With significant longstanding experience in the financial services industry, Alex also owns companies in recruitment, software and leisure.
Alex Mollart
Oplo
Roland Lamb
Founder & CEO, ROLI
Roland Lamb is the founder and CEO of ROLI, a London-based music technology company that “makes fascinating music products” (TechCrunch).
Roland has reinvented the piano keyboard twice, in the process winning numerous design and innovation awards as well as fans including Grimes, Hans Zimmer, Kelly Clarkson, Finneas, and Stevie Wonder.
He created the Seaboard, ROLI’s iconically black-on-black keyboard made of pressure-responsive silicone, while a design graduate student. His latest invention is the brightly colorful LUMI, a hit product that TIME magazine and CES named one of the most innovative products of 2020.
LUMI helps musical beginners learn the piano by playing pop and classical songs they already love — made easy by following light-up keys that sync with colors in a companion app. LUMI culminates Roland’s decade-long mission to extend the joy of making music to everyone, regardless of age or stage.
Roland is a skilled jazz pianist who comes from a musical family in New Hampshire. Prior to founding ROLI in 2009 he travelled the world and lived for a time at a Zen Buddhist monastery in Japan. At Harvard he studied philosophy, specialising in thought systems in China and India.
He was on course to become a philosopher before enrolling in a Master’s Degree program in design at the Royal College of Art. It was there that he considered the limitations of the piano from a design perspective, and how it might evolve to allow the expressivity of string, brass, and digital instruments all in one. This was the genesis of the Seaboard — and all of the physical instruments as well as desktop and mobile apps that ROLI now sells worldwide.
Want to meet with Roland?
Alex has spent his career investing in and successfully growing entrepreneurial for-profit and non-profit organisations that seek to drive financial and/or social impact.
Alex Sloan
Excelerate Foundation
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Alex Van Someren
Amadeus Capital Partners Ltd
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Alexandra Kelly
Hire Right
Companies obliged to enrol employees into pension schemes needed a one stop shop to enable it. So Andrew invented it and called it Smart Pension.
Andrew Evans
Smart Pension
Five times a CEO, Angie has long been part of the vanguard of people supporting businesses in the north west of the UK.
Angie Robinson
One Manchester
Anne is a Non-Executive Director at the On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) the leading recycling label in the UK.
Anne MacCaig
On-Pack Recycling Label
Tony is an award-winning recruitment entrepreneur with international experience in emerging markets such as Russia, China and India.
Anthony Goodwin
Antal International
Atul Pathak is one of the UK’s most successful franchise entrepreneurs, operating 43 McDonald’s with more than 3,500 staff.
Atul Pathak OBE
Appt Corporation Ltd
A publishing powerhouse and politician, Gail advised broadcaster Sky on CSR for a decade and is now active in the fashion and hotel sectors.
Baroness Gail Rebuck
Penguin Random House
Having run businesses in fashion and residential care, Sandip entered politics in 2006, working in both the Business and International Development departments.
Baroness Verma
UK Government
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Ben Goldsmith
Menhaden Capital
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Bill Mew
The Crisis Team
Carrie is one of the co-founders of Mumsnet, the online discussion and advice forum that changed digital publishing forever.
Carrie Longton
Mumsnet
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Cecilia Crossley
From Babies With Love
A regular face on television, interior design expert Celia’s eponymous company has been providing luxury interiors for 20 years.
Celia Sawyer
Celia Sawyer
Having co-founded a number of internet startups he consequently sold to recognised companies, Charles now works in private equity.
Charles Mindenhall
Blenheim Chalcot
An Expert interested in education, gender equality and social justice, Charly has experience scaling organisations from idea to reality.
Charly Young
The Girls Network
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Chloe Macintosh
https://kama.co/about
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Chris Gorell Barnes
Adjust Your Set
As the founder of crowdfunding platform Spacehive, Chris can advise on investment and local partnerships, as well as online messaging and digital presence.
Chris Gourlay
Spacehive
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Chrissie Rucker
The White Company
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Claire Dove CBE
VCSE Crown Representative
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Dan Cobley
Blenheim Chalcot
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David Giampaolo
Pi Capital
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David Taylor
The Brandgym
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Denzyl Feigelson
PLATOON
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Diana Hunter
Conviviality
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Emilie Vanpoperinghe
Oddbox
Emma has more than 30 years of business experience to draw from, during which she led recognised companies in the UK and Canada.
Emma Fox
Berry Bros & Rudd
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George Polk
Vision Ridge Partners
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Gi Fernando
FreeFormers
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Graham Thomas
Stage Capital
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Gregg Freishtat
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Harriet Hastings
Biscuiteers
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Hugh Chappell
LADbible Group
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Iqbal Wahhab
The Purpose Restaurant Company
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Jacqueline de Rojas
tech uk
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James Eder
Student Beans
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Jenny Halpern Prince
Halpern Limited
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Jeremy Jauncey
Beautiful Destinations
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Jeremy King
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Jim Cregan
Jimmy’s Iced Coffee
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Joan Ball
WOMB Lab
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Joanne Baban Morales
Nunude
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Jochen Zeitz
The B Team
Once a celebrity hairstylist to the stars, John went on to create a range of hair care products that sold all around the world.
John Frieda
John Frieda Hair Care
A serial entrepreneur who has created companies worth several billion dollars, John now has investments in several well-known brands.
John Hunt
Archimedia
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Jonathan Goodwin
Alvarium
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Josh Turner
Stand4 Socks
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Julia Groves
British Business Bank
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Julian Metcalfe
Itsu
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Karen Lynch
Belu Water Ltd
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Katharina Sophia Volz
OccamzRazor
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Kathryn Parsons
Decoded
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Kim Rihal
Equal Education
With expertise in cross border trade, Kishan also has experience in politics and international relations.
Kishan Devani
Liberal Democrats
An investment expert, Layton founded his own private equity firm and believes in the responsible stewardship of business and corporate citizenship.
Layton Tamberlin
Sullivan Street
An extremely accomplished mentor, Victor has extensive experience in health, social care, investment and governance.
Lord Victor Adebowale
Social Enterprise UK
Marie co-founded Goldfinger, creating sustainable furniture and educating people in craft and sustainable woodworking, and offering free training to the economically vulnerable.
Marie Cudennec Carlisle
Goldfinger
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Matt Newman
Starling Bank
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Meg Lustman
OC&C Consultants
With vast experience in communications, Michael is the EMEA CEO of global integrated communications agency Weber Shandwick.
Michael Frohlich
Weber Shandwick
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Michael Howard
urbanbubble
An experienced connector and communicator with a sales background, Mike has extensive experience of business development.
Mike Blackburn
IoD North West
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Nicholas Wheeler
Charles Tyrwhitt
Once a printer of radical magazines, Nigel joined the Big Issue in 1994 and is CEO of their investment arm Big Issue Invest.
Nigel Kershaw
Big Issue Invest
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Oke Eleazu
Many Pets
One of the 100 most connected men in Britain according to GQ, Oli has worked extensively promoting startups, both here and abroad.
Oli Barrett MBE
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Pamela Bell
prinkshop
Panthea is a business consultant for public good. She is an Expert in strategy and partnerships and is astute in co-designing processes involving multiple stakeholders.
Panthea Lee
Reboot
One of Britain’s best-dressed men, Patrick runs several fashion businesses, including the social enterprise Community Clothing.
Patrick Grant
Etautz
A marketing guru for the new cyber age, Pranav finds connections between product, communication, and the consumer.
Pranav Yadav
Neuro Insight
Preyal is passionate about all things people, culture, and change-related. She is the founder of Wildfire and is challenging the profit-driven culture and business model of traditional consulting businesses.
Preyal Dewani
Wildfire
With long standing experience in financial technology, Richard is an active investor and mentor and is widely respected for his market expertise.
Richard Carter
Equiniti Credit Services
A true maverick, Richard boasts experience in the music, telecoms and blockchain sectors. He’s currently active in the CBD and tech space.
Richard Skaife
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With a career that takes in Big Brother and River Cottage, Rob Love, co-founder of Crowdfunder, has a reputation for being a knowledgeable businessman and social entrepreneur.
Rob Love
Crowdfunder
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Robert Holzer
Matter Unlimited
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ROLI
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Rowan Gormley
Majestic Wine, Naked Wines
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Ruth Chapman
Matches
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Ryan Prince
UNCLE
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Sandy Lindsay MBE
Tangerine PR
One of the first to see the potential in tech, Saul was part of the original executive team at Skype and now gets excited about seeding new ventures.
Saul Klein
Index Ventures
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Sir Charles Dunstone
Carphone Warehouse
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Sir Tim Smit
The Eden Project
With 25 years experience to offer, Stephen Brown has overseen marketing for several recognised FTSE businesses.
Stephen Brown
Hammerson
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Steve Henry
Decoded
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Tom Adeyoola
Metail
Cash rich but time poor, Zia craved meaningful experiences. So he used tech to create something that helped people in the same situation.
Zia Yusuf
Velocity Black
