My Story

Stephen Westwood BA FCA


My professional qualifications include a degree in Business Law and I am an FCA. I spent a number of years in an international firm of accountants, which gave me a good grounding in business matters and financial disciplines.

My first business experience was with a group of engineering businesses which subsequently became listed as GW Thornton Holdings plc. I became the Financial Director and had the prime responsibility for taking the group through the IPO process. The business was very successful and we delivered a doubling of shareholder value in the five years following flotation, when we sold the business to another listed company. This success was very much based on a platform of 10 years organic growth, complemented by the creation of a US subsidiary, and with further value generated by a series of successful acquisitions and disposals.

I then set up my consultancy business in 1993, and initially the work comprised a mix of short term projects and medium term part-time roles, including roles as non-executive director appointed by venture capital firms. As the business progressed I became more engaged in full-time projects for a smaller number of clients. These included:

  • Prolog Group (CEO) – IT solutions provider
  • British Gas Trading (interim General Manager Debt Recovery Services)
  • British Gas Trading (interim director of Customer Services)
  • The Medical House PLC (Finance Director) - orthopaedic instruments, and drug delivery systems based on proprietary needle-free technology
  • IDMoS plc (CEO) – Dundee University spin-out – disease detection, dental caries
  • ReactivLab (CEO) - Glasgow University spin-out – animal health

 


I am now actively engaged in supporting growing new businesses, which include:

Chairman and shareholder in Cobra Simulation

Chairman and shareholder in Cobra Simulation

Chairman and shareholder in Cobra Simulation, which provides solutions for the aviation, military, commercial, automotive, oil and gas, medical, education, marketing, video conferencing, entertainment and gaming markets, based on the immersive features of its curved screen display, a spherical projection screen.

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Chairman and shareholder in Anarkik Creations

Chairman and shareholder in Anarkik Creations

Chairman and shareholder in Anarkik Creations, which utilises the innovative design capabilities of the haptics software package of Anarkik3D, together with 3D printing techniques, to produce customised premium priced objects, initially jewellery.

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Chairman and shareholder in Glaze and Save

Chairman and shareholder in Glaze and Save

Chairman and shareholder in Glaze and Save, which provides secondary glazing products to offer energy efficiency solutions for the consumer and SME market.

Other roles that I hold are Chairman of the Fife branch of the IoD, member of the IoD Scotland Committee, and I am a director of the St Andrews Partnership. I was previously President of the St Andrews Business Club.

Much of the focus over my business life has been to develop and nurture talent. One of the key things that gives me a buzz is helping others to grow to succeed. To that end I am now concentrating more of my attention on training, and I am working on producing a series of ebooks so that I can pass on some of the tips, know-how and expertise that I have gained over the years.

When away from business, I passionately support rugby and cricket, play a little golf, take exercise and generally reflect on life. As proud parents and grandparents, my wife and I love to see the development of our children and in turn, their children. We live in the “bubble” that is known as St Andrews.