Our team has over 200 years experience between them in corporate finance, commercial strategy and running and growing businesses of all sizes and stages. Our backgrounds come from various industries, media and finance and with direct experience as business founders.
After his first degree, Robin went to Cranfield School of Management before starting in business, where he led growth in a number of businesses at a senior level, principally in technology and media including two he founded. He is today a highly versatile, commercially experienced strategy and investment professional with international experience. His clarity as founding entrepreneur, investor and professional advisor is invaluable in advising others and was instrumental in founding Ruffena Capital.
With an educational background in Business Management and Consulting and a professional background in Corporate Finance, Jonathan joined Ruffena in 2017 and manages Ruffena Capital’s Investor Relations team.
Alex leads the Origination team at Ruffena. He started his career in management consulting focusing on technology enabled transformation and strategy in the consumer, retail and supply chain sector. Spending time at IBM, boutique consulting firms and working on a freelance basis, Alex has advised businesses in the UK, Europe and the US. Most recently Alex co-founded Sparkbox.ai, an award-winning, venture backed retail SaaS business. An entrepreneur at heart, working with other passionate and talented entrepreneurs and helping them succeed inspires Alex's work at Ruffena. Alex holds the Investment Management Certificate qualification.
Simon has been involved in a range of successful Healthtech related fund-raisings some of which have progressed to flotations or trade sales. He also gets involved in other sectors, drawing on experience in fund-raising for a wide range of growing enterprises as well as a background in applications of AI, especially natural language and the engineering and development of defence systems. Although technology applied commercially in new ways can be very interesting and engaging, it is the truthful, clear-eyed assessment of opportunity by both entrepreneur and investor which inspires Simon's work at Ruffena
Maarten is an experienced international finance professional, having worked in multiple roles from Netherlands to the UK, Central & Eastern Europe and the Far East. In recent years he has focused on Fintech opportunities and since early 2018, Maarten runs the European office for Ruffena Capital.
Marilyn joined Ruffena in January 2019. Her background is in Retail organisation and systems, budgeting, supply chain and management and she began her career with Marks & Spencer, working within other retailers before joining IBM as a management consultant. Following this, she set up her own consulting business working with retailers in UK and Europe advising on their sales and profitability strategies through improved processes, systems and organisational structures.
Richard started his career in management consultancy working for Bain & Co. He then moved into corporate finance specialising in M&A. As well as working for “boutique” operations, he also worked in the M&A department at the Allied Trust Bank, later to become Investec. Before being involved with Ruffena, he was engaged by a UK-based investment fund to initiate and oversee investments in the Media sector, particularly the British music industry. Richard is also a director of a small music publishing company based in France.
David joined Ruffena Property as a shareholder in early 2024 to lead project origination and assessment. David is an experienced property professional with a proven track record and over thirty years experience in the real estate industry. With excellent communication and negotiation skills and black book of contacts, he was an equity partner at Knight Frank LLP. He has worked on a huge range of projects from strategic land acquisition, regeneration and house building projects to renewables and storage.
After his first degree, Robin went to Cranfield School of Management before starting in business, where he led growth in a number of businesses at a senior level, principally in technology and media including two he founded. He is today a highly versatile, commercially experienced strategy and investment professional with international experience. His clarity as founding entrepreneur, investor and professional advisor is invaluable in advising others and was instrumental in founding Ruffena Capital.
With an educational background in Business Management and Consulting and a professional background in Corporate Finance, Jonathan joined Ruffena in 2017 and manages Ruffena Capital’s Investor Relations team.
Alex leads the Origination team at Ruffena. He started his career in management consulting focusing on technology enabled transformation and strategy in the consumer, retail and supply chain sector. Spending time at IBM, boutique consulting firms and working on a freelance basis, Alex has advised businesses in the UK, Europe and the US. Most recently Alex co-founded Sparkbox.ai, an award-winning, venture backed retail SaaS business. An entrepreneur at heart, working with other passionate and talented entrepreneurs and helping them succeed inspires Alex's work at Ruffena. Alex holds the Investment Management Certificate qualification.
Simon has been involved in a range of successful Healthtech related fund-raisings some of which have progressed to flotations or trade sales. He also gets involved in other sectors, drawing on experience in fund-raising for a wide range of growing enterprises as well as a background in applications of AI, especially natural language and the engineering and development of defence systems. Although technology applied commercially in new ways can be very interesting and engaging, it is the truthful, clear-eyed assessment of opportunity by both entrepreneur and investor which inspires Simon's work at Ruffena
Maarten is an experienced international finance professional, having worked in multiple roles from Netherlands to the UK, Central & Eastern Europe and the Far East. In recent years he has focused on Fintech opportunities and since early 2018, Maarten runs the European office for Ruffena Capital.
Marilyn joined Ruffena in January 2019. Her background is in Retail organisation and systems, budgeting, supply chain and management and she began her career with Marks & Spencer, working within other retailers before joining IBM as a management consultant. Following this, she set up her own consulting business working with retailers in UK and Europe advising on their sales and profitability strategies through improved processes, systems and organisational structures.
Marilyn joined Ruffena in January 2019. Her background is in Retail organisation and systems, budgeting, supply chain and management and she began her career with Marks & Spencer, working within other retailers before joining IBM as a management consultant. Following this, she set up her own consulting business working with retailers in UK and Europe advising on their sales and profitability strategies through improved processes, systems and organisational structures.
Richard started his career in management consultancy working for Bain & Co. He then moved into corporate finance specialising in M&A. As well as working for “boutique” operations, he also worked in the M&A department at the Allied Trust Bank, later to become Investec. Before being involved with Ruffena, he was engaged by a UK-based investment fund to initiate and oversee investments in the Media sector, particularly the British music industry. Richard is also a director of a small music publishing company based in France.
David joined Ruffena Property as a shareholder in early 2024 to lead project origination and assessment. David is an experienced property professional with a proven track record and over thirty years experience in the real estate industry. With excellent communication and negotiation skills and black book of contacts, he was an equity partner at Knight Frank LLP. He has worked on a huge range of projects from strategic land acquisition, regeneration and house building projects to renewables and storage.