Page 43 - Powerlist 2019 - Digital Edition

Wol Kolade
Managing Partner, Livingbridge

Wol Kolade is a veteran investor who plans to spend
£1billion on small businesses over the next five years. He
joined Livingbridge in January 1993 and is managing partner
of the business which now has assets of £2.1billion under Business, Corporates, Financiers & Entrepreneurs
management. His role encompasses overall responsibility
for the strategic development of Livingbridge, and active
involvement in investments.
As Chairman of the Guys and St Thomas charity, he
was one of the people responsible for rejecting a £400,000
donation from the now infamous men’s-only Presidents Club
which was closed down after an expose by the Financial
Times revealed how some guests behaved inappropriately
towards hostesses. He described the revelations as a “horror
story” as the charity came under fire for initially accepting
the donation.
The charismatic financier initially trained as an engineer,
having studied civil and structural engineering at Kings
College, London. After obtaining an MBA at the University
of Exeter, he spent three years with Barclays in various head
office roles before joining Livingbridge.
Wol was previously a Chairman of the British Private
Sandra Wallace Equity and Venture Capital Association in 2007/08, a
UK Managing Partner, DLA Piper Council Member from 2002 to 2009 and Chairman of the
Responsible Investment Advisory Board in 2009/10.
Over the years he has made 120 investments. The
Formidable lawyer Sandra is DLA Piper’s UK Managing company’s current crop of 40 firms includes chic restaurant
Partner and has been with the company since graduating group Rhubarb, e-tailor In the Style and a robotics developer
in 1992. She became a partner in 2001 and was appointed to working on software that could replace repetitive clerical
her current role in 2017. That year she was instrumental in tasks, which has the potential to change the world of work.
launching the Careers Pathways initiative – designed to help In addition, he is a Governor and Former Council Member
lawyers as their careers progress from Associate through to of the London School of Economics and Political Science and
Partner. She is also developing the firm’s Partner Life Cycle a former non-executive Director of Social Finance.
which supports the firm’s Partners through to retirement. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University
In November 2017 when it was announced that Juan Picon, of Exeter in 2014.
Global Co-Chair of DLA Piper, and also Country Managing
Partner for Spain, would be leaving the firm, Sandra helped
make the transition as smooth as possible.
As Managing Director responsible for Spain, she had to
manage this development – Picon left with immediate effect
after 18 months – and work closely with the Spanish team to
ensure continuity and support the local team along with her
executive colleagues.
Sandra has been clear in reinforcing the importance of
regional and UK city offices and understands the need for
strong regional support in the firm’s One UK vision. In
November 2017, Sandra was asked by CityUK to become the
Birmingham regional chair of City UK, one of only seven
other regional chairs appointed by the organisation.
Sandra helped lead the move to new DLA Piper offices
in Manchester and Liverpool and (as the Powerlist went to
press) was planning a new flagship office move in London.
In March 2018 the Law Society recognised Sandra’s
contribution to the legal profession by awarding her their
first Leadership Award in the Birmingham Law Society
Awards ceremony.
Sandra has a market-leading reputation, advising a
portfolio of UK and multi-national businesses including
NCR, Hilton, Genting and Avon. Her current remit is to lead
the 2,000 legal and business services staff that are based in
the UK’s seven major centres.

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