Richard holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Salford College of Advanced Technology and has studied commercial law and finance at Bristol College. Richard's professional experience includes acting as Commercial Director of Crouzet SA’s UK division, Managing Director of Weidmuller Ltd, Managing Director of Hellerman Ltd, a company with subsidiaries in the US, Germany, Singapore and Australia that was a division of a FTSE 250 company named Bowthorpe Holdings plc, and as President of Alcatel SA’s Cable Accessory Division in the USA. Subsequently, Richard was Group Chief Executive of Morgan-Dulmison, a division comprising 18 companies in 9 countries of the FTSE 250 company Morgan Crucible plc. Following this, he was appointed Chairman of AEI plc and Chairman of Marcrist International Ltd, a private venture capital backed diamond tooling technology sector company. Richard completed his first joint venture in India in 1982 and has since operated throughout Asia and the Far East. Before joining NE PLC Richard was Executive Chairman of Platinum Mining Corporation of India plc.