Team

Neil has over a decade‘s experience of leading Board reviews for organisations internationally. He oversees the delivery of our advisory mandates and briefs clients on the outcomes of our reviews — including comparisons with peers. Neil speaks regularly on governance topics internationally and leads the development of the Lintstock Governance Index, a data analytics tool that generates insights for clients and feeds our research arm.

In his spare time Neil enjoys playing the piano, cycling, and walking his dogs along the Suffolk coast.

Education

Master‘s in Engineering from the University of Cambridge.

Laura is responsible for the firm‘s finance function and client onboarding, having worked in various risk and control roles for UBS and Deutsche Bank.

Music has always been a big part of Laura‘s life, having been a member of the choir in Bilbao. As a childhood concert pianist, Laura‘s passion for the piano has been recently rekindled through teaching her children the instrument.

Education

BA in Law and Specialist Diploma in Economics from the University of Deusto, Spain.

Merlin founded Lintstock in 2002 and leads its Board review practice. With a background in commercial and company law, he is responsible for the principles and methodology which underpin Lintstock‘s approach.

For over a decade Merlin and his wife have lived in France with their four sons, with skiing, climbing and ocean swimming on the doorstep. Living on the border with Spain, Merlin‘s ideal day is a mountain biking trip involving two ferry trips and eight hours in the saddle, ending with a beer and pintxos in San Sebastian.

Education

BA in Law from the University of Cambridge and European Master‘s in Law and Economics (LLM) from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam. Member of the Middle Temple, called to the Bar in 2004.

Shelby supports the delivery of Board review mandates for clients across a range of sectors, drawing on her extensive experience in strategy consulting at McKinsey & Co. She also drives the development of the Lintstock Lab, our network for sharing best practices and insights from leading boardrooms.

Outside work, Shelby enjoys creative writing, travel, and outdoor pursuits - including recently climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

Education

BA in English from the University of Cambridge.

Phil has over 12 years‘ experience supporting the delivery of Board reviews for organisations in the UK and overseas. He drives Lintstock‘s business development activities and chairs roundtable events for Board members and Company Secretaries on topical governance themes.

Outside work, Phil is writing a book on the Scottish explorer David Livingstone, having recently retraced Livingstone‘s route from Angola to Mozambique.

Education

BA (Hons) in Accounting from Strathclyde Business School; Master‘s in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge.

Kate is responsible for scoping Lintstock‘s Board reviews in close collaboration with Chairs and Company Secretaries, and manages our live projects through to their successful conclusion. She regularly presents the findings of our reviews to clients, and hosts seminars on emerging trends in corporate governance.

Kate lives in Peckham and spends her weekends exploring south-east London and experimenting with gardening.

Education

BA in History from the University of Oxford.

Leila is responsible for ensuring that Lintstock’s team, processes, and resources work seamlessly together. Originally from France, she brings a broad-ranging background in project management, import/export, and translation, enabling her to navigate complex workflows and deliver smooth, efficient operations.

Away from the office, Leila enjoys reading, experimenting with recipes from around the world with her daughters, and continuing to enhance her language skills. A passionate traveller and cook, she draws inspiration from her French roots and her curiosity for other cultures.

Education

Master’s in Specialised Translation from the University of Westminster.

Jacob supports the delivery of Board review mandates and assists in client onboarding, relationship management, project delivery and the firm‘s finance function.

Married with 2 children and a keen sports enthusiast, a perfect day for Jacob involves family, friends, golf, good food and wine.

Education

BSc (Econ) in Politics from Swansea University; MRes in Policy Research from Queen Mary University of London.

Tom supports the delivery of Board review mandates and takes a leading role in developing the content and format of our reporting year-on-year, drawing on his depth of experience as a technical writer in the entertainment and technology sectors.

Outside of the office, Tom is a keen badminton player, competing in tournaments across the UK and abroad. He also enjoys photography, creative writing and video games.

Education

BA in Modern and Medieval Languages from the University of Cambridge.

Valerie supports Lintstock‘s reporting function, drawing on her extensive experience as a researcher in financial services to develop reporting and briefing materials to assist in the delivery of Board review mandates.

Outside of the office, Valerie enjoys spending her time in the great outdoors, surfing, snowboarding and hiking. She is always looking for tips for hiking routes in the UK, Europe or further afield.

Education

BSc in International Relations and History from the London School of Economics.

Phil is responsible for managing the firm‘s IT function, maintaining our technology infrastructure and developing new tools to support the services we provide to clients.

Phil enjoys designing and making things and is an archery coach.

Education

BSc (Hons) in Physics from the University of York.

Shania supports the management and delivery of Board review mandates, with a focus on client services. Drawing from a technical background in information management, Shania also supports the development of the firm‘s data analytics and statistical reporting.

Shania grew up in California, and enjoys exploring London‘s art galleries and the home counties in her free time.

Education

Master‘s in Engineering from Durham University.

In addition to supporting Board review mandates, Philip leads our growing research activities and our association with the All Party Parliamentary Corporate Governance Group, producing studies on the latest trends in governance which reach a global audience. His writing on topical governance issues has appeared in Governance, Governance & Compliance, CGj and FOGlet.

When not in the office Philip enjoys spending time at home in Kent, music and reading lengthy historical biographies. He also serves as a Governor of the Lord Leycester Hospital in Warwick, and chairs the Next Generation Group of the Historic Houses Association.

Education

BA (Hons) in English Literature from Durham University; MA in Modern and Contemporary Literature and Culture from the University of York; PhD in British Literature Post-1830 from the University of Cambridge.