Jonathan Goodwin

Head of Merchant Banking, Alvarium
Jonathan Goodwin

Jonathan is a Partner and Head of Merchant Banking at Alvarium. In 2011 he founded Lepe Partners, an independent merchant bank focused on the media, internet and consumer sectors, which merged with Alvarium in 2019.

Prior to founding Lepe, Jonathan was Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of LongAcre Partners, Europe’s leading mid-market media corporate finance house, which he sold to Jefferies in 2007.

Before that, Jonathan was Group MD of the Wireless Group PLC, a UK radio group that was formed when he left Apax Partners to join a buyout of the radio station Talk Radio in 1997 with the backing of News Corporation and Liberty Media.

In 2005, together with Brent Hoberman, he co-founded the Founders Forum: a series of intimate annual global events for the leading entrepreneurs of today and the rising stars of tomorrow. Founders Forum also has an innovation consultancy for top corporates (Founders Intelligence) and a recruitment company (Founders Keepers).

Jonathan is also Chairman Emeritus of Founders Pledge (a programme to encourage UK entrepreneurs to donate part of exit proceeds to charitable causes) and Treasurer of Centre of Policy Studies, as well as a member of the advisory board for the Tech City Future Fifty.

Jonathan is an angel investor and in 2009 he co-founded PROfounders Capital. More recently Jonathan received his OBE for services to the economy in 2018 and has been appointed Chairman of the Media Trust in 2020.

Jonathan Goodwin
Jonathan has mentored

Wearth

Wearth is the UK’s leading eco-friendly & ethical consumer platform, with over 250 partner brands and 1.8m website visitors in 2020.

  • Wearth
  • Human Milk Foundation
  • Diversity and Ability
  • Evolve
  • Madlug

Jonnie showed a genuine interest in our business, gave some valuable advice and offered to make some really relevant introductions. We were able to cut to the chase and focus on our main challenges/opportunities as a startup raising capital and it was clear that he was happy to help where he could.  

Edward Davies, CEO, Wearth

Jonathan has mentored

Human Milk Foundation

The Human Milk Foundation provides donor human milk to sick premature babies in hospital neonatal intensive care units and to new mums with cancer and other health issues.

  • Wearth
  • Human Milk Foundation
  • Diversity and Ability
  • Evolve
  • Madlug

My team and I have worked flat out for five years, hoping one day for a meeting such as this. It was clear that Jonnie wanted to work alongside us to make our vision a reality. He had a clear passion for improving the future for children everywhere, and we are so excited for the opportunities ahead.  

Natalie Shenker, Co-Founder, Human Milk Foundation

Jonathan has mentored

Diversity and Ability

Diversity and Ability is an award-winning disabled-led social enterprise paving the way for a future where everyone is welcomed and included.

  • Wearth
  • Human Milk Foundation
  • Diversity and Ability
  • Evolve
  • Madlug

Good meeting with Jonny Goodwin. His curiosity and enthusiasm for our work was great to see. It’s always life-affirming to feel sincerity strengthen the work we do. It’s a long road with many challenges to overcome but made all the easier with the good conversations and shared values.

Atif Choudhury, Chief Executive, Diversity and Ability

Jonathan has mentored

Evolve

We deliver services to vulnerable young people to improve their physical, emotional and cognitive wellbeing. We enable them to move from a life of dependence to independence.

  • Wearth
  • Human Milk Foundation
  • Diversity and Ability
  • Evolve
  • Madlug

It was clear whilst speaking with Jonathan that he was taking time to consider how he could best provide support and guidance rather than give generic input and advice. The questions asked by Jonnie ensured we discussed the root cause of our challenge and allowed our conversation to develop in a way that created tangible solutions.

Joshua Cronin, Managing Director, Evolve

Jonathan has mentored

Madlug

Madlug is a bag company that stands for ‘make a difference luggage’ by empowering its customers to give dignity to children in care.

  • Wearth
  • Human Milk Foundation
  • Diversity and Ability
  • Evolve
  • Madlug

From the very start of our meeting Jonnie demonstrated a genuine interest in our story and business model. He made very helpful suggestions to address some of the growth challenges that we are facing along with offering to connect me to people within his network who he believed could help.

Dave Linton, CEO, Madlug

Want to meet with Jonathan?