Mark has a successful track record of Sales & Marketing into IT and the Financial Services market place, including helping both NCR and AT&T to establish themselves as key technology suppliers to the Insurance sector. In his role as Business Development Director for Focus Solutions Group plc, he led the company's growth - developing and launching new market propositions that resulted in a twenty fold increase in revenues.

His knowledge of IT and the financial services market place, combined with his core sales & marketing disciplines and industry network mean that Mark can help IT companies looking to sell their products and services to the Financial services market place as well as being able to advise Financial Services Companies on how they can take full advantage of the e-commerce tools available.

Mark's experience in creating successful business development strategies and helping companies to achieve step change in business growth, position him well in being able to assist both new and existing companies accomplish their ambitious growth plans.

Nigel Smith has over 35 years' experience in Financial Services. Having started his career with AXA Equity & Law, he was instrumental in the creation of eCommerce services for the life assurance industry and represented his company's interests on various industry bodies.

He moved roles to The Exchange to steer their B2B services and subsequently onto Logica as a Senior Management Consultant in their Financial Services practice.

Latterly, he was Director of Propositions at Focus Solutions Group where he was responsible for the creation of full-cycle propositions for the Financial Services industry. Throughout Nigel's career he has striven to combine commercial business sense with practical, advanced technology.

Mark enjoyed 16 years in Banking and Financial Services companies carrying out roles in Sales & Marketing, Regulation and IT. He was responsible for creating an end to end paperless e-commerce sales process in 1997 that was built and delivered in less than 90 days. He then went on to manage the direct distribution merger team between AXA and Sun Life. Mark joined Focus in 1998 in order to help raise first stage VC.

He worked as Operations Director, Managing Director and latterly as Chief Operating Officer. During this time Mark helped Focus to raise two rounds of VC funding before floating the Company on the London Stock Exchange with an AIM listing. Focus developed an outstanding client base with most of the top 20 Insurance providers using Focus' patented data capture software and Point of Sale (POS) solutions. He has experience of developing international partnerships along with company acquisitions and divestments.

Mark is a clear incisive thinker who thrives on new challenges and is able to assist strategic Board development as well as understanding how to leverage operational effectiveness. As a Member of the IOD, Mark is committed to professional director development and Board responsibility and has obtained the Diploma in Company Direction as part of the process of gaining Chartered Director status.