Laurence Vaughan

Laurence has been Chairman of Catapult Ventures since September 2013.

He began his career with PwC in audit and consultancy.  In 1993 he joined Sytner where, as CEO, he led the team that grew the company from a single BMW dealership in Nottingham to a luxury car group with around £1bn revenues by 1997 when it listed on the London Stock Exchange.  Sytner was bought by US-based Penske Group in 2002 and Laurence joined the main Board before becoming Sytner’s Non-Executive Chairman.  Today Sytner has more than 140 prestige dealerships around the UK, including Audi, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Lexus, Maserati, McLaren, Porsche and Rolls-Royce.  It has revenues in excess of £5bn and is the UK’s largest automotive retailer.

In 2006 Laurence was appointed Chairman of Alchemy-backed Civica plc, which he helped float on AIM.  He stepped down in 2008 following Civica’s acquisition by 3i plc.  He is also Non-Executive Chairman of The Superbike Factory Ltd, a Livingbridge investment and AD Williams, a British Growth Fund investment.  He has also been Chairman of Idox plc and Anglian Home Improvements.

Laurence is a graduate of Durham University and a Chartered Accountant.