Professor Paul Palmer

Paul Palmer has extensive knowledge of charity financial, management and governance issues. He was a member of the Charity Commission SORP committee from 2000-2005. He acts as an independent consultant on charities to UBS Wealth Management, and an independent expert on charity dispute issues for courts and arbitration. He has appeared on television and radio, speaking on charity issues, and has also written 'practitioner' how to guides on charity finance for books and websites.

More recently his work has extended into the area of Corporate Social Responsibility having co-authored a book on socially responsible investment and completed a research project on responsible lending. He was elected Hon Treasurer of the CSR SIG of BAM in 2006. In 2008 he successfully led a BAM consortium bid for an ESRC seminar series on CSR. In 2009 he was asked to serve on the expert panel of the Ethical Investment Research Services (EIRIS)Charity Project. He also serves on the ethics panel of the Securities Investment Institute and the Corporate Responsibility Advisory Group of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

Graham Spooner

Graham is an experienced venture capitalist, corporate financier and non-executive director. His consultancy, Mentor UK, prepares emerging businesses and entrepreneurs to become investor ready for third party investment, including flotation on AIM. Also, Graham is an Associate at Amberley Advisory, a firm of corporate finance advisors, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

He is the editor of ‘Venture Capital and Private Equity: A Practitioner’s Manual’ and the author of ‘Raising Venture Capital’. He speaks regularly on these subjects at universities and business schools. He is a contributor (having been editor) to The Corporate Finance Manual and also, to The Charity Performance Guide.
Graham has held several voluntary roles in the Third Sector including currently, as Chairman of the Johnian Society (the alumni association of St John's College, University of Cambridge).

After graduating from Cambridge in 1974, he joined ICFC (now 3i) as a graduate trainee and became a director of 3i plc in 1987. Subsequently, he was head of corporate finance at Olliff & Partners and HLB Kidsons, a director of Rea Brothers and Classic Fund Management. His non-executive appointments have included being a director of the listed Downing Classic VCTs, the AIM quoted Dowgate Capital Group and Dunn Line (where he was chairman of its audit committee); as Treasurer of Diabetes UK and a trustee of its pension scheme; and as a Vice-Chairman of NACUE (the National Association of College & University Entrepreneurs).

Denise Fellows

Denise became part-time chief executive of The Honorary Treasurers Forum in June 2010. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for many years after an earlier career in high tech companies which included European director of an internet services company.

Since 2005 she has headed up the Consultancy and Talent Development practice in the Centre for Charity Effectiveness in Cass Business School. Through her work both in Cass CCE and the Forum she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience within the complex and challenging environment in which charities operate, helping leaders and organisations in the sector be more effective. Denise is a founder liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Management Consultants.