Background
Stuart is a highly experienced executive with a career spanning over thirty years in the in the financial services industry. His love also of film and television comes from his family roots. His father , Douglas, enjoyed a successful career in the film industry and notably in television news, and now with his daughter Sara an up-and-coming film director and producer.
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In a wide-ranging career in the Lloyds Banking Group, he held positions in the retail, commercial and international businesses. In his early career in the retail and commercial businesses he was seconded to the internal audit function. He participated in a number of audits across different businesses as well as acting as audit representative for approval of all new products and services for the Retail business in the United Kingdom. During this time, he developed and delivered a new audit methodology and supporting technology. This experience led to development and delivery of a new governance and risk controls framework for the international business division spanning over 30 countries in the Americas , Europe , Middle East, Asia and Oceania. As a project manager for the offshore wealth businesses he co-ordinated delivery of new products and technology, including the implementation of a new discretionary fund management solution in the private business based in Switzerland. This led to acting as lead of a strategic review of the wealth management businesses internationally which crystallized his interest and expertise in the world of wealth management.
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After roles in the Wealth Division, he was appointed as Director of the international private banking business in 2005 based in Geneva, Switzerland , with global responsibility and oversight for risk and compliance, as well as a key member of the Executive team. Together with the CEO and the other members of the executive team they re-structured the business, returning it to profit and resolution of a number of legacy issues impacting a business with a long and trusted position managing client assets. This was also a period of potential acquisition, and he played a role in the evaluation and due diligence. In this role he held directorships for their Trust and the Fund business based in Luxembourg, including some managed by Scottish Widows based in Scotland.
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Upon leaving Lloyds he established a consultancy , SW Solutions, advising a number of media businesses. Based at the world-famous Pinewood Studios this great location provided opportunity to develop a network and immerse himself in the industry investing also in a feature to shadow the end-to-end process of making a film. With his brother Julian he piloted a magazine focused on the showcasing the industry which launched at the Cannes Film Festival aimed at a global audience. It was during this period that the genesis of the IEL methodology - Investment , Enjoyment and Legacy was developed. After fulfilling an executive role with Nedbank Private Wealth based in the Isle of Man, he returned to consultancy in 2021 which led ultimately to re-engaging with David Christopher Loya of Renegade Lens to combine with his creative expertise the core principles of IEL to launch the global Renegade Lens/IEL International Media Acceleration Alliance.