Patrick began his career in the City at Scott Goff Hancock & Company and then worked as an equity dealer at a number of city institutions, including UBS, before joining and establishing the London office of TIR Securities (UK) Limited in 1990 where he was promoted to the position of Co-Head of the company's Global Institutional Business. At its peak, TIR generated in excess of US$120 million of revenues. E*TRADE Securities acquired TIR Securities (UK) Limited in 1999 and Patrick was appointed CEO of the London operations of E*TRADE Securities (UK) Limited in 2001. Patrick joined Merchant Securities Limited in May 2006 as an executive director and was appointed an executive director of Merchant Securities PLC in October 2006. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.

John East became a member of the London Stock Exchange in 1974, when he was with Panmure Gordon & Co. He established the stockbroking firm of Kent, East, Newton & Co in 1977 before merging the firm with and becoming senior partner of Margetts and Addenbrooke, one of the oldest firms in the country with a long history of advising smaller public companies. During this period Margetts and Addenbrooke played an active role in the development of the Unlisted Securities Market, the first UK market for young and growing companies. Following the sale of the firm, he joined the predecessor of what is now Merchant Securities Limited in 1987 and led its management buyout in 1992. He was a founder member of the executive committee of the Quoted Companies Alliance, the City group which champions smaller companies and which was instrumental in pressing for the establishment of AIM. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.

John has over 25 years' experience in the financial services industry, where he has held various positions in finance with increasing managerial responsibilities. He has also been a consultant in the financial services area for a number of years. John is a fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, a member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and an associate member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers. He has extensive experience in financial services including IFRS and compliance requirements. John was appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Merchant Securities group of companies with effect from 10th November 2008.

Simon Clements graduated from Hull University with a degree in Accounting in 1994 and qualified as a chartered accountant with Horwath Clark Whitehill in 1998, where he worked in the corporate finance department. He joined the predecessor of what is now Merchant Securities Limited in 2000 and has been involved in and led a significant number of new issues, reverse takeovers and acquisitions and disposals. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.

After graduating from Cambridge University with an engineering degree, David Worlidge joined Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co in 1978. He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1981 and after spending three and a half years in the Sydney office, he joined the then parent company of what is now Merchant Securities Limited in 1988 as M&A manager. In 1989 he formally transferred to the predecessor of what is now Merchant John East Securities, becoming a member of the management buyout team in 1992. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.

Graeme began his career in 1983 with stockbroker Statham Duff Stoop. The business was merged in 1986 with T.C. Coombs & Co, where he specialised in establishing settlements and operations procedures in Emerging Markets. In 1991 he joined Merchant Securities and was appointed Operations Director in July 2006. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.

Paul joined the London Stock Exchange in 1986 shortly before 'big bang' in October of that year, working in the Settlements Department and then for the Listing Department (now the UKLA and part of the FSA). He moved to the SFA in 1995 in the Supervision Department and later to the FSA when the single regulator was created. In 2000, Paul joined ABN AMRO as a compliance manager and has since worked as a compliance manager at Deutsche Bank; before moving to Collins Stewart in 2006, where he was head of compliance. Paul joined Merchant Securities Limited as head of compliance in April 2009