Chairman – Ken Fraser
Ken is a qualified accountant with a wealth of commercial experience including running his own practice providing corporate service to SMEs. Ken spent much of his time acting as Chairman with a number of Scottish medium sized businesses. These roles came from relationships with various Private Equity companies; 3i; ECI; Scottish Enterprise; Charterhouse; HBOS; amongst others.
He served on the Scottish Council of the Institute of Directors (IOD) for a number of years. From 2005 to 2010 Ken was Scotland’s employers’ representative on the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels. Visiting Brussels most weeks.
Gatekeeper – Kevin Grainger
Kevin is a serial entrepreneur with over 30 years track record in the IT industry, and in commercial and residential property investment. He established and exited several software companies and has mentored early stage technology businesses. Having worked in both corporate and SME/start-up environments, Kevin has a wealth of business experience covering technology, finance, sales and marketing, man management, fund-raising, strategic planning, operations, project management and customer account management. Kevin was a semi-finalist in the Ernst & Young ‘Entrepreneur of the Year Awards’ in 2001 and 2003 for his involvement in two of the IT businesses which he co-founded. Kevin holds non-executive director posts in several of EOS's investee companies. Kevin has a Physics degree from St. Andrews University.
Director – John Ivinson
Having developed his career in the chemicals industry with companies such as Akzo Nobel Pharmaceuticals, Courtaulds, and AstraZeneca, with whom he acted at Director level, John has strong operational and business improvement capabilities. He is an agent for change with first class leadership skills, who engages with teams to achieve results. John has been responsible for complex high value investment programmes, ‘Lean’ manufacturing and employee engagement methodologies, multi-site and international HR, and delivery of profitability through detailed manufacturing cost reduction programmes. John has a Chemistry degree from St. Andrews University and an International Management qualification from INSEAD.
Director – Alistair Lang
Alistair heads up the corporate legal team at Thornton Law LLP based in St. Andrews. He advises on all aspects of corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, equity investments, corporate restructuring and intellectual property. Alistair is actively involved in the golf market and acts for some of Scotland’s largest and most renowned golfing interests. He and his team also act for SMEs and university spin-out companies across the country – focusing on high-growth businesses.
Advisor – Neil Norman
Neil is Director; Corporate Tax Services at accountancy firm Chiene & Tait in Edinburgh. He leads the firm’s Entrepreneurial Group, providing specialist services to high growth companies, such as: SEIS/EIS advisory; angel and corporate investment structuring; R&D and Patent Box tax relief claims; restructuring and refinancing groups of companies; shares schemes and employee remuneration advisory services; and implementation services and exit strategy and execution services. Prior to joining Chiene & Tait, Neil worked for KPMG LLP on the Corporate Tax side of the business.
Syndicate Manager – Matthew Leonard
Matthew is a fourth year undergraduate in International Relations at the University of St Andrews. Whilst at St Andrews he has worked alongside alumni in London and New York to develop angel investor networks centred upon the University community. Previously, Matthew has served as a Summer Analyst with the private equity group's Mandalay Capital Partners and Avila Capital in Singapore, working within the TMT, Mining and Real Estate sectors. Matthew is considered a Future Leader by Entreprenuerial Scotland.
Ken is a qualified accountant with a wealth of commercial experience including running his own practice providing corporate service to SMEs. Ken spent much of his time acting as Chairman with a number of Scottish medium sized businesses. These roles came from relationships with various Private Equity companies; 3i; ECI; Scottish Enterprise; Charterhouse; HBOS; amongst others.
He served on the Scottish Council of the Institute of Directors (IOD) for a number of years. From 2005 to 2010 Ken was Scotland’s employers’ representative on the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels. Visiting Brussels most weeks.
Gatekeeper – Kevin Grainger
Kevin is a serial entrepreneur with over 30 years track record in the IT industry, and in commercial and residential property investment. He established and exited several software companies and has mentored early stage technology businesses. Having worked in both corporate and SME/start-up environments, Kevin has a wealth of business experience covering technology, finance, sales and marketing, man management, fund-raising, strategic planning, operations, project management and customer account management. Kevin was a semi-finalist in the Ernst & Young ‘Entrepreneur of the Year Awards’ in 2001 and 2003 for his involvement in two of the IT businesses which he co-founded. Kevin holds non-executive director posts in several of EOS's investee companies. Kevin has a Physics degree from St. Andrews University.
Director – John Ivinson
Having developed his career in the chemicals industry with companies such as Akzo Nobel Pharmaceuticals, Courtaulds, and AstraZeneca, with whom he acted at Director level, John has strong operational and business improvement capabilities. He is an agent for change with first class leadership skills, who engages with teams to achieve results. John has been responsible for complex high value investment programmes, ‘Lean’ manufacturing and employee engagement methodologies, multi-site and international HR, and delivery of profitability through detailed manufacturing cost reduction programmes. John has a Chemistry degree from St. Andrews University and an International Management qualification from INSEAD.
Director – Alistair Lang
Alistair heads up the corporate legal team at Thornton Law LLP based in St. Andrews. He advises on all aspects of corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, equity investments, corporate restructuring and intellectual property. Alistair is actively involved in the golf market and acts for some of Scotland’s largest and most renowned golfing interests. He and his team also act for SMEs and university spin-out companies across the country – focusing on high-growth businesses.
Advisor – Neil Norman
Neil is Director; Corporate Tax Services at accountancy firm Chiene & Tait in Edinburgh. He leads the firm’s Entrepreneurial Group, providing specialist services to high growth companies, such as: SEIS/EIS advisory; angel and corporate investment structuring; R&D and Patent Box tax relief claims; restructuring and refinancing groups of companies; shares schemes and employee remuneration advisory services; and implementation services and exit strategy and execution services. Prior to joining Chiene & Tait, Neil worked for KPMG LLP on the Corporate Tax side of the business.
Syndicate Manager – Matthew Leonard
Matthew is a fourth year undergraduate in International Relations at the University of St Andrews. Whilst at St Andrews he has worked alongside alumni in London and New York to develop angel investor networks centred upon the University community. Previously, Matthew has served as a Summer Analyst with the private equity group's Mandalay Capital Partners and Avila Capital in Singapore, working within the TMT, Mining and Real Estate sectors. Matthew is considered a Future Leader by Entreprenuerial Scotland.
