Our team

Jens Tholstrup

Executive Chairman

Jens is Executive Chairman of Oxford Innovation Finance, Development Director SQW Group and Senior Advisor, Oxford Economics. Previously, was…

…Managing Director UK, Oxford Economics, Executive Director, Oxford Analytica and Executive Director UBS. Jens holds a MA in PPE and an MSc in Economic History, both from the University of Oxford. Jens is a trustee of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and Chair of Governor’ of St Clare’s. He is NED of Advanced Oxford and Venturefest Oxfordshire. He has been an active investor for many years and is a member of the investment committee of two UK charities.

Richard Cooper

Managing Director

Richard has been working with early stage companies for the past twenty years, both in the UK and Australia in both a funding and business advisory capacity…

…Having developed two early stage software companies himself, he has advised on hundreds of early stage companies to develop their growth strategies and raise them funding as a result. This allows Richard to be able to identify companies with strong growth potential and advise them if needed. Richard has an MSc in Marketing from the University of Leicester and post graduate qualifications in applied finance and project management. Richard also has a CFA Certificate in Investment Management and the foundation course in Private Equity from the Australian Venture Capital Association.

Eileen Modral

Investment Manager

Eileen is a finance and innovation specialist with over 25 years’ experience in fundraising and venture development, focused on high-growth technology in deep tech…

…sectors or that have a strong barrier to entry. Formerly a Board Member of Venturefest Oxford and currently on Oxford Innovation Finance’s angel network selection panel, she combines financial rigour with a passion for inclusive innovation and is FCA regulated (SMF17). Eileen is also an active mentor for international, women-led tech businesses and has personally invested in ventures delivering social and environmental impact. Over her time at Oxford Innovation, Eileen has worked with a great number of technology business to raise equity investment through the angel network. She also supports the investment committee of a local community charity and serves as a school governor.

Chris Oliver

Investment Manager

Chris is an investment manager who has worked in a number of different fields of finance within the last 15 years. During this time…

…he has operated within Fund Management, Private Equity, Business Advisory and Audit. Chris started his career within Fund Management, managing two funds along with a significant portfolio of legacy investee companies. He then spent some time in accountancy before returning to the faster pace of Investment Management and, notably, working with early-stage companies to secure investment for the last 10 years. Now as the Investment Principal at Oxford Innovation Finance, he covers both the Investment Network and EIS Fund, utilising his experience to identify tomorrow’s breakthrough businesses and support them in raising the investment they need to fuel the next stage of their journey. Chris has a degree in Business Economics from the University of Leicester and holds a certificate in Corporate Finance via the Chartered Institute of Securities & Investment.’

Steve Piercy

Investment Network Manager

Steve has almost ten years’ experience of working with early stage companies. He divides his time working with both the Oxford Innovation…

…EIS Growth Fund and OION angel network. He’s a key point of contact for companies who are successful in receiving an offer to pitch at a Showcase. Steve also has experience in Marketing having previously worked within the Faculty of Business Marketing department at Oxford Brookes University. He has a BA (Hons) Business and Management degree and holds the Investment Management Certificate (IMC) from the CFA Society.

David Crichton-Miller

Board & Investment Committee Member

David is Chief Executive of SQW Group (Oxford Innovation Finance’s parent company) and a specialist in subjects relating to innovators and…

…entrepreneurs. SQW Group is uniquely qualified to find and support innovators and small businesses being both a UK market leading operator of innovation centres and incubators and also a UK market leading provider of business advice and support to small business. David’s background is in corporate finance at Morgan Stanley, as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and as an entrepreneur who raised venture capital to start (and successfully exit) his own business. He has also been and still is an advisor to a wide range of businesses as well as an investor in early stage businesses.

Kate Wright

Board Member & Compliance Officer

Kate works alongside David as Chief Financial Officer at SQW Group within which role she has a particular focus on risk and compliance…

…management. Prior to joining the group in 2016, Kate held a number of senior finance positions in high-growth SMEs – from early-stage to established AIM-listed companies – during which time she was instrumental in securing three successful exits, one of which – for a highly innovative diagnostics business – was to a US-listed multinational. Kate qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte during which time she specialised in working with technology-rich SMEs across the Thames Valley including leading the advisory work on two successful IPOs. Kate’s belief in the power and importance of supporting early-stage businesses in order to accelerate their growth and realise their potential led her to her current role working with SQW Group. level across a wide range of sectors and geographies. Philip led the Government’s Sigma Future Horizon Scanning Project. He is an angel investor and Advisor to Oxford Flow, a new tech University of Oxford spin out company. Philip read Engineering at University College, Oxford.