About us

Terry Smith graduated in History from University College Cardiff in 1974. He worked for Barclays Bank from 1974-83 and became an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in 1976. He obtained an MBA at The Management College, Henley in 1979. He became a stockbroker with W Greenwell & Co in 1984 and was the top-rated bank analyst in London from 1984-89. In 1990 he became head of UK Company Research at UBS Phillips & Drew, a position from which he was dismissed in 1992 following the publication of his best selling book Accounting for Growth. He joined Collins Stewart shortly after, and became a director in 1996. In 2000 he became Chief Executive and led the management buy-out of Collins Stewart, which was floated on the London Stock Exchange five months later. In 2003 Collins Stewart acquired Tullett Liberty and followed this in 2004 with the acquisition of Prebon Group, creating the world's second largest inter-dealer broker. Collins Stewart and Tullett Prebon were demerged in 2006 with Terry remaining CEO of Tullett Prebon until September 2014. In 2010 he founded Fundsmith where he is CEO and CIO. In 2012 he was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to New Zealand-UK relations following the success of his campaign to commemorate the New Zealander, Air Marshal Sir Keith Park.

Julian Robins started his career with the stockbroking firm EB Savory Milln in 1984. From 1987 until 1999, he worked for BZW and after their takeover of BZW’s equity business in 1998, CSFB. Between 1988 and 1993 he was BZW’s senior bank analyst in London, from 1993 until 1999, he worked as an institutional salesman in New York. In 1999 he was one of the founders of Collins Stewart’s New York office. He has a 1st class degree in Modern History from Christ Church, Oxford.

Mark Laurence began his career as a transport sector investment analyst with stockbrokers Kitcat and Aitken, before moving to WI Carr and then Smith New Court plc. In 1997, he joined Collins Stewart plc and helped develop the group leading up to its MBO and IPO in 2000. Since 2001, Mark has pursued a career in fund management helping to found Fundsmith in 2010. Mark is also a Non-Executive Director of Dart Group PLC and a governor of Bryanston School in Dorset.

Simon Godwin is an experienced Chief Financial Officer, having experience in both the financial services and property sectors. Simon qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte Haskins & Sells. Whilst there, he focused on financial services companies, including banks and leasing companies. Having qualified, he moved to the Corporate Finance division of Schroders in 1992. During his time there, he completed a large number of acquisitions, disposals and capital raisings, both equity and debt, across a number of sectors. In 2004, he joined BNP Paribas where he lead the UK private equity advisory practice. On leaving banking in 2007, Simon became CFO of Real Office Group plc, an AIM listed company focused on interior fit outs which was bid for in 2008. Simon moved to Legacy Portfolio, which has structured a product to transfer the risk from, and minimise the cost of, surplus leases for corporates.

Paul was previously CFO at IG Group Holdings Plc, Group Finance Director at Tullett Prebon Plc, Group Finance Director at Mowlem Plc, and Group Finance Director at TDG Plc. Paul started his career with Price Waterhouse in London. He received an undergraduate degree from the University of Leeds and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management.