Non-Executive Director, N W Brown

Chairman, Cambridge Cleantech

Hugh Parnell is closely involved with the early-stage, funding and business development arena around Cambridge and the east of England, particularly in the energy and environmental technology sectors. He is Chairman of Cambridge Cleantech/Envirotech Ltd (formerly EnvirolinkUK), co-founder of the Cambridge Energy Forum and of the Cleantech Special Interest Group at Cambridge Network.

Having qualified as a chartered accountant with Peat Marwick Mitchell (now KPMG) in 1978, Hugh moved to British Petroleum, where after diverse positions based around strategy, planning, MI and marketing his last role was in charge of strategy implementation and planning for downstream Europe. After BP, Hugh joined Robert Fleming and Co. to develop the oil-sector corporate finance business, followed by a similar role as a Director with Dresdner Kleinwort Benson. In 2000 Hugh joined NW Brown Group to head up corporate finance and later took responsibility for developing a business centred on early stage technology investing including the Great Eastern Investment Forum (GEIF). GEIF provided a platform from which to build a suite of funds totalling £40m in five funds, now sold to an MBO team. Hugh’s role with the Group is in business development and to represent the Group at the many external communities where he is still active.