Lucy, Chief Executive
My experience ranges from funding start up and early stage manufacturing businesses in the North East through to mergers and disposals of international operations. The organisations I am currently engaged with include Port of Tyne, Tyneside Cinema and Caspian Learning.
My early career was in private equity, corporate development and headhunting with 3i plc, Courtaulds Textiles and Tyzack. I was Chair of Capital for Enterprise, responsible for over £4bn of government-backed debt and equity support to private and family UK businesses and Chair of the CBI’s national Small Business Forum. I am also Chair of the independent Professional Standards Council, which oversees the asset-based finance industry in the UK and also the national Enterprise Research Centre, focused on the study of growth in private and family businesses. I am a former Chair of Northumbria University.
I was educated at Oxford University and hold an MBA and an MSc in Forensic Psychology and Criminology. I continue to chainsaw, scuba dive and ring church bells when not swimming or drinking red wine.
We have access to in excess of 1,500 Alchemist mentors and this is growing as we bring in additional skills and sector experience, as and when required.
What we do…
The Formula: The Alchemists work with ambitious companies to lay foundations for successful growth by focusing on the three Fs:
- Funding for growth
- Finding Non-Executive Directors and Advisers
- Family succession plans and support
