United Kingdom
Experienced entrepreneurial Founder and Chairman with a successful track record of growing businesses and delivering shareholder value in the financial services sector since 1988. Also, active in Conservative politics, local government in London and an experienced member of boards of organisations in the classical music sector in London. Banking Career Key positions include: Project Manager UK Risk Management 1993-95, Head of Credit and Banking Services at Barclays Private Bank 1995-1998, Private Banker at Barclays Private Bank 1998-2000 and Vice President at Citi Private Bank 2000-2002. Entrepreneurial Journey Founded the Amico Group of companies in January 2003 which have arranged over US$1.5bn of debt and equity finance for private clients and their companies in over 15 countries in the past 22 years. Skills and experience across the Aviation Finance, Real Estate and Sustainability sectors. Public and Political Service Served for 8 years as a Wandsworth Borough Councillor 1990-98. Appointed Chief Whip under Leader Sir Paul Beresford in 1991 and Chairman of Property Committee 1992-3 under Leader Sir Edward Lister. Elected as Chairman of the Conservative Group 1994 and served until 1997. Served on Planning, Housing and Policy and Finance Committees and stood down from the Council in 1998. Also: Governor Alderbrook Primary School 1990-92; Committee Member Gateway Community Centre 1990-94; Committee Member Battersea Churches Housing Trust 1990-92; Trustee De Morgan Foundation 1994-96; Committee Member Doddington and Rollo Estate Steering Group 1994-98. Chairman, City Conservative Forum 1993 - 96. Speakers included Norman Lamont MP, Iain Duncan Smith MP, John Redwood MP, John Whittingdale MP, Damian Green MP, Dame Angela Rumbold MP, Peter Ainsworth MP, John Cope MP, Sir Edward Lister, Sir Bill Cash MP, John Bowis MP, David Mellor MP, James Arbuthnot MP and Peter Bottomley MP. Member, Global Strategy Forum 2010-present. Classical Music and Philanthropy Member, Finance Committee, The Philharmonia Orchestra, 2010-2016 Co-Chairman, Gala Concert and Dinner with Guests of Honour Baroness Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev, St James's Palace, 2008. Trustee, The Bach Choir. 2010-2012 Member of Committee of Honour, Cornforth Lecture Series, Christie's 2004-2008 Academic BA (Hons) in History from Manchester University (1987) 2.II Diploma in Opera Performance Studies (Written Paper Distinction) from Birkbeck, University of London (2003). Guest Lecturer, MA in Art Business Programme, Sotheby's Institute of Art 2011
Arranged over £1.5bn debt and equity finance for bespoke deals for a wide range of international and UK private and corporate clients over 23 years. Key specialisms include:- Aviation Finance - Commercial, Freight and Private Jets UK Real Estate - Commercial, Residential and Development Finance and International Commercial Real Estate Finance including Healthcare and Hospitality Sector. First major transaction completed was refinancing a £50mn Senior Debt Facility arranged with Bank of Scotland secured on a major West London Hospital owned by a Swiss Trust Commodities Finance including Confirming and Discounting Documentary Letters of Credit Infrastructure Project Finance Mining Projects including rare earths, gold and minerals. Renewables Project Finance including solar, wind and hydro power projects and pyrolysis and bioethanol projects Fine Art debt structures on portfolios of art including Old Masters, Impressionists and Modern Masters. Private Equity including infrastructure, mining and renewable energy projects. Since 2003 working visits to the following countries: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Syria, Lebanon, Malaysia, Singapore, Ukraine, Israel, Egypt,Australia, USA, Georgia, Germany, Switzerland, France, Cyprus, Belgium, Norway, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Austria, Turkey, Poland and Morocco.
Completed Opera Performance Studies Diploma at Birkbeck, University of London 2002/3 (Distinction in Written Paper). Private vocal studies in London with John Noble (1996-2004) and Rosalind Plowright CBE from 2002-04). 2002/3 Abbey Opera Roles included:- (Excerpts) Mercurio, La Calisto by Cavalli (Excerpts) Ulisse, Il ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria, Monteverdi At Cochrane Theatre, May 2003 Conducted by Danial Capps:- (Complete Role) Mr Gobineau, The Medium, Menotti (Complete Role) Crespel, Les Contes d'Hoffman, Offenbach Hinde Street Church July 2003 (Excerpts) Zurga, Les Pecheurs des Perles, Bizet (Excerpts) Don Alfonso, Cosi fan Tutte, Mozart At Royal Academy of Music 2003:- (Excerpts) Wolfram, Tannhauser, Wagner 2011 L'Atelier Lyrique de Cratoule:- (Complete Role) Simeon, L'Enfant Prodigue, Debussy performed at Goudargues Abbey Recital at Cratoule including pieces by Vaughan Williams and Schubert. City Opera Gala 2012 Roles Included:- (Excerpts) Danilo, Die Lustige Witwe, Lehar (Excerpts) Don Giovanni, Don Giovanni, Mozart (Excerpts) Macbeth, Macbeth, Verdi Other complete roles include Jupiter, Orpheus in the Underworld, Offenbach 1982 Private Recitals of Schubert's Die Schone Mullerin, Schumann's Dichterliebe and Vaughan Williams' Songs of Travel in London.
Private Banker covering Middle East Region Grew AUMs of London based Saudi Arabian Team to US$2bn over 2 years Structured a number of large credit transactions for Saudi Arabian UHNW clients and won 3 large asset management mandates (US$20m plus) and 2 significant Family Trust structures (US$50mn plus) from other Private Banks.
1998-2000 - Head of Saudi Arabian and Bahrain Private Banking Team. Grew AUMS to US$1.25n. Established several large Family Trust structures (US$100mn plus) for Saudi Arabian clients. Completed a US$50mn credit facility for Saudi UHNW client backed by a South Korean private Bond issue. Completed a Euro 55 million private yacht credit facility for a major Saudi client. Completed £25mn UK art finance loan secured on a £65mn portfolio of 19th and 20th Century Art for a Saudi client. 1995-1998 - Head of Credit and Banking Services - Grew loan book from £100mn to £250mn with no provisions. 1988-1995 - Various Branch, Business Unit, Head Office and Project Management graduate trainee and management positions. Member Barclays Graduate Management Development Programme 1988-1992. Completed MDP with MG5 Management Appointment as Strategy Manager in UK Risk Management.
Assisting the CEO and Senior Management in various tasks including liaising with artists and artist management organisations; organising meetings of the steering committee for the design and building of Symphony Hall. Attending scheduling and programming meetings; liaising with major donors and sponsors and trusts and foundations; attending Birmingham and London concerts and after-concert receptions; preparing daily briefing for CEO on press coverage of the orchestra. Co-ordinating travel arrangements for visiting artists and the Principal Conductor Sir Simon Rattle