Northern Gritstone appoints Claire Blackburn as Company Secretary & Compliance Officer

Northern Gritstone, the investment business focused on science and technology enabled businesses in the North of England, today announces it has appointed Claire Blackburn as Company Secretary & Compliance Officer.

Claire has advised Northern Gritstone since its inception while working in her previous role as Director of Governance Services at Indigo Independent Governance. She will be based full-time at Northern Gritstone’s office in Manchester, where the company has recently invested in AssetCool, Silveray and Re:course AI.

Claire is a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute and currently chairs the North-West branch of the Institute. She has advised large publicly listed and private equity backed corporations on their governance and compliance requirements for nearly two decades, including working at Eversheds Sutherland and KPMG.

Launched in July 2021 and chaired by Lord Jim O’Neill, Northern Gritstone’s investment philosophy is ‘profit with purpose’, combining strong returns for investors with wider positive, societal and economic impact.

The company announced its final close of £312m in October 2023 and has already invested in 16 early-stage science and technology-enabled businesses in the North of England.

Northern Gritstone CEO, Duncan Johnson, said: “Claire has provided vital support to Northern Gritstone since its launch in 2021, offering expert advice on all aspects of governance and compliance. As we look to increase our investment activity, we are delighted to welcome her onto the team on a full-time basis and work with her to ensure the smooth running of our processes going forwards.”