Our team

One of the strengths of Granary Investment Partners is that we have access to a pool of experienced food people who, in addition to being prepared to invest in businesses, are able to provide additional expertise both in assessing potential investments but also to Investee businesses in terms of experience and contacts.  

Mark Lister, Founder

Mark has over 20 years’ experience as a corporate finance advisor in the Yorkshire marketwith KPMG, PKF and BDO and headed PKF’s Northern Corporate Finance team for 10 years. In this role he has primarily focussed on servicing the SME market on acquisitions, disposals and fundraisings.  He has experience of a wide variety of sectors including food and drink where clients advised included Glisten plc, Chaucer Foods and Crystal Drinks. In addition to Granary Mark currently runs a small corporate finance boutique, Roisin Ban Advisory Partners.  In addition to being an investor Mark will co-ordinate the activities of Granary and project manage the investments.

Simon Wright, Partner 

 Simon Wright is founder of OF+ Consulting. Since 1986 Simon has specialised in the manufacturing, retailing, legislation and marketing of sustainable food, working with companies throughout Europe and in the USA. Clients range from local manufacturers of organic foods through to one of the UK’s largest multiple retailers. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology, a Member of the Guild of Food Writers and editor of The Handbook of Organic and Fairtrade Food Marketing and of The Handbook of Organic Food Processing and Production. He sits on the Certification Committee of the Fairtrade Foundation and is also Chair of the Quality Food Awards judging panel, a member of the Food Matters Free From judging panel, a founding member of the Organic Trade Board and a member of Slow Food UK. Most recently Simon has been appointed to the pool of organic advisers to the European Commission and made a Member of the Academy of Chocolate.

Dave Brooks, Partner

 Dave has over 25 years experience in the food industry, most notably as the Chief Executive of AIM-listed Finsbury Food Group plc until late 2008. Having joined Brake Bros in 1989, he spent 8 years there within the Manufacturing Division as it grew from 2 sites and £8m turnover, to 9 sites with sales exceeding £100m. He left to re-join his ex-boss from Brakes to buy in to Memory Lane Cakes in 1997. By 2002, a business making a £2m loss on sales of £33m in 1997, had been turned around to create a £2m profit on sales of £38m - at which point, the businesses floated by reversing into a cash shell. Over the next 6 years, through a combination of strong organic growth and a series of acquisitions, the Finsbury Food Group grew to £180m sales, 3,000 staff, and earnings of £10m. Since stepping down from Finsbury, Dave has carried out a portfolio career with a range of advisory, non executive, and part time executive roles including an entertaining spell as Chief Executive of Sussex Cricket from 2009 to 2012. Over his career, he has developed an extensive knowledge of the food sector, a strong operational background, and an intimate knowledge of how to complete deals.