Biography
Martin has significant public and private markets business experience. He is a KPMG-qualified chartered accountant with more than 25 years’ experience as chief financial officer of four listed, three private equity-backed and several privately owned technology-led businesses.
Martin joined the main market listed Forward Group PLC in 1993 and was group financial director from 1995 until its sale, for £129.0million, in 1997. In 1999, as deputy chief executive of Symonds plc, Martin led the ‘public to private’ of this main market-listed technology group, backed by NatWest Equity Partners. The group was successfully restructured and sold within 12 months to a NASDAQ-listed US electronics group, whereupon he became a vice president, working frequently in Silicon Valley.
In addition to his CFO responsibilities, he also has overall responsibility for Mercia’s legal, compliance, marketing and M&A activities. Martin also chairs Mercia’s two lending subsidiaries which are currently managing c.£850million of Mercia’s AuM. He has an Honours degree in Business from Aston University and has passed the FT Non-executive Director Diploma.