Chris Highams
Senior Partner
T: +44 7500 966050 E: chris.highams@highamssaaz.com
Chris has held senior positions within both the corporate and private sectors and has focused on project delivery, risk mitigation and exit strategies. He started his career with a large bank owned Residential & Commercial Agency where he quickly rose to the position of Regional Director prior to spearheading a number of successful ventures which included:
The launch stabilisation and subsequent sale of a Corporate Relocation Company which at its peak dealt with upwards of 10,000 senior movers per annum.
The creation of several multi-disciplined property services companies incorporating Surveying and Valuation Services, Repossession Portfolio Management, Part Exchange Portfolio Management and Property Trading.
Chris became a director and shareholder in a privately-owned services business and within five years grew from 60 to 260 staff and became one of the fastest growing private businesses. He became proficient in using ISO 9001 and Six Sigma regulations, being early versions of Block Chain Management, in risk mitigation and business performance. Chris has worked independently and has developed in-depth understanding of business planning, capital markets and project delivery.
His understanding of the capital markets and institutional investment that lead him to become a founding partner in HS which aims to provide better capital solutions for projects and businesses, reducing risks and enhances returns.
Mohammed Farooq
Legal Counsel
T: +44 7863 563435 E: mohammed@highamssaaz.com
Mohammed qualified as a solicitor in September 2010 having completed his training contract at McGrigors LLP (now Pinsent Masons LLP). Post qualification, Mohammed joined KPMG LLP’s Corporate and Commercial Legal Services team, where he was heavily involved in advising, alongside colleagues in the KPMG’s Tax, Private Equity and Private Client teams, a range of UK-based and international clients on various transactions including group reorganisation and entity rationalisation projects, financing arrangements, inbound and outbound investments into/from the UK and general day-to-day company and commercial law matters.
In addition to working at KPMG’s head office in Canary Wharf, Mohammed also worked for a number of years in KPMG’s Reading and Bristol offices with a number of leading companies in the Thames Valley Corridor and the South West of England. Since leaving KPMG in October 2016, Mohammed has established his own private practice where he continues to advise clients on a range of corporate and commercial matters.
Craig Grant
CFO
T: +44 7789 743369 E: craig.grant@highamssaaz.com
Craig is an experienced Executive with a functional leadership background in Finance, M&A and Strategy in both FTSE listed and Private Equity backed companies. He has held a variety of C-Suite positions in Hospitality, Leisure, FMCG, Media Tech and Healthcare and operated in all major Global markets. Having been involved with the acquisition of Inter-Continental Hotels in the late 90’s, Craig has since worked with brands such as Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge Suites and Posthouse.
Craig’s M&A activity has resulted in deals totalling in excess of $5bn across the Americas, Asia Pacific and EMEA. Craig has also been involved in IPO, MBO and Start up organisations and had director level responsibility for Property, Procurement, HR, Legal and IT in addition to his core functional roles. Outside of Hospitality, Craig has been involved with many restaurant brands (global and domestic), FMCG brands such as Pepsi, Robinsons, Carling and Grolsch along with exposure to high end Spa and well being businesses.
He holds both an MBA and a CGMA qualification.
Maha Sheriff
Business Analyst
T: (Dubai) +971 (0) 52 881 9116 (UK) +44 7518 240023 E: maha.sheriff@highamssaaz.com
Maha Sheriff is a business strategy analyst with a background in business development, having worked with clients across the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Maha has worked with startups, established organizations and non-profit associations to help them launch brands, streamline processes and identify and address problems within the business that inhibit efficiency. Having started her career in corporate event management, she enjoys combining an understanding of consumer behavior and markets with a passion for helping businesses use their data effectively.
Maha has previously headed the Key Partnerships and Revenue Channels function at the Middle East Public Relations Association, managed Sales for Terrapinn Ltd. and ITP Publishing in the UAE and consulted on business strategy at The Alchemist Group in London. Maha’s main areas of interest include innovation in the wellness and healthy lifestyle sectors and supporting small local businesses grow, as she believes these are key pillars for healthy economies.
Maha has a Master of Science in International Management from King’s College London and divides her time between the UK and Dubai.
Michelle Walsh
Director
T: +44 7920 523831 E: michelle.walsh@highamssaaz.com
Michelle has worked in the banking and finance industry for most of her professional career, actively working in the US bond market. Working with the Howden Group Holdings, a leading UK insurance broker, transitioned her career into the insurance world. She gained extensive experience in helping clients understand their insurance portfolios to ensure they make the most of their options.
The experience gained led to Michelle establishing Alexandra Fox Insurance Brokers, which specialises in providing private client insurance for high net worth individuals and the sports market. She maintains responsibility for identifying key clients and nurturing long term relationships.
Michelle is a member of the Brentwood School Foundation at the House of Lords and has organised several events and raised a considerable amount of money for many charities.
Janette Green
T: +44 7766 471555 E: janette.green@highamssaaz.com
Marketing Director
Janette has spent most of her career at the luxury end of the automotive industry, latterly as Aston Martin’s Chief of Staff and Global Brand and Communications Director, serving on both their Executive and Shareholder Board. She had responsibility for protecting and enhancing the corporate reputation of the Aston Martin business on the global stage prior to their IPO.
She has considerable experience in all areas of the marketing mix and more recently has been a business, strategy and marketing consultant in the luxury goods, film and events industries.
Recognised and respected in the luxury and automotive sectors, Janette also has global experience across diverse and multicultural organisations and is a professional with the ability to translate challenging goals in short time frames into practical and commercial results. Her understanding of the mindset of the world’s High Net Worth Individuals gives Janette an enviable network of influencers.
Janette holds a number of non-executive directorships in the events and film industries and is passionate about ‘making a difference’ in the diverse range of businesses she is involved in.
Andy Cunningham
Zedra Director
T: +44 1534 844324 E: andy.cunningham@zedra.com
Andrew Cunningham is a member of the of the Chartered Insurance Institute and the International Compliance Association. Andrew has over 30 years of experience in Jersey’s finance industry and was a founder of Azure Trust Group Limited which was acquired by the ZEDRA Group in March 2016. Currently, Andrew is a director of the Administrator and a regulated trust company in Jersey, ZEDRA Trust Company Limited.
Moh Rashid
Senior Advisor
T: +44 7815 743748 E: moh.rashid@highamssaaz.com
Moh has been in business his entire working life. His experience started at an early age in assisting his family in the management of their hospitality and property business, a sector in which he has maintained an active interest throughout his career. From a very early age he was an entrepreneur and gained a wealth of knowledge extending from grassroots business development through to top level management and business structures, and today he applies this experience in supporting and advising growing businesses.
Moh brings nearly 40 years of experience and is known for his straight talking provision of logical, practical and informed advice to businesses. His knowledge base extends beyond hospitality, property, technology and finance and he has advised businesses at various levels across many sectors throughout his career. Moh has amassed a significant global contact base including senior influential leaders and globally recognised service providers.
He is motivated by the challenges that businesses face and thrives on the delivery of well thought through solutions to the problems that occur in the modern business environment, irrespective of industry sector or category.
Beyond his professional work, Moh is an avid supporter for a number of charitable causes.
Marcus Allington
Advisor
T: +44 7815 876560 E: marcus@boudicadevelopments.com
Marcus has over 25 years’ business development and project management experience in commercial refurbishment and construction, dealing with blue chip businesses through to start up entrepreneurs.
Having been a director in traditional, well as design and build construction firms, Marcus’s key role is to understand the feasibility of the development and to coordinate the professional team to deliver the scheme on behalf of the stakeholders. In partnership with Highams Saaz, Boudica Developments deliver strategic developments for the property fund.
Marcus has an honours degree in Psychology from London University.
Nick Clark
Advisor
T: +44 7771 219296 E: nick@boudicadevelopments.com
Nick is a MRICS qualified Chartered Surveyor with over 15 years of industry experience. He spent much of his early career at several of London's leading real estate advisory businesses including CBRE, DTZ and Cushman & Wakefield where he worked across the full spectrum of asset classes for institutional clients, property companies and high net worth individuals.
Nick's primary focus is on investment and development acquisitions. He also has considerable asset management experience. Nick is responsible for sourcing, appraising and negotiating investment opportunities for Boudica Developments clients. Nick has an MSc in property valuation and management from Sheffield Hallam University and a BSc in Industrial Design from the University of Huddersfield.