Geoffrey Bicknell - Mentor Profile

Background

With a distinguished career spanning across multiple continents, Geoffrey Bicknell qualified as a Chartered Accountant in both England and Canada before embarking on an industrial career that has taken him from Canada to the USA, and back to Europe. He joined Rockwell International, a leading multinational, where he advanced from manufacturing operations into general management, including several international assignments. His leadership experience deepened when he became Managing Director of an automotive component manufacturing plant in England, where he successfully managed a major overhaul to prepare for a profitable sale.

Geoffrey then went on to work with Lucas Engine Management Systems, focusing on improving the profitability of European plants and aligning foreign affiliates with the parent company's strategy. His next role was with the FTSE 100-listed TI Group, where he played a pivotal role in integrating the newly acquired Dowty division and creating a world-leading landing gear business through a strategic merger with the French government-owned Messier Bugatti. Currently, Geoffrey serves as Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), a joint venture between the UK Government and the automotive industry.

NED & Board Advisory Experience:

Non-Exec Director, Trafficmaster Plc
Non-Exec Director, Brady Technologies
Non-Exec Director, Acta SPA
Non-Exec Director, Eddie Stobart Logistics Ltd
Non-Exec Director, GreenWhitestar Acquisitions
Non-Exec Director, Advanced Propulsion Centre UK

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Skills:

Skills

Business Assessment
Management Assessment
Corporate Governance
Financial Planning
Capital Raising
Business Transformation
Acquisitions
Start-ups and Business Growth

Industry Experience

Automotive Manufacturing
Low emission propulsion Technology
IT Systems & Services
Aeronautical engineering
Private Equity
Financing
Investment
Polymer Products
Logistics
Steel Manufacturing

Credentials:

Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants, England, Wales
Certified Public Accountant, Ontario, Canada
Lean Manufacturing Course, Kentucky University

Our Trustpilot reviews...

I'm delighted to have joined Connectd, a platform that brings together start-ups, investors and advisors/NEDs – the latter being my interest. Having left full-time employment, I became a founding Non-Executive Director of a Community Interest Company and a Trustee of a local charity. I had also been looking for additional Non-Executive roles when I was introduced to Connectd. I was impressed by the sophisticated nature of the ecosystem, which enables searches for roles through detailed filters, as well as providing training through the NED Academy, help with CV writing, mentoring, template documents and other resources. Connectd also guarantees a placement with a business.

An additional feature of the platform is the Connectd Investor Community, where investors can interact, conduct due diligence, share deal-flow and learn together. The functionality allows like-minded investors to connect, with separate groups for each; to share deal flow (not just with companies on the platform) and to co-invest; to access partnerships such as Crunchbase membership and Vauban discount codes; and to create public or private groups.

I'm now working with a start-up that I was introduced to through Connectd, initially pro bono. There's a lot going on and a lot to do - we're raising funds and there's an exciting future in prospect!

Steve Hutchings