Our Directors

Roger Lane-Smith

Executive Chairman

One of the principal founders of law firm DLA Piper, which he built from 1977 onwards by a combination of mergers and amalgamations into what is now the world’s largest law firm, with 5,000 lawyers in 65 offices across three continents. Roger was chairman of the firm until 2005 and today is the senior consultant to the firm.

Chairman of JJB Sports from July 2005 to July 2009. Non-executive director of MS International, Timpsons , Dolphin Capital Partners and Mostyn Estates.

Simon Smethurst

Managing Director

Experienced Chartered Surveyor with professional track record in real estate acquisitions, disposals and asset management. A former Director at Lanebridge Investment Management (part of the Rothschild Group), past Chairman of the IPF (Northern Region) and MRICS. He currently works with high net worth individuals as well as institutional clients in the UK regional residential markets.

Stuart Pender

Non-Executive Director

Former Chief Executive and previous Chairman of Paymentshield, Stuart led the buy-out of Paymentshield, backed by Bank of Scotland in August 2004, reshaping the business to increase profits from £4m to £45m over 4 years.

Previously Stuart held senior positions at Prudential, Scottish Amicable and Bankhall, where he was Group Commercial Director responsible for development of Bankhall’s proposition to the IFA market, leading acquisitions and overall strategy development.