Our Team - Buckthorn Partners LLP

Brian Lindley

CEO and Partner

Brian joined Buckthorn from The Carlyle Group, where he held senior positions over a 14 year tenure, the last 7yrs as Global Head of Capital Markets. Brian has a 20 year track record of building teams that manage complex, multi-stakeholder transactions within the private equity industry. At Carlyle, Brian founded the firm’s capital markets capabilities and established industry-leading teams based in New York and London, typically managing $30-40bn in annual portfolio company issuance. He was previously Managing Director of Dubai International Capital Private Equity in London, managing a workout portfolio of ~€1bn EV European control equity positions throughout the 2008 -2010 financial crisis. He previously spent 10yrs at RBS Leveraged Finance in both London and New York. He has held board roles including at ION, Dealogic, Almatis, Alliance Medical and Travelodge. Brian holds a 1st Class degree in Economics and Industry from the University of Leeds.

Mark Chaichian

CIO and Founding Partner

Prior to Buckthorn Partners, Mark worked at One Equity Partners (“OEP”) focusing on investments in the supply chain to the energy sector. Mark has worked on a significant number of transactions in the energy and oil & gas sectors with conglomerates, independents and many other private and public businesses. Before joining OEP, Mark worked at Marble Bar Asset Management, Clipper Windpower Plc and Morgan Stanley. Mark qualified as a chartered accountant at Andersen in the Energy and Resources group. Mark was a member of the British Olympic Association Audit Committee. He holds a BSc in Chemistry from Bath University. Member of Investment Committee.

Joe Connolly

CFO and Founding Partner

Prior to Buckthorn Partners, Joe was the CFO of listed mining company Sierra Rutile where he oversaw the company’s turnaround from a breakeven operation to EBITDA of over US$100 million. Prior to this, Joe led business development at Clipper Windpower until the business was sold to United Technologies. He was an equity analyst in Morgan Stanley’s industrial team, and spent six years in Deloitte’s energy & resources group. Joe is a chartered accountant, has a Master’s Degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and was an officer in the British Army’s Royal Engineers. Member of Investment Committee, and member of ESG Committee.

Nicholas Gee

Founding Partner

Prior to Buckthorn Partners, Nick was an Officer and Executive Vice President of Strategy and Development at Weatherford International. As part of the executive team, he also led the Company’s global business units and numerous business functions. During his time at Weatherford he was on the boards of Proserv, Borets International and Axon Energy Products. Nick started his career with BP as a petroleum engineer and subsequently worked for Petroline Wellsystems and Global Marine Drilling. Earlier in his career he established and developed companies and technologies in the energy sector, during which time he was also Chairman of an AIM listed renewable fuels company. Nick holds an MBA with distinction from Warwick Business School and a BSc in chemical engineering from the University of Birmingham.

Rob Willings

Partner

Prior to Buckthorn Partners, Rob was a Director at Lime Rock Partners where he made growth capital investments in the energy sector. During 12 years at Lime Rock he was based in the UK, Canada and the Middle East and led investments worldwide. Rob started his career with Schlumberger as a field engineer. He subsequently worked for energy companies and service companies in consultancy and interim management roles whilst at management consultancy PA-Consulting before spending several years with Simmons and Company in Aberdeen. Rob holds a Masters in Engineering from the University of Cambridge. Member of Investment Committee, and member of ESG Committee

Mark Dale

Partner*

Mark joined Buckthorn from The Carlyle Group, where he spent 11 years in the European buyout fund focusing on industrial and business services investments. Most recently, he was a Managing Director, co-leading the UK buyout team and serving as Head of Services across Europe. At Carlyle, Mark was responsible for origination, execution, portfolio management, and deal financing. During his tenure, he served on the boards of companies in the chemicals, materials, and professional and industrial services sectors. Prior to Carlyle, he spent three years at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, advising on public M&A, corporate finance, and private equity transactions. Mark holds a First-Class degree in Economics and Politics from Durham University and has completed executive education on the energy transition at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is a member of Buckthorn’s Investment Committee.* *Subject to FCA approval.

Lord Colin Moynihan

Chairman

Colin was Minister of Energy in the Thatcher and Major Governments. He was responsible for renewable energy policy and the British Government’s R&D Energy Programmes. Prior to that he was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of the Environment where he worked as a member of the three-man Ministerial Team on the privatisation of the water industry. He was Chairman of the UK Renewable Energy Advisory Group and was the first President of the British Wind Energy Association. A former Director of Rowan Companies Inc. for nineteen years, he was Executive Chairman of Consort Resources and then Executive Chairman of Clipper Windpower Europe. He is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Energy Security. Member of ESG Committee.

Lord Philip Hammond

Partner

Philip was a member of the UK cabinet for nine years until 2019 serving as Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He joined Buckthorn in January 2020 after leaving Parliament at the December 2019 General Election. In doing so, he resumes a business relationship with Colin Moynihan that stretches back 25 years and one with Mark Chaichian that goes back 15 years to when Mark led the re-structuring of Clipper Windpower, of which Philip was a Founder Shareholder. Philip was elected to Parliament in 1997 and joined the Shadow Cabinet in 2005, serving as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury throughout the Financial Crisis. He is a Member of the Privy Council and holds a first-class degree from Oxford in PPE.

Jonty Fletcher

Vice President

Jonty joined Buckthorn in 2023, prior to which he spent a year and a half as a corporate finance advisor at EY within their Energy and Infrastructure team. Before joining EY, Jonty worked at RMB in South Africa, where he spent three years as a corporate finance advisor, working across a number of different sectors and qualifying as a CA(SA). Jonty holds a BBusSci in Finance and Accounting and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Accounting from the University of Cape Town.

Jonty Arnot

Associate

Jonty joined Buckthorn in June 2025 from HSBC’s Transport, Logistics and Infrastructure investment banking team in London. Before joining HSBC, Jonty worked at BDO Advisory in London and PwC Corporate Finance in South Africa. Jonty is a CA(SA) and CFA Charterholder, with a Bachelor of Accounting from Stellenbosch University.

Ellie Bennett

Associate

Ellie joined Buckthorn in 2024 from Deloitte, where she spent 6 years working within financial due diligence and statutory audit, focussed on the infrastructure sector. Ellie is a chartered accountant and holds a BA in Geography from the University of Sheffield.

Nadine Fletcher-Patel

Associate

Nadine joined Buckthorn Partners in 2016. Prior to Buckthorn she spent six years at Weatherford working in both London and Houston in various corporate departments. Nadine has a degree in Communication from Sheffield University and is currently studying for an ACCA qualification.

Lucy McCormack

Office Coordinator

Fiona Topacho

Executive Assistant

Fiona joined Buckthorn Partners in April 2025. Prior to Buckthorn, she spent 8 years in the property industry in various sectors including agency, landlord and asset management. Fiona has a degree from the University of Plymouth in Sports Rehabilitation.

Rip Zinsmeister

Advisor

Rip has over 30 years’ experience in the Energy sector. He retired in Autumn 2022 as CEO of BP Midstream Partner and BP’s Chief Operating Officer for Mergers & Acquisitions. He was responsible for global coverage for Corporate, Refining and Marketing, and Alternative Energy. He also lead BP’s London M&A team. Rip has managed transactions in all of BP’s principal businesses and deal types, including venture cap, joint venture formation and dissolution, public offerings, and the more typical private transactions. Prior to his tenure in M&A, Rip was an Engineering Manager and CFO of Amoco’s E&P division in Denver Colorado. Rip is a graduate of the University of Chicago (MBA) and the Pennsylvania State University.