Team - Future Planet Capital

Team & Advisors

The Team

Douglas Hansen-Luke
Executive Chairman

After two years of research with the world’s largest investors, Douglas founded Future Planet Capital in 2015 to address the biggest global challenges.

Malika Arshad
Business Development Associate

With a BA in International Development, Malika is a Business Development Associate with previous experience working at Credit Suisse.

SARA BANARES
MARKETING ASSOCIATE

Sara is the Marketing Associate at Future Planet Capital. With a BSc in International Business and Marketing, Sara holds experience with The Conservative Party and The Commonwealth Games.

Andy Bard
Portfolio Manager

Chartered Accountant having trained with KPMG. Previously worked on and exited RBS equity portfolio. Holds a degree in Accounting and Finance from Leeds University.

Andrew Carpenter
General Counsel

Andrew is a senior corporate lawyer and former partner with some of the world’s best known law firms. Andrew has many years’ experience in corporate law both in the UK and globally.

Julie Davies
Fund Accountant

In-House Accountant for Midven. Chartered accountant and chartered tax advisor, previously at Deloitte and EY specialising in advisory work for entrepreneurial business.

Daniel Gaize
Investment Executive

Works on the Midlands Engine Investment Fund, previous experience at LGPS Central, Family offices, and Standard Life Investments. Daniel holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation.

Darren Heffernan
Head of Finance and Operations

Darren is a qualified accountant with extensive experience in the financial sector, including heading up a team responsible for financial reporting in Asia for an International bank and leading large-scale transformation projects.

Jessica Hill
Head of Investor Relations

Previously worked at Gresham House in the Housing Division. BA Politics with proficiency in Leadership, University of Exeter.

Elizabeth Hobster
Associate

Investment analyst evaluating new opportunities for the Midlands Engine Investment Fund. Also assists with the running of the Early Advantage Fund. BA in Accounting Studies from Newcastle University.

Sakura Holloway — Sakura Holloway
Investment Director

Sakura has a rich history in investment and commercialisation. Previously, she was the Head of Asset Portfolio at the University of Manchester Innovation Factory.

Shruti Iyengar
Investment Manager

Shruti is an Investment Manager at Future Planet Capital where she supports the UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund. Prior to joining, she was an Investor with Sustainable Ventures, where she managed a portfolio of 36 companies and built out their impact measurement practice.

Emma Jacobs
Executive Assistant

Emma is the Executive Assistant to Executive Chairman, Douglas Hansen-luke. She has 30+ years of experience as an Assistant mainly in the finance industry.

David Knox
Director

David is the founder and CEO of Lazarus. He spent more than 20 years advising within financial markets and was head of research and a member of the Executive Management Committee at J.P. Morgan Cazenove.

Surjit Kooner
Director (Joint MEIF Fund Principal)

Fund Principal and Investment Committee Member for the MEIF West Midlands Equity Fund. Chartered Accountant with over 11 years of experience advising in fund raising. Part-time Finance Director for a few portfolio companies.

Alex Leigh
Investment Director

Investment Director for UK2IS. 9+ years investment experience across Deeptech VC & PE. BEng (Mechatronics), MBA.

Samantha Lucas
Finance Associate

Samantha is Future Planet Capital’s in-house Accountant, with an AAT Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting.

Rupert Lyle
Investment Director

Rupert is the Fund Principal for the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund. He brings 30+ years of experience in portfolio management and investing to help develop the West Midlands capital ecosystem.

Hassan Mahmudul
Investment Manager

Hassan works on Future Planet's UKI2S fund. He previously founded two start-ups and worked as a scout for Ada Ventures.

Sam Martin
Portoflio Manager

Sam is a Portfolio Manager working on the UK Innovation and Science Seed fund.

Peter Mitchell — Peter Mitchell
Director, Data Science & Technology

An innovative researcher with experience conducting large scale statistical analyses for organisations such as the UK Cabinet Office and the OECD. He is currently finishing a PhD at the University of Oxford, after earning a master’s degree from Harvard.

Dr Andrew Muir
Investment Director

Before becoming a VC with NESTA (the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts), had roles with Zeneca (AZN) and a US Startup. Andy has an MSc and PhD in Chemistry from the Oxford.

Jordan Ong
Associate

Jordan is an Associate, working across the Midlands Engine Investment Fund and the Co-Investment Fund supporting the West Midlands. He has previous venture experience as an Investment Analyst at The Development Bank of Wales.

Lyle Pentith
Portfolio Manager

An experienced operator, with a background in the defence sector. Lyle holds a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

Ed Phillips
Investment Director

Founding team member and Origination lead. Partner investing from the flagship Future Planet Fund, Blue Ocean and Challenge Response strategies. Previously researched molecular genetics at HKU. 1st BSc in Biology from Bristol.

Phoebe Seltzer
Investment Associate

Phoebe is an investment associate on Future Planet’s UKI2S Fund. With a BA in Chemistry and Philosophy and an MRes in Chemical Biology, she previously worked in market research and consulting for healthcare companies.

Oliver Sexton
Investment Director

Investment Director and Investment Committee Member for the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund. Fifteen years VC experience across deep tech specialising in life sciences. Previously managed buy-side analyst team and worked in strategy and consulting.

Huw Sparkes — Huw Sparks
Investment Manager

Investor on the Midlands Engine Investment Fund team, with prior experience in a boutique venture consulting firm. BSc in Economics with Politics from the University of Birmingham.

Rebecca Starkings
Compliance Officer, MLRO

Rebecca brings over 15-years of experience as a regulatory compliance professional specialising in advising on financial crime prevention measures, business integrity, due diligence, investment due diligence and ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Tony Stott
Investment Director

20 years experience at board level within growing businesses, including as CEO of UK Midlands oldest Venture Group since 1998. Created 20+ millionaire entrepreneurs.

THOMAS STOREY
SENIOR ASSOCIATE

Thomas's most recent role, was a Principal Consultant at London Economics, where he advised on strategic opportunities in space. .

Mark White
Investment Director

Investment Director and Investment Committee member of the UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund. Over 20 years of experience in investment with extensive periods in UK investment banking. Led NESTA’s investment operations.

Abi Wye
Network Director

Experience of working with Governments, NGOs and UHNWIs. Previously, Abi was the Political Private Secretary to Rt Hon David Cameron.

Advisory Board

Lord Norman Foster — Lord Norman Foster
Chair of Ab

Leader of the world’s largest, most successful sustainable architectural and design house & founder of The Norman Foster Foundation.

Robin Chase — Robin Chase
Member of AB

Co-founder and former CEO of Zipcar, the world’s largest car-sharing company & included amongst Time’s 100 Most Infuential People, Fast Company Fast 50 Innovators.

Sugata Mitra — Sugata Mitra
Member of AB

Winner of 2013 TED Talks prize and best known for “Hole in the Wall experiment” which inspired “Slumdog Millionaire” & Chief Scientist, Emeritus, at for-pro t training company.

Lord Wei — Lord Nat Wei
Member of AB

Youngest male member of the House of Lords & only of Chinese background, former Government Advisor, the Founding Chair of the APPG for East Asian Business and former Treasurer of the APPG for Trade in investment.

investment governance board

Paul Abberley — Paul Abberley
Chair of IGB

Current CEO at Charles Stanley, one of the oldest firms on the London Stock Exchange. Previously the CEO/CIO of Aviva Investors.

Jerome Engle

Priya Guha