Evoke are exhibiting at Britain’s biggest business event

Rob is a forward-thinking CIMA qualified Management Accountant. He has both founded and taken over existing businesses, as well as invested in a number of start-up companies. Rob’s passion is to help SMEs and entrepreneurs to move their business forward by providing flexible access to excellent strategic advice and guidance.

He has worked with a range of SME companies helping them overcome challenges and enhance business performance to take them to the next level.

At Evoke Management, Rob has grown a team of experienced portfolio Finance and Commercial directors who work on a part-time basis with companies to add value to the senior team by plugging a knowledge or skills gap. Rob has a hands on approach to keeping involved and remains engaged with all the Evoke clients that his team supports.

Rob also brings like minded business owners and founders together through his business International Leaders UK, where they learn from each other, as well as a community of trusted advisors and experts. In 2022, Rob started the Move Your Business Forward Podcast with a focus on sharing business insights and entrepreneurs’ stories to help inspire, encourage and educate others on moving their business forward.

When he’s not working, Rob loves spending time with his family, and can often be found near or on water – he’s a passionate Yachtmaster, partial to both sailing and motorboats.

Sam brings over 19 years of experience working closely with over 100 businesses in their strategic planning and implementation to unlock growth, commercial value and strategic direction.   With her passion for identifying and creating launch and growth opportunities in relevant product sectors and commercial markets she has worked on projects that include establishing and adjusting business plans, proposition development and market landscaping, initiating product, pricing, sales and marketing strategies, core positioning and messaging, customer alignment and contingency planning.

Not always a consultant, Sam is an award winning entrepreneur who started her first business at 26, following an MBA in Madrid, launching and distributing international brands into the UK market.   Since then she has worked for Start-ups and SME’s across multiple service and product industries to include luxury goods, FMCG, fashion, beauty and well being, healthcare, food and cleaning. 

With her extensive knowledge and ability to communicate across all structures she is particularly interested in helping companies understand their markets and competitive environments, achieve their long term goals, seize those opportunities and the resulting strategic implications

Sharon is an experienced part time Finance Director with a career across a variety of sectors including Digital Publishing, Digital Advertising, Investment Banking, Hotels and Leisure and Travel.  She possesses a broadly based business and finance background and is FCCA and MBA qualified.

Sharon has worked both for large corporations and small and medium sized businesses where she has gained knowledge and experience in all types of settings.  She has a wide range of capabilities across these businesses and has supported them in their activities including running their finance departments, analysing new business opportunities and assisting with preparation for sale.
 
Most recently, Sharon has been working with SME digital businesses as a part time Finance Director, where she is an integral part of the management team taking an active role in financial and commercial management.

David is a serial entrepreneur with over 30 years’ experience of starting and growing SME businesses, leading to successful exits to organisations such as Trader Media Group (AutoTrader).

His love of business began in his teens, as the UK national winner of the Young Enterprise Business Competition, before going on to head companies primarily specialising in sales and marketing.

He has a hands on, friendly approach, with a ‘been there, done that’ attitude and now thrives on helping other business owners realise their ambitions.”

Hugh is a senior finance executive and CIMA Fellow with over 30 years of experience in financial management in a US Fortune 500 MNC, at both a national and international level in Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and Asia.

Hugh is commercially focussed and is recognised for a proven track record of effective business partnering, complex large project evaluation and implementation (including capital projects, M&A and disposals, Sale of Equipment and Services), risk assessment, contract structuring, operational strategy development, data-driven operational financial analysis skills and change management.

Hugh possesses highly transferable talents in governance, business solutions, business planning, value-added partnerships and leadership. He has a hands-on approach to problem-solving, combined with an effective interpersonal communication style, adept at working in a multi-disciplinary environment. He is also an experienced member at BOD level of both Joint Venture entities and wholly-owned entities.

During Hugh’s career as a finance executive, he has gained broad M&A project experience in a variety of businesses and geographical regions within the world. This spans across numerous multi-million dollar deals, involving both the acquisition of companies and assets and the forming of Joint Ventures, but also with the exits/disposals of operations.

Hugh’s in-depth experience of M&A covers the full process, including target identification, due diligence, financial modelling, synergy planning, risk assessment, contract negotiations and post-acquisition integration and assessment of post-acquisition ‘lessons learned’.

Hugh’s success is evidenced by delivering on exceptional multimillion dollar profitable growth through large investment projects, operational management and effective implementation of structural change. He excels at aligning core business, revenue, and earnings growth goals to enhance performance.

Philip is an experienced entrepreneur and accomplished leader with a 25-year record in growing multinational businesses across all aspects including strategy, corporate and business development, operations and finance, drawing on deep operational knowledge of retail and hospitality, SaaS solutions, technical consulting and sales, data integration and analytics.

Philip is a manager who has built, mentored, and inspired successful multinational teams, with a founder ethos and an extensive network of C-level contacts around the world.

Most recently, Philip co-founded a successful bootstrapped SaaS start-up and grew to a market leading global organisation, providing solutions for the world’s largest retailers, before a successful sale and exit.

Robert has been a CIMA Fellow for 25 years and has 20 years’ experience of operating as CFO in family owned SMEs involving technology, online & traditional retail, travel & transport across Europe. He offers strong financial stewardship, corporate governance and strategic planning, whilst retaining a ‘hands-on’ approach.

His achievements include:

• Steering a  travel & technology based Group thru’ the 2008 recession

• Prepared & sold 2 companies, one overseas, the other to a well-known Media Group

• Numerous acquisitions both home & abroad with appropriate due diligence

• Modernising premises & systems in traditional family owned Department Store

• Implemented the first Euro Compliant tills in the UK & across Europe

His strengths are in forwarding planning and project implementation, creating the space to think strategically and be pro-active rather than reactive and being able to evaluate, review and refine objectives as and where appropriate.

Robert prides himself on being an effective communicator at all levels, a team leader by example, constantly striving to improve performance and develop both the staff & systems around him.

Stephen has over 30 years of leadership experience in the UK, US and Middle East, spanning roles of Chair, Managing Director, Executive Director and Board Adviser, and more than 20 years as a business founder and owner. A proven change leader and team builder, he has worked extensively with SME businesses across sectors including manufacturing and operations, construction, architecture, design and project management. 

Pragmatic and collaborative, Stephen has led sustainable growth and profitability in each of these companies by establishing coherent sales and marketing strategies; implementing rigorous financial controls and procedures, increasing productivity, streamlining operations and driving efficiencies. 

He spearheaded the successful expansion of several companies into international markets and has personally led numerous high-value contract negotiations with multinationals and government organisations.

An excellent strategist and communicator, Stephen is focused on helping business owners solve immediate challenges, identify efficiencies and areas for growth, develop their company’s value and market position and meet their longer term aspirations.