Virtual Board Advisory

As an experienced global business leader, I have a well developed talent for pinpointing and advancing growth potential in companies. The foundation for this growth lies in my accomplished analytical abilities, broad work experience in varied business environments, a first class education and my capacity for working with diverse teams. When reviewing the strategic options available, my approach is results-driven, fresh and unbiased.

A results-focused, forward-thinking and engaging CEO / Managing Director with proven senior leadership experience working for BAT GROUP PLC (£25 BN turnover) in Regional (Area) MD roles in South Central Europe (£0.9 BN turnover; 10 markets; 2,000 employees) and Central Europe (doubled turnover to £400M; led £650M M&A strategy), plus Sales & Marketing Director for the South Africa Area (£1 BN turnover; 10 countries; SA is a top 3 standalone market and major profit contributor for BAT GROUP).

An accomplished multi industry veteran with more than 25 years of demonstrated leadership in FMCG, Automotive and Mobility Solutions: End to End Operations, P&L, Marketing, Sales, Innovation, Solutions and Services Development within Multicultural Organizational Environments, Different Countries, Regions and Cultures. A customer-focused activator, proven business track from vision to strategy and to execution with turn around and change management success records.

Experienced Regional Country Managing Director in the pharmaceutical sector, with extensive leadership skills across diverse markets and cultures in both developed and merging markets. Recognised for facing and overcoming challenges by leading and motivating cross-functional teams and integrating and transforming country businesses. Coach in the Boehringer Ingelheim Global Managerial Development Centre.

As a CEO, certified Board Director & awarded advisor with 25 years of international experience, Jaime has consistently generated category growth and market share gains for global businesses and brands. Most recently, he served as CEO of Grupo El Comercio, the largest media conglomerate in Peru, where he spearheaded the turnaround of a business under severe disruption. He led Diageo Mexico to 17X profit growth in 6.5 years and conceived a strategy that leveled beer taxes vs. competition in Jamaica, helping make Red Stripe (D&G) the fastest-growing beer globally within the company. As Chairman of FISAC, the wine & spirits industry association in Mexico City, he led the change in the relationship between the spirits' industry and the government (turning them from enemies into allies), contributing to a decrease in fatal DUI accidents by 30% over 5 years. Jaime is an expert in creating breakthrough strategies for exponential growth. He was awarded the Advisor of the Year Award in 2019 by Angel Ventures Peru; while FITCO, the start-up he advises, was recognized as Start-up of the Year in 2019 and accepted into Techstars Class of 2020 in Boulder, Colorado, USA. When Jaime is not focused on leading business projects, he spends his time traveling with his family or surfing waves in the Pacific. Jaime is a driver of Oneness and Consciousness through meditation and environmentalism.

Jerry has been active in corporate leadership roles for over a decade now. He most recently provided board support to help scale a CPG company as it moved from operating in 13 to over 20 countries. In that role, he built the global value creation strategy, assembled key business lines, and helped the business open offices in Canada, the Netherlands, and Singapore. Prior to that, he served as Global CEO and Board Director at Le Pain Quotidien, a leading global company in the bakery and restaurant sector. Jerry has 15+ years of experience in B2B and B2C businesses, working with globally renowned brands such as Walmart and Burger King. He has a strong passion for developing executive talent and growing brands while maximizing P&L performance and shareholder investment; this in publicly-traded, private equity-owned, as well as family-run companies. Jerry also has a successful track record co-founding a private-equity business and growing, and restructuring portfolio companies for private equity firms and family-operated businesses, and he has executed large international development and expansion transactions.

Ali has been working in private equity and investment banking for 20 years. He is an avid investor and board member and currently serves as Partner and Co-Founder of Trimountain Partners, an international private equity firm. Trimountain Partners focuses on investing in fast-growing businesses in the broader consumer, education and business/consumer services sectors in the UK, Continental Europe and North America. It follows a partnership-style investment approach.

Before co-founding Trimountain, Ali was a Partner and Co-Head of the European Lead Investments Team at Quilvest Private Equity: the private equity arm of Quilvest, a leading global independent wealth manager and private equity investor where he worked for close to ten years. Prior to joining Quilvest in London, Ali worked in New York at American Capital, a mid-market private equity firm, and in Investment Banking at Merrill Lynch & Co. in New York, where he started his career.

Ali is currently a director and active board member of various companies and organisations including RED Driving School (the largest driving school and driving instructor training school in the UK, of which he is also the Chairman); Universal Lacrosse (a leading US-based distributor of branded sports apparel and equipment); The Harvard Club of the United Kingdom; and The Exhibition Road Cultural Group.

Ali also previously served as a director and active board member of YO! Sushi (a leading UK-based Japanese fast-casual restaurant chain) and Tortilla (a leading UK-based Mexican quick-service restaurant chain). He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an AB in Economics with Honours from Harvard University.

He lives in London with his wife and two sons, and is fluent in English, French, Spanish and Urdu.
Ali is currently the Membership Officer of the YPO UK Regional Chapter.

Shimi has been actively involved in investing and venture capital for over 20 years and has made over 50 investments in early and expansion stage transactions, of which many have been successfully exited with superior returns for investors in Europe, the US, and the Middle East. Over the last decade, Shimi has founded and built up a leading advisory business which is now a known leader in building and designing boards and providing scale up assistance to SMEs.
Shimi is the Executive Chairperson of Carousel Solutions Group Ltd, an advisory business focusing on designing and building high performance company boards for private equity, sovereign wealth funds, family offices and corporates globally. She has successfully implemented and built over 30 boards over the last 10 years that have delivered above market qualitative and quantitative returns for their shareholders. Additionally, Carousel Solutions also conducts annual board audits and works with SMEs on scale up and growth strategies.
Shimi is also an active independent director and advisory board member. She is currently Chairperson of Impact Holdings Group, a $500m industrial and commercial property holding and investment company. She is also on the advisory board of the £200m North East Regional Development Fund in the UK. Until recently she was an independent non-executive director of VivoPower plc, a $100m solar energy and EPC business and a board director of Bboxx a $35m revenue off grid energy solutions provider. Shimi was also part of the advisory committee for the Green Gateway Fund, a $250m clean technology and sustainability fund.
Shimi is also a firm believer in social capital and the benefits of impact investing, and sits on the board of the Pay It Forward Foundation based in the US. The Pay It Forward bracelet initiative founded by Shimi and Carousel Solutions has distributed over 5 million bracelets globally. She was also instrumental in establishing the $70m KawiSafi Ventures Fund anchored by the Green Climate Fund and has now powered over 300,000 homes in East Africa providing over 1.5m people with power.
Shimi started out in project finance covering Africa and Asia, with Citigroup, and then went onto to spend 20 years in venture capital and private equity managing and investing assets over $1bn through a number of varied funds, including 3i, Hanson Capital, Partnerships UK, and Forsa.
Shimi graduated from Queens’ College Cambridge with a Masters in Management. Prior to that, she received a 1st Class Hons degree from King’s College, London, in Management and Economics. Shimi is an active member of the Young President’s Organization (YPO). Shimi is of Indian origin, born and brought up in Kenya.