Tom Speechley

Tom Speechley’s Biography

Tom Speechley is a founder, investor, lawyer and author.

He spent the first 14 years of his career as a corporate lawyer in London and New York, advising private equity funds, hedge funds, companies and banks. He then spent more than a decade as a fund manager and investor across emerging markets and private capital strategies. Since then he has focused on founding, backing and mentoring early-stage ventures.

Tom has a particular interest in consumer-centric health, especially life sciences and longevity, and co-founded SX2 Ventures to invest in the sector. His interest in technology goes back to the late 1980s, when he coded a series of ten educational software programs that were among the first used in the UK's national curriculum. More recently he has developed a machine-learning lifestyle health companion that helps people build healthier daily habits, along with several LLM-based tools for early-stage founders. He co-founded Valantai to bring these tools to market.

Tom has written and spoken widely on finance, investing and healthcare, and has guest lectured at leading universities... Tom Speechley is a founder, investor, lawyer and author.

He spent the first 14 years of his career as a corporate lawyer in London and New York, advising private equity funds, hedge funds, companies and banks. He then spent more than a decade as a fund manager and investor across emerging markets and private capital strategies. Since then he has focused on founding, backing and mentoring early-stage ventures.

Tom has a particular interest in consumer-centric health, especially life sciences and longevity, and co-founded SX2 Ventures to invest in the sector. His interest in technology goes back to the late 1980s, when he coded a series of ten educational software programs that were among the first used in the UK's national curriculum. More recently he has developed a machine-learning lifestyle health companion that helps people build healthier daily habits, along with several LLM-based tools for early-stage founders. He co-founded Valantai to bring these tools to market.

Tom has written and spoken widely on finance, investing and healthcare, and has guest lectured at leading universities in the United States. He has been a featured speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the United Nations, the International Economic Forum of the Americas and the Annual Meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank. He is the author of three books: two on acquisition finance, published by Bloomsbury Professional and in continuous print since 2008, and The Wedge, a founder's guide to startup fundraising.

He has served on corporate and not-for-profit boards, including the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association and Junior Achievement Worldwide. He has been a senior advisor to Endeavor and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Tom began university studying chemical physics before switching to law, and graduated with First Class Honours from the University of Sheffield. READ MORE VIEW LESS

Tom Speechley’s Background

Valantai

Co-Founder

2024 - Present

London, UK

Valantai is an operating and advisory firm that works with companies across business strategy, capital, technology, commercialisation and growth. It provides hands-on support from company formation and investor readiness through to scaling, international expansion and exit.

SX2 Ventures

Co-Founder & Partner

London, UK

SX2’s focus is on projects that provide solutions in the evolving areas of cannabinoid and psychedelic medicine, and personalized health for longevity, eldercare, mental illness and end-of-life care.

JMCC Group

Co-Founder

Jan 2017 - Present

Toronto, CA

JMCC Group is a vertically integrated biopharmaceutical company producing cannabinoid medicines and psilocybin as an API for mental health therapeutics. It has biomass production facilities in Jamaica and processing facilities in Europe.

Aureos Capital Ltd

Chief Executive Officer

Jul 2012 - Jul 2013

Dubai, AE

Aureos Capital Ltd was a private equity firm that focused on investing in small to mid-sized businesses in emerging markets, particularly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It was acquired by the Abraaj Group.

The Abraaj Group

CEO | Abraaj North America

2013 - 2015

New York, NY, USA

The Abraaj Group was a private equity firm based in Dubai that gained prominence by investing in emerging markets.

The Abraaj Group

Partner & Investment Director

2006 - 2013

Dubai, AE

Macfarlanes

Partner

2004 - 2006

London, UK

Macfarlanes is a prominent independent law firm based in London, recognized for its expertise in corporate, private client, and litigation services. The firm combines top-tier international capabilities with a personalized approach to client service.

Norton Rose Fulbright

Partner

2001 - 2004

London, UK

Norton Rose Fulbright is a global law firm known for its strong industry focus and extensive international presence, offering comprehensive legal services in over 50 cities around the world.

Jones Day

Attorney

1999 - 2001

New York, NY, USA

Jones Day is a global law firm recognized for its integrated partnership model and strong presence in corporate, litigation, and regulatory matters in major business centers around the world.

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Current Board Positions

Mind Cloud Tribe

Advisory Board

2020 - Present

Dubai, AE

Founded in 2019, Mind Cloud Tribe is an education platform that helps entrepreneurs build business plans and establish a network of experts and resources to work with.

Previous Board Positions

qbeats inc.

Board of Directors

Feb 2016 - Feb 2022

New York, US

qbeats revolutionizes the digital information ecosystem by introducing content valuation technology designed to help content creators isolate and maximize value per article. Optional go-to-market functionality can be overlaid to assist publishers, partners and sponsors in executing new information experiences.

Emerging Markets Private Equity Association

Board of Directors

Jan 2014 - Dec 2017

Washington, US

The Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA) is an independent, global membership association whose mission is to catalyze private equity and venture capital investment in emerging markets around the world.

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Current Advisory Roles

Endeavor

Senior Advisor

Sep 2013 - Present

New York, US

A global organization dedicated to supporting high impact entrepreneurs across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.

Publications

Bloomsbury Professional: Acquisition Finance

Author

London, UK

This publication provides an updated analysis of the acquisition finance landscape post-credit crunch, examining changes in funding structures, lender dynamics, and regulatory frameworks, as well as the evolution of market conditions, financing options, and private equity activity since 2008.

SX2 Ventures: Insights

Author

London, UK

SX2 Insights cover a range of topics related to the company's work, including the life sciences, longevity, health care at all stages of life, and emerging market healthcare solutions.

SX2 Ventures: Psychedelic Drugs as Medicine Back to the Future

Author

London, UK

Tom Speechley examines the use of "psychedelics" and the present state of biotechnology as it relates to the long-standing history of medicine and how medicine is prescribed today in a therapeutic setting.

SX2 Ventures: Lifestyle and Longevity: Stating the Obvious

Author

London, UK

Tom Speechley, Founder & CEO of SX2 Ventures, discusses the drawbacks of placing the science of prevention secondary to the science of cure. Using numerous studies and clear data, Tom outlines the many ways that our lifestyles can negatively impact our longevity and stresses the need for more preventative research.

SX2 Ventures: Why Profit Matters in the Impact Space

Author

London, UK

Tom Speechley discusses the misconceptions around generating profit when investing, and he outlines the importance of profit in order to promote a sustainable economy and accomplish long-term goals.

SX2 Ventures Insights: Ten Things We All Need to Know about Dementia

Author

London, UK

Tom Speechley, Founder & CEO of SX2 Ventures, discusses the key aspects of dementia that all individuals should know. SX2 Ventures is a leader in innovation in human care, focused on the design of “next generation dementia care facilities”, using the latest evidence-based practices and technologies to improve the quality of care that residents receive.

Computer studies for GCSE: Software Package

Co-Author

London, UK

A set of interactive software modules aimed at enhancing and illustrating key concepts in the GCSE Computer Studies curriculum.

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Memberships

The Royal Society of Arts

Fellow

Feb 2015 - Present

London, UK

The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) is a global network of people committed to enriching society through ideas and action.

Tom Speechley’s Education

University of Sheffield

First Class Honors Degree in Law

1987 - 1990

University of Sheffield

Chemical Physics - BSc.

1986 - 1987

Co-Founder

Valantai

London, UK

Tom Speechley’s Biography

Tom Speechley’s Background

Current Board Positions

Previous Board Positions

Current Advisory Roles

Publications

Memberships

Tom Speechley’s Education

Company

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