Meet the Board

Non-Executive Director, Cuvva and Seratio

I am the co-founder of Augmentors Partners, an advisory firm devoted to supporting entrepreneurs and their early stage companies. I am also a Director of several technology startups and an active angel investor.

My interest in social enterprise stems from an observation that many private sector companies lack a strong social purpose and many third sector organisations lack the commercial capability.

I believe the growth of the social enterprise sector can play a key role in achieving a fairer society in which economic growth and welfare of citizens are not seen as incompatible goals. I served for over ten years as a member of the Executive Team at Wood Mackenzie, where I led large teams, acquisitions and integrations.

I hold an MBA from the Open University and I am currently pursuing the Chartered Director qualification with the Institute of Directors.

Founder of Bike for Good

I am a really proud founder and Cycling Enthusiast Officer (CEO) of Bike for Good, a charity that has helped thousands of individuals to get into cycling over the last 10 years.  I became a social entrepreneur but my new desire is to support the community into cycling. Social entrepreneurship is my passion and I am pleased to work with a passionate team that changes lives through cycling, improving well-being and the environment.  It is only after five years running my social enterprise that I have realised the impact of this kind of organisation on changing the world. Since then my personal mission has been to support as many social enterprises as possible. I believe that even the most unethical business in the world has the potential to become a social enterprise.

Busy, married, with two weans. Not to worry, regular exercise such as yoga and cycling, as well a bit of mediation keeps me sane.

Director of The Franchise Company

Having been brought up as part of a small business family it was natural for me to start my career working in the business sector and as a result of joining one of the UK’s leading franchise organisations I developed an expertise in franchising and scaling businesses.

A friend then introduced me to the Social Enterprise sector and that led me to working with a number of social enterprises within the UK and internationally to support them to scale through social franchising.

As a result of working with a number of social enterprises based in Edinburgh, I became aware of the vibrant social enterprise culture within Scotland and specifically the work of the Social Enterprise Academy. After applying for a trustee role, I was invited to join the board at the end of 2019.

My experience with working with the Social Enterprise Academy so far has been challenging and rewarding. Weeks after attending the first board meeting the country went into lockdown with Covid 19 The Academy team stepped forward to transform what has largely been an organisation delivering face to face programmes to developing a virtual delivery system within a matter of weeks.

My initial reflections are that I’m working with a vibrant and innovative organisation with the strongest values that’s focused on developing and supporting the leaders of the Social Enterprise sector within the UK and internationally. I’m running fast to keep up and to understand the role of trustee within the charity sector and to date the whole experience has been an amazing learning curve working with a fabulous group of people who are gifted, a joy to work with, and gracefully supportive to their rookie trustees.

In the early 1990s, I was a member of the investment banking division of Swiss Bank Corporation in London. In 1995, I joined global strategy consultants Bain & Company in London, where I worked on a wide range of strategy and private equity projects.

In 2002 I swapped London for Edinburgh and joined SL Capital, the private equity business of Standard Life Investments. There I was a partner and a member of the investment committee with a focus on co-investments and manager selection. Since 2015, I have worked independently on private equity projects and as a business mentor and non-executive.

I speak fluent Dutch and proficient German. Outside work, I am a motorcycle enthusiast and an occasional silversmith. I am also a runner and I have an interest in architecture and digital leadership.

Julie is a coach, facilitator and consultant with a global portfolio and over 25 years of Organisational Change experience. Her passion is working with individuals, teams and Boards – typically through transition periods – to support insights, learning and positive action.

Julie works to build long-lasting results with her clients, getting underneath surface symptoms to address root-cause issues. In her practice, she works with a range of tools including appreciative inquiry, reflective writing, somatic/body work and leadership theory.

Her client portfolio is varied and includes supporting transformation and strategic growth in companies such as: CIPD, Scottish Ballet, Lyell Centre (Heriot Watt University), British Geological Survey, Mazda Europe, Scottish Refugee Council and MindTools.

Julie is co-chair of Scottish Games Week steering committee and a Trustee of The Social Enterprise Academy. She has recently taken up a strategic partner role as Head of Coaching for CLO100 .

Other areas of interest: Founder of “Write Nights” creative writing sessions & retreat. Founder of the Facilitation Shindig – Development spaces for practitioners who want to develop their facilitation skills. Associate Faculty, People & OD, for Manchester University and regular contributor to Training Journal.

Julie lives in Edinburgh with her family and dogs. She writes, paddleboards and wild swims regularly.

Jahangir is an academic leader and entrepreneur specialising in strategy and enterprise. With a profound commitment to the social enterprise agenda, he pioneered an innovative entrepreneurial program in Scottish prisons that equips inmates with essential business skills. This initiative not only reduces reoffending rates but also fosters economic independence, highlighting his dedication to creating transformative social impact.

In addition, he founded an offshoring company aimed at providing a safe and harassment-free workplace for women, addressing systemic barriers prevalent in many regions. This initiative empowers skilled women to thrive professionally while delivering high-quality outsourcing solutions to global businesses.

Jahangir is honoured to serve on the board of the Social Enterprise Academy, and to represent the values and mission of the organisation.