THE 79TH GRP LIMITED - Key Persons
An inspiring and award-winning transformational leader, Adriènne brings over 25 years of leadership experience in high-profile public sector organisations spanning community funding, local authorities, safeguarding, criminal records and nuclear regulation.
Adriènne has spoken to global audiences about the importance of psychological safety, inclusion and cognitive diversity to high performing teams. Most recently, Adriènne led the UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) to international credit for its effective stakeholder engagement, strong international contribution and enabling regulation.
A highly driven, CIPD-qualified manager with over 20 years of human resources experience, Alicia is responsible for improving and protecting the health, happiness and general well-being of our team.
Passionate about building a positive environment for staff, Alicia is complemented by a rich history spanning a variety of sectors, including telecommunications, aerospace, residential care and manufacturing. Her main areas of responsibility include staffing, setting policies, managing employee benefits, retention, training and payroll.
Job Titles:
- Client Support & Onboarding Manager
Amy graduated from further education in travel. Her previous role at a well-known life insurance company also saw Amy heavily involved with the business' compliance procedures, which enables her to provide a fresh perspective and valuable input towards our compliance strategies.
Amy quickly progressed within the company to one of the team leaders, now onto managing the investments department. Amy's qualifications and previous experience have proven advantageous in gaining a more thorough understanding of the needs of our global client base.
Originally from Ukraine, Anastasiia has a Master's degree in International Law and International Relationships. She has two years' experience as a lawyer. Anastasiia has progressed from the receptionist at our head office, to now being part of the investment team as a Client Onboarding Administrator. In this role, Anastasiia will be more involved in the client journey, ensuring they have support throughout the onboarding process.
With over 25 years of professional experience within mining and minerals and his status as a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, Andor is a highly valuable member of our board of Non-Executive Directors. Andor has on the ground experience within the Republic of Guinea, a country in which we currently hold many assets within our natural resources division.
Throughout his career, Andor has had over 25 publications and is a published author, with a PhD and MSc in Geology.
An almost 50-year veteran of the Civil Service, Andy is a highly experienced tax professional who, having trained as a criminal and civil investigator, subsequently held a wide range of senior posts throughout his career, including operational delivery management, strategy development and project/programme management.
Andy's previous senior appointments have seen him tackle the largest and most complex fraud and avoidance risks using a range of bespoke criminal, civil and insolvency powers, in addition to developing HMRC's strategy to tackle promoters and users of aggressive tax avoidance.
Ashley previously worked at a family-owned company for eight years, acquiring various business and accounts qualifications. She has been a part of the Seventy Ninth Group for over two years, previously part of the investments team and now as Finance Manager, reviewing internal finance procedures and co-ordinating the company's finance processes. Ashley also develops and maintains key supplier relationships and oversees the smooth running of our international departments' financial processes and the purchase ledger activity
Ben worked as a Junior IT technician for 2 years before enrolling at Edge Hill University to study Cyber Security, where he received first class honours. At the Seventy Ninth Group, Ben's role as IT technician sees him help with inquiries or problems regarding our IT infrastructure as well as maintaining and installing new equipment.
Ben heads the capital raising activities of the Seventy Ninth Group through the company's Dubai-based entity, Seventy Ninth Global. He oversees our fixed-income and private equity divisions raising capital for the Group's projects across the UK property sector and the natural resources sector in the Republic of Guinea. Ben manages and strengthens relationships with, and is trusted by, hundreds of clients and capital partners from over 30 jurisdictions globally.
Previously working for a leading financial brokerage in the Middle East, Ben also qualified as a UK-qualified financial advisor through the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI), ensuring he is fully Retail Distribution Review (RDR) and MiFID compliant, with adept knowledge of FCA and PRA regulations.
Job Titles:
- Client Relationship Officer
Chloe has a background in retail, working in betting shops as a customer service manager. She also has experience in admin, working for an event management company. Chloe's role as Client Relationship Officer sees her use these skills to help support clients and resolve any issues for a seamless customer experience.
After finishing Music Production in college, Craig went on to work for British Gas as an Emergency Dispatcher and moved on to work from home as an Out of Hours Dispatcher, liaising with both engineers and customers. At the Seventy Ninth Group as an Onboarding Officer, Craig helps with the onboarding process and can jump into various work streams to assist both clients and colleagues.
Job Titles:
- Investment Director
- Artist
An organised and hard-working professional, Curtis followed in his family's footsteps and entered the real estate and natural resources sectors. Within his role at the Seventy Ninth Group, Curtis provides valuable support to our stakeholders situated across the globe, managing new and existing relationships as well as overseeing the Seventy Ninth Group's existing and future capital raising activities. Over recent years, Curtis has gained significant experience in natural resources, with a particular focus on mineral extraction and general supply chain management.
Curtis is a keen martial artist, practising both Muay Thai and Brazilian jiujitsu. Additionally, Curtis won Outstanding Young Executive (under 35 years) at the Global Business Excellence Awards 2022.
Job Titles:
- Strategic Partner Manager
David has over 7 years' experience as a qualified Financial Advisor providing financial advice to trustees, business owners and investors. David has joined the Seventy Ninth Group as a Strategic Partner Manager, managing the relationships with both investors and joint venture partners.
Job Titles:
- Strategic Partner Consultant
With 7 years of experience as an Introducing Broker, David specialises in alternative investments and managing foreign client enrolment.
Previously, as the Managing Director at Travel Repay Ltd, David successfully oversaw a regulated claims management company and ensured compliance with Ministry of Justice regulations. He also has experience as a manager and director, where he demonstrated expertise in finance, leadership, and regulatory compliance. David's role as Strategic Partner Consultant at the Seventy Ninth Group, sees him expanding our introducer network, inviting new partners to refer investors to our exclusive investment products.
Eleanor studied business management at Edge Hill University. Upon leaving, Eleanor worked in accounts for a nationwide retailer and was then Team Leader for an Insurance Brokerage before becoming Sales Team Leader for a Sales and Marketing Consultancy. As an Onboarding Manager, Eleanor oversees the investment team, monitoring their performance and workload
Job Titles:
- Business Support Manager
- Executive Assistant
Ella studied Law with Criminology at Edge Hill University and graduated in 2019 with a first-class degree. She then went to work for Weightmans as Legal Engineer where she worked alongside legal professionals to help bridge the gap between the legal world and tech.
Ella joined the Seventy Ninth Group as Executive Assistant to the CEO and has now expanded her role to Business Support Manager, where she oversees both internal and external projects, and liaises with stakeholders to reach project milestones. She manages the Business Support Team, helping to improve business efficiency to accommodate further growth within the company. Ella supports and works closely with the Chairman, Directors, CEO and Senior Management Team.
Job Titles:
- Social Media & Content Co‑Ordinator
Emily graduated in 2022 with a 2:1 BBSC (Hons) in Business & Management with Marketing at Edge Hill University. After her graduation she worked in retail for a year before joining Seventy Ninth Group as Social Media & Content Coordinator, creating and planning content for the company's social media platforms.
Job Titles:
- Administration Assistant
- Executive
Emily has experience in receptionist and customer service management job roles. These included diary management, call handling, housekeeping and administrative duties, as well as excellent customer service skills. Emily's role as Executive Administration Assistant will help to ensure the efficient operation of the Executive Team.
Job Titles:
- Operations Support Assistant
Having trained in Hospitality Management, Emma worked for a hotel chain in Oxfordshire and Middlesex. After moving to the North West, she has worked in several sectors including hospitality, recruitment, medical supplies and building and maintenance, giving her a broad range of administrative skills. At the Seventy Ninth Group as the company's Operations Support Assistant, Emma is responsible for assisting the Operations Support Manager and wider team with workstreams, projects and administration.
Ethan studied Business, Media & Sports at school, before going on to study Uniform Public Services with the intention of starting a career in the Police. Before long Ethan was keen to follow his brothers into the Seventy Ninth Group family business, and bring further value by training as a financial advisor, which he is currently undertaking. In the meantime Ethan is supporting Jake, Curtis and the investments team across various business projects.
Gary has been a compliance professional for over 27 years, beginning his career at Lautro and the Personal Investment Authority and including spells at Threadneedle, Henderson, Head of Compliance at hedge fund Brevan Howard, and Head of Compliance in Europe, Mid-East, Africa and Japan for a boutique investment bank.
Since 2013, he has run his own regulatory and training consultancy, Tetractys, with operations in the UK and Ireland. He delivers open and bespoke training courses and external Board effectiveness assessments alongside his consulting work.
Genevieve has over 20 years extensive project and operational experience across commodities in Africa. Following deep level gold mining experience in South Africa she ran Greenfields gold exploration projects. Over the years she has developed experience in artisanal to large-scale gold mining and exploration projects.
As an independent consultant, she has advised investors, commodity traders and mining companies on their various strategies for investing in a range of exploration and mining projects across commodities throughout Africa.
Georgia has both a BA (Hons) in Media Production and an MA in Animation. She kickstarted her career in graphic design with freelance work before moving into the energy industry at a large energy consultancy company in the Northwest. At the Seventy Ninth Group, Georgia manages the workflow of all the design work and oversees the day-to-day projects for the graphic designers both in-house and external.
Georgia has a sales background in the insurance sector, as well as experience working in pensions. This has allowed her to gain key networking skills which help her to build rapport with clients. Georgia's role involves working closely with the onboarding officers to support our investors and to foster good relationships across the business. This includes tracking the progress of all relationships and ensuring investors' needs are met and enquiries are dealt with accordingly.
Job Titles:
- Client Onboarding Administrator
Grace has many years of business experience at companies such as Revlon, BMMK and Scott Limited, as well as running her own business. Her roles have ranged from management to office administration, property management and computer programming. Grace's role at the Seventy Ninth Group has evolved from Receptionist to now being part of the investment team as Client Onboarding Administrator. In this role, Grace assists in onboarding clients as well as completing administrative tasks.
Hannah graduated with first class honours in BA (Hons) Media, Communication, Cultures from Leeds Beckett University. After she graduated, she moved on to retail where she stayed for just over a year. As marketing assistant, Hannah supports the entire marketing team with digital content, PR, events production and more.
Job Titles:
- Client Onboarding Administrator
Heather has 26 years of experience in Business Administration with a strong focus on customer service. She has worked in wide variety of industries, from construction companies to the care industry. In Heather's last two roles, she has championed the roll-out of new CRM applications, ensuring a streamlined customer experience.
Jack has experience working for a large hotel chain as a reservation's agent. Jack is a detail-orientated professional with hands-on experience in utilisation of content development, writing, editing and research skills, with a broad knowledge of computer software, including Microsoft Office, Opera PMS and Guestline
Jack's role as an Onboarding Team Leader means he oversees onboarding processes for new clients, as well as ensuring a positive and inclusive working environment.
Working as Managing Director across the Seventy Ninth Group and its subsidiaries, Jake is highly experienced and proficient in portfolio management, deal structuring and private finance. Jake has been heavily involved in the natural resources and asset management sectors for several years, working internationally with central banks and global commodity houses to establish and arrange finance for projects and commodity supply chains.
Jake is a fully qualified pilot who holds an EASA license, as well as a martial arts instructor. Jake also studied at the American Institute of Diamond Cutting and is a certified rough diamond grader and won the International Young Entrepreneur Award at the Global Business Excellence Awards 2022.
Job Titles:
- Client Onboarding Administrator
Jane has excellent attention to detail skills, having spent twenty years working as a typographer and fifteen years working in copywriting and proof reading for Littlewoods. She has worked with companies all over the world selling products with Stork Cooperheat UK LTD for twelve and a half years.
This allowed Jane to expand on her excellent sales skills, which she then used in her two years as a Sales Executive for Honda in Southport. As an Client Onboarding Administrator, Jane will ensure the smooth running of the investment team, supporting on administrative tasks and helping to onboard clients.
Jennifer has a background in real estate with over three years' experience in the residential property sector. Her BTEC in Business and Enterprise from Southport College gave her valuable business insight. She has previous experience within different sectors of the property market such as conveyancing, identification handling and estate agency work. As Business Support Manager, Jennifer ensures that all related projects are completed efficiently to their best quality, whilst liaising with key stakeholders. She also helps to improve the efficiency of the Business Support Team.
Joe completed his bachelor's degree in law in 2010, before going on to train as a teacher. Having completed his teacher training, Joe set up his own logistics business where he discovered his passion for projects. Whilst managing projects for a local charity, Joe went on to attain his PRINCE2 foundation and practitioner qualifications, which when combined with his extensive experience running projects across industries, enabled Joe to establish a firm grasp of project management methodology and execution. As a Project Manager at the Seventy Ninth Group, Joe monitors and reports on all projects, both domestic and abroad, throughout their lifecycle.
Job Titles:
- Human Resources Assistant
Laura is a proactive and ambitious Human Resources professional with over 6 years of experience in the field. She is CIPD-qualified, and has gained valuable expertise in various sectors, including retail, financial services, and social housing. Laura is known for her excellent communication and leadership capabilities. As HR Assistant, Laura supports the HR Manager in implementing the people operational strategy throughout the organisation.
Lauren is a business management and finance graduate and has previous experience in administrative and customer service roles. Lauren's role as finance assistant at the Seventy Ninth Group sees her responsible for day-to-day tasks such as processing payments and invoices, ensuring the smooth running of the Finance Team.
Originally from Latvia, Liene worked in Preston Magistrates Court as court clerk after university, before moving back home to work as a sanctions screening specialist for the SEB (Banking) Group. After gaining experience in both sectors, Liene moved on to working as Junior Compliance Specialist.
Liene joined the Seventy Ninth Group as a Client Onboarding Administrator, and has progressed to an Account Manager, where she will develop and maintain relationships with our clients, ensuring for a smooth experience.
After finishing her master's degree in film and media, Lizzy focused on freelancing in videography and editing for a variety of platforms from feature length films to commercial work, gaining experience in all facets of media production. At the Seventy Ninth Group, Lizzy is on board as a Creative Assistant, supporting the marketing team with creative digital design and content creation.
Lusso Tesoro was founded. David and Jake targeted the acquisition of further mining concessions within the Republic of Guinea's Siguiri Basin region, utilising the family's extensive experience in the Real Estate and mining sectors. By working with local partners, communities and companies, the Websters gained invaluable experience and established further essential relationships within the country.
Lydia has worked in compliance for over six years, including roles as QA Manager and Audit, Risk and Compliance Coordinator. Lydia worked with clients such as BT, EE, River Island and government bodies, responsible for ensuring FCA compliance, ISO standards, Quality Assurance oversight and implementing QA frameworks, risk management systems and developing risk and compliance committees, internally and with clients.
At Seventy Ninth Group, Lydia has developed a compliance framework across all aspects of the company. She implements and upholds business standards documentation and procedures, internal audits and oversees the QA framework, supports the Group's ESG strategy and maintenance of ISO and other accreditations.
Job Titles:
- Client Onboarding Administrator
Matt has spent the last 8 years working in insurance, firstly in the customer services team and then moving into the administration team. Matt then went on to work as a system support analyst.
Throughout her career, Natalie has been appointed across a wide range of governance roles, including being a regulatory auditor for globally established brands such as Selfridges, EasyJet, Toyota and Nintendo. Natalie has also led large, well-known retail and financial services operations with over 500 employees in each sector, delivering their corporate strategies alongside chairing Corporate Risk Committees. A highly experienced compliance specialist with a wealth of regulatory and administrative knowledge, Natalie has over 10 years in the sector and has a background in creating and implementing governance frameworks and FCA regulations.
As CEO of the Seventy Ninth Group, Natalie defines and oversees the company's primary goals and objectives, leading a team of executives to deliver major business milestones, including acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures and large-scale expansion. Natalie also won the Outstanding Personal Achievement Award at the Global Business Excellence Awards 2022.
Job Titles:
- Purchase Ledger and Accounts Assistant
Paige has graduated with a degree in Business Management and Finance. Since leaving university four years ago, she's been working in property management. Paige works as Accounts and Purchase Ledger Assistant, managing the company accounts and dealing with daily invoices.
After graduating from Canterbury Christ Church University, Patrick accepted a position at a leading wealth management company in the Middle East. Leading strategic business development and strengthening client management and relationships. Patrick is also ESMA/MiFID II compliant for investment advice through the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI); demonstrating thorough understanding of the essentials of financial planning and private client asset management. In his role as Senior Account Manager, Patrick plays a pivotal role in the day-to-day management of, and communication with, prospective and current clients, whilst providing support in implementing strategic solutions to achieve clients' goals.
Job Titles:
- Digital Marketing & Events Manager
Initially intending to work as an accountant, Phil trained towards his qualifications at Big Four financial services company, KPMG, working there until he ultimately decided to focus his efforts on his passion for digital marketing. A highly versatile professional, Phil is responsible for the management of company wide communications and events. Much of Phil's time is spent on brand, lead generation and social media content creation for the Seventy Ninth Group across a multitude of platforms, from posts covering up-to-date news on the company to informative podcasts and videos.
Job Titles:
- Client Onboarding Administrator
Rebecca has worked in customer service at an independent spectacle lens supplier, where she managed all customer queries.
Job Titles:
- Investor Relations - Corporate
Reenu is a passionate, empathetic and seasoned professional. She has nearly two decades of experience working with one of the largest media companies in MENA; in key account management, corporate sales, strategy, partnerships and relationship management. Over the years, Reenu has created an impressive network within the VC industry, fund managers and family offices. She takes pride in her attention to detail and can create unique and bespoke opportunities for the clients she engages with. She was born in the UAE and considers Dubai her home.
Job Titles:
- Operations Support Manager
Rhian has over 25 years of office experience with a wide and varied skill set. She joined Seventy Ninth Group as an executive assistant and has recently expanded her role to Operations Support Manager, helping co-ordinate the business approach to health, safety and welfare, leading on the maintenance of our office headquarters in the UK, and the project management of our natural resources campaigns in the Republic of Guinea.
Sara has over 25 years' marketing experience including a Master of Science degree in Global Marketing Strategy. She has previously worked for a range of financial services businesses including Aldermore, MBNA, Co-operative Bank and moneysupermarket.com. Sara currently serves as a Governor for the University of Chester and as Trustee for a local housing charity.
Sean began his working life at Betfred, where he gained experience working with a focus on customer service and exposure to both anti-money laundering and anti-bribery processes. At the Seventy Ninth Group, Sean's position as an Onboarding Team Leader sees him working closely with our investors, ensuring that strong relationships are created and maintained throughout the entire client journey.
Job Titles:
- Marketing and Communications Manager
As a distinguished Fellow member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM) and with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art and Design, Simon brings over 16 years of rich experience within strategic marketing and branding positions to our dynamic team. Beyond his roles in strategic leadership, Simon has also worked as a self-employed marketing consultant and freelance graphic/web designer.
Simon has navigated various Head of Marketing and Communication positions across diverse industries such as Finance and Insurance, Mergers and Acquisitions, Construction, Technology, and Travel. During this time, he has led multiple marketing campaigns for esteemed brands such as Renault, Nissan, Samsung, Princess Yachts, Wells Fargo, and Admiral Insurance. At the Seventy Ninth Group, Simon leads our marketing team, injecting a strategic vision into our campaigns. His unwavering commitment to excellence, coupled with an understanding of different sectors will inform the development of tailored and impactful marketing strategies.
Suzanne has worked with and consulted for a variety of brands and companies across different industries, including the environmental and extractive oil & petroleum energy sectors. She has worked in both the UK and US before progressing to the Seventy Ninth Group in her role as a Marketing Analyst, leading on insights and analysis for the marketing team and acting as marketing lead for key projects.
Job Titles:
- Group Fund Manager
- Senior Fund Operations Manager at Blenheim Chalcot
Yasmine has over 10 years' experience working with some of the UK's most established Private Equity and Venture Capital fund managers such as TDR Capital, RoundShield Partners, Hoxton Ventures and Blenheim Chalcot. .
Previously appointed as a Senior Fund Operations Manager at Blenheim Chalcot, Yasmine played a key role in strategic planning and reporting, overseeing day-to-day fund operations, executing new product launches, investment structuring and managing investor relations on behalf of the UK regulated fund manager. She is a board member of the Middlesex University Alumni Association in Finance and Accountancy where she graduated with a BA Hons in Finance and is also accredited by the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association.
As the Group Fund Manager at the Seventy Ninth Group, Yasmine is responsible for developing and executing the private equity fund's investment strategy and performance, fund raising and providing personalised investment solutions to clients.