Team

Dr. Ilian Iliev is the CEO of EMV Capital.

Prior to that he co-founded and was CEO of CambridgeIP Ltd (2006-2012), which he built into a leading IP and patent strategy and data analytics provider in the UK and internationally. Previously he co-founded a family business in industrials and electric engineering in Southern Africa. He is a Board member on behalf of the Group at many portfolio companies, including PDS Biotechnology Corporation., Glycotest Inc. (Chair), Sofant Technologies, PointGrab, Q-Bot, Martlet Capital, DName-iT, Vortex (Chair) and Wanda Health (Chair).

Ilian holds a PhD from Cambridge University’s Judge Business School with a focus on Venture Capital; Master’s in Economics from the Witwatersrand University, South Africa; and is a former Associate Fellow at Chatham House. He has authored numerous academic, policy and industry reports.

Charles Spicer is an experienced chair and director specialising in the medtech and life sciences industries. He advises both public and private companies. He currently chairs Creo Medical Group plc and Korn Wall Limited (KwickScreen). Furthermore, he serves as the Chair for the UK Department of Health’s Product Development Awards Selection Panel B for Invention for Innovation (i4i). Charles previously held directorships at Aircraft Medical (acquired by Medtronic Inc. in 2015) and Stanmore Implants (acquired by Stryker Inc. in 2016).

Charles was previously Chief Executive of MDY Healthcare plc, a strategic healthcare investor and, prior to that, Head of Healthcare Corporate Finance at both Numis Securities and Nomura International. Charles has a PhD in History from London University and an MA in History from Cambridge University.

Ed Hooper is Executive Director, General Counsel and Group Company Secretary of EMV Capital, providing legal, strategic and commercial support to the Group and its Portfolio Companies.

Ed joined from his position as a Partner at an international law firm, where he led and developed the firm’s Corporate Finance team in London. He has over 20 years’ experience as a lawyer in the City, specialising in advising on a broad range of transactions, including fundraisings, M&A, IPOs, joint ventures and restructurings, many on an international scale.

Ed is a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree (LL.B) in Law and German Law from the University of Exeter, and a Master of Laws degree (LL.M) from the University of Saarbrücken.

Jonathan Robinson is an experienced company director and entrepreneur with a focus on business development. Most recently he chaired the board of the international top-level domain registry operator, Afilias (until its acquisition in December 2020). Jonathan is a current investor in private growth businesses in a wide range of sectors.

Jonathan previously co-founded the publicly quoted Group NBT plc (formerly NetBenefit) which ultimately became NetNames Group. He was main board director and Chief Operating Officer of the Group, from 1999 until June 2009. At Group NBT, Jonathan was responsible for all areas of product management and associated strategic planning, fulfilment operations and industry policy issues, as well as acquisition integration projects. NetNames was taken private by HG Capital in 2011. Jonathan was also previously a non-executive director of the .uk internet registry operator, Nominet (UK) Ltd for two distinct terms of office. He remains active in the domain name sector.

Jonathan has a PhD in Materials Engineering and a BSc (Physics) from the University of Cape Town. Previously he held research posts at Imperial College, London from 1993-1994 and then at the Rolls Royce Technology Centre at the University of Cambridge until 1997. During his research career, Jonathan published numerous research papers and enjoyed periods of research work at the University of Groningen, Netherlands, and the University of California, Berkeley, USA.

A commercial, growth-focused and highly experienced Finance Leader with over 20+ years of experience in a wide range of financial institutions from blue chip organizations such as AXA to owner managed SME’s such as THB Group, R K Carvill & Co. and Towergate Partnership. A qualified chartered accountant by profession with a degree from Auckland University (NZ).

Most recently have undertaken a number of interim roles within financial services for a number of high growth tech enabled SME’s, before which worked at Source for 6 years a European ETP provider (Investment Manager) which was sold to Invesco in 2017.

Nick brings a wealth of experience from his private client network, having built a strong community of High Net Worth Individuals helping raise considerable assets into some of the UK’s most exciting companies.

Nick’s particular focus has been structuring investments under the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), with experience ranging from Deep Tech, Engineering, Real Estate and Asset Backed securities. Nick holds a BSc from King’s College London’s School of Medicine.

Harry is an Investment Associate at EMV Capital, where he plays a critical role in evaluating investment opportunities, performing due diligence analysis, and developing internal processes for fund operation. Before joining EMV Capital, Harry worked as an Associate at an IP consultancy firm, where he analysed patent data and advised on patent strategy.

Harry holds both a BA and MSci in Natural Sciences from The University of Cambridge, demonstrating his expertise in the field.

Kim has over a decade of communications experience, beginning her career as an editor in the media before transitioning to the City, where she worked at several leading financial public relations agencies. She has advised clients across a range of sectors and has supported both private and public companies with IPOs, profile-raising and messaging development; with a particular interest in crisis communications and media relations.

Kim holds a degree in journalism and a LLB.

Svetlana has a substantial experience working in Financial Planning and Analysis roles across Private Equity/tech, retail, services and energy.

Josh has over 5 years’ experience in the venture capital industry as both a fundraiser and operator.  Josh has raised funds for some of the UK and Europe’s most innovative technology businesses, including companies in the Deep Tech, MedTech and Life Sciences sectors.

Josh holds a BSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Andy joined EMV Capital plc after spending five years in M&A, where he specialised in Technology and Human Capital transactions, both in the UK and Internationally. He is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant with experience working across European investment funds and acquisitive UK corporates. At EMV, Andy focuses on fundraising, investment realisation and supporting strategic projects for the fund.

Selina is a seasoned Client Services Manager in the financial services sector, specialising in back-office and operational support. Selina excels in managing complex client needs and operations, demonstrating skills in problem-solving, effective communication, and attention to detail.

Alpesh is a seasoned professional specialising in Salesforce consulting and administration, bringing a robust foundation to streamline processes and optimise workflows for organisations. As a certified Salesforce Consultant and Administrator, he possesses a comprehensive understanding of the platform’s capabilities, delivering tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of EMV Capital and its portfolio companies.

From implementing efficient CRM strategies to customising workflows and ensuring seamless integrations, Alpesh is committed to leveraging Salesforce’s robust features for maximum impact.

Adam is an Investor Relations Analyst based in EMV’s London office. In this role, he supports senior members of the team whose objective it is to strengthen relationships with existing clients and generate business with new investors. Adam has capital raising experience across Private Market verticals and is focused primarily on fundraising mandates. Prior to joining EMV, Adam worked for Oppenheimer & Co in their Global Fund Placement and Advisory practice as well as for the Conservative Party as a Political Analyst.

Adam holds an MSc from Imperial College London as well as an MA from Edinburgh Business School.