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 Chairman operating in the Business Development space. If you think a Chairman 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.
Peter Norris
Chairman of Virgin Group
Mr. Norris is Chairman of Virgin Group Holdings Limited, a multinational venture capital firm with holdings in a wide range of industries. He has over 37 years of experience in investment banking and business management. Mr. Norris began his career at Barings in 1976. In 1984, he joined Goldman Sachs, before returning to Barings in 1987 to head the South East Asian advisory operations. Upon returning to London in 1994, he became CEO of Barings Investment Banking Group. Three months after his appointment, the notorious derivatives trading scandal in Singapore was revealed, which brought down the bank. In 1995, Mr. Norris established a corporate finance business, constructed around the needs of a client base of owner-entrepreneurs. In 2007, he merged this business with Quayle Munro Holdings Plc, an AIM listed company and became the CEO of the combined entity. He served in this capacity until the end of 2009, when he resigned his executive position to take the role of Chairman of the Virgin Group. He remains a senior adviser to Quayle Munro. Prior to becoming Chairman of Virgin, Mr. Norris acted as an adviser to the Group from 1996 and had chaired Virgin Active from 2002 to 2007. Mr. Norris graduated from Oxford University with a first class degree in Modern History and Modern Languages.
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About Virgin Group: Virgin Group is an investment company focused on leisure, travel, tourism, mobile, broadband, TV, radio, music, finance, and health sectors.
Neil England
Chairman of Augmentum Fintech
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About Augmentum Fintech, Mandata (Management & Data Services): Augmentum Fintech is a FinTech fund that invests in early and later-stage FinTech companies.
Stefano Aversa
Global Vice Chairman and Chairman EMEA of Alix Partners
Stefano is Chair of EMEA and Vice-Chair globally. A talented and highly skilled turnaround expert with more than 30 years of experience, Stefano works with investors, boards, and managements of industrial companies, developing business plans, driving financial and operational turnarounds, and implementing large-scale performance improvement programs.
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About Alix Partners: AlixPartners is a global business advisory firm of results-oriented professionals who specialize in creating value and restoring business.
Alexander P. Coleman
Chairman & Co-CEO of New Providence Acquisition
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About Big Red, New Providence Acquisition: New Providence Acquisition is a blank check company that effects business combinations with one or more businesses.
Rob O’Donovan
Co-Founder & Chairman of Charlie
Rob O’Donovan works as Chairman and Co-founder for The Eleven.
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About Charlie, The Eleven: Charlie is the HR software for small teams with big ideas.
Douglas Hansen-Luke
Executive Chairman of Future Planet Capital
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About Future Planet Capital: Future Planet is a venture capital firm that seeks investment in potentially high-growth companies from research centers.
Hugh Mumford
Chairman of Epiris
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About Epiris: Epiris is an independent private equity firm.
Gideon Harbour
Chairman of Optial
Before founding Optial, Gideon Harbour ran the London operations of a private investment trust focusing on technology and real estate. Prior to 1995 he was with the consulting firm McKinsey & Co working in the Sydney and Atlanta offices. At McKinsey he worked with clients in finance, insurance and the steel industry, specializing in change management. Gideon holds an MA from Oxford in PPE (Economics).
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About Optial: Optial is a successful global supplier of Enterprise-wide EHS, Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC).
Sahel Majali
Chairman of Mid Group
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About Mid Group: The Mid Group is a dynamic construction, investment and development company based in the UK and Middle East.
Greg Davis
Chairman of Catalyst Development
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About Catalyst Development: Catalyst provides regulatory-driven change, organisational improvement, and talent development programs to financial markets companies.
Rob Nicoll
Chairman of ZetaSafe
Rob Nicoll specialises in the development and application of software for the management of regulatory ‘environmental’ data. Rob began his career in 1990 when he joined water treatment company, Houseman after completing a Bachelor of Science degree at the Royal Holloway College (University of London).
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About ZetaSafe: ZetaSafe is the global leader in quality, safety, compliance and data solutions.
Rob Nicoll
Chairman of ZetaSafe
Rob Nicoll specialises in the development and application of software for the management of regulatory ‘environmental’ data. Rob began his career in 1990 when he joined water treatment company, Houseman after completing a Bachelor of Science degree at the Royal Holloway College (University of London).
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About ZetaSafe: ZetaSafe is the global leader in quality, safety, compliance and data solutions.
Paul Thompson
Chairman of DGA Technology
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About DGA Technology: DGA Technology provides consultation services and solutions to improve business growth.
Tania Seary
Founder & Chairman of Procurious
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About Procurious: The online business network for a new generation of procurement & supply chain professionals.
Terry Cooper
Chairman and Development Director of 4Networking
Terry has steered much of the development of 4N to where it is today and he’s continuing to develop new 4N initiatives, all designed to benefit 4N members.
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About 4Networking: The UK’s only joined-up business network.
