Meet the team across the South West

Our Innovation & Growth Specialists are based across the South West—from Land’s End to the New Forest—bringing deep sector expertise and hands‑on commercial experience to every business they support. Together, they form a regional team with national reach, combining local knowledge with access to Innovate UK’s wider network to help ambitious companies grow, scale and succeed.

Angelo Spencer-Smith

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.

James Rowberry

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.

Jason Nichols

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 Briggs

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.

Clare Whitney

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 Phillips

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 Pratico

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.

Dee Temple-Multon

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 Hewat Boyne

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.

Susie Williams

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.

Vince McConville

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 Borne

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

Jayne Bradford

A committed, hands-on and results-driven individual with an established track record. Jayne offers a wealth of both commercial, innovation support and knowledge exchange and transfer experience having worked in both the private and public sectors.

Dr. Ben Masheder

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.