An Experienced Team

Karl is a dynamic and results-driven leader passionate about creating fair and profitable outcomes through strategic acquisitions. As Chief Acquisitions Officer, he specialises in originating, structuring, and executing transactions that unlock growth and deliver value for stakeholders.

With over a decade of experience and involvement in 20+ transactions, including 10 within Smarter Capital contributing £22m in revenue and £2m EBIT, Karl understands the transformative power of acquisitions.

He thrives on navigating complex transactions, identifying high-potential opportunities, and crafting win-win outcomes for business owners and investors alike. Whether analysing financials, leading negotiations, or developing growth strategies, Karl brings creativity and clarity to the entire M&A process.

His goal? To help business owners realise value while building a thriving portfolio that delivers long-term success and meaningful impact.

Mark is an innovator and serial entrepreneur with a growth mindset, who can help you to grow your business. An experienced Managing Director, he provides valuable guidance for Founders and owners on their journey to exit.

Mark worked for Hewlett Packard before going into business. He bought his first business in 2001 selling it three years later and buying British Corner Shop, then a fledgling e-commerce business.

As CEO, Mark brought together a top team and grew the e-commerce business into a multi-award winning £25M export platform, winning the Queen's Award for International Trade and delivering British food worldwide.

With experience in Leadership, Management and Sales, Mark is a people person with a keen eye for placing the right people in the right roles.

Peter is an E-commerce Director and CTO with 20 years experience in full stack software development, web technologies and digital marketing. He is an Engineer, with a Marketing brain.

After gaining his Masters degree in Aeronautical Engineering (MEng) from the University of Bristol, Peter worked at Rolls-Royce on military gas turbine engine design.

Focusing on Software Engineering, he moved to Data Systems & Solutions, Rolls-Royce's Joint Venture IT centre for excellence, working on service delivery platforms and becoming Corporate Webmaster.

Peter found his calling in e-commerce, and went into business first managing an online retail start-up before co-founding British Corner Shop in 2004, where he built the technology platform and ran the digital marketing function, and grew the Direct to Consumer e-commerce business to £16M revenue.

Martin is a highly experienced CFO and brings a wealth of experience, having excelled during his nine-year tenure at ITEC Connect, a prominent Managed Technology provider in the Southwest.

At ITEC Connect, Martin's journey began as Finance Director and later as Managing Director, where he played a pivotal role in driving substantial growth. Through a strategic blend of acquisitions and robust organic expansion, he propelled ITEC Connects revenues from £10 million to £45 million.

Under his leadership, Martin transformed ITEC Connect from a Managed Print provider into a comprehensive Technology Partner by diversifying their service portfolio. In 2020, this success culminated in the acquisition of ITEC Connect by the Xerox Corporation for £36.1 million. Martin led the integration of the ITEC business into Xerox while simultaneously spearheading the UK sales team.

With his extensive expertise in mergers and acquisitions, Martin will be instrumental in advancing Smarter Capital's growth trajectory, and shaping strategy.

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Ash has over 20 years experience in the consumer goods sector and has spent the past 12 years working with global brands and marketplaces to help accelerate their growth online.

From 2012-2016 he helped build Groupon's newly formed goods business to over $1bn GMV.

Subsequently, as Rex Brown's CEO he has been responsible for repositioning the business as an integrated E-commerce solutions business, servicing numerous high profile brands and clients such as Unilever, L'Oreal, P&G, BP, Nestle and Kimberly-Clark.

More recently Ash has been leading the groups activities in social commerce with partners such a TikTok.

With over 20 years of experience, Gavin is a seasoned E-commerce leader and Managing Director who has driven significant growth for brands like Victoria's Secret, The Watches of Switzerland Group, Alfred Dunhill, and Arcadia Group.

His expertise in developing and implementing E-commerce strategies has consistently increased sales and brand visibility.

He excels in managing E-commerce operations, optimising online platforms, and leading cross-functional teams to achieve business goals.

Passionate about leveraging digital channels for sustainable growth, he continuously seeks innovative strategies to drive revenue and profitability.