Team - Ancora

We are a group of senior professionals who have started, led, grown, acquired and sold dozens of businesses across a variety of sectors.

Today, we work with founders, owners, and leaders of SMEs, supporting them in their own journey to grow their businesses.

Our hands on experience means we are well placed to understanding the challenges that business owners face when looking to grow in a sustainable way.

Our approach can help avoid the common pitfalls and we can share the strategies that have worked successfully for us in our own businesses.

We have a collegiate and supportive, yet challenging approach to working with our clients.

Over 20 years ago, our Founder Marcia Marini joined a start-up health consultancy and led its growth from zero to £20m in 7 years. She enjoyed that growth journey and many others.

In 2012, Marcia started Ancora as a boutique outfit dedicated to working with SMEs. Since then, we have helped hundreds of brilliant entrepreneurs and leaders of SMEs in their growth journeys. We have also helped many to achieve the sale of their businesses.

Marcia believes in long-lasting, trusting, win-win relationships. She has developed close links with a group of senior Associates - some of them with similar and others with complementary background and experience to hers.

These Associates join Marcia in her work with her clients, as and when it makes sense.

Associates

Our Associates have all been senior business leaders and worked extensively with SMEs.

Together, we have started, led, grown and sold businesses in a variety of sectors. We believe that SMEs are not small ‘large-companies’ and that each SME is unique and require bespoke solution.

We have been ‘in our clients shoes’ and understand the challenges they face to grow their businesses.

We help them avoid the common pitfalls and the mistakes we’ve made, and we share the strategies that worked for us and that we have seen working for others.

Shirley has held senior executive and non-executive positions in both the public and private sector, having established Boards, and subsequently worked with them to determine their governance and management arrangements.

Stephanie Hughes was a presenter on BBC national TV and radio for 18 years, communicating her insights and passions from the most intimate radio programmes to flag-waving international broadcasts.

Claire is a commercially minded HR professional who has over 30 years’ experience developing HR processes, systems and initiatives to meet the needs of large and growing businesses.

Brad works with SMEs at the intersection of Information Systems, Operations Management and Change Management, and is an enthusiastic advocate for understanding how businesses organise themselves around their core business processes.

Juliet is a Chartered Accountant and a Board level finance professional. Over the past 25 years she has held senior level roles in several SMEs – including as Finance Director and CFO.

Rachael is a senior management professional with 20 years operational and strategic experience, including as Board Director.
She is a talented leader and manager of people.

Almas is the Founder and Creative Director of Maisha Design – a London-based interior design practice renowned for its timelessly elegant and luxurious design solutions for both commercial and residential projects.

Daniella has held senior consulting, advisory and managerial roles for a wide range of organisations, from small businesses to multinational corporates and government bodies.

We are a group of senior professionals who have started, led, grown, acquired and sold dozens of businesses across a variety of sectors.

Today, we work with founders, owners, and leaders of SMEs, supporting them in their own journey to grow their businesses.

Over 20 years ago, our Founder Marcia Marini joined a start-up health consultancy and led its growth from zero to £20m in 7 years. She enjoyed that growth journey and many others.

In 2012, Marcia started Ancora as a boutique outfit dedicated to working with SMEs. Since then, we have helped hundreds of brilliant entrepreneurs and leaders of SMEs in their growth journeys. We have also helped many to achieve the sale of their businesses.

Associates

Our Associates have all been senior business leaders and worked extensively with SMEs.

Together, we have started, led, grown and sold businesses in a variety of sectors. We believe that SMEs are not small ‘large-companies’ and that each SME is unique and require bespoke solution.

We have been ‘in our clients shoes’ and understand the challenges they face to grow their businesses.

We help them avoid the common pitfalls and the mistakes we’ve made, and we share the strategies that worked for us and that we have seen working for others.

Shirley Williams

Stephanie Hughes

Claire Ritchie

Brad Poulson

Juliet Lack

Rachael McGrath

Almas Shamsee

Daniella Carneiro

#SME BEE

Book an informal chat with Marcia and
see how she can help your business.

BACK TO TOP

We are a group of senior professionals who have started, led, grown, acquired and sold dozens of businesses across a variety of sectors.

Today, we work with founders, owners, and leaders of SMEs, supporting them in their own journey to grow their businesses.

Over 20 years ago, our Founder Marcia Marini joined a start-up health consultancy and led its growth from zero to £20m in 7 years. She enjoyed that growth journey and many others.

In 2012, Marcia started Ancora as a boutique outfit dedicated to working with SMEs. Since then, we have helped hundreds of brilliant entrepreneurs and leaders of SMEs in their growth journeys. We have also helped many to achieve the sale of their businesses.

Associates

Our Associates have all been senior business leaders and worked extensively with SMEs. Together, we have started, led, grown and sold businesses in a variety of sectors. We believe that SMEs are not small ‘large-companies’ and that each SME is unique and require bespoke solution.

We have been ‘in our clients shoes’ and understand the challenges they face to grow their businesses.We help them avoid the common pitfalls and the mistakes we’ve made, and we share the strategies that worked for us and that we have seen working for others.

Shirley Williams

Stephanie Hughes

Claire Ritchie

Brad Poulson

Juliet Lack

Rachael McGrath

Almas Shamsee

Daniella Carneiro

#SME BEE

Book an informal chat with Marcia andsee how she can help your business.

BACK TO TOP

Our Associates have all been senior business leaders and worked extensively with SMEs.

Together, we have started, led, grown and sold businesses in a variety of sectors. We believe that SMEs are not small ‘large-companies’ and that each SME is unique and require bespoke solution.

We have been ‘in our clients shoes’ and understand the challenges they face to grow their businesses.

We help them avoid the common pitfalls and the mistakes we’ve made, and we share the strategies that worked for us and that we have seen working for others.

Book an informal chat with Marcia and
see how she can help your business.