There are many facets to being an entrepreneur — from taking risks to seeing what others can’t. From an early age, I learned to think about scale and efficiency — how to achieve more with the same effort. That instinct has stayed with me ever since.

Investment banking sharpened that mindset. It demanded discipline and precision — early starts, clear focus and an ability to filter out the noise.

I began my career at Deutsche Bank in London in 1998, joining their Fixed Income Sales and Trading programme — one of the most competitive of its time. At Barclays Capital, I found my entrepreneurial edge, pioneering “first-of-a-kind” risk transfers that caught the attention of the market. At UBS, leading increasingly large teams taught me that real leverage comes from culture — and getting it right. Later, I left the safety of UBS to join Wells Fargo in Asia, building their investment bank from scratch — a move that defined my entrepreneurial spirit and ultimately took me to New York, YPO and my own advisory business.

Volution excites me for three reasons: the people — James and Ed have built an exceptional team, and the results speak for themselves; the opportunity — a crucial, underserved stage in the financing journey; and the conviction — that the UK, with its world-class universities, legal structures and talent, can lead in Europe and beyond.

Those I’ve worked with would say I’m a good leader — someone who listens, supports and steps in only when needed. My strength lies in inspiring and motivating diverse teams around a shared goal. They might also say I’m not quite as good at tennis as I think I am!