Renu Randhawa
Director of Finance - Royal Academy of Dance
Renu Randhawa is the Director of Finance at the Royal Academy of Dance, which operates in 82 countries. Renu started her career at PwC, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant. She then joined Plan International and was responsible for reviewing rural development programmes (in health, education, water, sanitation and agriculture) across South and Central America, Asia and Africa. Renu left Plan International to start a family and work in the public and charity sectors in the UK. Renu has a passion for sports and swims daily. You can ask Renu about accountancy qualifications, the accounting profession, finance, strategy and working overseas.
Matt Roberts
Vice President, Business Intelligence Formula E
Matt have over 20 years experience in market research, data and insight, working for a number of sports broadcasters (Eurosport, ESPN, BT Sport and Sky Sports) before joining F1 as Global Research director in 2017 where he headed up the research and insight department, managing all company reporting and strategic insight for the business. In 2021, he joined Formula E to set up their strategic data and insight function and is currently VP of Business Intelligence.
Jackie Beesley
Accountant; Treasury Finance Business Partner
Jackie is a qualified accountant who has worked in the Banking Industry for 20 years through a wide variety of roles Jackie currently works for NatWest Bank as a Treasury Finance Business Partner.
Jackie graduated with an LLB Business Law (Hons) from Bournemouth University.
After graduation, she worked at Barclays Bank in the Financial Reporting Service Centre. Barclays also funded her ACCA qualification. Jackie moved to JP Morgan, working in a variety of roles including, Financial Control, Operations and as a manager in the Emerging Markets business. After 12 years at JP Morgan Jackie moved to NatWest Bank.
Cat Schroeder
Assurance Partner PWC
Cat is an Assurance Partner at professional services firm PwC. Following a degree in economics, politics and North American studies from Leeds University, she joined PwC as a graduate and qualified as a chartered accountant specialising in audit and assurance. She has enjoyed a varied career pathway, working with a number of multinational and UK clients including Diageo, Unilever, John Lewis, BAT, Dr Martens, Balfour Beatty and Rolls Royce. She spent several years working overseas in Chicago, and currently leads the UK
Colin Burke
Mathematical Modeller Lloyds Group
Colin Burke is Head of Model Validation at Lloyds Banking Group.Colin completed a degree and PhD in physics. As a Research Fellow at King’s College, London he researched global lightning activity. He investigated the link between thunderstorms and hurricane formation, the link between lightning and tornado formation and examined lightning and wildfire ignition. His research is particularly relevant to climate change in examining how hurricanes vary with climate change, how global thunderstorm activity changes with climate and how wildfires can also change. In his mid-30s, Colin switched from climatology to enter banking. He developed models of financial markets (e.g. stock markets). Later, Colin switched to model validation: this is the process of testing the models, suggesting improvements and, if the models are of sufficient quality, approving models for use. He leads a team of highly skilled professionals, all of which have higher degrees in mathematics, computer science or physics.
Michael Markovich
CCO Sony Sports
Michael Markovich, Chief Commercial Officer – Sony’s Sports Businesses & Managing Director – Pulselive
Michael Markovich joined Sony’s sports executive team in April 2022 as Chief Commercial Officer, overseeing commercial growth and partnerships for Hawk-Eye, Pulselive and Beyond Sports, in addition to operating as the Managing Director for Pulselive. Michael brings +20 years of strategy and sports experience to Sony and is particularly focused on evolving the group’s long-standing relationships into strategic partnerships that transform the way fans engage and consume sport.
Michael spent his prior 10 years at the NFL driving strategy for ticketing and gameday experience across the 32 Member Clubs and leading the NFL’s International Media business, including all direct-to-consumer & digital offerings. Outside of the office, Michael is a husband and father to three kids, and dog dad to Harley. His passions are tennis, craft coffee and adding to his (over)extensive sneaker collection.
Keith Piggott
Ex Managing Director Perspex
Keith has had a career in the Metals and Plastics Industries operating at CEO Level, including being a Director of a publicly quoted Company. He has worked in the UK, Spain and USA.
He has founded businesses, grown and managed them as well as buying and selling them.
Keith was part of the Management team of a Group that led an MBO from BP and subsequently floated the Company on the London Stock Exchange.
He has chaired several International Trade Organisations and worked with Japanese, Swiss, American and UK owned Companies.
He also has a Property Company.
He has worked in the Corporate and Private sectors and has an entrepreneurial and team approach.
Most recently, he was Managing Director of Perspex International and Perspex Distribution.
You could talk to him about a career in the business sector, including management, sales marketing, purchasing and Company strategy.
Jon Leefe
Investment analyst - waypark capital
Jon is an investment analyst who has worked in finance field for 4 years. Prior to joining the industry, he studied BSc Geography at the University of Southampton where he focussed on Economic Geography modules.
After graduating, Jon gained experience across various areas within finance, these include investment research, risk management, equity and credit analysis.
In his current role, Jon works for an investment fund focussing on real estate debt. His responsibilities
include investment due diligence, financial modelling, screening of investment opportunities, writing reports and liaising with counterparties.
You can ask him about:
- The application process for finance jobs;
- Career options within the finance industry; and
Educational resources for developing relevant skills to finance roles.
Matthew Coakes
Managing Director in Equity Capital Markets and Corporate Broking at RBC Capital Markets
- Matthew is an investment banker specialising in advising and raising finance for companies in the Renewables, Infrastructure and Energy Transition sectors
- He read Engineering at Cambridge and then joined Citigroup, went on to work at Goldman Sachs and has been with the Royal Bank of Canada in London for the last 14 years. As a sixth former, he worked in the bakery at Tesco – great way to earn some extra cash with the bonus of free (cast-off) doughnuts
- An example of his work at RBC has been helping a new company called Greencoat UK Wind float on the London Stock Exchange. He has advised them on 13 additional equity raises and 4 acquisitions, helping them grow to a market value of £3.3bn and manage 46 wind farms across the UK that provide clean renewable power to 1.8m homes in the UK
- Matthew is married to PTA champion Phillipa, has three girls who are thoroughly enjoying their time at Claremont and in his spare time is an avid runner, competing in England Masters and World Age Group marathon championships as well as ultras such as the Marathon des Sables
Richard Alsford
Retail Merchandising Director Apple
Rich Alsford is EMEIA Retail Merchandising Director at Apple, based in London.
Having studied Spanish, French and Economics for A Level at RGS Guildford he took a gap year volunteering in Paraguay before studying Spanish and French at Exeter University including a year in Toulouse.
Initially joining L’Oreal on their graduate training program, he spent 9 years in the UK working in a variety of sales and commercial roles before working in Mexico and Denmark. At L’Oreal, he gained experience of managing and driving a commercial business, maximising
product launches and growing market share, negotiating with major retailers and leading people.
13 years ago Rich joined Apple to lead the EMEIA Retail Merchandising team who are responsible for the product presentation strategy (merchandising) of Apple products and services in Apple stores across Europe, the Middle East and most recently India. In his time there he seen the business grow significantly in terms of product offering, customer experience, store design, number of countries, size of team and much more.
Chris Norval
Chartered accountant and business owner - engineering firm
Chris Norval is an entrepreneurial business leader with a proven track record, ranging from running large industrial groups to successfully starting up new businesses. He is experienced in working internationally across cultures both in developed and developing countries.
Chris is a Chartered and Accountant by training and has spent a large part of his career in the resources industry.
Chris is the majority owner of Tenon Engineering (www.tenonengineering.co.uk) and Wallace Instruments (www.wallaceinstruments.com ) which supply precision laboratory Instruments to the material testing industry.
Clive Christison
Vitol Energy Executive
International Energy executive with three decades of industry experience. Lead Vitol’s Investments and Origination activities in support of the firm’s global strategy & capital deployment goals. Play a key leadership and strategic role, responsible for Vitol’s Energy investment strategy which focuses on identifying opportunities in Upstream, Midstream, Downstream & Transitional assets and services that form the backbone of the global energy economy. Vitol is the world’s largest private global energy and commodities company. Prior to joining Vitol in 2023, Clive served as SVP of Fuels and Midstream with bp, leading international trading, fuels, bio-fuels. refining & midstream teams globally. Over his 28years with bp & Mobil, he has extensive trading, downstream, corporate development and strategic M&A transactions often in complex and challenging environments.
Hold executive and non-executive board position, several joint-venture operating companies and industry / trade associations. Treasure to Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.