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 Cardiff 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.
ASHOK KAMAL
Executive Director of Tech Coast Angels
Ashok’s career as a social entrepreneur spans the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, including running a youth development organization in New York City and co-founding Bennu, which is a leading green social media marketing company. He is a mentor with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), vegetarian foodie and fantasy baseball aficionado.
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About Bennu,LLC, Grove Collaborative, Outsite, Tech Coast Angels, University of California, San Diego: Invests in high-growth start-up’s headquartered in Southern California
Melanie Goward
Investment Director of Maven Capital Partners
Melanie is responsible for transacting new early-stage and technology private equity investments across the South and South West of England and Wales. She joined Maven in 2016 from Finance Wales, where she was part of the Technology Ventures team and fund manager for the Wales Technology Seed Fund, providing funding to help businesses commercialise and bring to market innovative products and services across a range of sectors. Prior to this she worked as an Investment Director with Nesta Investments, focusing on early stage healthcare investments as well as in technology sector finance at Lloyds TSB Corporate, providing debt finance to high-growth companies. With over 15 years’ experience as a specialist in early-stage investment, Melanie has completed a range of investments in technology, life science and biotechnology businesses. Melanie has a BA (Hons) in Natural Sciences, and a PhD in Genetics from Cambridge University, which included research as part of the Human Genome Project.
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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.
Gareth Price
Investment Director of Maven Capital Partners
Gareth is responsible for transacting new early-stage private equity investments across the South and South West of England and Wales. He joined Maven in 2018 after eight years at the Development Bank of Wales, where he latterly managed the equity portfolio team, providing equity and debt funding to SMEs in Wales to finance their growth plans. Prior to this Gareth spent 14 years as a Corporate Financier in London. While working at NatWest Markets (Hawkpoint), ABN AMRO and Landsbanki he advised on many UK and cross-border M&A transactions, fund-raisings and IPOs across a wide range of industry sectors, including acting as Nomad to a number of public companies quoted on the AIM market. Gareth has a BA in Chemistry and an MA from Oxford University, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, having qualified while working at PwC.
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About Development Bank of Wales, Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
Steve Smith
Director, Technology Venture Investments of Development Bank of Wales
Steve leads Finance Wales’ technology venture investments team – an experienced team of specialist investors and portfolio managers, placing seed and growth capital investment in innovative, IP rich, technology based businesses with the ambition to become international market leaders. Prior to joining Finance Wales in 2006, Steve spent 15 years leading various EU-backed programmes focussed on technology, innovation and the commercialisation of university intellectual property at the former Welsh Development Agency as Head of Research and Development Funding. A chartered Mechanical Engineer, Steve spent his early career as a Development Engineer at Wiggins Teape and then Product Design Manager at Saunders Valves. He then established and managed an advanced manufacturing unit at the Polytechnic of Wales (now the University of South Wales).
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About Development Bank of Wales: Development Bank of Wales provides flexible finance for businesses based in Wales.
Rob Hunter
Director of Strategy of Development Bank of Wales
Rob is Strategic Investment Director at the Finance Wales Group, leading on future fundraising and strategic planning. A public finance specialist, Rob has held a number of high profile roles at the Ministry of Defence where he was the lead accountant on the creation and sale of QinetiQ plc as well as the creation of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratories. He later joined the Welsh European Finance Office as Finance and Programme Director before becoming Director of Finance for the Welsh Government’s Department for Economy Science and Transport. He has been closely involved in bidding for funds including the Wales SME Investment, Property Development and Capital Growth Funds. A fully qualified Management Accountant, Rob has also been a member of the Department for Economy Science and Transport’s investment panel for the Wales Economic Growth Fund and has also undertaken various directorship roles, including being Chair of the Cardiff Airport Holding Company.
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About Development Bank of Wales: Development Bank of Wales provides flexible finance for businesses based in Wales.
Lewis Peach
Relationship Director of Pure Commercial Finance
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About Pure Commercial Finance: Pure Commercial Finance brokers offer great rates, attention to detail and a dedication to customer service.
Jamie Ringer
Relationship Director of Pure Commercial Finance
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About Pure Commercial Finance: Pure Commercial Finance brokers offer great rates, attention to detail and a dedication to customer service.
Ben Lloyd
Managing Director of Pure Commercial Finance
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About Pure Commercial Finance: Pure Commercial Finance brokers offer great rates, attention to detail and a dedication to customer service.
