Board of Directors
With an emphasis on providing creative, common-sense solutions, we offer easy access to an approachable, experienced and highly professional team to help deliver successful projects.
John Newlands
John Newlands
ChairmanJohn has served more than twenty years in the City, most recently with Brewin Dolphin Limited as Head of Investment Companies Research from 2007 to 2017. He was a member of the Association of Investment Companies Statistics’ Committee from 2000 to 2017. He has an MBA from Edinburgh University Business School and is a Chartered Electrical Engineer. He has written four books about financial history, the most recent charting the history of Dunedin Income Growth Investment Trust. He is a non-executive director of CQS New City High Yield Fund and Gabelli Merger Plus Trust.
Dr Sameer Al-Ansari
Dr Sameer Al-Ansari
Deputy ChairmanDr Al-Ansari is an internationally respected figure in finance, investment and corporate governance. With more than 30 years’ experience, he has held senior leadership roles across a range of sectors including financial services, private equity, healthcare, real estate and digital assets. His career highlights include founding Dubai International Capital (DIC), where he served as Executive Chairman and CEO, overseeing $13 billion in assets, and leading Dubai based investment banking group SHUAA Capital through a successful post-financial crisis recovery as its CEO. Most recently CEO of RAK Digital Assets Oasis. Dr Al-Ansari also holds board positions with organisations including Dubai listed Al Ramz Corporation, TVM Healthcare Partners and Marjan, the leading developer of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. He has previously served on the boards of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Dubai Holding and the Hawkamah Institute of Corporate Governance.
Ian McElroy
Ian McElroy
Non-executive DirectorIan is one of the founding shareholders of Tier One Capital Ltd, establishing the business having spent many years in the wealth management industry. Ian initially trained and qualified as an investment manager with Gerrard Stockbrokers before moving into financial advice, corporate finance and credit structuring during senior roles with Barclays Wealth, Kleinwort Benson and Coutts. Over the last 20 years, Ian has worked closely with business owners and company directors, senior executives and professionals across many industries to help structure, preserve and achieve their financial objectives. Ian is a board member of Develop North PLC, a main market London Stock Exchange-listed public investment company focused on providing investment into the North of England and Scotland and is a Chartered Fellow of the CISI and Chartered Wealth Manager.
Douglas Noble
Douglas Noble
Head of Remuneration CommitteeDouglas has over 25 years' private banking experience. In recent years he has focused on developing Brown Shipley's private banking and lending proposition in Scotland, having previously been the Scottish Head of Private Banking for Barclays, Adam & Company and HBOS. He also launched Bank of Scotland's first ever private banking operation. Douglas holds a law degree from Dundee University, as well as achieving the PCIAM and IMC from the CFA. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Banking of Scotland to Chartered Banker status.
Matt Harris
Matt Harris
Head of Audit CommitteeMatt is an experienced chartered accountant and corporate finance practitioner specialising in providing transaction advisory services to private equity and other acquirers and vendors. He has been involved in transactions in the UK, across Europe and around the world, working on deals ranging from €1billion plus to mid-market and small/start-up and development. Matt is the Senior Managing Director of FTI Consulting, a US-based NASDAQ listed global consulting business that specialises in business transaction and litigation-related services. Prior to joining FTI Consulting, he was a partner for nine years at KPMG's Private Equity Group. Matt graduated from the University of Auckland, has an MBA from the Manchester Business School and is a qualified chartered accountant in New Zealand and Australia.
Advisory Board
Providing non-binding strategic advice to the Board of Directors and management.
Phil Moorhouse
Phil Moorhouse
Phil is the former Chairman of Newcastle Building Society, with extensive board and executive experience, and was previously Managing Director UK of Northgate PLC.
Joe Docherty
Joe Docherty
Joe is an experienced executive with a strong background in property and corporate banking, formerly Deputy CEO of Home Group, CEO of Tees Valley Regeneration and Trustee of The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.
Richard McEvoy
Richard McEvoy
Richard is a highly experienced and qualified Corporate Banker, Non-Executive Director and Charity Trustee. Having operated in regulated environments for over 40 years, Richard brings considerable lending, process and governance experience to advise Develop North Plc and on its role within the property sectors it supports. Richard is a keen and frequent golfer and still manages to play off a low single figure handicap and is a lover of fine dining, classical music and the arts.
Jess Swindells
Jess Swindells
Jess joined Tier One Capital as Managing Director in 2017 and is a principal shareholder. Jess remains a practicing lawyer with 19 years’ experience specialising in banking and corporate finance, having been partner at regional corporate top tier firm Muckle LLP before joining Tier One Capital, and initially, training, qualifying and practicing with international law firm Eversheds Sutherland in both Newcastle and London.
Michelle Percy
Michelle Percy
Michelle is a highly experienced professional with a distinguished record of service on boards and as a trustee. With more than 30 years of expertise, she has developed a strong reputation in the fields of property regeneration and investment. Michelle has held senior level positions in both the private and public sectors.
Fund Management
Brendan O’Grady
Brendan O’Grady
Real Estate LendingBrendan joined Tier One Capital in 2017 from Gentoo Group, where he was the Head of Finance for Gentoo Homes, and the Tax and Treasury Manager for the wider Gentoo Group. Prior to that, Brendan worked at Silverfleet Capital (an international Private Equity firm) where, for seven years, he had a number of senior finance roles for the investment manager and investment funds, from their London offices. Brendan is a chartered accountant, qualifying in London with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. He is also an associate member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers.
John Seager
John Seager
Commercial PropertyJohn is a Chartered Surveyor with over 25 years’ experience in commercial real estate investment, asset management, and regeneration. He has delivered major business parks, mixed-use schemes, large-scale residential masterplans, and complex heritage projects across the North East and beyond.
John combines rigorous financial discipline with a long-term, place-based approach to value creation. His work is underpinned by a belief that strong commercial returns can go hand-in-hand with wider societal benefits—from supporting cultural organisations to strengthening communities.
With deep regional knowledge and a reputation for building enduring partnerships, John is committed to investment strategies that deliver performance with purpose and leave a lasting legacy.
Fergus Trim
Fergus Trim
Commercial PropertyAfter 15 years in London, mainly with BNP Paribas Real Estate, Fergus moved to Newcastle in 2008 to work initially as Development Director with Tritax, helping to deliver the successful 1m sqft Quorum Business Park before setting up Broadoak Asset Management in 2014.
Fergus then led the asset management of a 1.75m sqft portfolio of properties in the North of England and Scotland for New York fund Cerberus Capital Management. Significant leasing success increased asset value before helping Cerberus exit in 3 tranches of sales.
Since then, Fergus has worked with clients including Federated Hermes, Newcastle United FC, Reditum Capital, Newcastle City Council, Northumberland County Council and Newcastle University.
Recent major transactions have included the sale of Strawberry Place, Newcastle and the acquisition of Stockbridge House on the Newcastle Quayside.
Jackie Fitzgerald
Jackie Fitzgerald
Residential PropertyJackie has over 30 years Investment experience both in the UK and Overseas. In addition, Jackie brings 20 years’ experience in residential property, acquisition and management as Founder and CEO of Homes or Houses, a specialist property firm supporting UK and international investors in the North East Residential market. Have led the purchase of over 1300 properties, on behalf of investors, throughout the North East, with a value in excess of £50m, Jackie's knowledge of the acquisition and management of residential assets is extensive.
With a deep local knowledge of the region and a broad network throughout the industry, Jackie brings her knowledge and experience of residential asset management to the team in both the supported and private sector, creating sustainable portfolios, with consistency in income and value growth.
Paul Crawley
Paul Crawley
General CounselPaul is General Counsel of Tier One Capital, a position that he has held since August 2017. Previously, he was Head of Corporate and Commercial Services for a regional law firm and, before that, worked internationally for a multi-jurisdiction legal and taxation practice in Asia. In his current role, Paul provides legal counsel to the company’s board of directors and senior management and advises on, amongst other things, commercial transactions, real estate finance, corporate governance and litigation management.
Fund Manager
www.tieronecapital.co.uk
Financial Adviser and Broker
http://www.finncapcavendish.com
Company Secretary
http://www.apexgroup.com
Auditor
http://www.macintyrehudson.co.uk
Registrar
http://www.computershare.com/uk
Financial PR
https://www.almastrategic.com
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