Mark Farrer-brown

Honorary Member

2024 - Current

PepTalks is the UK's leading peer-to-peer training provider for Private Equity-backed CEOs and their management teams. As an Honorary Member, I look to share my experience with other members through events, connections and content. In doing so, I hope to accelerate their understanding of private equity, help them avoid common pitfalls as they look to grow and realise value, and overcome the leadership, cultural and organisational development challenges associated with scaling a business at pace.

Boardwave Coach and Mentor

2024

Coach and facilitator of groups of CEOs scaling up European software businesses.

CEO Coach/Partner Octopus Coaching Hub

2024

Independent CEO coach / advisor to the Octopus portfolio as part of the official Octopus Coaching Hub

Director Private Equity

2023

Roycian sets out to do things differently. Our model more fully aligns our interests with that of our investors, enables investors great levels of investment decision-making, provides better communication and better levels of control. Roycian seeks out interesting later stage transactions, typically in the UK and European lower mid-market. Our targets are typically in the enterprise value range £ 5 million to £100m+ and include all forms of later stage deal including MBO, MBI, Growth Capital, Refinancing, Turnarounds, Acquisition Funding and Minority Realisations. We bring capital to our transactions on a deal by deal basis, both debt and equity, from a range of investors in our club, on either a single bi-lateral investor basis or in small syndicates, whichever is most appropriate for the given deal. We match the right investors with the right deal characteristics. Our investors include UHNW individuals, single and multi family offices and those institutions seeking direct private company investments.

Equity Partner

2022

ScaleUp Group has been formed to help spearhead the growth of companies in the Technology sector with the potential to be 'Global Champions' by providing them with our 6 Pillars of 'Active Support' including: 1. Funding, Exit Maximisation and Financial Management 2. Talent Finding 3. Sales Expansion including overseas 4. Executive Coaching 5. Board Participation 6. Network and our Eco-system of Connections and Events such as the Annual Enterprise Awards- the ‘Oscars for Technology Entrepreneurs’- leveraging our 39 Members who are successful entrepreneurs and/or ex-c-suite executives themselves, accounting for 100+ fundraises of >£1 billion and 80+ exits of > £4 billion.

Chair and Non-Executive Director

1998

What do I bring to a board? My 5 key superpowers: 1. I have a width and depth of experience across 20+ companies and 10+ sectors (restaurants, health & fitness, retail, food service, BTB SaaS, professional services, recruitment, life sciences) in multiple different roles (founder, coach/mentor, director, PE partner, PE and VC funds investor, angel investor) 2. I know how to create and drive value creation having had multiple successful exits 3. I am a deep-thinking polymath who doesn’t rely on past experience. My curiosity to learn, to get better and to experiment are infectious and energising for the people I work with 4. I am a great coach and mentor to CEOs and wider management teams. I know how to get the best out of people 5. I am able to act as an effective bridge between all stakeholders having personally sat in multiple stakeholder shoes P.S. I am actively looking and have space for one Chair role

CEO Coach and Mentor

2016

Fit to Lead accelerates your growth from Founder to CEO through coaching and mentoring. Our focus is on helping entrepreneurs become the leaders they want to be. ➢ One-on-one results-focused coaching for ambitious entrepreneurs ➢ Peer coaching and mentoring for groups of CEOs ➢ Confidential sounding board dedicated to helping you thrive on the entrepreneurial journey ➢ Host and provide online coaching and training workshops for entrepreneurs Message me to book a free, no-obligation chemistry call or find out more at: https://www.fittolead.net/

Angel Investor

1998

Founding Partner

2008 - 2016

One of two Founding Partners in White Rivers, which specialised in working with entrepreneurs and helping them grow in the UK and India by offering smart, candid advice, hands-on support and capital for growth. We also played a key strategic role in introducing PizzaExpress to the Indian market.

Founding Partner

1999 - 2007

Co-founder and co-manager of Risk Capital Partners specialising in investing in entrepreneurial companies in the UK, with particular focus on the consumer, leisure and retail sectors. The portfolio at Risk Capital went onto achieve top quartile returns for investors and management teams.