Get to know RetailBook

Aaqib is a founding director of RetailBook, bringing over 25 years of experience as a technology and operational leader in banking and financial services. He has served as a Board member and Chief Technology Officer at Peel Hunt LLP, KBC Financial Products, and D. E. Shaw & Co. Aaqib holds a BSc in Computer Science from Imperial College and an MSc in Business Systems from City University.

James was co-founder of PrimaryBid, a fintech company revolutionising retail investor participation in primary capital markets. He has successfully executed over 300 equity and debt retail offers, fostering strong engagement with industry bodies to advocate for retail. With 15 years of experience at JP Morgan as Head of Mid Cap Equities & UK Corporate Broking, and previous roles as Director of Equities at Numis and Dresdner Kleinwort, James brings a wealth of experience and expertise.

Nick previously served as Head of Distribution and Content at PrimaryBid, where he managed key distribution partner relationships, leading strategic expansion across products and geographies. Before joining PrimaryBid, Nick co-managed BlackRock's UK Absolute Alpha Fund and was Head of Research for BlackRock's UK Equity Team, as well as a Director at the company. He began his career in 1999 as an investment analyst at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, focusing on the UK and Emerging Market.

Nick, a Chartered Management Accountant, joined RetailBook in 2023. Before joining RetailBook, he was a member of the finance management team and a partner at Peel Hunt LLP. Nick's career began in 2005 at Shell International Trading and Shipping Company, and he has since held positions at Royal Bank of Scotland and UBS.

Fahim has nearly 20 years of capital markets experience, formerly at PrimaryBid, where he played a pivotal role in over 350 capital markets transactions across the UK and Europe, which redefined retail investor participation. Previously, he worked at Citi ECM on numerous IPOs and follow-ons across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Fahim's expertise spans multiple geographies, offering a unique perspective on today's diverse shareholder base and the evolution of public access to capital markets.

Nick brings over 20 years of experience in capital markets, specializing in equity-linked and private capital origination. He has held senior roles at Barclays and various fintech companies, demonstrating his deep understanding of industry trends and regulatory developments. Before joining RetailBook in early 2025, Nick worked at PrimaryBid. He has extensive experience working with FTSE100 and FTSE250 issuers, helping them achieve their goals of retail inclusion in equity and debt fundraises.

Mike has over a decade of experience in Equity Capital Markets within Investment Banking. Formerly at Santander, in both Madrid and London, he has originated and executed various equity fundraises across the UK and Europe. His involvement in the retail offer for Porsche's IPO in 2022 ignited his passion for retail inclusion in European Capital Markets. Before his banking career, Mike was a professional rugby player for Bath and London Irish.

With over 25 years' industry experience at the forefront of retail and wealth investor access to UK capital markets, including significant time as a retail gilt-edged market maker (GEMM), Stacey is the founder and Chair of the Investor Access to Regulated Bonds working group (IARB), a member of the London Stock Exchange Group's Primary Markets Group and a Liverywoman of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers (WCIB) Stacey joined RetailBook in early 2025 from PrimaryBid.

With nearly 20 years of experience in banking and fintech, including senior roles at NatWest Markets and HSBC, Tushar has spent the last 8 years in the fintech and startup ecosystem. He started with seed-stage fintech DepositBook and held key leadership roles at various growth stages, including Head of UK Channel Partnerships at humm and Head of Partnerships at PrimaryBid. In early 2025, Tushar joined RetailBook to focus on deepening partner engagement and enablement.

Nick has over 20 years' experience in risk management, regulation, and audit, with senior roles at Winterflood, London Stock Exchange Group, Deloitte and Barclays. Nick is a founder and vice-chair of the Investor Access to Regulated Bonds working group. Nick qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte and is a Fellow of the ICAEW, Member of the CISI, the Worshipful Company of International Bankers and a Freeman of the City of London.

Milo is a qualified lawyer specialising in Equity Capital Markets with a track record of over 350 primary and secondary offerings across the UK, US, and EU. Before joining RetailBook in 2025, Milo trained and qualified in the Legal Team at fintech PrimaryBid, under the leadership of a Corporate Finance partner from Clifford Chance. Milo holds an LLB from the University of Manchester, an LLM from BPP University London and qualified as a Solicitor in 2023.

With over 10 years of experience in Financial Services and FinTech, Dean has a strong track record of hands-on management, process optimisation, and strategic delivery. Having worked at PrimaryBid for over 4 years and 300+ transactions developed expertise in settlements, custody solutions, and regulatory compliance with a focus on client assets and money rules.