DITTON CONSULTANTS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Engineer at McGill University
Bill trained as a metallurgical engineer at McGill University, Montreal, and the University of Birmingham and spent five years in the UK foundry and general engineering industries.
Christopher qualified as a chartered accountant and after twelve months with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, spent six years as a partner in a medium-sized City firm of accountants specialising in advising small and medium sized businesses from a wide range of industrial sectors.
He left the profession in 1988 and for six years was the finance director of a Plc manufacturing company.
He is now a portfolio non-executive director and consultant to a variety of SMEs, helping them to identify and build growth opportunities and to increase shareholder value.
His current clients include a venture capital fund that invests in and monitors technology opportunities in the West Midlands. His background as finance director and partner enables him to support his clients with a strong blend of practical and professional experience.
Job Titles:
- Independent Non - Executive Director
Jean is an independent non-executive director with experience in multinationals, small companies and start-ups as well as a successful entrepreneurial track record. She has a specialist background in international economic and social policy with experience in both developed and emerging markets, working at the highest levels of governments, with more than 25 years of experience with the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) in Paris.
She holds NED roles in a number of companies and the not-for-profit sector and has recently co-founded and co-chairs the London chapter of the Harvard Business School Angels. She is also a Board Mentor for IDDAS, the President of the London Harvard Business School Alumni Club, a Director of Tomorrow's Company, a member of the Investment Committee for Wellness of Women, a member of the President's Circle at the Central School of Ballet and a Trustee of the British Friends of HBS.
Kevin is an adviser to entrepreneurs, directors, trustees and senior executives. Over the past 25 years, he has worked with commercial and not-for-profit organisations ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups and small charities to international conglomerates. His range of expertise and experience covers:
Financial analysis, forecasting, budgeting, reporting and monitoring
Carrying out technical and market-related research for international companies in the engineering industry
Preparation of marketing and business plans for start-up and high-growth businesses, and assisting with their implementation via mentoring for the business owners
Advising on the acquisition and sale of small businesses
Identification and quantification of opportunities to improve the performance of all types of business
Kevin trained as an engineer and spent several years in the engineering and international technical publishing industries before studying for an MBA. He has worked as a voluntary mentor assisting young entrepreneurs and is a trustee of several charities in the education and social housing sectors.
Job Titles:
- Consultants
- Corporate Management Adviser
Roger is a Corporate Management Adviser and IP lawyer with a strong emphasis on troubleshooting and negotiation.
From 2011 to 2014 he was the Chairman of the Board of Management of the Oriental Club, where he oversaw a complete restructuring and regeneration of the club. Roger substantially overhauled the management and staff in the main operating areas and returned core trading to profit. In May 2014 he became a Non-Executive Director of the Oriental Club (1824) Ltd.
From 2007 to 2011 he was Corporate Adviser to GW International, where he assisted in the integration of management advice to a group of companies owned/controlled by Gunnar Walstam, and in particular directly advising the Boards of those companies on legal, company secretarial and intellectual property matters across a number of international territories. From 2008 to 2010 he was Executive Director of Dockon Inc, a US-based technology company involved in antenna/telecommunications.
From 2008 to 2010 he was also Executive Director and General Counsel of Helperby Therapeutics Ltd, a university spin-out company dedicated to R&D in new antibiotics.
Roger worked in the music industry between 1976 and 2002 as Director Business Affairs and subsequently Commercial Director at EMI Records Ltd, and from 1984 to 2002 he was CEO of Video Performance Ltd, representing 800 UK and European companies in the negotiation and management of their copyright affairs and in the collection of royalties.