David Mensley

• Email: dm@equitycomms.com
• Mobile: +44 (0) 7956 691104

David has over 35 years’ experience of working with listed companies.  His career has included senior relationship management roles with a number of key national organisations, including the CBI and the London Stock Exchange.

In 1997 David co-founded Catalyst Investor Relations Group plc, a specialist consultancy which developed and implemented a wide range of investor management strategies for its listed company clients.

Before founding Catalyst, David had spent 7 years as regional director of the Midlands area of London Stock Exchange.  During this time he advised companies on the practical application of the UK Listing Rules, including the handling of inside information and issues surrounding corporate governance.

In 2002, in response to an increasing focus on Board evaluation and regulatory compliance work, David started his own consultancy, EquityCulture Ltd.  As a director of EquityCulture, David has had fourteen years’ experience of conducting evaluation assignments for a wide range of clients from UK FTSE100 listed companies to AIM quoted companies, not-for-profit organisations and financial institutions, including overseas companies in Europe and the Far East.

On a regional basis David has created a number of influential listed company communities, which are supported and valued by local companies.  He currently facilitates several long-standing Company Secretary Groups across the UK, some of which have been running since the early 1990’s.

Alison Crowther-Smith

• Email: acs@equitycomms.com
• Mobile: +44 (0) 7885 284303

Alison has many years’ experience working in business environments, across both the private and public sectors.

Working for several years at the Confederation of British Industry, she gained a valuable understanding of the concerns and issues facing the UK’s business community.  The experience of working closely with Board and senior management team members from companies large and small give Alison a clear-sighted view of the pressures they face in today’s fast-moving, demanding business environment.

Alison then went on to work for the Heathcare Financial Management Association and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. These roles, spanning writing detailed policy papers, monitoring financial and business trends, PR, and organisational analysis added a new dimension to her knowledge base as she worked with both private and public sector partners to deliver improved services and value for money in the public sector.

Alison has specialised in the areas of technical accounting and audit.

For several years, Alison has worked closely with David, focusing on the in-depth analysis of Board Evaluations, including conducting interviews with individual Board members; and the production, with David, of detailed reports which EquityCulture prepares for its extensive client list.

In a parallel career, Alison is also a well-known knitwear designer, teacher, and author, who has published four knitwear design books.

Vivienne Cassley

• Email:  vc@equitycomms.com

Vivienne has 20 years experience in capital markets, gained initially as a sugar trader and then as a consultant with ICCH Financial Markets (IFM), advising equity and derivative exchanges across Europe.  Her projects included setting up derivatives exchanges in Brussels and Milan, advising the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and its members during the introduction of automated trading, and providing SCMC (MONEP Clearing House) with risk-monitoring tools.  She also ran training courses and seminars.

From 1994 Vivienne spent 5 years in senior positions with the London Stock Exchange’s AIM Team and at EASDAQ, developing and promoting markets for smaller and fast growing companies and advising companies on their preparation for listing.  She retains a strong interest in developing funding opportunities for young and dynamic companies and in helping them to prepare for life as a public company.

Vivienne has an MA in Modern Languages from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from the Open Business School.

Emma Foster

• Email: ef@equitycomms.com

Emma has worked with David since she joined the LSE as an Administrator in 1993.

As the Administrator, Emma runs the office and coordinates the meetings of the Company Secretary Groups.  This latter role has been her responsibility since the very first Group started in Birmingham in the 90’s.

Company Secretaries will know her as the person who sends the invitations to the Group meetings – and chases for agenda topics! Emma is now also responsible for ensuring those who attend meetings receive formal notification of doing so for ICSA cpd purposes.

Emma is also responsible for the day to day office administration and accounts function.

As well as working with EquityCulture, Emma runs her own successful bookkeeping practice.