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 take 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.
As well as his CFO responsibilities, he also currently has overall responsibility for Mercia’s legal, compliance, M&A and marketing activities. Martin also chairs Mercia’s two lending subsidiaries which are currently managing c.£687million of Mercia’s AuM. He led both teams which recently secured new British Business Bank sponsored managed funds debt contracts. He has an honours degree in business from Aston University and has passed the FT Non-executive Director Diploma.