Leadership Team – Management
Richard Hodgson
President and Chief Executive Officer
Richard Hodgson is a business growth and transformation specialist with 27 years’ leadership experience in industry, from large multinational corporations to UK listed or private equity owned companies across several industries.
President and CEO of Excesser and SMT (since 2022). Both companies are strategic supply chain partners to aerospace and defense, critical infrastructure, and medical companies. Prior to that, 10 years spent as CEO / COO leading successful turnarounds at Green Compliance plc and Triplearc plc. From 2002 to 2005, European Finance Director at Iron Mountain Inc. overseeing European expansion from a £15m revenue to a £250m revenue business.
Michael Schwarm
Vice President, Sales and Marketing
Mike Schwarm has over 25 years’ experience in aerospace and defense, and select commercial markets, leading global organizational transformation, business and sales operations, and growth strategies. He has a deep understanding across multiple technologies and end use applications.
Prior to Certify Holdings, Mike has held senior and executive roles with BAE Systems, DRS Technologies, Cobham Advanced Electronics Solutions and API Technologies. He has served in the US Army and has his Master’s in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
Leadership Team – Non-Executive Directors
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Jeremy Brade
Partner
Jeremy Brade
Partner
Jeremy has led the private equity team since 2001. He has been involved in many of the private and public-to-private transactions during that period and is a non-executive director of several portfolio companies. Jeremy served with HM Diplomatic Service and the British Army. He has a degree in zoology from the University of Oxford.
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Geoffrey Gorman
Partner
Geoffrey Gorman
Partner
Geof joined Harwood Private Equity as a partner in 2012, having previously enjoyed a close working relationship with the team since 1990. Prior to joining Harwood, he was a partner at Private Equity Partners LLC and, before that, he was a partner at Ardshiel Inc. Geof focuses on cross-border PTP transactions and North American private equity. He is a non-executive director of several portfolio companies. Geof holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston University and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College.
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James Agnew
Partner
James Agnew
Partner
James joined the Harwood Private Equity team in 2005. He has over 27 years of financial services experience having spent nine years in corporate finance before joining HPE. He leads transactions and is a non-executive director of several portfolio companies. James holds a degree in accounting and finance from the University of Auckland.