The Ascot Group has appointed a new Finance Director and a corporate lawyer to its board.
Ernst Young (EY) trained chartered accountant Ashley Cartman joins as Group Finance Director, while Charles Cook, a specialist corporate and M&A lawyer, has become a non-executive director.
Ashley has enjoyed a career that spans Debenhams PLC and Momentum Financial Technology as well as running his own accountancy practice. He holds a Diploma in Strategy and Innovation from Said Business School (University of Oxford) and specialises in high-growth companies.
Charles Cook is a well-known corporate lawyer who specialises in mergers and acquisitions. He has a portfolio of board positions including the Bristol Private Equity Club and he recently sold the solicitors’ practice he founded, Cook & Co, which employed 25 staff.
Charles said;
“I have worked with the Ascot Group’s CEO Andrew Scott on several projects over the last ten years and witnessed his business grow from a small start-up to a major group of companies employing 70 staff. I’m delighted to join the board and support the business as it grows.”
The Ascot Group was founded in 2004 when Andrew Scott launched Purplex, a strategic marketing consultancy firm. He went on to launch Insight Data in 2007, Business Leader Magazine in 2012 and Ascot Ventures, which supports start-up and scale-up businesses through investment and business support.
Andrew commented:
“We have an experienced and talented team at The Ascot Group but we wanted to strengthen the board as part of our longer-term growth plans. Ashley and Charles will work more strategically with me to develop our own business and identify new opportunities and potential acquisitions.”
