Sam Smith – Founder, finnCap Group PLC

Entrepreneur Sam Smith is the founder, former CEO, and adviser to the Board of finnCap Group Plc.

Sam established finnCap in 2007, having orchestrated the management buy-out of a small broking division of JM Finn & Co Limited, a private client stockbroking firm. By 2010, directors and employees had purchased the remaining 50.1% of the equity retained by JM Finn.

In 2018, finnCap acquired Cavendish Corporate Finance, a leading UK M&A adviser, enabling finnCap to provide an enviable end to end service offering. finnCap floated on AIM in 2018 and began trading as finnCap Group Plc.Sam is the first female chief executive of a City stockbroking firm and has worked on over 200 transactions, IPOs and secondary fund raisings. Under her leadership, finnCap is now a leading advisory firm for the business of tomorrow.

The sector specialist service offering ranges from ECM and IPO, to Plc strategic advisory, debt advisory, M&A, and private growth capital as well as net-zero and sustainability consultancy services through investment in Energise.

finnCap Group comprises finnCap Capital Markets and finnCap Cavendish as a market-leading strategic M&A firm that has a global reach through its membership of Oaklins.

Sam actively champions investment for female-led business through the finnCap Ambition Nation: Female Leaders Series to help create better networks and demystify financial jargon.

Sam is also passionate about empowering young people and helping them develop essential life skills.

She is spearheading a campaign for entrepreneurship to be integrated into the school curriculum and works with organisations such as YourGamePlan, icanyoucantoo and Modern Muse to help create a fairer foundation for young people, irrespective of their background.

Sam is part of the Government Taskforce on Women-Led High Growth Enterprises, supporting the next generation of female entrepreneurs, is also on the advisory board for Everywoman, which champions the advancement of women in business, and the University of Bristol, and is also Patron to The Entrepreneurs Network.

Sam qualified as a Chartered Accountant at KPMG. Her awards include 2010 Business XL, 2009 Business XL, Power Top 50 – no 3 in the City, National Business Woman of the Future Award, Top 100 Financial Rising Stars Award.