Bob is Chairman of NetOTC, First Global Trust Bank (Llamabrook Plc), Justinvesting Plc, Tantalum Corporation Plc, Stonehaven Search LLP and is an investor and entrepreneur. He is a Non-Executive Director of the Qatar Financial Centre Authority and Chairman of its Audit Committee. He sits on the Advisory Board of the venture capital firm Bluegem LLP and is a Trustee of the Peter Jones Foundation.
He is a member of the Advisory Boards of Exiger LLP, Blockchain.info, Symphony Environmental Plc and Tetronics International Ltd. He is a Visiting Fellow of Oxford University and Chairman of Oxford University’s Centre for Corporate Reputation and an Honorary Fellow of Cambridge University’s Judge Business School. He chairs the Courtyard Appeal for the Royal College of Music and sits on its Council. Bob is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has a business degree and an honorary doctorate from Bath University. He was a member of the International Business Advisory Board of British Airways from April 2012 to December 2014. Between 2009 and early 2014 he was Chairman and led the restructuring of Yell (renamed Hibu), one of the most complex UK reconstructions of the last decade, during which the debt was reduced from £4bn to £500m and 12,000 jobs were secured. Bob was able to step down once the courts had approved the restructuring in February 2014.
Bob was an Ambassador for UK Business for the Prime Minister in 2011. He chaired the Green Investment Bank Commission for the Chancellor of the Exchequer during 2009/2010 which reported in July 2010. In 2008, he chaired a panel of leading London financial services company CEO’s for the incoming Mayor of London, Boris Johnson producing a major report on how to maintain London’s competitiveness in global terms for the decade ahead and now sits on the Mayor’s Panel of Economic Advisers. In 2007, he authored a report for the Prime Minister on how to improve school governance using lessons from the corporate world. He is a Past Master of the Court of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers.
Between 2006 and 2009, Bob was a member of the Court of the Bank of England and of its Risk policy and Audit Committees, prior to which he was a Non Executive Director of Royal Mail Group plc and Chairman of its Audit Committee for 3 years. Between 2010 and 2014, he was Chairman of Expansys plc until it was taken private. Between 2009 and 2011, Bob was the European Financial Services Operating Partner of Advent International. Between 2009 and 2011, Bob was Chairman of the National Education Employer Partnership Taskforce. From 2009 until its takeover by Grainger Trust plc in 2010, Bob was Chairman of Sovereign Reversions plc. Between 2004 and 2010, he was Deputy Chairman of Business in the Community (the UK’s leading corporate social responsibility organization).Between 2009 and 2015, he was a member of the Cranfield School of Management’s Doughty Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility. Previous roles included being a Trustee of Terence Conran’s Design Museum for 7 years and a Trustee of Whizz-kidz for 6 years.
In January, 2009, Bob resigned as Chairman of Merrill Lynch Europe, Middle East and Africa following the completion of the takeover by Bank of America. Since 2004, Bob had chaired Merrill Lynch’s EMEA Region Executive Committee with responsibility for a business with $6bn of revenue, $3bn of pre-tax income and 8,000 employees in 23 countries. He also sat on Merrill Lynch’s Global Operating Committee and Client Coverage Council. During this time, he was a member of the Senior Practitioner Committee of the Financial Services Authority, the FSA’s nominated representative on the Market Consultative Panel of the Council of European Securities Regulators, sat on the boards of LCH.Clearnet Plc (Chairing its nomination committee) and Euroclear Plc (and its strategy committee), was a member of the Chancellor’s “wise men” group representing key financial stakeholders in London, was a member of the Chairman’s Committee of the London Investment Banking Association, a member of the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers (and its remuneration committee) and on the EU Advisory Panel of the London Corporation. Previous roles at Merrill Lynch included Chairman of European Investment Banking, Global Head of Telecoms, Media and Technology Investment Banking, Head of UK Investment Banking and Head of Corporate Broking.
Dr. Kevin Hu has more than 15 years experience in the healthcare and life sciences sectors with various universities and companies in both the UK and China. He has broad experience across medical imaging, drug development, CRO services, medical devices, as well as developing business into international markets.
He is the Director of Medical Technology at University College London, concentrating on clinical-oriented research & commercialisation, and business development with China in the area of healthcare. He has published more than 60 high quality papers and holds 5 patents. Kevin is also advising and working with the UK and Chinese governments on UK-China collaboration in healthcare.
Having previously worked for the City of London Shanghai, Sammi has gained extensive experience supporting international businesses in their development, in a cross-border context. Based in China, Sammi is the NEC teams main point of contact for daily access to this vibrant, emerging overseas market.
Max works primarily on investment analysis and deal origination. He joined Nord Engine Capital from PwC London where he qualified as a chartered accountant. He also holds a B.S.c from the University of York.