John Clarkson is an experienced business professional and qualified accountant, who had a successful early career working in various financial, audit and management positions in the UK and overseas. John then completed a full time MBA at Cranfield University, before moving into management consultancy with Deloitte Haskins + Sells. There he provided a range of business and consultancy services to various public & private sectors organisations and blue-chip clients. He established a management strategy/performance improvement service and founded a construction and real estate group. After the firm’s merger, John was partner in charge of the developing services consultancy division in Coopers Deloitte (now PWC). He left the firm to create a private hotel group in North America, but then took on the role of vice chairman of Laura Ashley Inc based out of Boston, USA, with a worldwide remit for restructuring, cost reduction and business turnaround. John brings many years of commercial expertise in leadership roles, including that of CEO, Chairman and Non-Executive Director. He has been a member of a number of business and professional groups, and has written articles and undertaken speaking engagements in both the UK and Europe.

John is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, a qualified Public Finance Accountant, a Fellow of the Institute of Consulting and Chartered Manager. He is an active investor in start-ups, high-tech and growing businesses, where he has been involved in strategy development, fundraising, contract negotiations, remuneration and corporate governance arrangements.