Monday 30 May 2022

New Brunswick Political Insiders Then and Now

 

 

https://asgdc.com/work/

 

National Security and Defense

ASG has advised and advocated for a number of diverse companies that work with the Department of Defense (DoD). The firm’s partners have been particularly successful in helping companies navigate the complex Pentagon funding and acquisition process as well as providing key insight, strategic guidance and creative solutions for our clients. ASG has a unique understanding of the annual defense budget oversight process and is skilled at identifying and finding champions to help solve client issues.

Defense Community Support

ASG is tailor-made to represent and advise clients concerning the growth and preservation of the military installation and the communities that surround them.  Both partners have served on previous BRAC commissions, and have represented communities and businesses with military installation  interests for a number of years as private consultants. Collectively, the ASG partners have experienced BRAC from one perspective or another during the 1991, 1995 and 2005 BRAC rounds, and have retained a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Military & VA Healthcare

The ASG partners have extensive experience in the military healthcare arena in both government-appointed and private sector capacities. The firm understands that there is no more important service than ensuring the medical well-being of our war fighters and the families who faithfully support them. ASG’s background in advising companies involved with military healthcare is considerable and wide-ranging. We have witnessed many unique situations from different vantage points and are well-equipped to provide strategic counsel on how best to do business in the sphere of military healthcare. Bottom line, the collective nuances of Capitol Hill, DoD, and the Veterans Administration must be fully comprehended in order to develop a blueprint for success.

 

Labor & Immigration

ASG has considerable experience in the realm of immigration and the specific issues surrounding economic and non-immigrant visas. The firm has worked with relevant industries across the nation that rely on various temporary visa programs to effectively operate their respective businesses. ASG has been successful in building bipartisan congressional coalitions on these industries’ behalf in order to save American jobs, ensure quality products, and in multiple cases, preserve a longstanding way of life.

 

 Call us at (202) 578-7841, use the contact form or email us at info@asgdc.com

 

I spoke to this lady on Memorial Day in the USA

https://asgdc.com/team/


Colleen Purcell

Chief Operating Officer

Bio

Colleen Purcell has spent her career ensuring organizations run at peak performance. Responsible for implementing vision and executing strategies at ASG, she is detail driven with a focus on results. She has a systematic and organized approach applied to numerous diverse operations, including organizing complex congressional fly-ins, always focusing on maximizing effectiveness with minimal wasted travel and downtime.

Colleen has broad expertise working for organizations of multiple sizes and industry focus, including technology, customer service and legislative affairs. Her adaptable abilities are key to managing the details of ASG’s individual client needs, while working with firm partners to execute key project priorities. She is a graduate of Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a minor in Political Science and French.

 

© 2022 Atlantic Strategies Group, all rights reserved | 202.578.7841 | 220 E St N.E. Washington, DC 20002

 

http://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/08/4-former-political-insiders-create.html 

 

Thursday, 29 August 2019

4 former political insiders create consulting firm to attract business to province

https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies





Replying to   @alllibertynews and 49 others 
Methinks a lot of Conservatives in New Brunswick will find it very interesting that CBC did not block any of my comments this time N'esy Pas? (At least thus far Hence no need to blog about it yet)






https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-fomer-politicians-consulting-firm-1.5260498




4 former political insiders create consulting firm to attract business to province

New firm set to help lure employers and fill void left by government

A quartet of high-profile former political insiders from New Brunswick's two main political parties are going into business together as consultants.

The four partners in Atlantic Strategies Group, including a former Liberal premier and a former Progressive Conservative finance minister, say they can fill a void left by government to help lure employers to the province.

"If I was to describe it in a sentence, we're privatizing Opportunities New Brunswick," said co-owner Andrew Dawson, referring to the provincial government's economic development agency.

"That was the whole genesis of the four of us getting together — to provide those services to the private sector."

'Role to play'

Former Liberal cabinet minister Donald Arseneault added: "We can't keep saying government's going to do all that work. We all have a role to play."

The four principals in Atlantic Strategies are:
  • Shawn Graham, New Brunswick's Liberal premier from 2006 to 2010 and now an international business consultant.
  • Norm Betts, a business professor, Progressive Conservative cabinet minister from 1999 to 2003, and former board member of NB Power.
  • Arseneault, a Liberal MLA from 2003 to 2017 who held several cabinet portfolios in the Graham and Gallant governments.
  • Dawson, a one-time executive assistant to a PC cabinet minister, former construction union official and businessperson who hired Arseneault as a lobbyist for his union two years ago.
Dawson and Arseneault spoke about the company in a 30-minute interview, saying they will offer clients services such as "business development, strategic advice, networking."

Betts and Graham could not be reached for comment.

Built 'relationships'

People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin said he hopes that the new firm will not lead to some potential investors in the province getting "special treatment" thanks to the connections the four owners have built up over the years.

He said the four men have the potential to "sway [decisions] away from the public interest" to benefit some employers.


All four partners signed a letter to the province's integrity commissioner laying out their plans. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
Arseneault said he established "a lot of relationships" during a decade and a half in politics.

"If I can take the experience I've built over the years, over the last 15 years … so be it, if it means moving forward in this province."
But they both say the firm will go beyond existing requirements for transparency and will engage in lobbying "as little as possible."

Lobbying, the practice of using connections and experience to broker access to elected officials and influence their decisions, is controversial.

Not just lobbying

Arseneault left politics in 2017, earlier than planned, after accepting a part-time lobbying job in Ottawa while sitting as a backbench MLA.

He said lobbying is not "the gist" of what the new company plans to do.

"If somebody wants a meeting with a government official or minister, anybody can do that,"

Arseneault said. "You don't have to be Andrew Dawson, Norm Betts, Don Arseneault or Shawn Graham to do that."
Dawson added: "If a client is just interested in paying somebody to get a meeting with a politician, that's not something we're interested in."


Former PC finance minister Norm Betts is a partner in the new consulting firm. (Catherine Harrop/CBC)
Even so, arranging meetings could be "a small part of the big picture," according to Dawson, so they're registering as lobbyists provincial and federally.

The four partners wrote a letter to acting integrity commissioner Charles Murray last week to outline their plans, promising to go beyond what lobbying and conflict-of-interest laws require.

"We have no problem being open and transparent about it," Arseneault said.

Murray would not comment Monday on their plans.

Filling a gap

Dawson said that with Premier Blaine Higgs unenthusiastic about corporate subsidies and Opportunities New Brunswick recently eliminating 24 positions, the four consultants can fill the gap by advising companies on setting up shop in the province.

"There was a void there in the marketplace," Dawson said. "There are services that the private sector is willing to pay for. If the government proceeds to create the environment for economic growth, what can we do as private citizens to facilitate it?"

Former Liberal premier Shawn Graham has been working as an international business consultant. (Gilles Landry/Radio-Canada)
But he said the company would be selective.

"If Malcolm Bricklin were to land here today with his idea, we'd send him away quite quickly."

The company already has about 10 clients in sectors including energy, cannabis, health care, labour and transportation.  One of them is ARC Nuclear, a business hoping to manufacture small, modular nuclear reactors for NB Power.

New jobs

Dawson and Arseneault recently left their positions with Canada's Building Trades Unions, the labour group that hired Arseneault in 2017. The two men are longtime acquaintances.

Though the province's lobbying and conflict-of-interest laws didn't prohibit Arseneault's 2017 hiring while he remained an MLA, then-premier Brian Gallant said the perception of a conflict was a problem.

He pushed Arseneault to give up the job or face expulsion from the Liberal caucus.
Instead, Arseneault resigned as an MLA. The Liberals later amended the law to ban sitting MLAs from working part time as lobbyists.

Former MLAs are also banned from lobbying for a year after they leave office, a period that has elapsed for Arseneault.

About the Author

Jacques Poitras
Provincial Affairs reporter
Jacques Poitras has been CBC's provincial affairs reporter in New Brunswick since 2000. Raised in Moncton, he also produces the CBC political podcast Spin Reduxit. 


CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices


 

68 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.





David Amos
Methinks many people are laughing as hard as I am right now N'esy Pas?


Junkman George
Reply to @David Amos:

If only it wasn't so sad, and likely expensive.
 
 
David Amos  
Reply to @Junkman George: Methinks this nonsense just adds to the Circus N'esy Pas?








Ray Bungay
I sure hope someone in Government is guarding the hen house!!


David Amos 
Reply to @Ray Bungay: Dream on 
 
 
 




Anthony Lyons
I wound trust none of them


David Amos
Reply to @Anthony Lyons: You are wise 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mack Leigh
Be afraid, NB Taxpayers ! Be very afraid ! Hold on to your wallets. 
 
 
David Amos 
Reply to @Mack Leigh: YUP
 








Marc Tremblay
Eww...


David Amos   
Reply to @Marc Tremblay: I second that remark
 
 
Ray Bungay
Reply to @David Amos: x3!













Mack Leigh
Methinks the NB taxpayers are about to be fleeced !!


David Amos    
Reply to @Mack Leigh: Methinks its just more of the same old same old N'esy Pas?








Roland Stewart
Yup, I believe every word. LOL

David Amos
Reply to @Roland Stewart: Methinks you jest just enough N'esy Pas?











Lou Bell
Money , Money, Money , Moneahhh ! Following Trump template . ACOA must be announcing BIGLY money available !


David Amos 
Reply to @Lou Bell: Yea Right













Lou Bell
Oh OH !! Atcon coming back ?????


David Amos 
Reply to @Lou Bell: Methinks you seem rather bitter about something N'esy Pas? 
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps
If all the smart people on here would put half the effort they put in here deprecating and instead would get together to create a consulting firm like these guys, then maybe something positive might come out of it.
 
 
Joseph Vacher
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: how can you respect someone who stole 50 million dollars from NB tax payers. they belond in jail for the crimes they committed, and the ones they are p[planning to commit
 
 
David Amos 
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Cry me a river
 
 
Mack Leigh
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps:

Their past actions speaks volumes and it does not bode well for the NB taxpayers....Quite evidently by their collective history there will not be a shred of integrity , ethics or strength of character in the lot..
 
 
Junkman George
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps:

For this type of thing to bear fruit you need to be "connected". If you carefully notice all the bases are covered, both Liberal, and CONServative.
This is going to cost us LARGE, and we won't be able to shake it, some might say "the fixx is in".
 
 
David Amos 
Reply to @Junkman George: Methinks thats par for the course N'esy Pas?
 











Brian Robertson
Oh look!
New Brunswick has it's very own swamp.



Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @Brian Robertson: no need to look very far; right here consistently opining on these topics!
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps
... anti-government, anti-bilingualism, anti-French, anti-everything!
 
 
David Amos 
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Pure D BS
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @David Amos: RUN FOREST, RUN !!!
 
 
Brian Robertson 
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps:
I'm not anti anything.
My message is one of unity and creating a future for the common good.
I emphasize what we have in common.
You and your ilk strive to create a separate future that favors a select few.
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps 
Reply to @Brian Robertson: then tell us what steps you have taken in order to create a future for the common good. Do tell!
 
 
David Amos  
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Methinks everybody knows I am running for public office again and planning to file 3 more lawsuits against the Crownin short order. Everybody also knows that have you done nothing other than whine and cry on behalf of the SANB within a Crown Corp's website N'esy Pas?












Matt Steele
One thing is for sure ; former politicians ALWAYS return to the taxpayer funded trough so that they can fill their pockets even more with taxpayer cash . It is surprising that Jack Keir and Frank McKenna are not in on the deal as well . Some things just never change in N.B. .


David Amos   
Reply to @Matt Steele: What makes you think they are not?
 
 
Mack Leigh
Reply to @Matt Steele:
Perhaps they are both " Silent " partners ??











Rod McLeod
Cha-ching! These guys just scored some serious money.


David Amos    
Reply to @Rod McLeod: Methinks Mr Higgs still holds the reigns of power and the province's cheque book as well N'esy Pas?














Joseph Vacher
Sean Graham back in power in NB :( this will not, and can not, end well


David Amos 
Reply to @Joseph Vacher: You should know
 
 
Joseph Vacher 
Reply to @David Amos: everyone should know
















Robert L. Brown
The only word i would have for this bunch is DISGUSTING


David Amos  
Reply to @Robert L. Brown: I wholeheartedly agree










Ben Haroldson
Lot of union execs not much interested in helping the working man anymore. Matter of fact, double dipping has become common practice in the union executive. At one time it was the #1 ta boo. Gr eed is rif e evrywhere.


David Peters
Reply to @Ben Haroldson:
Unions work hard in undermining low skill, cheap labour by pushing minimum wage laws.
 
 
Ben Haroldson
Reply to @David Peters: Most unions are more interested in keeping the dues flowing (just what the company wants), And are real timid, to a fault about using work stopages.
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @Ben Haroldson: Oh So True











Evan Day
Lol. Hilarious. So they're basically setting themselves up to compete with Opportunities NB. The happy benefit for them is lining their own pockets. I very much doubt they're doing this for the good of New Brunswick.

Ben Haroldson  
Reply to @Evan Day: The inside info they all have garnered over the years wouldn't be a reason why they decided to start a firm would it?
 
 
Joseph Vacher
Reply to @Evan Day: sean graham .... lol enough said
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @Evan Day: Welcome to the Circus
 
 
Junkman George
Reply to @Evan Day:
Give that man a prize.
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @David Amos: he comes the klown!
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Methinks everybody knows who the Clowns are I am merely the Court Jester N'esy Pas?










Archie Levesque
Best laugh I've had in awhile. Who else are they going to bring on board? Vic Boudreau? Brian Gallant?


David Amos 
Reply to @Archie Levesque: Me Too









JJ Carrier
No Rayburn?


Robert L. Brown
Reply to @JJ Carrier:
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @JJ Carrier: Who cares?
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps 
Reply to @David Amos: if only he was still here. Van Horne cared!
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Methinks you must have heard about my conversation with Van Horne's granddaughter a few weeks ago because of her support of the Green Party candidate running against your SANB buddy Dominic Leblanc N'esy Pas?








David Peters
An exposè into how much NB taxpayer's are paying for 'consultants', with lots of details, would be interesting.


David Amos 
Reply to @David Peters: YUP










Stephanie Haslam
Any doubt that there is any discernible difference, between these two, old mainstream parties can be laid to rest. It will be very interesting to see what comes out of this alliance. Here is a quote for the day-- make of it what you will: "Cronyism is ugly. It hurts the economy, it’s unjust, and corrupts the core of democracy. “The damage that cronyism has inflicted on the economy is considerable,” Samuel Gregg writes in a new piece for Public Discourse. “[C]ronyism also creates significant political challenges that, thus far, Western democracies are struggling to overcome.” https://blog.acton.org/archives/85492-just-how-bad-is-crony-capitalism.html  


David Amos 
Reply to @Stephanie Haslam: Methinks you should check my work N'esy Pas? 
 
 
 

 NOW

 
 
31 Comments  
Commenting is now closed for this story.




Ray Bungay
I sure hope someone in Government is guarding the hen house!!
 
 
 




Anthony Lyons
I wound trust none of them


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mack Leigh
Be afraid, NB Taxpayers ! Be very afraid ! Hold on to your wallets. 
 
 







Marc Tremblay
Eww...

 
Ray Bungay
Reply to @David Amos: x3!













Mack Leigh
Methinks the NB taxpayers are about to be fleeced !!








Roland Stewart
Yup, I believe every word. LOL










Lou Bell
Money , Money, Money , Moneahhh ! Following Trump template . ACOA must be announcing BIGLY money available !










Lou Bell
Oh OH !! Atcon coming back ?????
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Marguerite Deschamps
If all the smart people on here would put half the effort they put in here deprecating and instead would get together to create a consulting firm like these guys, then maybe something positive might come out of it.
 
 
Joseph Vacher
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: how can you respect someone who stole 50 million dollars from NB tax payers. they belond in jail for the crimes they committed, and the ones they are p[planning to commit
 
 
Mack Leigh
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps:
Their past actions speaks volumes and it does not bode well for the NB taxpayers....Quite evidently by their collective history there will not be a shred of integrity , ethics or strength of character in the lot..
 
 
Mark George
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps:
For this type of thing to bear fruit you need to be "connected". If you carefully notice all the bases are covered, both Liberal, and CONServative.
This is going to cost us LARGE, and we won't be able to shake it, some might say "the fixx is in".
 
 
 









Brian Robertson
Oh look!
New Brunswick has it's very own swamp.



Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @Brian Robertson: no need to look very far; right here consistently opining on these topics!
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps
... anti-government, anti-bilingualism, anti-French, anti-everything!
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @David Amos: RUN FOREST, RUN !!!
 
 
Brian Robertson 
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps:
I'm not anti anything.
My message is one of unity and creating a future for the common good.
I emphasize what we have in common.
You and your ilk strive to create a separate future that favors a select few.
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps 
Reply to @Brian Robertson: then tell us what steps you have taken in order to create a future for the common good. Do tell!
 
 









Matt Steele
One thing is for sure ; former politicians ALWAYS return to the taxpayer funded trough so that they can fill their pockets even more with taxpayer cash . It is surprising that Jack Keir and Frank McKenna are not in on the deal as well . Some things just never change in N.B. .
 
 
Mack Leigh
Reply to @Matt Steele:
Perhaps they are both " Silent " partners ??













Joseph Vacher
Sean Graham back in power in NB :( this will not, and can not, end well

 
Joseph Vacher 
Reply to @David Amos: everyone should know
















Robert L. Brown
The only word i would have for this bunch is DISGUSTING











Evan Day
Lol. Hilarious. So they're basically setting themselves up to compete with Opportunities NB. The happy benefit for them is lining their own pockets. I very much doubt they're doing this for the good of New Brunswick.

Joseph Vacher
Reply to @Evan Day: sean graham .... lol enough said
 
 
Mark George
Reply to @Evan Day:
Give that man a prize.
 
 
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @David Amos: he comes the klown!
 









Archie Levesque
Best laugh I've had in awhile. Who else are they going to bring on board? Vic Boudreau? Brian Gallant?











David Peters
An exposè into how much NB taxpayer's are paying for 'consultants', with lots of details, would be interesting.









Stephanie Haslam
Any doubt that there is any discernible difference, between these two, old mainstream parties can be laid to rest. It will be very interesting to see what comes out of this alliance. Here is a quote for the day-- make of it what you will: "Cronyism is ugly. It hurts the economy, it’s unjust, and corrupts the core of democracy. “The damage that cronyism has inflicted on the economy is considerable,” Samuel Gregg writes in a new piece for Public Discourse. “[C]ronyism also creates significant political challenges that, thus far, Western democracies are struggling to overcome.” https://blog.acton.org/archives/85492-just-how-bad-is-crony-capitalism.html  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Atlantic Strategies Group Inc.

Company Number
709744
Status
F
Jurisdiction
New Brunswick (Canada)
Source New Brunswick Corporate Affairs Registry Database, https://www.pxw2.snb.ca/card_online/S..., 29 May 2022
 

Events for Atlantic Strategies Group Inc.

Before 2019-06-30
Incorporated
Between 2020-07-31 and 2020-08-02
Change of status from 'A' to 'B'
Between 2021-05-06 and 2021-05-07
Change of status from 'B' to 'I'
Between 2021-08-12 and 2021-08-14
Became inactive
Between 2021-08-12 and 2021-08-14
Change of status from 'I' to 'F'
Between 2021-08-12 and 2021-08-14
Change of status from 'I' to 'F'

 

Our Purpose

Corporate transparency is a critical requirement for a fairer society. To ensure that everyone knows exactly who they are working with – and working for. To tackle corruption and criminality. To protect our democracy. To create a trusted business environment we want to work in – and a society we’d all like to live in. 

 

 
OPENCORPORATES HOLDING LTD 
Aston House, Cornwall Avenue, 
London, Greater London, 
N3 1LF, United Kingdom 
 
Company Category Private Limited Company 

OPENCORPORATES HOLDING LTD (company# 11268479) is a company registered with Companies House, United Kingdom. The incorporation date is March 21, 2018. The company status is Active.  

 

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/11268479 

 

OPENCORPORATES HOLDING LTD

Company number 11268479

Registered office address
Aston House, Cornwall Avenue, London, United Kingdom, N3 1LF
Company status
Active
Company type
Private limited Company
Incorporated on
21 March 2018

Accounts

Next accounts made up to 30 November 2021
due by 31 August 2022

Last accounts made up to 30 November 2020

Confirmation statement

Next statement date 13 March 2023
due by 27 March 2023

Last statement dated 13 March 2022

Nature of business (SIC)

  • 62090 - Other information technology service activities



https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/_kkVBLVS_5eAEsx0Eax3gMwEMZU/appointments

 

ASTON HOUSE NOMINEES LIMITED

Total number of appointments 185

 

https://www.adlershine.com/contact-us 

 

Adler Shine LLP
Aston House
Cornwall Avenue
London N3 1LF

+44 (0)20 8371 3000
contact@adlershine.com

Adler Shine LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership registered to carry on Audit Work in the UK & regulated for a range of Investment Business activities by The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

Registered office: Aston House, Cornwall Avenue, London N3 1LF

LLP No. OC301724

 

Business Process Outsourcing 

We provide Treasury and Outsourcing services to a significant number of clients, whose Head Offices are around the globe.

By our performance, we enjoy "preferred supplier" status to Ernst & Young and have work referred from other large practices. This is testimony to our care and attention in ensuring we fully understand the requirements of each individual company, and to our staff's delivery of our customer service ethos.

Being an early adopter of cloud technology, we have an unrivalled track record of providing solutions that are fully viable to our clients in real-time.

We pride ourselves on delivering to our clients a better service than many companies provide for themselves with their own finance department. This way our clients can strategically focus on their business whilst our dedicated team provides a full range of professional services from our talent pool.


https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/opencorporates-appoints-new-ceo-to-strengthen-its-leadership-in-transparent-company-data-301345578.html 

 

OpenCorporates appoints new CEO to strengthen its leadership in transparent company data

Sarah Arana-Morton succeeds founder Chris Taggart, as OpenCorporates targets ambitious growth in emerging transparent company data market


News provided by

OpenCorporates

Aug 02, 2021, 08:00 ET

LONDON, Aug. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenCorporates, the go-to foundational source of reliable, transparent and real-time company data, has appointed its Chief Operating Officer, Sarah Arana-Morton, as the company's new Chief Executive Officer.

Arana-Morton succeeds Chris Taggart, the company's founder and former CEO, who grew OpenCorporates from an idea 10 years ago into a key part of the world's data infrastructure.

OpenCorporates has grown to serve over 400 enterprise clients and to attract millions of monthly users to its online platform, OpenCorporates.com. As COO, Arana-Morton was responsible for establishing a new go to market organisation to accelerate growth of an already strong US client base, including government agencies, technology platforms, financial organisations and professional services firms, who all depend on the standardised, provenanced and transparent company data that is needed in our data-driven world.

Arana-Morton commented: "I'm proud to be taking OpenCorporates into a new era, where we are positioned as a leader with a decade of industry experience in delivering value from transparent company data. It is more important than ever to know exactly who you are in business with and this fundamental dataset about companies should be available to everyone. At OpenCorporates we are redefining the company data landscape".

Chris Taggart, who will step into a new role of Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, said: "OpenCorporates' public benefit mission of opening up company data for all has never been more important – for society and for business. As business moves towards this new norm, OpenCorporates is rapidly scaling-up – and Sarah is the ideal leader to take us forward in this next stage of our journey".

"The Covid pandemic highlights that organisations need to understand who they're doing business with at the legal entity level", said Oliver Ratzesberger, Chair of OpenCorporates' Operating Board. "Sarah's experience, drive and customer focus make her the ideal candidate to lead OpenCorporates at this pivotal time", he added.

About Sarah Arana-Morton

Sarah is a business leader who brings nearly 20 years' experience of growing businesses and building high performing teams in the data industry. Prior to her appointment as OpenCorporates' CEO, she served as its Chief Operating Officer for four years, significantly growing the company's client base and more recently building out its first operations in the US. Prior to OpenCorporates, Sarah served in global leadership roles at dunnhumby, a data science company, having developed business units across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the US from the beginning.

About OpenCorporates

OpenCorporates is revolutionising access to company data, and with it changing the world for the better. OpenCorporates has built the largest open database of companies in the world, containing information on almost 200 million companies in 140 jurisdictions – all from primary public sources. Our data is more transparent, fresh and fit for purpose than legacy Black Box business information vendors, which is why millions of users and hundreds of organisations rely on it at scale. Experienced leaders on our Operating Board drive our success, and world-class trustees on the OpenCorporates Trust protect our public benefit mission.

To maximise its success, OpenCorporates has established an Operating Board with industry expertise in data and cloud technologies, as well as experience of scaling up companies. The Board includes Oliver Ratzesberger, former Teradata CEO, Julia Apostle, a technology lawyer formerly of Twitter and the FT, Sarah Arana-Morton, the CEO of OpenCorporates and Alessia Falsarone, an expert in sustainable investments, as well as Chris Taggart, OpenCorporates' founder.

Press contact

Philip Galloway
philip.galloway@opencorporates.com

 

 

 
Sarah Arana-Morton
@saranamorton
Growing @opencorporates, mother, marathon runner
United KingdomJoined June 2014



Sarah Arana-Morton
@saranamorton
OpenCorporates Offers Universal Access to Data on More Than 168 Million Corporate Legal Entities, Increasing Transparency and Trust
 
 
Sarah Arana-Morton
@saranamorton
We are very proud of new world class Trustees....
 
 
opencorporates
@opencorporates
·
The first formal step in this process – introducing the OpenCorporates trustees: Patrick Alley, Esther Dyson, John Githongo, Mike Olson, Giannina Segnini and Jane Wales. Welcome to OpenCorporates, we look forward to working with you!
Image
 
 
 
Sarah Arana-Morton
@saranamorton
Looking forward to #DataDemoDay with @DataCoalition tomorrow...
 
 
#DataDemoDay is in 6 days! Join us and @DataCoalition to see what data solutions we have developed for efficient decision-making in the public sector. Register here: data_demo_day_2018.eventbrite.com
 
 
Image

Data Coalition

The Data Coalition is the only trade association that advocates data reform for the U.S. government. The Coalition brings together companies, nonprofit organizations, and individuals to support policies that require federal agencies to publish their data online, using standardized, machine-readable, nonproprietary identifiers and markup languages

 

 

Our Team

Sarah Arana-Morton

Chief Executive Officer

Sarah is a data industry leader who brings nearly 20 years’ experience. She previously served in global leadership and board directorship roles at dunnhumby, a data science company, and more recently as the Chief Operating Officer of OpenCorporates.

 


 

Chris Taggart

Founder & Chief Strategy Officer

Chris founded OpenCorporates and is its Chief Strategy Officer. He is an experienced entrepreneur (having previously run and founded successful magazines companies), and is an acknowledged expert on global company data, particularly corporate identifiers.

Rebecca Lee

Chief Impact Officer

Rebecca joined OpenCorporates after 11 years running Forensic Investigations for PwC and Deloitte: using data to detect, investigate, prevent and remediate crime. The opportunities to tackle crime through OpenCorporates data for the wider public good inspired her to join the team. Outside of work, she loves spending time outside with her family, Land Rovers, Scouting events and her aquarium.

 chris.taggart@opencorporates.com

Andrew Dunn

Chief Technology Officer

Andrew leads all our innovative technology efforts. He brings almost 20 years of experience, having led product-centric and cloud native transformation programmes whilst serving as CTO at a variety of companies – including Arachnys and Smarsh.

Tannah Matus

Chief Financial Officer

Tannah is a Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA) with seven years' experience at SMEs covering financial, strategic and operational decision making. More recently, he was a consultant FD/CFO to a number to start-ups & high growth SMEs.

Chloe Trenchard

Chief Human Resources Officer

Chloe spent 15 years in a variety of human resources related roles at American Express, from business partner to recruiter and change manager. Chloe moved into the high-tech scale up world when she joined Treatwell as Group HR Director and recently completed an M&A project for Legal & General. Outside of work Chloe loves spending time with her family, walking her dog and playing tennis.

Ralph Vossmeyer

Chief Revenue Officer

Ralph brings a 20 year track record of transforming sales functions to accelerate growth. He leads our customer-centric sales culture to ensure our disruptive data platform gives our customers a competitive advantage. Previously, Vossmeyer was a General Manager and executive leader at Teradata, where he led sales and delivery teams to generate over $270 million in annual revenues.

 

 

Our Operating Board

Oliver Ratzesberger

Chairperson

Oliver is an executive business leader and technologist with over 30 years' experience at tech companies such as Teradata and eBay, as well as board positions at Tech San Diego and the University of California San Diego. Having previously held CEO, COO & CPO roles, Oliver led a variety of company and product transformations. He has delivered keynotes on data and tech and co-authored a book that made The Wall Street Journal Best Seller List.

Sarah Arana-Morton

Chief Executive Officer

Sarah is a business leader who brings nearly 20 years’ experience of growing businesses and building high performing teams in the data industry. Prior to her appointment as OpenCorporates’ CEO, she served as its Chief Operating Officer for four years, significantly growing the company’s client base. Sarah served in global leadership roles at dunnhumby, a data science company, having developed business units across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the US from the beginning.

Chris Taggart

Founder & Chief Strategy Officer

Chris founded OpenCorporates and is its Chief Strategy Officer. He is an experienced entrepreneur, having previously run and founded successful magazines companies, and is an acknowledged expert on global company data, particularly corporate identifiers.

Julia Apostle

Non-Executive Director

Julia brings almost 20 years of experience spanning the intersection between law, technology and data from the likes of Twitter and the Financial Times. In addition to her Non-Executive Director role at OpenCorporates, she is a partner in the Tech Transactions group of the law firm Orrick, supporting their Cyber, Privacy and Data Innovation teams.

Alessia Falsarone

Non-Executive Director

As a sustainable finance expert, Alessia brings to OpenCorporates over two decades of asset management and corporate advisory experience spanning three continents. A fellow of the Aspen Institute’s Business and Society Program, she is an advisor to the London Stock Exchange with focus on capital markets’ participation in promoting responsible business practices. Alessia holds a certified corporate director status by NACD.

 

Our Trustees

Patrick Alley

Co-founder and director of Global Witness, the world’s leading anti-corruption NGO. Since co-founding Global Witness in 1993, Patrick has taken part in over fifty field investigations in South East Asia, Africa and Europe and in subsequent advocacy activities.

Esther Dyson

Executive founder of Wellville and chairman of EDventure Holdings, Esther is an active angel investor, best-selling author, board member and advisor concentrating on emerging markets and technologies, new space and health.

John Githongo

John is a veteran anti-corruption investigator, whose fight is told in Michela Wrong’s book It’s Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle-Blower. He is now the CEO of Inuka, a Kenyan grass-roots NGO working to create an informed citizenry.

Mike Olson

Mike co-founded Cloudera in 2008, serving as its CEO until 2013 and as its chief strategy officer (CSO) until June of 2019. He was also heavily involved in setting up the Cloudera Foundation in 2017, and was Chair of the board of Datakind, which encourages the use of data science to solve humanitarian challenges.

Emma Prest

Emma is the Chief Technology Officer at the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). Prior to that, she was the Executive Director of DataKind UK. With a background in civic technology, she works at the intersection of data, strategy, investigations and non-profit management.

Jane Wales

Jane Wales is CEO of the Global Philanthropy Forum and World Affairs, vice-president of the Aspen Institute, and host of the nationally-syndicated National Public Radio interview show World Affairs. Wales is the former Associate Director of the White House Office of Science Technology Policy, and Senior Director of the National Security Council.

 

https://www.glassdoor.ca/Reviews/OpenCorporates-Reviews-E827216.htm?countryRedirect=true 

 

OpenCorporates Reviews

  1. Former Employee, more than 1 year

    Great company, great corporate culture, great CEO

    May 18, 2022 - Senior Account Executive in San Antonio, TX
    Recommend
    CEO Approval
    Business Outlook

    Pros

    OpenCorporates has a unique corporate culture that is different from any other company culture I have experienced in my 20+ years in sales. Employees and leadership value and live by the company's core values and the culture is one of open communication, teamwork and helping each other succeed. Decisions are made quickly to remove roadblocks and company is very customer centric.

    Cons

    Small company growing fast with typical challenges with growing pains (e.g. resources, keeping up with demand, and not enough personnel)

    Advice to Management

    Great talent, employees are passionate and want to be there. One of the best things about OC is the people that make the corporate culture unique - it is rare to find this in other companies and not easy to replicate.

    Be the first to find this review helpful
    5.0
    Current Employee

    Awesome!

    May 18, 2022 - Remote Customer Service Representative 
    Recommend
    CEO Approval
    Business Outlook

    Pros

    Great mission, friendly team, and amazing benefits.

    Cons

    No cons, I am very happy with my role.

    Continue reading
    Be the first to find this review helpful
  2. 5.0
  3. Current Employee

    A Diamond in the rough

    May 16, 2022 - Anonymous Employee 
    Recommend
    CEO Approval
    Business Outlook

    Pros

    It's not often you find a business with such potential, with such opportunity as an individual to contribute to the future success of a business. There are plenty of warts, but a renewed vigour and direction to build a more scalable foundation with which to ride the success if a breath of fresh air - you just need confidence to contribute or simply ask for help.

    Cons

    The past seems to hold the business back a little, personalities and past choices, lots of 'well we used to do it like this' comments, but when we are given the chance to think differently or think a fresh - then everyone seems to have a contribution and thrives on the opportunity.

    Continue reading
    Be the first to find this review helpful
    1.0
    Former Employee

    Avoid, avoid, avoid!

    May 14, 2022 - Operations 
    Recommend
    CEO Approval
    Business Outlook

    Pros

    Some really great colleagues but most of them have now left.

    Cons

    A cruel and ignorant employer. They treat people very badly, hence a high churn of employees. The leadership team micromanages their staff and I have witnessed colleagues coming back to work from illness or parental leave to be immediately fired or demoted. Almost all skilful and experienced colleagues I worked with have now left due to incompetent and “we don’t care about you” management. 
There is no talent management as in looking after and developing the people they have. There is no self-awareness or insight in the management team of the consequences of their actions - they are only interested in themselves. This is a tiny organisation so each time someone with key knowledge leaves, they are set back and have to start again. I cannot recommend this place to anyone.

    Advice to Management

    Stop micromanaging, and treat people with respect and dignity.

    Be the first to find this review helpful
  4. OpenCorporates Response

    People Advisor

    Thank you for your review. We were disappointed to read it and, while there is always room for improvement, we struggle to recognise your concerns. We have policies in place to support our colleagues returning from leaves of absence and we believe in developing and nurturing our talent. We want to hear people’s feedback and we want to show we care. In addition, we have recently implemented leader training to develop the skills of our people leaders. This in turn helps to develop the team at all levels, and allows our leaders to manage their teams in the most effective ways possible. We have made several positive appointments, including a new CEO, CTO and CHRO in the last 12 months. These, plus other key leadership hires, have allowed us to improve processes and knowledge sharing and retention throughout the organisation.

  5. 2.0
  6. Former Employee

    Bullying big boss

    Mar. 14, 2022 - Developer 
    Recommend
    CEO Approval
    Business Outlook

    Pros

    It's a fantastic mission. Truly important. And with with financial customers, it has good solid funding (mostly) without selling out to them.

    Cons

    The overbearing bullying nature of the big boss is something you'll come to experience to a greater or lesser extent depending on your position, but you'll never truly escape it. If he doesn't bully directly he'll find a way to do it by proxy.

    Be the first to find this review helpful
  7. OpenCorporates Response

    Thank you for your review, we value the feedback of former team members - they actually show how far we have come! As a Tech firm with Mission & Ambition we’re really proud of the culture we are building. We are rapidly scaling and have a brand-new CEO, CTO and CHRO as well as other new leadership hires across the business. We work hard to create a nurturing culture, we oppose all forms of bullying and we have robust policies in place should any issues arise. A recent survey of our team found that the flexibility we offer in terms of work/life balance and our leadership team were amongst the top scoring areas.

  8. 5.0
  9. Current Employee, more than 1 year

    Great company, great people, great mission

    Dec. 23, 2021 - Anonymous Employee in London, England
    Recommend
    CEO Approval
    Business Outlook

    Pros

    - Sarah Arana-Morton is fantastic. She has time for all employees and listens to suggestions and concerns. Her vision for OpenCorporates is clear and she inspires confidence when she speaks on it. Very glad to have her at the helm. - The company in general is very focused on its people. We are made to feel valued and the sentiments coming from management about taking care of ourselves and each other are genuine. - The work has important real world implications - it's great to be able to brag to friends about being involved with things like the Pandora Papers! - Remote first organisation with the option of working in TOG locations gives great flexibility. - Open to promoting from within - those who have demonstrated capabilities have been given positions of greater responsibility.

    Cons

    - There is a lot of work to go around and you have to be very conscious of your own work/life balance. Especially pertinent when working from home most of the time.

    Be the first to find this review helpful
    5.0
    Former Employee, more than 1 year

    Huge ambition, important mission, and great culture

    Nov. 23, 2021 - Head of Marketing 
    Recommend
    CEO Approval
    Business Outlook

    Pros

    OpenCorporates has a very rare balance of altruistic mission and big commercial ambition. There's so much opportunity for those who want to make a difference at a societal and commercial level simultaneously, and to progress as the company grows. The leadership team is focussed and highly capable, as well as being supportive for the wider team. They are fostering a fun, inclusive but hard-working culture. Everyone's opinion is heard, welcomed and actioned upon. The working style is really progressive and flexible - there's a lot to get done but you will be given the space to work in a style that suits you. You'll be missed Team OC!

    Cons

    This is a growing business and as such requires a fast pace of working, which won't be for everyone.

    Be the first to find this review helpful
    5.0
    Current Employee, less than 1 year

    Company with a great mission and great people

    Nov. 2, 2021 - Anonymous Employee 
    Recommend
    CEO Approval
    Business Outlook

    Pros

    Like some other reviews, I too read the bad ones before I got hired but I've decided to see for myself. The changes that they've done to address those issues are real and since I've got hired I haven't experienced anything described by the older reviews. Instead I've found a place where you are given flexibility, trust, responsibility, and support. I am very happy here and I would recommend to people that would like to work here, to have a chat with any of our team members to convince themselves.

    Cons

    Scaling up the business to fit the vision is definitely a challenge that people are happy to work towards.

    Advice to Management

    Keep doing what you're doing: Listening to people, supporting them, empowering them and offer them flexibility! Great job!

    Be the first to find this review helpful
    5.0
    Current Employee, less than 1 year
    Recommend
    CEO Approval
    Business Outlook

    Pros

    I read the Glassdoor reviews a few hours after meeting the team and doing my in-person interview (previously had one remote interview), and found it hard to recognise the company described here. It definitely seems like they have worked hard to change the perception of the company. Various C-level managers have been hired to spread the work load, and it appears to be helping elevate stress across multiple teams. I don't think any company is perfect, but I think ones that actually act on the Advice to Management comments are better than ones that choose to ignore them. There's clearly been a shift in management, culture, and attitudes. OpenCorporates is a great place to work. It's small enough to feel like you're an important cog of the machine, but large enough to have structure and commitments. Some of the best bits are: Great team, regular social events, good location, £1,000 learning budget, and remote work.

    Cons

    Perhaps I haven't been here long enough to reveal all the cracks in the wood. But for now, I have minimal complaints. The company is very ambitious, but they also take the time to reward hard work, which is appreciated.

    Advice to Management

    The change in attitudes is obvious from recent hirings and various schemes. You're absolutely heading in the right direction, and I wish you the best for keeping it up.

    1 person found this review helpful

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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