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 Birmingham based Director operating in the Financial Services space. If you think a Director 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.
Sarah Card
Executive Director of Goldman Sachs
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About Goldman Sachs: Goldman Sachs is a multinational financial services firm providing securities, investment banking, and management services.
Robert Schofield
Director, Midlands of LDC
Rob joined LDC in 2011 as a seasoned corporate financier with 15 years of experience with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and most recently, US investment bank Jefferies & Co. Rob has extensive transaction experience, particularly within industrial end sectors, with a strong bias to aerospace & defence. Rob was previously a Managing Director in Jefferies’ European Aerospace & Defence investment banking sector team, which he was instrumental in building during his five and a half years with the Company. His past clients have included AIM Group PLC, BAE Systems, BBA Aviation, Esterline Technologies, FL Smidth, Siemens, UMECO and United Technologies Corp. Since joining LDC, Rob led the investment in Shimtech (syndicated) and Showcard. He also sits on the board of TPN.
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About LDC: LDC is a private equity company which provides funds for buyouts and development capital transactions in UK unquoted companies.
Matt Newbold
Investment Director, Midlands of LDC
Matt joined LDC in Sept 2012 to work in the Midlands Investment team. Matt has eight years corporate finance experience with PwC Corporate Finance and Catalyst Corporate Finance, working in both the UK and North America where he spent two years. Matt holds a first class honours degree in Accounting and Finance and is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
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About LDC: LDC is a private equity company which provides funds for buyouts and development capital transactions in UK unquoted companies.
Steve Lewis
Investment Director of Maven Capital Partners
Based in Birmingham, Steve has responsibility for new MEIF investments across the Midlands, as well as managing portfolio investments across the region. He joined Maven in 2017 following a long career in SME investment and banking, primarily in and around Birmingham. He was most recently a Branch Manager with Handelsbanken in Wolverhampton, and has extensive experience of commercial banking having worked for a number of UK-based banks.
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About Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
Michael Neville
Member of the Board of Directors of Netcall
Michael Neville was appointed to the Netcall Board on 30 July 2010 following the acquisition of Telephonetics plc where Michael Neville served as a Non-Executive Chairman from July 2005. Michael Neville has extensive experience in capital markets and serves as a Non-Executive Director for a number of AIM quoted companies. His background is in the telecommunications, technology and media arena.
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About : Netcall delivers solutions and services that drive sustainability in the IT sector that helps in improving customer experience through CX.
James Dixon (Mountain Brook)
Managing Director, Southern Region – Stifel of Stifel Financial
Managing Director, Southern Region at Stifel.
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About Stifel Financial: Stifel Financial Corp. is as a financial services holding company.
Nicola Ventrella
Operations Director of The Right Mortgage
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About The Right Mortgage: The Right Mortgage is a completely independent Network for mortgage and protection brokers.
Adam Cranford
Managing Director of New Capital Partners
Adam Cranford joined NCP after completing his MBA at the University of Chicago. Before graduate school, Adam worked for Dollar General Corporation. During his time at the Fortune 500 retailer, Adam served as an Executive Group Analyst for the company’s executive team and managed a national store restructuring project. In Adam’s final year at DG, he supported the Kohlberg Kravis Roberts buyout of Dollar General as a Senior Manager. Adam earned a BS in Management and MS in International Affairs from Georgia Tech. Additionally, Adam holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
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About New Capital Partners: New Capital Partners is an Alabama-based private equity firm that manages private equity and economic development funds.
Tonya Marshall
Director of Operations of Prepaid Technologies
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About Prepaid Technologies: Prepaid Technologies is an expertise with innovative technology to manage efficient payments programs for banks and businesses.
Mary Bradley Anderson
Director of Account Management of Prepaid Technologies
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About Prepaid Technologies: Prepaid Technologies is an expertise with innovative technology to manage efficient payments programs for banks and businesses.
Sarah Eskridge
Director of Corporate Rewards, Incentives of Prepaid Technologies
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About Prepaid Technologies: Prepaid Technologies is an expertise with innovative technology to manage efficient payments programs for banks and businesses.
Roger Wood
Director/Shareholder of Midven
Roger joined Midven in June 2004. He is a Director of the Company and Fund Principal, and Investment Committee member, of the Advantage Growth Fund. Roger also has responsibility for Compliance and Marketing. He trained as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse. Following a secondment into their Corporate Finance department he spent 7 years as a Corporate Finance adviser with Ernst & Young and Bentley Jennison, focusing on small and medium sized private company transactions. Roger has a degree in Industrial Economics from Nottingham University. Roger has particular expertise in positioning businesses for exit and identifying the right time to sell.
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About Midlands Engine Investment Fund, Midven: Midven is a specialist venture capital company providing investment to fast growing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), run by an
Surjit Kooner
Investment Director of Midven
Surjit joined Midven in August 2005 and is an Investment Director, and Investment Committee Member, for the Exceed Partnership. He is a Chartered Accountant with over eleven years experience of advising small and medium sized private companies, particularly in the area of fund raising. Surjit trained with Arthur Andersen, specialising in corporate finance. Following a 12 month secondment to ISIS Equity Partners he joined Deloitte Corporate Finance in January 2003. Surjit has a degree in Economics and Finance from Brunel University and a Masters in Corporate Strategy & Governance from Nottingham University. Surj has added significant value as part-time Finance Director for a number of Midven portfolio companies.
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About Midven: Midven is a specialist venture capital company providing investment to fast growing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), run by an
Alan Cleary
Group Managing Director of Precise Mortgages
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About Charter Savings Bank, Charter Savings Bank, Precise Mortgages: Precise Mortgages is a dynamic platform that specializes in delivering mortgages and loan services through a nationwide intermediary base.
Jesse Deering
SVP & Managing Director Retail Branch Banking & Marketing of Mackinac Financial Corporation
Deering joined mBank in 2005 and has over 10 years of banking experience. He is responsible for oversight of mBank’s retail branch banking, Operations Department and IT Department. Additionally, he leads strategic planning efforts for Senior Management and is involved in various intercompany initiatives including M&A activities and special projects. Prior to this role, he was in charge of all banking related activities in Southeast Michigan. Deering began his career at West Shore Bank (Ludington, Michigan) as a consumer and commercial lender. He holds an undergraduate degree from Albion College and a MBA from the University of Notre Dame.
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About Mackinac Financial Corporation, Mackinac Financial Corporation: Mackinac Financial Corporation is a provider of commercial and retail banking products and services.
Simon Breakspear
IT, Supervision & Training Director of PRIMIS Mortgage Network
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About PRIMIS Mortgage Network: PRIMIS Mortgage Network is a mortgage and protection network that provides financial services.
Paul Stokes
Managing Director of Gener8 Finance
Paul Stokes is a director at Gener8 Finance Ltd, one of the country’s leading independent invoice finance companies. An expert in working capital finance, banking and commercial finance broking, Paul has an in-depth knowledge of the funding options available to businesses and has a reputation for problem-solving and helping business owners obtain the funding they need.
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About Gener8 Finance: Gener8 Finance is one of the UK’s leading providers of cashflow solutions to SMEs.
