Mark Florman
Chief Executive of the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA)

He joined The Northern Trust Bank, Chicago, in 1981 where he co-founded the interest rate swap business in America and worked in corporate banking, US T-Bills and money & capital markets. From the mid-1980s as a Director of County Bank and then as a Partner of Enskilda Securities, he advised on corporate restructurings, M&A and equity capital markets.

In 1992 Mark founded Maizels, Westerberg & Co which became the leading independent firm in M&A and corporate restructurings. Maizels established advisory businesses in shipping and structured finance and in principal investing.

Between 2001 and 2008 he was Senior Principal at the European private equity firm, Doughty Hanson. He served as Vice Chairman and later Chairman of LM Glasfiber, today the world’s leading manufacturer of blades and components for wind turbines.

Away from his business activities, Mark has been active in politics, advising the UK Conservative Party on strategy and financing, and was Senior Deputy Treasurer of the Conservative Party.

Last year he became Chairman of the Centre for Social Justice, a think-tank which pioneers new approaches to combat poverty at home and abroad and an organisation which he co-founded in 2004. In addition, he remains non-executive vice chairman of 8 Miles, a new $500m private equity fund for Africa which he co-founded with Sir Bob Geldof.

Mark graduated from the London School of Economics. He is married and has three daughters.