Staff Interview: Tim Spink

January 26, 2024

Meet Tim Spink, Buyer Liaison Executive and newest member here at Bluebox. We sat down with Tim to get to know him a bit better on both a professional and personal level. We learn a bit more about his experience prior to working at Bluebox, what lead him to a role in the M&A Industry and much more…

 

What was your background prior to joining Bluebox?

After graduating in mathematics from Exeter I had a short stint with a VOIP telecoms company, and when the 2008 credit crunch hit, I trained as maths teacher. The intended two years teaching, turned into ten, and took me to the other side of the world to teach maths to the Chinese and Koreans, as well as set up and run the boarding system for the Chinese branch of Wellington College. Fortuitously, and after returning to the UK, I was offered a role in a drone and robotics consultancy, where I quickly became the Director of Operations, then moving onto Global Business Development. These muti-faceted roles gave me incredible exposure to the business world, working with industry and government simultaneously. In 2019 I was asked to join the founding team of a US fintech, Allocations, where we set about rethinking the private market deal process. We developed our own platform to help fund managers set up and close SPVs and funds in a matter of minutes, not weeks. Since then I have consulted in technology and in education for a number of organisations, and I also sit on the advisory board of an Estonian hydrogen drone tech company called SKYCORP.

 

What were your motivations behind choosing a career within the M&A industry?

Since graduating from university, and once I was earning a salary, I have continually looked for ways to invest into inspiring projects or companies. My work at Allocations deepened my understanding of private market investing, fundraising and company shareholders exiting via mergers, acquisitions, SPACs and IPOs. I have been fortunate enough to see these processes from the perspective of the shareholders. Couple all of this with a deep interest in learning about new companies, and the problems they are trying to solve (I especially love technology companies), I feel naturally draw to the M&A industry. I am very grateful to be here!

 

What is your biggest achievement to date – personal or professional?

In 2019 I planned and succeeded in a solo run in the Sahara Desert, a 30km round trip, and climbing (what I believe to be) a previously unclimbed mountain, upon which I had a very quick and hot breakfast with a spectacular view.

 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

A challenge is an opportunity for growth – part of the reason why I love the mountains. Fun fact, I started at Bluebox on International Mountain Day!

 

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

An excited curiosity for how the day will unfold.

 

If you could have dinner with anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?

I never knew either of my grandfathers, as they had passed away long before I was born. My father’s father was born 100 years before me, he ran away to sea at 11 years old, and eventually became a captain on a Royal Mail Lines ship. I’m sure he would have some great stories!

 

We finish the interview, and you step outside the office and find a lottery ticket that ends up winning £10 million. What would you do?

Invest £8m. Then find worthwhile projects, charities, and game-changing organisations that share the same goal, to make our future a better place, and donate the remaining £2m.

 

Looking forward, where do you hope to be in your career in 10 years’ time?

Apart from being well seasoned in the art of M&A, I would also like to build my portfolio of private company investments to 150, take up another board position and be considering a holiday on the moon (fascinated by how space tourism is taking off).

 

Rapid fire

Who would you want to be stranded with on a deserted island? Ray Mears, so I can learn everything there is to know about survival, then we can build a sea worthy vessel, gather supplies, and escape.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Fly.

Best dish you’ve ever had? Peking Duck in an exceptional hotel in Beijing.

If you could go back to any period in time, which would it be and why? 1790s when a relation of mine was Lord Mayor of London…. did they have bring your family to work days then?

quote marks icon

Testimonials