Meet the team across the South West

Tony is a management consultant with over 30 years of experience in business innovation and growth. He works with forward-thinking organisations to navigate complexity, unlock opportunities, and drive strategic transformation. With a specialist focus on aviation, he combines industry expertise with personal passion as a qualified pilot and member of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He has supported both start-ups and established businesses, helping them scale, innovate, and achieve sustainable growth.

With over 30 years’ experience spanning strategic marketing, management consulting and business innovation, Angelo supports ambitious SMEs across the South West to unlock growth. He helps organisations develop clear strategy, apply consumer-centric thinking and adopt technology—particularly AI and digital innovation—in practical, commercially focused ways.

Based in the Cornwall, James is an Innovation & Growth Specialist supporting some of the region’s most disruptive and ambitious businesses. He brings deep experience working across all sectors - academic, public, private, and voluntary, helping innovative companies scale through strategic guidance, and impactful stakeholder engagement.

Based in Bristol, Jason brings 20+ years’ experience across corporate, entrepreneurship, and business coaching. He supports ambitious founders and high-growth businesses to gain clarity, build momentum, and turn ideas into structured, scalable ventures.

Alison is a specialist in Investment Readiness for clients raising pre-seed to Series A equity, drawing on her experience of being a VC investor for 10+ years, a Corporate Finance advisor for advisor for high growth companies, and a Chartered Management Accountant in industry.

With over 30 years’ experience working with start-ups and scale-ups — both advising and operating within them — Clare has a track record of turning high-potential ventures into scalable, investable businesses. Her work focuses on bridging the gap between innovation and execution: embedding experienced operators into growing firms, supporting boards and governance structures, and building the management capability required for sustainable growth.

Andrew is a Wiltshire‑based chartered engineer with a strong background in product and process development, as well as technical and operations management. Outside of Business West, he works part‑time as a management consultant, specialising in lean process improvement within manufacturing environments.

Giulia works within the advisory arm of the UK’s innovation agency, where she leads a team of specialists supporting cutting‑edge companies with strategic guidance to scale and expand internationally. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the University of Bristol’s School of Engineering Pro2 Network Initiative. Her expertise spans business innovation and project management, underpinned by an MSc in Law and Accounting from the London School of Economics.

With over 40 years of experience working with and as a director of companies in the private and public sectors, from start-up to multi-national, Dee works across all areas of industry. Dee is passionate about ‘digging deep’ to guide discussions and identify the challenges business owners face and working with them to manage results.

Chris is an experienced funding consultant with deep experience across finance, client relations, and policy development. He benefits strategic planning expertise, problem solving agility, and a global perspective shaped by travels to over 30 countries.

Based in Bristol, Susie brings 12 years’ experience helping organisations navigate the complexities of the innovation grant funding landscape. She supports companies in identifying opportunities, building grant readiness, and strengthening their approach to preparing competitive funding applications.

Based in Devon, Vince has 25+ years’ experience spanning business advice and support, technology strategy, adoption and transformation, digital strategic marketing, and business innovation. He helps organisations unlock growth through clear strategies, organisation process change, and practical technology adoption.

Matt has worked as a senior manager and consultant for over 30 years, with a focus on business strategy, innovation management, and project delivery.

Ben draws on a career spanning academia and the start‑up world to support innovative businesses on their investment‑readiness and grant‑funding journeys. He brings a practical, insight‑led approach to helping organisations grow, and has extensive experience delivering digital technology adoption programmes for SMEs.

Based in Devon, Deborah possesses a research and commercial background, with senior-level experience collaborating with public and private sector partners on policy, innovation, graduate recruitment, and economic development. She currently supports SMEs on their innovation journey.

David is an ICF PCC accredited Leadership and Business Coach that specialises in the human aspects of organisational growth. His highly creative coaching and facilitation is supported by a unique blend of experience, including 15 years as a technology business pioneer and innovator, having managed his own company growth alongside highly complex product development programmes.

Adele is a dynamic innovation and business growth specialist with a proven record of mentoring and supporting startups & scaleups. At Innovate UK Business Growth, she's coached and supported founders across priority sectors including AI, semiconductors and hydrogen, assisted businesses to secure £25m+ in funding, led global delegations to Singapore and built connections globally.

Based in Wiltshire, Melody combines two decades of experience in recruitment and business leadership with a focus on sales, marketing, and sustainable growth, helping organisations grow while aligning resources, talent, and opportunities for long-term impact.