What do you do?

As a Relationship Director here at Cooper Parry, my role has two focus areas:

I work with scaleup founders and CFOs to ensure they have access to the right audit, accounting, tax, and transaction support as they scale. Drawing on years of experience within the high-growth ecosystem, I help CEOs and finance leaders anticipate and navigate the critical inflection points that can accelerate or hinder progress.

My ‘second hat’ is working closely with leading VC and PE firms to support their portfolio companies. I bridge the gap between investors, advisors and leadership teams, helping portfolio companies receive the proactive guidance they need to scale confidently and sustainably.

Why do you do it?

I sort of fell into working in the scale-up and high growth world – starting off my career at a start-up in Glasgow, then moving to London to work in the accounting world in a range of business development roles for Top 10 firms.

A focus area has always been technology and consumer businesses – often attractive investment opportunities for both VC and PE – and so gradually developed a network within the investor community across the UK.

What kind of projects have you been involved in?

Very lucky to have been involved in the Government backed (and short lived) Growth Accelerator scheme supporting 26,000 high growth SMEs to access grant funding.

That was my first foray into the world of high growth businesses and I’ve not looked back since – working on projects including The Sunday Times Fast and Tech Track, The Sunday Times Tech 100 and other growth initiatives celebrating the brightest and best of UK scaleups.

What’s on top of your bucket list?

I’m grateful that I’ve slowly been ticking off bucket list items through the years – from trekking the Inca Trail and seeing Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate at dawn, navigating the Chu Chi tunnels in Vietnam (not a good idea if claustrophobic) through to seeing Scotland play at a World Cup!

Now, bucket list items are more family orientated – watching my two boys grow up and hopefully help them tick off bucket list items before I managed to.