Who We Want to Be

We’re a group of straightforward and experienced entrepreneurs who want to support founders/stakeholders in building great companies.

We’re self owned and self funded and have strong business experiences and personal networks.This means that Ascot has the resources to identify and assemble companies in great market, strong revenue and profit growth opportunities to be self-sufficient businesses within its portfolio for the long term.

We want to work with ambitious entrepreneurial companies andstakeholders who have seen an opportunity and taken advantage of it and are now seeking that extra momentum to take the business to the next stage of growth.

Our Award Winning Team


Martin A. Dunphy - Executive Chairman


Martin Dunphy is an Irish Entrepreneur that has founded companies in Ireland, UK, China, Taiwan and the US. Most recently he was the founder and long term CEO of Marlin Financial Group the leading debt buyer in the United Kingdom, which in 2012 was named the 5th fastest growing company in the UK, by the Sunday Times, with a turnover in 2013 of £65m and employing 150 people. Turnover accelerated to over £100m In 2014, when Martin and his PE backed partner sold Marlin to a US publically traded company.

Today Martin, is focussed on working with entrepreneurs in the UK and Ireland to develop and grow their businesses. He established the Poleberry Scholarships in 2014 to support young people in learning more about and participating in entrepreneurial activities and providing scholarships to the US and the UK. In 2012 he established a foundation in Virginia to support college students wishing to play soccer at George Mason University.

Martin is a graduate of the Harvard Business School and holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Marketing and an MBA from George Mason University in Virginia. He is also a Chartered Director and Fellow of The Institute of Directors and a London Ambassador for the programme.

David J. Page - Chief Executive Officer


David began his career in public accounting, auditing and advising businesses on financial and operational improvements which led him to accepting a role as Finance Director and eventually Managing Director at Credit Acceptance, the UK subsidiary of a NASDAQ listed non-prime auto finance provider. In this role, David was instrumental in developing funding strategies, risk underwriting scorecards and operational efficiency models to increase profitability and economic value which made Credit Acceptance the leader in its field.

In 2004 David co-founded Marlin Financial Services and as Chief Investment Officer was instrumental in developing and executing key strategies, processes, operational excellence and helped lead the executive management team to complete a partial sale of the business to a mid tier Private Equity institution in 2010 and in 2014 a trade sale to the UK market leader, owned by a US public company.

David is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and is a frequent fund raiser for a local Children’s hospice, Chestnut Tree House.

John B. Sinclair - Board Member/Senior Advisor


John Sinclair’s career began in 1965 in New Zealand in general banking with Westpac Banking Corporation. John served in many locations throughout NZ, Australia and South East Asia. He retired as Head of Country for Westpac’s consumer finance operations in New Zealand in 2000.

In 2000 John relocated to London UK where he established his own company and past/current activities include consultancy work in the financial services, private equity and hedge fund sectors.

His assignments have included CEO and leader of recovery and turnaround of British Credit Trust Ltd, Director of Marlin Financial Group, and Director of the Board and Chairman of various committees of The Finance and Leasing Association. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of Startline Holdings, a Scottish motor finance start-up owned by leading Hedge Fund Baupost International LLP.

Alexander A.T. Jan - Investment Director


Alexander has spent his career helping both founders and investors identify and grow opportunities. In his previous role, Alexander grew his previous company's revenue 15x in under 12 months and also developed a £130m portfolio of patent based startups - taking them from basic idea through to various stages of commercialisation. Over the years, Alexander has been involved with a number of startups, across a number of industries globally from San Francisco to Thailand.

In the past two years, Alexander has run five international marathons and a number of ultra marathons and other events, raising awareness and funds for a number of charities.

Alexander has degrees covering Engineering, Computer Science and Biotechnology and holds a Masters in Business from the University of Queensland.