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 COO’ operating in the Angel Investment space. If you think a COO’ 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.
Chris Barnes
Partner and Chief Operating Officer of Atomico
Chris is Partner & Chief Operating Officer at Atomico. Based in London, he works across all aspects of Atomico’s operations. He oversees portfolio management, fund management, investor relations, resource allocation, finance, legal and HR. Chris joined the company after thirteen years at private equity company Terra Firma, where he was CFO and a member of the Investment and Management Committees. While at Terra Firma, Chris was involved in the structuring, funding and execution of all of the portfolio investments, as well as the management of the firm’s operations. Prior to Terra Firma, Chris worked in the Private Equity group at Arthur Andersen for 10 years. Chris is a Chartered Accountant and has a Double First in Economics and History from Cambridge University. He ran his first (and last) marathon at age 12, which may explain why he now has a titanium hip and the knees of a ninety year old. A talented footballer in his youth, Chris gave up the chance of a playing career in the top flight to follow his dream of becoming an accountant.
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About Atomico: Atomico is an international investment firm that focuses on helping disruptive technology companies scale globally.
Ralf Gruss
Partner and Chief Operating Officer of Apax Partners
Ralf Gruss is Chief Operating Officer. He is a former member of the Financial & Business Services team and is based in London. Ralf’s deal experience includes: Kabel Deutschland, LR Health and Beauty Systems, IFCO Systems, and Netrada Holding where he also served as advisor and board member. Prior to joining Apax Partners Ralf was a consultant with Arthur D. Little International Inc, where he specialised in advising clients in the Financial Services sector. Ralf holds a diploma in industrial engineering and business administration from the Technical University in Karlsruhe. He also studied at the University of Massachusetts and the London School of Economics.
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About Apax Partners: Apax Partners is an independent global partnership focused solely on long-term investment in growth companies.
Matthew Reed
Chief Operating Officer of Business Growth Fund
Matthew Reed joined the Business Growth Fund in March 2011 and is responsible for BGF’s regulatory, finance and operational functions. Matthew’s role will also encompass risk and corporate governance oversight. Matthew Reed was educated in Australia where he obtained his Chartered Accountant qualification. Matthew has held a number of Chief Financial Officer roles with private equity firms including, CCMP Capital Partners UK, Trilantic Capital Partners and Santander Infrastructure Capital. Prior to commencing his Private Equity roles, Matthew worked for JP Morgan Chase for six years, performing numerous roles during that time including Financial Controller positions in both Luxembourg and London, and later as a Global Product Controller in the bank’s Worldwide Security Services business.
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About Business Growth Fund: Business Growth Fund is an influential investor in small and mid-sized businesses.
Jasel Mehta
Partner & COO of Forward Partners
Jasel runs the team delivering value-added services to their partner companies, from early-stage idea through to launch and anywhere in between. This includes product strategy, customer experience, brand development, technology services, growth marketing, talent, PR and more (breathe). He has a background in building and running teams developing innovative products and experiences for some of the world’s most celebrated brands. This included 13 years at AKQA on clients including Audi, Coca Cola, Nike and Nissan. When not working, J’s a proud father of two, loves to travel and watching his favourite football team. What J loves about FP: “Being part of a sufficiently crazy, yet talented, team that help ambitious entrepreneurs create and shape great businesses.”
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About Forward Partners: Forward gives founders their best shot at success.
Simon Hopkins
Co-founder & COO of Angel Academe
Co-founder & COO at Angel Academe.
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About Angel Academe: Angel Academe helps engage female founders and co-founders with their tech startup to a unique pool of, mainly female angel investors.
Manish Mittal
Partner and COO of Mid Europa Partners
Manish Mittal is the Chief Financial Officer and Compliance Chief at Mid Europa Partners LLP since September 10, 2012. Previously, Manish Mittal served as the Finance Director at Kennet Partners Limited. He was responsible for finance, administration, and investor relations. Previously, Manish Mittal served as the Financial Controller at Advent Venture Partners where he was primarily responsible for the accounting and administration of two private equity funds and two venture capital trusts listed on the London Stock Exchange. Prior to that, he spent three years at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the business assurance practice. Manish Mittal is a qualified Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor. Manish Mittal holds an M.Sc. in Finance from the University of Leicester and a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield.
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About Mid Europa Partners: Mid Europa Partners is a private equity firm specializing in private buyouts.
James Guest
Chief Operating Officer of Simpleweb
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About Simpleweb: Investor and Product and Software development.
Adam Stoten
Chief Operating Officer of Oxford University Innovation
Adam has overall operational responsibility for the Licensing & Ventures and Consulting Services activities, in addition to several business support groups. He has worked for more than 15 years in commercial roles encompassing business development and licensing, new venture formation, product development, lobbying/advocacy and general management. Prior to his current role Adam led the Life Sciences Licensing & Ventures Group at OUI, where he oversaw the formation of more than 20 new spin out companies and led the creation of LAB282, a £13M partnership with Oxford Sciences Innovation plc and Evotec AG to accelerate Oxford drug discovery activities. Between 2010 and 2013 Adam worked as Deputy General Manager for the Oxford-Emergent Tuberculosis Consortium Ltd, a joint venture between the University of Oxford and Emergent BioSolutions Inc, which raised more than $30M to conduct the first ever efficacy study of a next generation TB vaccine in infants. Prior to this Adam worked in healthcare consulting with Technomark Ltd and then in increasingly senior commercialisation roles at OUI.
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About Oxford University Innovation: Oxford University Innovation manages the university’s technology transfer and consulting activities.
