Investment Team
Issam Hamid
Andrew Woodhouse
Alex Loudon
Omer Maqsood
Issam is Managing Partner, leads investor relations and post-acquisition work, and is engaged across deal origination, and deal execution. Prior to Abercross, Issam was Chief Investment Officer of SEDCO Holding where he managed large, global portfolios, and before that worked in senior positions at McKinsey and Shell across Asia, Europe and Latin America, as well as serving on various boards in the UK, Middle East and Asia. Issam was educated at the London School of Economics and has an MBA from the University of Warwick, winning prestigious merit scholarships at both universities.
Andrew is an Operating Partner (part-time). Prior to Abercross, Andrew was a director of corporate finance and development at SABMiller plc, where for 15 years he helped shape its global business through acquisitions, mergers and disposals; and before that was a director in transaction services at PwC. Andrew is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and received an MBA from Henley Management College and a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University of Warwick.
Alex is an Operating Partner (part-time) and supports investment origination, execution, and post acquisition work. Prior to Abercross, Alex co-founded Power of Boxing (of which he still serves on the Board), worked as a senior executive in the global corporate finance team at SABMiller plc, and before that gained corporate finance experience at Bristow Group, Hawkpoint, and Caledonia Investments. Alex began his career as a professional cricketer playing county and international cricket. Alex was educated at the University of Durham, and has an MBA with finance concentration from London Business School.
Omer leads the Dubai Office for Abercross. He has over 10 years experience in real estate development and investment management. Omer has held board positions for two US real estate investment vehicles holding portfolios worth US$170m and currently sits on the boards of Landmark Arabia, one of the largest fashion retailer groups in the Middle East, and Retailo, a leading retail tech company in the MENA region. Prior to Abercross, Omer served in various senior positions at KPMG and Capitas Group.
Advisory Board
Gerald Corbett
Lord Strathclyde
Tim Farazmand
Gerald was educated at Cambridge University, and London and Harvard Business Schools. He has over 30 years of experience at leading UK businesses as a senior executive, chairman and board member, including at: the MCC (Chairman), Britvic Plc (Chairman), Redland plc (CFO), Grand Metropolitan plc (CFO), Railtrack (CEO), MEPC plc (NED), Burmah Castrol plc (NED), Greencore plc (NED), Woolworths Group (Chairman), Numis (Chairman), Towry Group (Chairman), Moneysupermarket.com (Chairman), SSL International (Chairman).
Tom has almost 30 years of senior government experience in the UK, including: Minister for Tourism (1989), Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries in the Scottish Office (1990-92), Privy Council member (1995), Leader of the House of Lords for the Conservative Party (1998), Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (2010). He won Channel 4 Peer of the Year 2000, and Spectator Peer of the Year 2004. He has served on the Boards of the Scottish Mortgage Investment Fund, Marketform, Hampden Agencies Ltd and other businesses.
Tim was educated at Cambridge University. He has nearly 30 years of experience in private equity in the UK and has served as Chairman of the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) in 2014-15. Tim has served on numerous boards as well as in senior exec positions at 3i plc, Royal Bank Private Equity and latterly LDC (the private equity arm of Lloyds Bank) where he was the Managing Director until 2015. Tim now Chairs the Palatine Impact Fund, is a member of the LMS plc Investment Committee and the Advisory Board of Beechbrook Capital.