Leaders in Technology Strategy and M&A
Lighthouse Advisory Partners is a leading technology M&A advisory firm, founded by executives each with 20+ years executive experience in tech companies.
Our Values Guide Everything We Do
At our core, we prioritise our values to ensure success. We focus on strategic thinking and a clear understanding of the technology sector. By partnering closely with clients, we deliver selective excellence that leads to results-driven outcomes.
Our Core Values
Founded on a Different Principle
At our company, we value integrity, innovation, and teamwork. We focus on leveraging technology to drive success and improve lives. Our cultivated partnerships and commitment to excellence lead us to deliver impactful results and create lasting change.
Strategic Thinking
We approach challenges with critical thinking and innovative strategies that set us apart in the industry.
Tech Focus
We harness the latest technologies to deliver solutions tailored to the needs of our clients.
Partnership Approach
Collaboration is key. We build lasting partnerships that foster mutual growth and success.
Our Team
Our talented & experienced team delivers amazing results.
The Lighthouse Advisory Partners team is our greatest asset. Led by our two founding partners – each with over 20 years of leadership experience in technology businesses – our team knows what it takes to drive growth from the inside out. Our professionals have backgrounds in top-tier strategy consulting, executive roles at tech companies, and investment banking, combining the best of analytical rigor and real-world operational savvy. We believe in a hands-on, senior-led approach: when you work with Lighthouse, you work directly with seasoned experts who are passionate about your success. We aren’t just advisors; we act as an extension of your team, committed to lighting the way toward your goals.
Les is an experienced business leader with over 20 years of experience across the Technology sector. He has held senior leadership positions in Corporate Development, Strategy and Executive Management roles at AVEVA and Lighthouse, as well as advisory positions to the executive teams of technology firms.
In addition to his work with clients, Les is also an active mentor for start-ups and SMEs (small and medium enterprises), helping them to grow and maximise their future value.
Mat has worked for over 20 years in leadership roles within the software sector, including 10 years at AVEVA Plc where he ran Strategy, Key Accounts, Marketing, Licensing, Partnerships & M&A as an Exec board member.
Mat left AVEVA in 2015 to join Hg Capital and spent 5 years in Corporate Development roles completing over 25 acquisitions and disposals. Mat joined Lighthouse in 2020 and is also an active Board member for tech companies in the UK and Central Europe.
With over 30 years of experience in software, product, and business management, Martin is a seasoned leader and innovator in the digital space. As the founder of ParentMail, the UK’s leading parental engagement service, and a former leader of IRIS Biostore, a provider of cashless catering and identity management solutions, Martin has successfully built, scaled, and sold thriving businesses.
Martin specialises in B2B software markets, Martin provides guidance, insight, and non-executive director services with a focus on customer satisfaction, product strategy, and pricing. Whether advising on growth strategies or enhancing operational effectiveness, Martin is dedicated to driving meaningful and sustainable business success.
Ian is a senior executive with vast experience managing software and service businesses within the private and public sectors, ranging from small, locally focused software houses to the MD of a Division of Capita Plc (FTSE 50). Ian is an inclusive leader who is trusted internally and externally. He believes people are key to making things happen and is highly regarded for his stakeholder management at all levels.
Ian has a proven track record of business growth, both organically and via acquisition. This includes several turnaround businesses and managing the transformation required to merge companies and staff into a joined-up and thriving culture. His C-level experience as a Managing Director and as an Executive Board member brings experience in both business strategy and operational delivery. Ian first worked with Lighthouse in 2017 while at Hg-backed IRIS.
Mark is an outreach specialist. There are many ways to engage with clients, but few that can match the quality of Mark’s expertise. Mark has over 30 years’ experience working with a variety of different client facing roles.
Mark is an expert at initiating contact with customers and business buyers, so they feel they have been shortlisted and not part of a mass contact process. This approach creates the best engagement when gaining customer feedback in commercial diligence and customer rating projects. Additionally, this personalised approach generates excellent response rates from buyers and sellers during M&A engagements.
Miles Harrington is a dynamic digital marketing leader with over 15 years of experience driving growth for technology and advisory firms.
Miles brings a blend of strategic vision and hands-on execution to Lighthouse Advisory Partners, where he oversees all digital marketing initiatives, from Video marketing and content strategy to targeted campaigns that amplify our market presence.
Passionate about the intersection of technology and marketing, Miles excels at crafting narratives that position tech leaders as industry authorities. At Lighthouse, he focuses on empowering our clients—ambitious executives in SaaS, AI, and fintech—to achieve transformative growth through innovative digital channels.
Tom Elby is an emerging talent in technology advisory, supporting Lighthouse Advisory Partners as a Junior Analyst. He contributes to market research, data analysis, and due diligence processes, helping deliver insights that empower tech leaders to make strategic decisions.
At Lighthouse, Tom focuses on leveraging emerging tools like AI-driven analytics to uncover opportunities in SaaS and fintech sectors, aligning with our mission to drive transformative growth for clients. His fresh perspective and analytical rigor enhance our team’s ability to provide precise, actionable intelligence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about our services.
Our firm was founded by technology executives each with over 20 years of experience building and scaling tech businesses. They’ve held senior leadership roles in corporate development, strategy, marketing, and M&A at leading software companies and private equity firms, ensuring you work directly with seasoned operators who’ve “been in the trenches” and delivered real growth.
We specialise in:
Growth Strategy Consulting – crafting roadmaps to accelerate market leadership.
Tech M&A Advisory – end-to-end buy-side and sell-side deal execution.
Commercial Due Diligence – rigorous market analysis and customer validation.
Voice of Customer – NPS/CSAT surveys to guide strategic decisions.
We take a hands-on, partner-led approach: when you engage us, you work directly with our founding partners and their senior team. We embed as an extension of your leadership, combining strategic thinking with operational know-how to deliver selective excellence and drive results.
Our firm was founded by technology executives each with over 20 years of experience building and scaling tech companies, giving us deep sector expertise . We take a hands-on, partner-led approach, so clients work directly with our founding partners and senior operating team throughout the process . Our core values of strategic thinking, tech focus, and partnership approach ensure tailored strategies that drive measurable results . By embedding ourselves as an extension of your leadership team, we combine analytical rigor with real-world operational insight to maximise value
We are both London and Cambridge based.
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