Judith joined Downing in October 2009. Previously she was a partner at Acuity Capital managing AIM-quoted VCT and IHT investments and a small-cap activist fund. Prior to Acuity, Judith spent nine years as a senior investment manager with Aberdeen Asset Management Growth Capital as Co-Fund Manager of the five Aberdeen VCT, focusing on technology and media investments in both listed and private companies. Judith is Chair of the Quoted Companies Alliance and is an active member on boards both in the private and public arenas. Judith founded Downing Fund Managers in 2010, the boutique investment arm of Downing LLP.

Nick joined Downing in September 2015 from BP Investment Management and co-manages the Downing Strategic Micro-Cap Investment Trust. Prior to BPIM, he worked for Aberdeen Asset Management. Nick holds an MSc in Finance and Investment from Durham University and a MA in Accounting and Economics from the University of Aberdeen.

Cheryl joined Downing in 2010 from Rathbones where she gained over 12 years’ experience working on VCT, EIS and IHT portfolio services. Cheryl provides portfolio support and oversight to the Downing Fund Managers strategies. She is a graduate of Keele University and is a Chartered FCSI.

Hugh is also chairman of the board of a Guernsey investment company and a director of Draper Esprit VCT. Until May 2020, he spent 15 years as a director and chaired corporate governance of a US (Nasdaq) listed corporation, and until July 2018, he was a director and audit committee chairman of a UK listed fund management company. He has held various directorships, some as chairman or executive chairman, in a number of both private and listed companies. His career includes 35 years of directorships across different sectors, ranging from nationalised industries to private equity. He spent 32 years as a partner, 10 years as managing partner, and latterly Head of Financial Services at Robson Rhodes (now Grant Thornton). He was also a DTI Companies Act Inspector for over 16 years and was a member of the UK Monopolies & Mergers Competition Commission.

Robert has extensive industry experience, having co-founded Progressive Value Management Ltd (PVML) in 2000. PVML specialises in creating value and liquidity for institutional investors out of holdings in underperforming companies. He is chairman of PVML and is also a senior independent director of Sureserve Group PLC. Robert was formerly a director of Quayle Munro Holdings PLC and BMO Private Equity Trust PLC (formerly the F&C Private Equity Trust PLC). He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland and is well-respected for his significant experience in creating value for shareholders.

Linda has extensive management experience, working both in public and private equity markets. She is currently the CEO of Mirico Ltd, a company commercialising laser spectroscopy into individual applications. She was formerly CEO of PhosphonicS Ltd (acquired by  Carbosynth Holdings Ltd in 2017), and a director of Tomra Systems ASA, a supplier of recycling and sorting equipment listed in Norway. She is an Oxford graduate in Natural Sciences (Chemistry) and a DPhil in Organic Chemistry, and worked at ICI, Servomex and DS Smith earlier in her career.

Will is former Head of UK Board & CEO Practice at Spencer Stuart, a global executive search and leadership consulting company, where he worked for 12 years until 2022. Prior to this, he spent 23 years in a variety of posts at the Financial Times, including foreign correspondent, with postings in Brussels, Paris and Tokyo. On return to the UK in 1998, he became deputy managing editor, then foreign editor and later publishing editor of the FT.

He is a Cambridge graduate with a master’s degree in English Literature from Trinity College and attended the Advanced Management Programme at INSEAD. Will is a trustee and former chair of the Evelyn Trust, a medical research grant-giving charity based in Cambridge. He is a governor and director of the Perse School, Cambridge and chair of the Marlay Group, which brings together patrons of the Fitzwilliam Museum. He is a former chair of the Oxford & Cambridge Rowing Foundation, the body which oversees the university boat race.