Biography
Ray is an entrepreneur with an established track record of shareholder value-creation. Until 1997, Ray was executive chair and the principal shareholder in Forward Group PLC, which he grew from a start-up company in 1978 to become one of Europe’s leading high-technology printed circuit board manufacturers, listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange. In 1997, Forward Group’s board accepted a substantial offer for the group. Subsequently, Ray diversified his interests, including establishing in 2000 a trust focused on investing in technology-led start-ups. In 2014, at the time of Mercia’s IPO, Ray was appointed Non-executive Chair and having steered the company through its first 18 months, moved to his current non-executive position.
Ray has deep venture experience across several decades and sectors, as both a founder of and investor in many start-up businesses, which have resulted in successful exits.