Bean’s core capability draws on our unique combination of venture experience, skills and top tier business training. This has enabled us to develop a methodology that is both comprehensive but tailored to the needs of early stage venture entrepreneurs.
The core team of Partners is supported by a highly experience back office, capable Board and extensive network of Affiliates.
Michael Wood – Executive Chairman.
Michael’s primary role is to co-ordinate strategy and monitor Bean performance. Michael has over thirty years experience in the investment world of national and international families. He formulated a multi-family office and discretionary fund management service with a top 100 law firm and has extensive experience of advising early stage enterprises. Michael developed both on and offshore tax efficient structures with a focus on the efficient deployment of capital and succession to family businesses and wealth. As Managing Partner, his management techniques strongly influenced the growth in profits of his firm. Michael continues to consult for businesses and families. He has regularly contributed to and edited various professional journals and writes for Lexis Nexis as well as being a senior lecturer at the College of Law. Michael is an MBA and Harvard leadership program graduate, solicitor, member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and the Association of Non-executive Directors. He has been director of companies and sat on several private investment committees. His interests include cricket, rugby, music, the visual arts and literature as well as a Harley Davidson Road King.
Robert Newton – Director
Robert has built and sold a number of successful service businesses in a 25-year career including an advertising agency, a public relations consultancy and an internet micro-payment business. More recently, he built a successful estate agency business, Interlet Properties, which built and managed both domestic and international residential property portfolios. Robert successfully sold the business to Marsh and Parsons in 2007. He is a co-founder of Bean Partners and through his extensive network of contacts, brings both dealflow and investors into Bean. Robert’s interests include shooting and skiing.
Damian Woodward – Managing Director and Partner
Damian has over fifteen years experience of working with technology in the defence, agricultural, clean energy and corporate sectors with a strong commercial focus. Damian’s early military career included management of a number of projects to introduce a suite of new technologies and capabilities to Australia’s Special Forces. On leaving the Army he was founder and Managing Director of an agricultural technology company which was sold to a market leader of a complementary product. In his next venture he was co-founder and Commercial Director of a private security company with operations predominantly in the Middle East where he was instrumental in growing the annualised revenues to USD 24 million within nine months. Damian is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment. He holds a BA (Economics and Management), a Master of Management Studies (Project Management and Military Technology) and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment (Corporate Finance). Damian is a co-founder of Bean Partners and for the last three years has specialised in working with early stage companies to help them realise their commercial potential. Damian’s interests include golf, rowing, rugby, cricket as well as travel, history and fine wine.
Lance Stevens – Partner
Lance is a successful entrepreneur in the mobile industry and has held senior positions in mobile companies over the past 20 years. Lance has proven experience in developing successful start-up companies, managing turnaround situations and maximising shareholder value. In 1994 Lance joined Orange and was the driving force behind Orange’s entry into the business mobile market, having the responsibility for Orange’s Business Sales and Business Marketing before eventually moving into corporate strategy where he established Orange Ventures. Since leaving Orange in 2000, Lance has launched and managed a series of international companies in mobile telecommunications and new media for others and on his own account. These include the first GSM operator in Afghanistan and the first Virtual Mobile Operator in China as well as a successful turnaround of Mobix Interactive the leading video mobile company. Lance is an electronics engineer and holds an MBA from the University of Portsmouth.
Peter Bakker – Partner
Peter is a seasoned entrepreneur who has been involved in business since his early teens. Peter has built and sold several firms in a number of sectors including enterprise software, hospitality and consultancy businesses. After an early military career, Peter founded a database consultancy, which was later merged with a complementary provider before being sold to Level3.com. Peter then founded a new ERP software business (Track4) which developed internet capabilities for ERP systems like SAP, Oracle and Siebel. In the aftermath of the dot com bubble Peter raised capital from Philips Ventures, and subsequently divested Track4. Peter was also involved in a successful turnaround of a Spanish based dance club. More recently Peter has worked closely with a number of on-line commerce, publishing and software companies primarily undertaking fund raising, deal structuring and product- and business development activities. Peter holds an MA in Media Science from Erasmus University and an MBA from INSEAD (2006) and his interests include snowboarding, kite surfing and travel.
Barbara Spoors – Marketing Director and Consultant
Barbara is responsible for all aspects of Bean marketing and communications. She also provides a wealth of marketing expertise and support to Partners working with client companies and often works with Bean clients on marketing related projects. Barbara has gained significant experience as an independent consultant working for clients in the financial, legal and professional services sectors and as a senior executive at NatWest Card Services where she was Head of Marcomms. She has produced successful client contact campaigns as well as new product launches, new business start-up and customer research. Her experience covers a wide range of communication channels to a variety of audiences and has frequently used marketing principles to deliver effective internal communications strategies. Barbara holds a CIM Diploma and a BA (Hons) in Marketing and Operations. Her interests include music, running, travel and entertaining.
Sally Ballardie – Business Development Director
After an early career in the fashion industry, which included training with Harrods and M&S prior to working with some smaller companies, Sally entered the City of London with a brokerage firm. During her career in theCity, Sally was responsible for a range of successful fund raising and commercial activities. In recent years she has taken time out for family life but has developed successful interior design and catering businesses during this period. Sally is responsible for actively sourcing deal flow through Bean’s extensive referral network. She also works to evelop key partnerships, joint ventures and other commercial arrangements on behalf of Bean. Her interests include skiing, cycling, football, theatre and entertaining.
Thomas Martensson – Senior Associate
Tom has been active in the financial marketplaces in London since the mid 80's. During his career, he has worked with corporate strategy issues and M&A for large Scandinavian corporations as a management consultant and headed the business development department in a Swiss-Swedish fund management group. During the last 10 years, he has worked in the corporate finance sector, specialising in M&A and capital raising for SMEs in a range of industry sectors. He brings a wealth of business, financial and transactional experience and support to the Partners working with entrepreneurs and venture teams. Tom is a graduate of Stockholm School of Economics and Business Administration and his interests include sailing, rowing and military history.