high profile figures such as Apple founder Steve Wozniak, 13 simultaneous stages, an awards scheme, a gig and a partner fringe programme.
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About Econsultancy: Econsultancy publishes research, analysis and advice on digital marketing, social media, e-commerce, SEO, mobile and tech for businesses.
Jay Dickieson
Managing Partner of The Summerhill Group
Jay Dickieson is a London-based entrepreneur. He is co-founder and Managing Partner of the Summerhill Group Ltd, a strategic consultancy focused on helping companies prepare to raise capital, launch new products and enter new markets. He has worked with a range of start-ups like Emma Lomax London and Mapsted Inc to FTSE-100 brands like Tesco and Sainsbury’s. He is also founder and CEO of Wetherby Art Management Ltd, an innovative art retail and e-commerce business. With a background in strategy consulting, Jay has built distribution networks, launched products and led turnarounds in the UK, USA, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and mainland China. He is a volunteer with the Princes Trust and mentors young entrepreneurs. He has a BAH in Political Studies from Queen’s (Artsci ’08) and an MSc in Management from Cass Business School in London (’09).
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About Business Plan Helpdesk, The Summerhill Group: The Summerhill Group is a top London consulting firm. We are a market research agency and management consulting company.
Hasham Ullah
Managing Partner & Founder of White Lion
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About GymCraft, White Lion: White Lion provides consultation services and solutions for the investment industry.
Thierry Pepin
Managing Partner – Canada Practice of Clairfield International
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About Clairfield International: Clairfield is an international corporate finance firm that provides advisory services.
Irina Pafomova
Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Engelworks
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About Engelworks, Opporta: We help companies grow by creating desirable products & services based on human-centric design principles & actionable business strategies.
Tim Phillips
Managing Partner of Gate One
Tim is a senior business leader and consultant with over 25 years’ experience crafting and delivering major strategic programmes across many large UK and global businesses. His focus and passion are to enable organisations to make better decisions. As the digital and physical worlds blur, now is a particularly exciting time to be helping ambitious businesses shape their actions for the future. Tim gets great satisfaction from the singular moment when plans turn into irreversible action, and believes it all ultimately comes down to people. He is no stranger to this having survived the BBC reality TV show ‘SAS: Are you tough enough’!
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About Gate One: Gate One is an ward-winning specialist digital and business transformation consultancy
Katherine Morgan
Managing Partner of Interel
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About Interel: Interel is a global public affairs and association management consultancy.
Alex Miller
Managing Partner of Forestreet
Alex Miller is founder and Managing Partner at Forestreet. Forestreet has indexed and categorised suppliers of digital and emerging technology to create a new source of advantage for their clients. Providing independent advice and a whole-of-market view they help their clients design and deliver transformational outcomes. Prior to founding Forestreet Alex was COO and a member of the Management Committee at Octopus, on of Europe’s largest VCs. Before joining Octopus, Alex was Director of Strategy and Operational Performance at Lloyds Banking Group. Prior to that, Alex held senior positions at BT Group, Orange UK and Accenture. His experience spans multiple industries and geographies, where he has been responsible for leading transformation and service delivery.
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About : Enables businesses select the right firm to partner, invest or acquire using a proprietary whole-of-market database digital leaders.
David Doyle
Managing Partner of Forestreet
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About Forestreet: Enables businesses select the right firm to partner, invest or acquire using a proprietary whole-of-market database digital leaders.
Aurangzaib Chawla
Managing Partner & Financial Accountant of Lanop Chartered Certified Accountants
Aurangzaib is a Partner and Financial Accountant at Lanop Chartered Certified Accountants. He was a lecturer and head of ACCA department at Lincolns group of Colleges. His passion for business start-ups has helped him earn hundreds of loyal clients. With 14 years experience he is Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant and holds a MSC in International Accounting. He is also founder of Putney Business Hub that helps promote local businesses in the Putney and surroundings with the help of Wandsworth Chamber. He provides free tax and accounting advise to all members of Wandsworth Chamber. He has set up 4 different businesses and then sold them for a profit. His knowledge of small businesses, legal requirements and close accountant”s relationship with all of his clients has helped him gain invaluable experience in business set up, identifying and monitoring risk, strategic business development and client retention. Let Aurangzaib help you with your next start up.
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About Lanop Chartered Certified Accountants: LANOP is an Accountancy Firm based in South West London.
Roheel Ahmad
Managing Partner of Forsyth Barnes
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About Forsyth Barnes: Executive Search & Senior Interim Specialists within Fintech, Software & Etail industries.
Scott Parsons
Managing Partner of Forsyth Barnes
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About Forsyth Barnes: Executive Search & Senior Interim Specialists within Fintech, Software & Etail industries.
Matt Rothman
Managing Partner of Hemisphere Capital
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About Hemisphere Capital: Venture investment and advisory firm
Heather Killen
Managing Partner of Hemisphere Capital
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About Hemisphere Capital: Venture investment and advisory firm
Bostjan Makarovic
Founder & Managing Partner of Aphaia
Dr. Bostjan Makarovic is an expert in ICT law, regulation and policy with in-depth experience in data protection, internet and telecoms regulatory issues. He advised the Presidency of the Council of the European Union as to the review of the electronic communications regulatory framework, worked as advisor to various IT and telecoms businesses, including Avaya, T-2 and several exciting data- and IoT-related tech startups such as SharpEnd or MyRecovery, in addressing their regulatory and legal issues. He helped governments and regulators draft rules on electronic identity and e-trust services, e-privacy and telecoms market regulation. Founder of Aphaia, an IT law and data protection consultancy, he holds a Queen Mary, University of London PhD in all-IP networks regulation, and teaches European and International Telecommunications Law with the same institution. He is an IAPP-certified CIPP/E international privacy professional.
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About Aphaia: Aphaia is a regulation and CSR consultancy.
Paul Taffinder
Founder & Managing Partner of Taffinder Consulting
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About Taffinder Consulting: Taffinder Consulting provides advisory consulting services in strategy, leadership, digital innovation, and organizational performance.
Nicola Hayes
Managing Partner of Andrasta Consulting Ltd
Nicola has been involved in the data centre market since 1998, prior to which she was involved in telecoms network rollout following European de-regulation. As Managing Partner of the London based Philips Group, Nicola was responsible for the formation of the companies Data Centre Consultancy Practice and was the author of the first ever industry report into the fledgling colocation market as well as speaking at the first conferences in both Europe and the US on the subject. With experience advising colocation providers, government agencies, financial institutions and vendors on data centre strategy, rollout and investment, Nicola has an unrivalled knowledge on the sector. Following a role as Vice President of BroadGroup, a UK based company specialising in data centre conferences and consultancy, Nicola then joined DatacenterDynamics where she was responsible for establishing a data centre research practice, DCD Intelligence, which is now one of the leading sources of global data, research and consultancy on data centre trends. She has recently established her own consultancy, Andrasta Consulting providing strategic business advice to companies involved in the sector.
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About Andrasta Consulting Ltd: Andrasta Consulting provides strategic business and marketing consultancy services.
Ed Richards
Founder & Managing Partner of Flint
Ed Richards is a founder and Managing Partner of Flint. Ed advises clients who face regulatory challenges, and assists them in adapting to, and making the most of, competition and policy developments. He also leads client teams working on issues in the digital/tech sector and in a range of network industries, as well as on competition and regulatory issues in general. Before founding Flint, Ed spent more than eight years as the Chief Executive of Ofcom, the UK’s telecoms regulator. During this time, he worked closely with the European Commission and was Vice Chair of the Body of the European Regulators for Electronic Communications. Earlier in his career he worked as an adviser in 10 Downing St, and headed the corporate strategy team at the BBC. After leaving Ofcom, Ed led an independent review into financial services representation, which led to the merger of six financial services associations in the UK.
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About Flint, Ofcom: Flint provides advice to business and other organisations on policy, regulation and politics in European and global markets.
Amar Samra
Managing Partner of Agora Consulting
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About Agora Consulting: An executive search firm that specializes in recruiting high-level pastors, leaders, and executives .
Morven Greig
Managing Partner of JAG Shaw Baker
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About JAG Shaw Baker: JAG Shaw Baker is a law firm dedicated to advising entrepreneurs, companies, and investors in high-growth industries.
Gert den Poel
Founder & Managing Partner of Cybervalue
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About Cybervalue: Cybervalue offers security solutions that provide value to an organization’s performance, reliability, agility, and reputation.
Gregoire Naacke
Managing Partner of IEM-Finance
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About IEM-Finance: IEM-Finance provides consultation services and solutions on financial management of businesses.
Richard Shirreff
Co Managing Partner of Montt Strategia International
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About Montt Strategia International, Strategia Worldwide: MSI delivers an integrated one-stop-shop solution to de-risk the construction of desalination plants and pipelines from ocean to mine.
James Halstead
Managing Partner of Aviation Strategy
James was one of the first stock-broker analysts in London to publish research on the international scheduled airline industry on a global basis. Working for a number of Investment Banks in London, he has been one of the top ranked analysts following the sector and has been involved in many IPOs, share issues and advisory roles. He was one of the founding members of the UK Aviation Club and served as a non-executive director of a quoted start-up airline. He co-founded Aviation Strategy Ltd as a boutique aviation consultancy and publisher of the acclaimed Aviation Strategy newsletter.
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About Aviation Strategy: Aviation Strategy focus is on all aspects of commercial aviation.
Philip Sheldrake
Managing Partner of Euler Partners
Philip is a founding partner of Meanwhile, the venture marketers.
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About Euler Partners, Meanwhile, techUK, The hi:project: Euler Partners provides performance management services to help businesses work more efficiently and effectively.
Philip Sheldrake
Managing Partner of Euler Partners
Philip is a founding partner of Meanwhile, the venture marketers.
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About Euler Partners, Meanwhile, techUK, The hi:project: Euler Partners provides performance management services to help businesses work more efficiently and effectively.
Samina Akram
Managing Partner of Samak Ethical Finance
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About Samak Ethical Finance: Samak Ethical Finance Ltd is an independent, international Islamic and Ethical finance consultancy based in London.
Samina Akram
Managing Partner of Samak Ethical Finance
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About Samak Ethical Finance: Samak Ethical Finance Ltd is an independent, international Islamic and Ethical finance consultancy based in London.
