Michael Wort, Non-Executive Chairman
Background and suitability for the role: Michael Wort is a life science communications expert and former life sciences CEO (large to start-up). He graduated in microbiology and lectured to science undergraduates in both the UK and Nigeria. He joined the pharmaceutical industry, working in a number of senior sales, marketing and clinical roles for Glaxo, SmithKline, and Wellcome in the UK and overseas.
Michael Wort was appointed IR Manager for Wellcome, where he helped organise its global roadshow for a £2.4bn secondary offering. Michael Wort has managed over 20 IPOs and secondary raisings bringing in well in excess of £600m, He has consulted on and conducted M&A and DD in the life science sector and developed disaster recovery programmes for SME companies.
Michael Wort worked with Deutsche Bank to privatise the Bulgarian pharmaceutical industry. As the CEO of Balkanpharma, Michael Wort led the consolidation of the three key assets into one cohesive unit. Balkanpharma has, through a series of M&A activities, become a significant part of NYSE listed Allergan.
Formerly MD at De Facto Communications, Bell Pottinger’s healthcare offering, Michael Wort retired from Walbrook, the UK’s most successful SME PR/IR agency and subsequently joined ACF Equity Research as a consultant and became ACF’s non-executive Chairman in 2019. In addition, Michael has co-founded a number of life science start-up companies in Europe and the USA.
Current external appointments: Michael Wort sits on the board of Diaceutics PLC and is Executive Chairman of Texadon Oil and Gas PLC
Christopher Nicholson – Managing Director
Background and suitability for the role: Christopher Nicholson is a financial analyst, entrepreneur, professionally qualified equestrian and amateur eventer. He trained as a financial analyst at Global US based fund manager Legg Mason Investors and at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). He was head of Technology and Media Equity Research at Bryan Garnier, a pan-European investment bank and brokerage and worked for Eurotunnel in a Head Office role in Business Administration when it was a project company. He worked as a law and finance researcher for an MP who was special advisor to the then Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Christopher Nicholson founded ORACA Independent Equity Research a ground-breaking highly independent thinking large-cap secondary commission investment research business and ACF Equity Research, a very high-quality independent issuer-pays nano, micro, small and mid-cap investment research business. Christopher Nicholson opened his first corporate finance business (Destrier Partners) several years ago.
For 11 years Christopher Nicholson broadcasted as an expert investment research analyst guest and wrote regularly in the leading pan-European and international media including Bloomberg Television, BBC Radio 4 and the Financial Times.
Christopher Nicholson studied Biochemistry and Microbiology at Kings College London, followed by mathematical Economics at LSE. He can conduct business in English and French, speaks German and has a basic knowledge of Spanish and Italian.
Current external appointments: Christopher Nicholson is a Board Director of ORACA Ltd, a Partner of Destrier LLP, a Board Director of Destrier Partners Ltd and a Board Director of Hawk & Lion Ltd..
Amalia Barnoschi – Head of Operations
Background and suitability for the role: Amalia Barnoschi co-leads and is Head of Operations at ACF Equity Research having joined at its founding. Amalia Barnoschi started her career in financial services in 2007 on the sell-side with ORACA Limited, a large-cap independent equity research business that changed the industry. Before financial services Amalia Barnoschi was a successful and rapidly promoted young manager in manufacturing. Amalia Barnoschi has worked closely at board level for over 15 years with SMEs in the City and in other financial markets. Amalia Barnoschi is highly IT literate and runs ACF’s IT operations.
Amalia Barnoschi is bilingual English/Romanian, reads Italian and is working towards her accountancy ACCA qualification with AAT.
Current external appointments: None
Renas Sidahmed – Head of ESG / Staff Analyst
Background and suitability for the role: Renas Sidahmed is the Head of ESG and a Staff Analyst at ACF Equity Research and has been with the firm for 4 years. Renas has an MBA and BA in Mathematics from Smith College (sister Ivy League) Renas worked for four years with the IMF, two and half years with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), eight months with the World Bank in Washington, DC and Mitsubishi Bank in London. Renas has written award winning research notes and met with senior politicians in developed and less developed economies. Renas’ sector expertise includes natural resources (particularly oil & gas) healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, infrastructure and investment portfolio management. Renas speaks six languages including English (native), Italian, French and Arabic.
Current external appointments: None