Case Studies

a) Placement of Non Executive Directors

  • We introduced an International focused Non-Executive Director to a Multi-National US-owned insurance company relocating its European head office to London.
  • We introduced a Non-Executive Director to a UK hedge fund which has enjoyed growth of 60% since our candidate has been on the board.

b) Placement of Non Executive Directors who are prepared to become shareholders

  • Our candidate had been the founder of 2 very successful IPOs on NASDAQ. We placed him as Non-Exec Chairman with a £1.5m turnover software Co. who were up against their overdraft limit. He invested in the company, reviewed and revised their strategy and within 12 months had doubled their turnover, greatly increased their profitability and their cash flow.
  • We placed a Chairman (former Director of Grand Met and Burger King) and four Non-Executive Directors (former Director of Boots, former CEO of American Express & ex FD of Arcadian) into a start-up healthy food retailer called Pod. The NXDs invested over £250k to launch their first outlet in London Wall in the City and they are now at a £1m turnover. The company opened a 2nd outlet near Fenchurch Street Station early in 2008 which is already at a £1m pa run rate and the company intend to have 5 outlets within 18 months. The company has recently raised a further £1m to fund the new outlets. David Henderson, Chairman of Kleinwort Benson was one of the investors as he liked the healthy eating concept but said he was even more impressed with "the experienced Board that First Flight had provided which was unusual in an early stage company".
  • Four high calibre candidates have joined and invested into an Electric car company to enable a successful launch and first order worth £1.2million.

c) We have put together Management Buy-In (MBI) Teams to acquire companies in the following projects:

  • The owner of a £1.5m turnover Engineering Company in Devon wished to retire and sell his business. We introduced a new MD to acquire 100% of the shares at the vendor's target price and the project was completed within three months.
  • The owners of a contract furnishing company in London wished to retire and we found a company to acquire 100% of the business. A Non-Executive Director from the acquiring company was on our database.
  • The owner of a £1.5m turnover Software company wished to retire and sell the business. We introduced a new MD and a Sales Director to acquire 100% of the shares at the vendor's target price.