Darren Smith

Fortythree Tech is a specialist software company building purpose-built technology for expert witnesses. Our flagship platform, expert geniePro™, replaces spreadsheets, email, WhatsApp, calendars and standalone billing with one secure, unified system built for the reality of expert work — constant interruptions, multi-year cases, and high professional risk. What we build: • End-to-end practice management from instruction to court • Unified communications, tasks, diary, documents and billing • Built-in compliance, audit trails and secure document control • Genie iQ™ engine for cross-case intelligence and opinion consistency • Automated conflict detection and workload forecasting • Designed for forced context-switching — never lose your place • Technology that scales income without scaling admin Fortythree Tech is building the professional operating system for expert witnesses — turning fragmented expert work into a single, reliable, income-generating platform.

Mint Finance specialises in offering a comprehensive range of commercial finance options to help UK businesses thrive. We ensure that businesses can access the funding they need quickly and efficiently. With access to a broad panel of lenders, we match our clients with the right financial products. Whether it’s managing cash flow, funding expansion, or covering operational costs, Mint Finance is committed to helping businesses unlock their potential. Our mission is simple: to provide fast, flexible, and tailored finance solutions that meet the unique needs of each business we work with. Services include: - Business Loans - Invoice Finance - Invoice Factoring - Merchant Cash Advances - Asset Finance - HMRC Funding - Commercial Mortgages - Bridging Loans - Personal Guarantee Insurance

Barker Smith is a consultancy firm with significant experience across the Financial Service and Legal Service spectrums. We work side-by-side with our clients and are fully invested in their success “we treat your business as if it were our own”. Our broad array of specialised capabilities include: - Board Advisory - Start-up, Scale-up and Turnarounds - Credit/Business Risk Management - Corporate Governance, including Risk Committee Establishment/Chair - Regulator Engagement (FCA & SRA) - Business Strategy - Global Transformation Change - Change Management - Mentoring/Coaching - Mergers & Acquisitions - Technical Strategies & Architecture - Virtual Personal Assistant Services

Manuka Money is a whole of market FCA regulated brokerage focused purely on our customers and finding them the best possible outcomes. Services include; - Residential Mortgages (1st time buyer, remortgage, moving home, 2nd home) - But-To-Let Mortgages (purchase, remortgage) - Equity Release - 2nd Charge Loans - Unsecured Loans - Life Insurance - Critical Illness Insurance - Income Protection Insurance

Interim secondment as the CEO of Credit Kite and regulated personal insolvency practice.

Director, board member and member of the group risk committee. Reporting directly in to the Group CEO.

Interim secondment as the CEO of Quanta Law a regulated ABS law firm. Approved person with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Key deliverables in 8 month period include; - Recruitment of executive and multi tier management team including; COLP, COFA, Operations, Supervising Solicitors. - Set up board and risk & compliance committees. - Lexcel (equivalent) audit and accreditation. - Implementation of new CRM and customer end to end journey. - Onboarding of c8,000 new clients. - Practice funding of £2m. - Disbursement funding of £8m. - Future receivables of £32m.

Director and shareholder. Member of the group board and group risk committee, executive management team. Reported directly in to the group CEO CF1 and an approved person with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). One Advice Group was the UK’s leading provider of insolvency and legal solutions in the UK through a combination of acquisitions and organic growth. Subsidiary firms within the group include Harrington Brooks, One Advice, Ask Finance and Open Door Legal Services. These firms were regulated by the FCA, SRA, IPA, MoJ and ICO. Responsible for the group B2C and B2B client acquisition and distribution strategy, marketing, introducers, all regulated advice, external relations, PR, commercial partners and in-house legal counsel. Additional responsibilities taken on during my tenure included; client welcome team, customer services, client retention, customer experience, business change and management information.

Director and shareholder. Member of the board and risk committee. Reported directly in to the group CEO. COFA (Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration) and an approved person with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). OpenDoor was a subsidiary of One Advice Group that provided "free of charge" legal advice to all group insolvency customers as well as a range of financial claim services to the UK market. Led a business transformation programme delivering over 100% increase in EBIT in one year. Workstreams included; process re-engineering, new system integration, management restructure, business rebranding, acquisition strategy.

Director and member of the board and risk committee. Reported directly in to the group Chairman; John Goodfellow (ex CEO of Skipton Building Society). I grew the business to become one of the largest claims management companies in the UK generating an annual turnover of £30m and profit of £10m. Responsibilities of the role included P&L, marketing, client contact, sales, operations, collections, compliance, governance, recruitment, training, systems and PR. Leadership for over 350 FTE over three sites in the North West and Yorkshire and ownership of the £15m annual marketing budget invested in channels such as digital, press, radio and TV. Ranked no 1 by Google for claim related natural search terms.