Vincent Billings - President
After reading law at university and completing my legal studies, both in London, I worked for my local authority as a litigator. I then completed a two year training contract with a regional firm, with a specific focus on company, commercial and corporate work. I qualified as a solicitor in May 2007, and stayed on with that firm for a few months more.
I moved to Bolt Burdon at the start of 2008 and joined the Company/Commercial team. We undertake a wide range of work including advising on commercial agreements, company law, intellectual property, charity law and corporate transactions. I am passionate about my work and I always take the time to understand my clients’ businesses in order to be able to provide high quality, practical and focussed legal advice.
Bolt Burdon is a vibrant and energetic place to work. We are committed to exceeding our clients’ expectations, and we are certainly not stereotypical ‘stuffy’ lawyers! The firm’s values play a large part in making the firm an innovative and rewarding place to work. I am very proud to be part of the Bolt Burdon team.
Outside of work, I like playing football, tennis and running. I also enjoy spending time with my family, socialising with friends and reading widely.
John Roe - Vice President
As Vice President of the Islington Chamber of Commerce, I am particularly involved in the strategic aspects of the Chamber’s work and currently sit as the Chamber’s representative on the Islington Strategic Partnership. I work as a senior consultant with surveyors, estate agents and auctioneers, Drivers & Norris, established in Islington in 1852. We combine a modern approach to business, underpinned by traditional values. Through much of my business career, Islington has been an important base for me and is a wonderful place to undertake business. For me it has always provided a hive of innovative thinking and has been a haven for those adopting a bold entrepreneurial approach. On the social side, I am a part time lay minister in the Church of England. I can conduct funerals, not marriages! I am about to start an MA in poetry (in my spare time) and am a family man.
Drazen Coric - Treasurer
Drazen Coric owns and runs TaxAssist Accountants in Islington. Having spent eight years
working in the City Drazen decided to use the acquired knowledge and experience and establish
the company that will offer expert solutions to small businesses and individuals. TaxAssist
Accountants Islington started in July 2006 and has developed into practice serving variety
of local businesses and individuals from small one person bands to medium size companies
offering services like accounting, taxation and business consulting.
Drazen has been a member of Islington Chamber of Commerce from the day the business
started and a member of the board since October 2009 also performing a role of a Treasurer.
Jonathan Plant - Secretary
After graduating from Manchester University and later Westminster University, Jonathan went on to develop his design and business skills at his previous London based architectural practice. During which time he was made an Associate and was responsible for delivering several high profile housing and community schemes including the development of the lottery funded Attlee Foundation.
Jonathan established Lipton Plant Architects in 2002 with Co-Director Edward Lipton in the heart of Islington. As a member of Islington Chamber of Commerce, Jonathan takes an active role in the local community and has been instrumental in creating innovative solutions for a multitude of projects across the borough, often working in tight urban sites with a mixture of property types including listed buildings and those within conservation areas.
Jonathan enjoys the working environment of Islington with its strong business and social community which continues to offer up a wide range of business opportunities.
Teresa Esan MBE
Director - Employability and Employer Engagement at City & Islington College
Iain Scott
Iain Scott is the Managing Director of Islington based web design and digital marketing agency, Base Creative. At Base Creative, Iain heads up marketing and business management while acting as advisor to a select few clients on all matters related to online marketing.
Originally studied Law, and once hoped to be a criminal lawyer, Iain’s career took a side step when he realised his true passion for business and for the web. Iain built a portfolio while freelancing at the beginning of 2001 and went on to start a fledgling company in 2002, trading solely in web design and online marketing.
Now, Iain is in his 8th year of business and has over 10 years experience in the digital marketing industry. During that time, he has built a 6 strong in-house team, been awarded the Dragon Award 2009 for Base Creative’s CSR programme, and has built a solid client base from small businesses to large multi-nationals.
Initially based in Watford, Iain relocated the company to Islington in 2006. The vibrant culture, constant buzz and variety of work attracted Iain to the area, together with the desire to work with more London based clients.
You can find Iain hiding amongst the local news and articles in Islington’s premier lifestyle magazine, City and Angel, where he writes on wonderful findings on the world wide web.
Paul Smith
Paul Smith is the Managing Director of Alpha Analytic, an Internet and IT Solutions provider based in Essex Road. With a background in IT for over 30 years, he formed Alpha Analytic in 1989 initially as a consultancy, working primarily in the City with Investment and Financial Services firms, managing the development of large trading, performance and risk systems.
In the last 5 years the emphasis has been on providing software solutions to support professional services firms do business on the Internet, including web development, internet marketing, cloud computing, client relationship and document management.
He has lived in Highbury for 20 years, and has become a keen Arsenal fan. He feels Islington is a great location to live and work, with its proximity to the City and the West End.
Stewart Margolis
Property Sales Director; Business Design Centre
Alastair McDavid
Educated in Argentina and Scotland, fluent in Spanish. Established reputation in '90's as PR photographer, managing his own photographic agency based in Islington. Very early digital technology adopter. Pioneered digital imaging production for global Travel Trade in Australia, Asia, USA, the Caribbean, plus most of Europe, with clients such as Travel Trade Gazette, ABTA and World Travel Market. In 2009 set up The Digital Asset Lab, again located in Islington, supplying Digital Asset Management (DAM) solutions to organizations that need to manage their digital media files. Lectures to The Chartered Institute of Public Relations, universities and corporates on digital imaging, digital archiving and DAM technology. Joined the ICoC board in July 2011.
David Feldman
David runs Sandler Training, North London, a firm specialising in sales coaching and the development of sales process and commercial strategies. Working across all business sectors clients are predominantly SME’s and range in size from proprietor owned business through to those employing 100+ people.
Originally David had a successful career in corporate marketing. He held directorship positions in brands including Fuji Film, BT and Equifax before moving to work as a business strategist and turnaround specialist. Here he operated at board level to launch new enterprises or transform declining companies on behalf of 3rd party investors. This experience provides him with a unique understanding of the pressures and stresses facing today’s business owners.
Jane Lewis
As The Career Success Doctor, Jane helps women break through the glass ceiling. She works as a career and happiness coach, providing coaching and consultancy to individuals and organisations. She is passionate about helping women recognise and reach their potential. With over 20 years’ international business and consultancy experience she enjoys giving something back to the SME community via her work with Islington Chamber of Comer. As an Islington resident, she really appreciates the diversity of the Borough, which makes it a great place to do business. It’s full of surprises and a variety of opportunities.
http://thecareersuccessdoctor.com
Simon Bone
Simon is the managing partner of Byte Art a digital agency located in Farringdon specialising in Microsoft technologies such as ASP.net and SharePoint which also provides a unique website makeover service. He is a graduate of the world famous Cambridge University Computer Laboratory and in 2004 won the CGI Entrepreneur of the Year Award. In his spare time he is a keen writer, actor, musician and stand-up comedian and also gets involved closely with local politics. He thinks Islington is a great place to do business because of the wide variety of industries in the area.
