Barbara Spurrier

Partner

With over 40 years’ experience in finance and accounting, Barbara is a highly regarded expert in fundraising, strategic planning, financial and cash management and systems implementation for ambitious businesses.

Across numerous sectors – including technology, financial services and consumer goods – business owners and boards have benefited from Barbara’s support in putting long-term strategic objectives into action.

Barbara’s experience includes:

• Successfully concluding IPOs and RTOs onto LSE/AIM, including subsequent fundraising
• Being the main board director of four AIM-listed PLCs
• The application of accounting principles to ensure International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) compliance including a Financial Reporting Council (FRC) enquiry

In 2014 Barbara founded CFPro Ltd, building its reputation as a trusted partner to growing businesses with strategic goals. Barbara joined BKL as a partner in 2023 when CFPro became part of BKL.

Lesley Gregory

Partner

Lesley Gregory is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group in Haynes Boone’s London office.

Lesley is a top ranked lawyer in the UK Legal directories for both capital markets work and mergers and acquisitions. Lesley also advises growth companies on alternative forms of raising finance, including retail corporate bonds for companies and clubs from Hotel Chocolat to the Jockey Club. In addition, she advises on acquisitions and disposals of public and private companies as well as on cross-border transactions.

Lesley founded the Women in Business Connect Network that brings together female founders, investors, mentors and non-executive directors. It currently has over 160 members.

She is a Non-Executive Director of Aquis Stock Exchange Ltd (the growth market stock exchange), as well as a Director of the Orange Tree Theatre Limited.

Grant Benjamin

Financial Adviser at Ascot Lloyd

Grant Benjamin is an Independent Financial Adviser at Ascot Lloyd.

A former criminal barrister, Grant spent twelve years at the Bar before moving into wealth management in 2013. In 2017, in rather unusual and somewhat dramatic circumstances, he founded Sycamore Wealth, which he went on to grow before selling to Ascot Lloyd in 2023. Married with four teenage children and addicted to padel, he remains – despite his best efforts – a far more competent financial adviser than padel player.

Chris Averill

Founder at Oliiv

Chris Averill is a dynamic and entrepreneurial leader with 25 years fronting innovative businesses, Chris led the inauguration of the World’s first interactive TV service in 1996 at HomeChoice, followed by a move to BUPA that saw Chris launch their first website. This led to a successful career at Andersen Business Consulting where he built their digital customer experience team, a first in world of the Big 5 Consultancies.

In 2003, having left Andersen, Chris founded WAE to bridge the gap between large ad agencies and their global client base. The successful growth of the company saw their New York office open in 2011 ending in a trade sale of the business to Globant in 2016.

Chris is now a coach and advises business founders who are undertaking their own sales journey, he is an angel investor and adviser with a focus on health tech. Chris has a private pilot’s license as well as a love for sailing.