Investment Committee

Investment Committee

AXM’s Investment Committee plays a key part in the investment decision-making process. Its role is to provide an objective and informed viewpoint on investment propositions put forward by the Investment Managers. An Investment Committee decision to invest leads to a formal offer to the potential investee company in the form of a Term Sheet.

Nick Beare
Nick’s past experience includes O2, BBC Worldwide, PA Consulting Group and Liberty Global Inc. where he was Director of Investments. Nick is currently Director of Exodus Ventures and has wide experience in the Digital & Creative sector, having executed thirteen deals in early phase businesses as Principal: two in IT; five in the Digital Economy; and six in the Creative Sector. He also has ten years’ experience of business due diligence (35+ companies); investment negotiation (fifteen transactions); portfolio management including active board representation fourteen boards; managed four exits. He gained a BSc in Management Science from the University of Warwick and a PGDL from the College of Law.

John Handley
John is an experienced venture capital investor having spent the last 15 years in private equity. He has worked at Bridgepoint Capital (then Natwest Ventures), ECI, and latterly at Lloyds Development Capital where he was a Senior Director for seven years. He left LDC in September 2005 and is now part-time Financial Director of Maverick Television, an independent TV and media production company. John has a number of non-executive positions and lectures on private equity for the BVCA and others both in the UK and abroad. He is also a qualified chartered accountant.

Ian Livingstone
One of the founding fathers of the UK games industry, Ian co-founded Games Workshop and its retail stores, launched Dungeons & Dragons in Europe and served as Executive Chairman of Eidos Plc until 2002.  At Eidos he launched major franchises including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. He is Founder of The Livingstone Foundation, Chairman of Playdemic Ltd, Chairman of Midoki Ltd, Chairman of PlayMob Ltd, Chair of Skillset’s Video Games Council, Chair Next Gen Skills Committee, Vice Chair of UKIE, Member of the Creative Industries Council, Trustee of GamesAid and an Adviser to the British Council. He was appointed OBE in 2006, and received a BAFTA Special Award, a British Inspiration Award, the Develop Legend Award, an Honorary Doctorate of Arts by Bournemouth University and an Honorary Doctorate of Technology by Abertay University, Dundee for his contribution to the UK computer and video games industry. He was appointed CBE in the 2013 New Year Honours list.

Shawn Luetchens
Currently also an Investment Consultant to Johnson and Johnson Ventures, Shawn previously sat on the Investment Committee at Saffron Hill Ventures and was Investment Director at Tribune Ventures.