James Harrison
Associate FD & Deal Lead
What part do you play in the Entrepreneurs Hub team?
I am an Associate Finance Director and Deal Lead. I support our customers throughout the transaction process, working alongside the team from the start of a project through to completion. My role combines financial analysis with deal support, giving me the opportunity to get involved in every stage of a transaction.
I analyse financial performance, trading history and forecasts to support client preparation, answer buyer queries and assist with financial due diligence. I also help position businesses for potential acquirers, support buyer discussions, evaluate offers and contribute throughout the transaction journey.
What experience do you bring to the table?
I studied Mathematics at the University of Exeter before becoming an ICAEW Chartered Accountant, training at Deloitte. During almost four years there, I worked with a diverse range of clients, from FTSE 100 businesses to private equity-backed companies across sectors including MedTech, Manufacturing, Logistics, Consumer Goods and Technology. Many of the businesses I supported were acquisitive, giving me insight into what buyers focus on, how they assess opportunities and the factors that contribute to a successful transaction.
What do you like to get up to outside of work?
A lot of my time outside of work is spent participating in or watching sport. I regularly go bouldering, play golf and football, go running and have recently joined the padel trend. If I’m not taking part, I enjoy following these sports and particularly Manchester United and McLaren’s F1 team (being my local team).
Other than sport, I love travelling and try to explore new countries whenever I can. I enjoy going off the beaten track and asking locals for their favourite food spots or places tourists usually miss.
What’s the best thing about working at Entrepreneurs Hub?
From my first day, everyone was incredibly welcoming and it was clear that the culture is very people focused. There’s a high level of collaboration and an incredible depth of knowledge across the team, making it a great place to continually learn and develop.
You can only listen to one artist or band for the rest of your life. Who is it?
I tend to just leave the radio on when in the car or select a mood/genre on Spotify and let it pick the songs. If pushed, Arctic Monkeys are high on my most played list, although Foo Fighters featured heavily while I was training for my first marathon.
What’s something we might be surprised to learn about you?
The first (and last) time I rode a motorbike was solo in Vietnam where I covered 2,500 km across the length of the country. It was a great way to see the whole country, even if I occasionally found myself a bit too far off the beaten track.
