The Team
Connect Yorkshire is supported by a full time executive team and its board of directors.
The Executive Team
Photograph, from left: Alex, Amanda, Dawn Nick, Danielle & Edward
Nick Butler, CEO
T: +44 (0) 113 384 5642
E: nick@connectyorkshire.org
Nick, having trained in the City, worked for many years as a corporate lawyer at DLA in Leeds, during which time he dealt with mergers and acquisitions,floatations and VC transactions culminating in the award of the Dealmaker of the Decade title by Insider magazine in 2001. Prior to becoming a full time director at Connect Yorkshire, Nick served on the board of a listed plc, which he chaired and on the boards of two SME's, which received VC funding.
Amanda Robinson, Operations Manager
T: +44 (0) 113 384 5640
E: amanda@connectyorkshire.org
Amanda joined Connect Yorkshire in February 2009. After spending over six years working abroad in the travel and recruitment industries she returned home to live in the UK. She is now enjoying a new challenge working for Connect Yorkshire and is looking forward to playing a vital part in co-ordinating all the upcoming workshops and events.
Danielle Ward, Marketing Executive
T: +44 (0) 113 384 5643
E: danielle@connectyorkshire.org
Danielle completed a Masters in Business at Leeds Metropolitan University and graduated to pursue a career as a marketer in the IT sector. She is passionate about communications and assisting small companies. In March 2008 joined Connect Yorkshire in the newly created role of Marketing Executive.
Farhad Akhand, IT Analyst & Programmer
T: +44 (0) 113 384 5639
E: farhad@connectyorkshire.org
After completing his BSc(Hons) in Computing from University of Huddersfield, Farhad joined Connect Yorkshire in October 2008. During his study, he did his industrial placement with GlaxoSmithKline where he worked as a Software Developer. During his placement, the projects he has been involved in helped him to enhance his organisational, communication, time management and team working skills.
Alex Jones, Project Officer
T: +44 (0) 113 384 5641
E: alex@connectyorkshire.org
Alex joined Connect in March 2009 in the new role of Project Officer to identify relevant sources of finance for businesses in the region in the current economic climate, and assist companies in accessing these funds. Prior to this, Alex worked in the Corporate Finance and Restructuring teams at KPMG in Leeds and completed a BSc (Hons) at York University.
Edward Lamb, Sales Executive
T: +44 (0) 113 384 5638
E: edward@connectyorkshire.org
Edward joined the Connect Yorkshire team in May 2009 having worked in sales in the legal world for 3 years. Previously he completed a Bachelors Degree (Hons.) at the University of Leeds, where he read History. Edward is looking forward to building relationships with local business and business people.
The Board of Directors
The board is made up of the following members and meets regularly to discuss and make decisions about the ways in which Connect Yorkshire can best fulfil its objectives.
Richard Doyle, Chairman of Connect Yorkshire
Richard founded Esteem Systems in 1985 which was subsequently sold to a BI/MBO team backed by Primary Capital in late 2004. Since then Richard has immersed himself in a variety of voluntary roles combined with some commercial activities, the first being the development of Boon Business Centre in Boroughbridge. He is a NED of Endeavors Technologies and Nynet, and Chairman of Total Commerce Management.
Nick Butler, CEO, Connect Yorkshire
Please see Nick's details above
Phil Cammerman - Managing Director, Yorkshire Fund Managers
Phil has over 25 years experience working as an employee or as an owner-manager in engineering and hi-tech businesses in the UK and USA. He has spent the last 20 years in the venture capital industry, taking over as Managing Director of Yorkshire Fund Managers Limited (YFM) in 1990. Phil is a Director of each of the three VCTs advised by YFM.
Professor Deborah Withington, University of Leeds
Deborah is a Professor of Auditory Neuroscience in the Faculty of Biological Sciences at the University of Leeds and Enterprise Hub Coordinator for the Enterprise and Innovation Office at the University. Over the past 12 years, Deborah has focused on the commercial side of University research and her time until 2007 was sub-contracted from the University to various companies. Deborah has been closely involved in the formation and ongoing development of two University of Leeds spinout companies; Sound Alert Technology plc and Sound Foresight Ltd. In 1997 Sound Alert won the Prince of Wales award for the company with the greatest commercial potential.
Dr Gwyn Humphreys
Gwyn received a PhD in Biochemistry and went on to lecture before moving into industry. He spent nine years working for Celltech plc, a biotechnology company and after leaving Celltech became a consultant in pharmaceuticals and healthcare at the Biotechnology Unit of the DTI. He then moved to the University of Bradford as Director of Business Development Services after which he became a co-founder of Bradford Particle Design, a pharmaceutical technology spin-out company from the University of Bradford. Bradford Particle Design plc was sold in 2001 for $200m to San Francisco-based Inhale Therapeutic Systems.
Alex McWhirter, Head of Enterprise, Yorkshire Forward
Currently Head of Enterprise in the Business Development Directorate at Yorkshire Forward, Alex has a long career in regional development, having also worked from the Scottish Development Agency and Scottish Trade International. Alex is the Yorkshire Forward representative on the Board of the White Rose Technology Seedcorn Fund.
Ian Morrison, Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Ian Morrison is a director at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Leeds, who specialises in working with technology businesses. Ian is a leading member of PricewaterhouseCoopers Technology Team in the North who provide advice to technology businesses ranging from start-ups to listed companies. He has been actively involved with Connect Yorkshire since its inception, assisting in the company selection process for each investment conference, participating in the Fast Forward panels and, most recently, Co-Chairing our 2004 Investment Conference.
Professor A.W. (Tony) Robards, O.B.E., Ph.D., D.Sc., F.I.Biol.
Tony Robards is Pro-Vice-Chancellor for External Relations and HSBC Professor of Innovation at the University of York. He has published over 120 scientific papers and books and more recently the emphasis has turned towards applied research. Reflecting a commitment to an increasingly commercial university environment, Tony is now involved in a wide range of external business activities. These include being past-President of the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce as well as Directorships of about a dozen different companies. Tony was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, 2002 for 'Services to Higher Education' arising from his work to link the University to the local business community.
Ian Gilbert, Walker Morris
Recognised as one of the leading corporate lawyers in the region, Ian has over 20 years expertise of the venture capital industry having started his career with 3i before joining Walker Morris. Ian advises clients from major corporates through to university spin outs on the full range of corporate finance legal issues. In Chambers Legal Directory for 2006 he is particularly renowned for his “real depth of experience” and a “practical, non-theoretical approach”. Recent transactions on which Ian has advised include the £328 million acquisition of ANS 2003 plc, £250 million sale of Castlebeck and AIM IPOs for Getech Group plc, Syntopix Group plc and Proactis Holding plc
Peter Garnham, YFM Group
Peter joined the Connect Yorkshire board in 2008. With previous experience in engineering, corporate and merchant banking, project finance, corporate finance and fundraising. His qualifications include BSc (Hons), MBA, ACIB, AAIME and IoD. Peter is Managing Director of YFM Venture Finance.
Will Lifford
Will is a chartered accountant, having been UK Senior Audit Partner at Grant Thornton prior to his retirement in 2007. In his professional career, he advised private and listed companies across a wide range of sectors. He now has a number of non-executive appointments and also acts as a financial consultant. On the Connect Board, he has particular responsibility for financial oversight of the Company’s activities.
Yorkshire Forward As the regional development agency for Yorkshire and Humber, Yorkshire Forward was instrumental in securing funding to pump-prime Connect Yorkshire.
The Connect Yorkshire team takes responsibility for the strategic development and management of Connect Yorkshire and reports to the board with regard to its development. It is also responsible for liaising with sponsor and partner organisations and for developing events including the regional Investment Forum.
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