Ceres Ventures - A Business Acceleration Company

OUR TEAM

Our approach is to create ad hoc and flexible networks of professional resources focused on results. Therefore, for certain assignments we will create an operating team that includes specialised skills from our network of contacts. This allows us to engage some of the best and brightest experts in specific areas when appropriate. We have a wide network of people we work with on a regular basis. This approach enables us to deliver cost effective solutions utilising best of class resources. At all times Ceres remains in full control of the resources required for the assignment as well as the ultimately deliver of the agreed service.

Niel Barnard, Founding Partner

Niel has over 20 years of senior executive experience in the global forest and related products industry and held a number of managing, executive and non-executive directorships in international businesses located in UK, South Africa, Denmark and Belgium.
He has operated throughout industry supply chains (resource development to retail) and has extensive hands-on experience in strategic repositioning, new business development, team building and operational improvement and has also been responsible for a number of successful corporate venture backed start-ups and divestments. He has participated in both raising and allocating capital required for start up, expansion and development and acquisition projects ranging in size from £1-50 million either as promoter, advisor or internal investment committee member.

In 1999 he co-founded Grenadier Capital LTD a corporate advisory and Private Equity boutique who have advised on hostile takeovers, public and family business disposals to trade and venture capital investors as well as managing GDCF1, a development capital fund targeting the UK SME sector.

Jim Sheffield

Jim is a corporate financier with extensive international experience in helping companies create value through the development of workable solutions to their financial needs. He has extensive experience working on cross-border transactions using highly developed intercultural skills to work effectively with multi-national teams and initiatives including providing macro and micro level analysis and advice on foreign direct investments for European and US sponsors. His work involved arranging and advising on a wide range of financial products including structured loans, asset-based loans, project financings and trade finance facilities. In addition, he has worked on complex restructurings, mergers and acquisition and venture capital investments. Prior to Ceres, Jim was a Vice President with a merchant banking division of HSBC Investment Banking and Markets in London. More recently he has applied his finance skills, analytical abilities and business experience to helping early stage companies successfully develop their business plans, raise funding to launch operations and support their creation, transfer and realisation of value. Jim has highly developed financial analysis skills and is experienced at guiding companies through the many legal processes and financial work required to raise funds or transfer value.

Jim has worked throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. He holds a Bachelors degree in Finance and a Masters degree in International Business.

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