Practice Principals
Peter Farmer
MA MSc MBA
Peter has spent his professional life in technology. Starting his career selling ERP solutions to the automotive industry and managing accounts like Ford, MAN ERF and Lloyd’s Bank, he moved into various commercial compliance roles before managing £100m+ per annum of spend at Gamma Communications plc and their regulatory and government affairs functions. In the UK, Peter is a veteran of various disputes and enforcement actions by Ofcom, the CMA and of litigation at the High Court, Competition Appeal Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court as well as engaging with regulatory bodies around the world. His full case history can be found here.
More recently, Pete has worked with clients globally, notably with interests in the United States, Australia, France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Italy and Hong Kong. Their size has ranged from listed multinationals through to start-ups.
Pete is a graduate of the University of Oxford with a degree in Biomedical Sciences. He later added an MBA and a Masters degree in International Finance to his qualifications which make him well qualified to assist in the accounting practice, as well as being granted a Bar Standards Board Direct Access Licence.
Carol Topley
MPhys/Phil ACMA CGMA CPA CMA
Carol is a Chartered Management Accountant (UK) and a Chartered Professional Accountant (Canada) and has experience across multiple functions and industry. Carol is a graduate of the University of Oxford and qualified at Gamma Communications plc where she led on pricing and business analysis. She later moved to the wealth management division at Lloyd’s Bank plc before working on the flotation of The Gym Group plc and joining BAE. Carol’s expertise is now focussed on small business statutory accounting and tax as well as drawing on her experience to assist in the telecommunications practice.
Carol is a Chartered Management Accountant (UK) and a Chartered Professional Accountant (Canada) and has experience across multiple functions and industry.
Practice Consultants
Steve Cloves
Steve has spent 20+ years working across various HR roles, culminating in the job of Group HR Director for a major supermarket chain – there’s very little he hasn’t seen in his career. He is now an independent HR consultant providing support to existing in-house HR functions or being a total outsourced solution for the same. A graduate of Birmingham City University, Steve is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Practice Associates
Lauren Farrington & Kara Vandegraaf
Lauren and Kara are Exonia’s researchers and administrative assistants, providing bookkeeping, payroll and other support services to Exonia and its clients.