Meet the Team

Bob Brown

Having spent 15 years working initially as an accountant, then in sales and export, Bob has good all round business skills. Following his departure from the engineering sector in the early 90’s, he spent a couple of years importing German wine, a business from which he then exited.

In 1994, Bob set up his own business advising on financial planning and over the past four years, he has specialised, more recently with business partner Brian Viner, in advising entrepreneurs on exit and succession planning. “We consider ourselves business doctors,” he smiles. “Much like the house doctor on TV - we do pre due-diligence work to get the business ready to be seen by potential buyers.” Bob explains that the pair takes a “people orientated approach” helping clients to identify what they are passionate about and how they particularly add value to the business so that they can maximise the impact of the entrepreneur.

Bob himself regularly travels to Canada for coaching and to learn profit improvement, motivation, team building and delegation techniques and applies these within his client companies. “Motivation is incredibly powerful,” he says. “If everyone’s motivated to achieve the same goals within a company then it’s more attractive to potential buyers.

If I had one word of advice for companies it would be think about how you want to exit as early as possible as longer term planning will maximise returns.”

Brian Viner

Brian spent the first thirty years of his working life in his family business, Viners Ltd, a publicly quoted international cutlery and silverware company in Sheffield. The family sold the business in 1983.

Brian then set up a business to manufacture warm air hand dryers and washroom and hygiene products which were sold throughout the UK and in some 14 overseas markets. This company was sold in 1990.

In 1990 Brian entered the financial services industry as a self employed financial adviser, first as a tied agent and since 1998 as a successful independent financial adviser.

Always looking for new and original ways to solve his clients problems two years ago he joined Bob Brown to apply his skills as a mentor and coach. More recently he has assisted in the formation of “Exit and Succession Facilitation Ltd”.

Brian says “we are very different from the majority of the people in our field as we like to work with our clients over a number of years to ensure that all the obstacles to a successful exit or succession have been removed before it is actioned. This ensures a successful outcome and the best possible price being obtained for our clients.

Sarah Brown

Sarah is a highly successful Strategic Consultant. Former Sales and Marketing Director of DynoRod, she was responsible for radically increasing turnover and profit, and has consulted for many household names including BT, ICL and Colgate Palmolive.

Sarah is an authority on the importance of values in business, corporate responsibility and how businesses can work together. Sarah is a creative problem solver, with an ability to bring a fresh and original perspective, using quirky/witty and thought provoking insights. She is also an experienced facilitator and trainer, skilled at handling demanding audiences and inspiring people to achieve their dreams.