About S-Ventures Plc
Adding Value
The Company plans to add value by adding capital and expertise to the target companies. The experience and operational skills of the Board are intended to act as an accelerator to smaller brands that have a strong foundation and platform but lack skills and capital. The main objectives will be to cross fertilise opportunities between the target companies and to scale the individual entities and look for exit opportunities and or synergistic collaborations and we believe that scaling can create significant value creation for all stakeholders.
Identifying opportunities
We focus on the acquisition of brands with underdeveloped growth potential at attractive prices. A portfolio of companies who have synergies targeting similar consumer groups who are seeking the same products. Producing products that can/ will naturally benefit from an e-commerce presence.
S-VENTURES PLC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David Mitchell
ChairmanMr Mitchell founded Astron Group, a provider of document management solutions and associated business process outsourcing services in 1996, following a management buy in/ buyout and subsequent secondary buyout of three print related businesses. He oversaw as Managing Director and founder the dynamic and robust growth of this business leading to its sale to Chicago based RR Donnelley & Sons, the world's largest print group for US $1 Billion. Mr Mitchell is also currently Chairman of Perigord Limited, the Dublin based leading pharma content management and software provider for the pharmaceutical sector. David is also a founder shareholder of 24 Haymarket Limited. 24 Haymarket Limited is an FCA regulated HNW and UHNW members investment platform and syndicate, with offices in London and Edinburgh. David has overseen and invested in a number of companies in various sectors. David lives in Surrey and is a keen golfer and a highly qualified SCUBA diver.
Alex Phillips
DirectorAlex is a partner at Smith Square Partners LLP and has over 25 years’ experience in corporate finance and capital markets. Alex started in banking at CSFB (1992-2000), was Executive Director at Morgan Stanley (2000-2003), and Managing Director of Credit Suisse (2004-2013). Recently, Alex was Chief Executive Officer of Passtech, a private business serving oil & gas equipment manufacturers, with operations in the Middle East (2014-2016). In addition, Alex has served as Vice Chairman of Notting Hill Housing Group, one of London’s leading housing associations with over £7bn of property assets (2008-2013). Alex has a BSc (Hons) in Economics with Politics and Philosophy from the University of Bristol.
Robert Hewitt
DirectorRobert qualified with Touche Ross and became a licenced Insolvency Practitioner. He left to found his own firm – Gibson Hewitt & Co – in 1988. He acted as an Insolvency Practitioner until he retired from the firm in 2016. At the same time he headed up the firm’s small accounting and tax function aimed at helping businesses manage change and with a particular emphasis on start up or growing businesses. He has helped many businesses in a variety of roles, sometimes by serving as a Director – occasionally nominated by venture capital firms to join boards of their investments. Since leaving his firm, he has acted as Director to several new ventures and growing businesses. He is an opera fan and keen landscape photographer.
Scott Livingston
CEOScott founded and listed S-Ventures PLC in 2020, to identify and capitalise upon investment opportunities in the high growth natural wellness sector and build a consolidated group sharing infrastructure and capital. Prior to S-Ventures, Scott focused full-time on the Westlab group as Founder and CEO, a bath and body care business he founded in 2004 which is now a global wellness brand with factories in the UK and USA with distribution across multiple countries. Scott has also been an active and engaged investor across consumer and finance industries and at an early age of 23 listed his first business in 2000 on the OFEX junior stock market, which was eventually sold in 2005. Scott is a member of YPO, Young Presidents Association, a serving member in various community charities and also serves as a non-executive on a number of boards.
Bhanu Choudhrie
DirectorBhanu Choudhrie founded C&C Alpha Group (CCAG) in 2002, a UK based holding company for a group of private investors with more than three decades of venture capital funding experience. CCAG has a diverse range of investments within hospitality, healthcare, real estate, utilities, aviation and cutting-edge technologies. Bhanu unites companies and clients with their strategic goals, providing investment strategy and insight to assist individuals to incubate and grow their businesses to maximise their business potential. He advises and sources deals in emerging markets such as India, Russia and South-East Asia as well as guiding on potential markets and giving clarity on new markets. Bhanu studied International Business and Marketing at Boston University before attending the Owner/Management Program at Harvard Business School. He was a Director of Customers Bancorp (NYSE: CUBI) in the United States for more than eight years and was also a member of the board for Atlantic Coast Financial Corp prior to its acquisition by Ameris Bancorp in 2018.
Matthew Peck
Chief Digital OfficerMatthew is the CEO and Founder of S-Ventures-owned D2C specialist agency Market Rocket. Founded by Matthew in 2019 to identify digital opportunities for leading consumer brands, Market Rocket has quickly established itself within the Amazon ecosystem, accredited as an SPN (service provider network) agency, and a Verified Amazon Advertising Partner. Matthew became involved in eCommerce 15 years ago and founded his first online business at the age of 23, creating a software development agency that specialised in building SaaS applications for use in eCommerce ecosystems through API connections, data aggregation and analysis. Building on these successes, Matthew co-founded and operated as COO of a £50m run-rate omnichannel global retail business with warehouses in the UK, EU & US. With a proven track record of founding and building successful eCommerce companies and having been involved in the space from an early age and at the outset of global adoption, Matthew is now a trusted advisor for Fortune 500 industry leaders and market disruptors.
Stephen Argent
CFOStephen is a Chartered Accountant with over 40 years’ experience in both private practice and in commerce in the consumer and wellness sectors. He set up his own brand, Soupologie, and has extensive skills in building out financial and governance teams for both public and private companies. He has also been a highly effective Finance Director of Nourisher Food & Drinks, showing strong leadership and expertise. He brings his financial and governance skills, together with his extensive knowledge and understanding of the sectors in which S-Ventures operates, to his role as CFO.
Andrew Jennings
Advisor to the BoardAndrew is an inspiring business leader highly respected for strategic thinking, pragmatism and delivering progressive organisational change resulting in a track record of successful results. He is a subject matter expert on multi-category commercial strategy and planning, net revenue growth management and organisational leadership. He has worked extensively across sweet snacks, chilled foods, and ambient grocery and currently provides consulting advice to global consumer packaged goods businesses. Deep commercial and operational expertise built on the solid foundations of a varied career path. Three years as a buyer with Somerfield followed by 24 years in numerous commercial leadership roles with Kraft Foods / Mondelez, culminating as Managing Director of the £2bn+ UK business. Instrumental in the introduction and development of a multi-category, multi-geography business model with associated commercial processes and organisational design. Andrew has been involved in European and Global strategy for many years encompassing M&A, including the £11bn acquisition of Cadbury and subsequent successful integration, and has spent time located in Zurich, Switzerland leading revenue management for Europe and business services for sales, globally.