Our People
Tim Reynolds
Chairman
Tim originally trained as a banker running Business Centres in Central London catering for both early-stage and growth businesses.
At the age of 30 Tim decided to set up his first business in the technology sector and since this time Tim has helped start and grow numerous cutting-edge businesses on a domestic and international basis. In parallel, Tim has become synonymous with saving Bletchley Park over a 20-year period ultimately becoming Chairman of The National Museum of Computing.
During this time, Tim converted derelict Second World War codebreaking buildings (including the historic Mansion House seen on the new £50 note) into The Bletchley Park Science and Innovation Centre, which housed over 60 companies and created over 400 jobs in a deprived region. Tim was also Chairman of the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park for a number of years where he oversaw the building of a world class museum housing the worlds first computer, Colossus.
Tim’s experience along with his extensive contact book bring significant value to the Group’s activities.
Tim’s responsibilities include raising finance for start-up and growth companies, providing corporate and strategic advice and advising on all things intellectual property related due to his experience in filing over a thousand granted patents worldwide and succeeding in high profile infringement disputes. Tim was also involved in setting a legal precedent in the handling of intellectual property disputes which means all inventors, regardless of size or wealth, are able to defend their Intellectual Property Rights.
Kenneth 'Buzz' West
Director
Buzz West has spent over 30 years at board level mainly in Financial Services and has extensive international contacts. He is experienced in listing and running AIM listed companies, liaising with regulatory authorities, refinancing and reverse take-overs, pensions regulations, management buy-outs, achieving successful cross border trade sales from both start up ventures and management buy-outs. He has commercial experience in USA, Canada, Europe & Middle East. Mr West’s track record include co-founding in 2005 and building the client focussed listed Wealth Manager, Ashcourt Rowan Plc, in the UK with assets under management of circa $ 8bn at the time of sale in 2015. He has been chairman of the Loss Adjustor GAB Robins in the UK culminating in the sale to Atlanta based Crawford & Company. He has recently retired as Group Chairman to the Wealth Manager, Kingswood Holdings who have a fast growing UK & US presence. Under his direction since 2014 the company has built assets under management from inception to circa $14bn.
Mr West currently sits on the board of the Canadian Rare Earth miner, Auxico Resources Canada Inc and is a director of the Canadian Copper miner, Coppercore Inc. He also sits on the advisory board of the Nevada registered World Immersive Entertainment Inc. He has accepted the role of Chairman in the Jersey based Fintech company, Valley Ventures Ltd.
Prior to this Mr West was Deputy Chairman at Hume Capital Securities Plc in London from 2010 - 2015. He was Chairman at Hume Capital ( Guernsey ) Ltd from 2011- 15 culminating in its sale to Peterhouse Securities. Other board seats include being senior independent Director to the Norwegian telecoms company, Norcon Plc from 2008 – 2016. He was an independent Director to the Telematics company, Pinnacle Plus Ltd from 2006 -2015 where he remains an advisor.
He graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1975 and was a commissioned officer in the Guards Division of the UK armed forces and, having qualified as a Shipbroker ( AICS ) on the Baltic Exchange, then spent 12 years with the News & Financial information company, Reuters Plc, latterly as Managing Director Middle East & Africa based in Bahrain. During his time at Reuters he attended the purpose built Reuters Senior Management Course at Insead in 1986 and qualified at the Citibank Treasury Managers course in 1990.
Neal McLaughlin
Director
Neal has over 25 years’ experience working in numerous sectors including the film, recruitment, and travel industries.
Neal’s domestic and international experience across many sectors along with his extensive list of international contacts means that Neal is able to both advise and connect companies looking for growth in new markets.
Adel Shawwa
Mr. Shawwa is an investment professional with over seventeen years of diverse experience gained at multinational companies and boutique firms across different fields including: Impact investing, Asset Management, Corporate Advisory, Private Equity, SME lending and Government Economic Reforms. Mr. Shawwa holds a bachelor's degree in Financial Economics and an MBA from the United Kingdom, along with many other field-related certificates.
Estel Jennings
Group Director
Estel achieved her Bachelor of Science BSC in forensic science and following this she received her PGCE in 2015.
Having achieved these qualifications, Estel spent a number of years in the education sector where she developed and delivered curriculum as well as assessing core competencies within the science industry.
Further to this Estel has been involved in setting up a number of start-up and early-stage businesses in numerous sectors as diverse as education and the manufacturing of CBD. She has helped to establish quality management systems, project management systems within the context of high-volume manufacturing, whilst ensuring excellent customer relations are maintained at all times.
Estel is passionate about supporting both women in education and women in business and will be actively promoting these causes through her work at Bletchley Park Consultants as it is one of our core beliefs.
Sean Young
Director
Sean has over 30 years’ experience as an entrepreneur working on numerous projects across many sectors both domestically and internationally. Sean’s particular areas of expertise include covering investments and acquisitions within the entertainment, catering and travel sectors.
Going forward Sean is responsible for overseeing the Group’s investments and holdings whilst identifying new opportunities for us to invest in and support.
