Bean’s core capability draws on our unique combination of venture experience, skills and top tier business training. This has enabled us to develop a methodology that is both comprehensive but tailored to the needs of early stage venture entrepreneurs.
The core team of Partners is supported by a highly experience back office, capable Board and extensive network of Affiliates.
Michael Wood – Executive Chairman.
Michael’s primary role is to co-ordinate strategy and monitor Bean performance. Michael has over thirty years experience in the investment world of national and international families. He formulated a multi-family office and discretionary fund management service with a top 100 law firm and has extensive experience of advising early stage enterprises. Michael developed both on and offshore tax efficient structures with a focus on the efficient deployment of capital and succession to family businesses and wealth. As Managing Partner, his management techniques strongly influenced the growth in profits of his firm. Michael continues to consult for businesses and families. He has regularly contributed to and edited various professional journals and writes for Lexis Nexis as well as being a senior lecturer at the College of Law. Michael is an MBA and Harvard leadership program graduate, solicitor, member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and the Association of Non-executive Directors. He has been director of companies and sat on several private investment committees. His interests include cricket, rugby, music, the visual arts and literature as well as a Harley Davidson Road King.
Damian Woodward – Managing Director and Partner
Damian has over fifteen years experience of working with technology in the defence, agricultural, clean energy and corporate sectors with a strong commercial focus. Damian’s early military career included management of a number of projects to introduce a suite of new technologies and capabilities to Australia’s Special Forces. On leaving the Army he was founder and Managing Director of an agricultural technology company which was sold to a market leader of a complementary product. In his next venture he was co-founder and Commercial Director of a private security company with operations predominantly in the Middle East where he was instrumental in growing the annualised revenues to USD 24 million within nine months. Damian is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment. He holds a BA (Economics and Management), a Master of Management Studies (Project Management and Military Technology) and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment (Corporate Finance). Damian is a co-founder of Bean Partners and for the last three years has specialised in working with early stage companies to help them realise their commercial potential. Damian’s interests include golf, rowing, rugby, cricket as well as travel, history and fine wine.
Sally Ballardie – Partner
After an early career in the fashion industry, which included training with Harrods and M&S prior to working with some smaller companies, Sally entered the City of London with a brokerage firm. During her career in the City, Sally was responsible for a range of successful fund raising and commercial activities prior to taking time out for family life during which period she successfully built and exited an interior design and catering business. Sally is primarily responsible for all capital raising activity for Bean drawing on her experience in this area. She is also responsible for building and managing Bean’s investor network with which she has forged a number of strong relationships. Sally’s interests include skiing, cycling, football, theatre and entertaining.
Lance Stevens – Partner
Lance is a successful entrepreneur in the mobile industry and has held senior positions in mobile companies over the past 20 years. Lance has proven experience in developing successful start-up companies, managing turnaround situations and maximising shareholder value. In 1994 Lance joined Orange and was the driving force behind Orange’s entry into the business mobile market, having the responsibility for Orange’s Business Sales and Business Marketing before eventually moving into corporate strategy where he established Orange Ventures. Since leaving Orange in 2000, Lance has launched and managed a series of international companies in mobile telecommunications and new media for others and on his own account. These include the first GSM operator in Afghanistan and the first Virtual Mobile Operator in China as well as a successful turnaround of Mobix Interactive the leading video mobile company. Lance is an electronics engineer and holds an MBA from the University of Portsmouth.
Peter Bakker – Partner
Peter is a seasoned entrepreneur who has been involved in business since his early teens. Peter has built and sold several firms in a number of sectors including enterprise software, hospitality and consultancy businesses. After an early military career, Peter founded a database consultancy, which was later merged with a complementary provider before being sold to Level3.com. Peter then founded a new ERP software business (Track4) which developed internet capabilities for ERP systems like SAP, Oracle and Siebel. In the aftermath of the dot com bubble Peter raised capital from Philips Ventures, and subsequently divested Track4. Peter was also involved in a successful turnaround of a Spanish based dance club. More recently Peter has worked closely with a number of on-line commerce, publishing and software companies primarily undertaking fund raising, deal structuring and product- and business development activities. Peter holds an MA in Media Science from Erasmus University and an MBA from INSEAD (2006) and his interests include snowboarding, kite surfing and travel.
Paul Vines (Head of Marketing and Partner)
Paul has benefited from a classical blue chip marketing training with Nestle and UB, before switching to the marketing and advertising agency sector, where he helped develop and run 3 highly successful marketing communication agencies over a 15 year period. More recently he has worked with a portfolio of clients to develop marketing strategies for growth. Paul brings a dedicated focus to Bean’s advisory business.