Iain is a Founder and Partner of Vico Partners which works closely with Boards and business leaders to manage and resolve sensitive and complex issues which unlock or defend value.

He began his career in investment banking with Lazard Brothers and was posted to South Africa in 1994 with Robert Fleming. Following a successful period building up a leading Southern African investment banking team, on the sale of Robert Fleming to JP Morgan in 2000 he was appointed to establish Fleming Family & Partners, where he was a founding partner and COO from 2000 to 2003. After appointing his successor, he went on to hold several senior posts within FF&P before establishing his own office in 2005.

Iain has since undertaken a wide range of business and charitable appointments. Among these, in 2009 after a successful advisory role for shareholders, Iain was appointed Chairman of The Monarch Group, leading its transformation and preparing the Group for its eventual sale in 2014. From 2017 to 2020 he was a NED at the Royal Bournemouth & Christchurch Hospitals NHS Trust, and he is currently a NED at Eurasia Mining PLC.

Iain’s philanthropic activities started in 1991 as a founder member of the London International Piano Competition. Since then he has held charitable board appointments, including as Chair of Tusk, the African conservation charity from 2004 to 2013, as Deputy Chairman of Global Philanthropic from 2007 to 2014, and currently as Chair of Governors at Walhampton School. From 2016 to 2019 he volunteered with the Centre for Social Innovation at the Cambridge Judge Business School.

Iain was educated at Birkenhead School, the University of Cambridge and the Inns of Court School of Law. He has a BA (MA Cantab) in Law and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1981. He is also a qualified mediator through the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution in London.

Specialist skills

Iain has specialist skills in corporate philanthropy and foundations, organisational strategy, communications, combined with senior level Board and governance experience in the philanthropic and corporate sector.