Greg Warren
London,UK
Summary
Senior Chief of Staff and strategic operator with 10+ years’ experience supporting C-suite leaders across government and development finance. Currently Chief of Staff to the CEO at the British Business Bank, operating at the centre of Bank-wide governance, planning, performance, and delivery. Strong track record translating strategy into executable plans, coordinating complex cross-functional initiatives, and driving integration across senior stakeholder groups. Experienced working with boards, government, regulators and market counterparts; confident operating in ambiguity, establishing operating rhythm, and removing barriers to delivery across multi-stakeholder environments.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Chief of Staff to the CEO (Director)
British Business Bank
London
06.2023 - Current
- Provide strategic counsel and operational leadership to the CEO, ensuring clear prioritisation, execution discipline and alignment across ExCo and senior leaders.
- Drive the Bank’s corporate operating rhythm: clarifying priorities, coordinating delivery across functions, and improving the quality and consistency of information flow into senior decision-making.
- Lead and continuously refine elements of the Bank’s Target Operating Model (TOM), strengthening governance, accountability, and performance across business lines.
- Broker alignment across the Bank’s most senior leadership on cross-cutting priorities, delivery risks, and organisational integration.
- Represent and/or support the CEO in Board, Shareholder, and senior stakeholder engagements, ensuring messages, decisions and follow-through land effectively across the organisation.
- Lead delivery of complex, high-profile initiatives requiring multi-stakeholder coordination and tight governance (including the British Growth Partnership build).
- Manage and develop the CEO’s Office, ensuring robust governance processes, strong executive support, and a high-performing, hands-on team culture.
Project Director (BGP Fund set up)
British Business Bank
London
01.2024 - 05.2025
- Led critical set-up workstreams to establish a new investment vehicle capable of fundraising and managing third-party capital, ensuring operational readiness and strong governance from design through implementation.
- Owned end-to-end delivery across Operations, People/capability build, and AIFM onboarding readiness, coordinating inputs from Legal, Risk, Compliance, Finance, HR, IT, and senior business leadership.
- Designed and implemented practical operating arrangements (ways of working, decision rights, governance cadence, reporting) to support effective day-to-day running and controlled execution in a regulated environment.
- Built delivery momentum across multiple interdependent strands: surfacing risks early, resolving blockers, and ensuring senior leaders had clear, decision-ready options at pace.
- Led engagement with key external parties (including regulatory and government stakeholders where required).
- Managed external consultants and advisors: set clear outcomes, established review points and quality standards.
Senior Manager, Policy & Strategy
British Business Bank
London
08.2020 - 06.2023
- Served as a policy lead on SME finance markets, providing expertise and shaping policy/regulatory developments with Government.
- Led policy development for key programmes, including the creation and set up of Future Fund Breakthrough.
- Managed the policy and regulatory design for the Bank’s larger COVID-19 loan recovery programme (CLBILS), which supported 675 UK firms to borrow over £5bn.
- Provided strategic support and advice to Government Ministers and oversaw submissions to parliamentary hearings.
- Conducted in-depth data and evidence analysis to influence government and industry thinking on access to finance.
Senior Policy Advisor
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
London
03.2018 - 08.2020
- Shaped government policy for the aerospace sector, including SME access to finance, supply chain growth, and R&D.
- Developed and implemented three government-funded programmes worth over £45m to support SME growth.
- Served as the primary relationship manager for four tier-one aerospace companies employing over 40,000 people.
- Provided strategic support and advice to Ministers on select committee hearings, parliamentary questions, and fiscal events.
- Represented UK government both domestically and overseas at aerospace sector forums and trade missions.
Senior Policy Advisor
Federation of Small Businesses
London
05.2016 - 03.2018
- Designed and delivered research on local government, economic growth and business support to shape national policy debates.
- Secured legislative and fiscal concessions for small firms, including a £435m business rate mitigation fund outcome.
- Led long-term lobbying campaigns, coordinating public affairs and comms activity, and representing FSB at high-profile events and working groups.
Policy Advisor to Leader of the Council and Head of Office
Islington Council
London
05.2012 - 05.2016
- Provided strategic political support, policy development and delivery coordination for the Leader and Executive.
- Managed council relationships with stakeholders, including the Chief Executive and Directors.
- Led projects such as establishing the Islington Energy Company and development work for the council’s Employment Commission.
- Managed a team of four staff in the Leader’s office.
Political Advisor
Brent Council
London
07.2010 - 05.2012
- Provided political advice, policy analysis, and briefings to support a Member of Parliament.
- Advised the Labour Group on policy and political strategy to deliver local manifesto commitments.
Parliamentary Assistant
House of Commons
London
09.2008 - 07.2010
- Provided political advice, policy analysis and briefings to support a Member of Parliament.
Education
Masters - Modern History and Politics
Royal Holloway, University of London
09.2007 - 09.2008
BA - History
Royal Holloway, University of London
09.2004 - 09.2007
Skills
- Executive office leadership (CIO/CEO-level) and strategic advisory
- Governance, Board/ExCo processes, decision-making and assurance
- Strategic planning, prioritisation, OKRs/KPIs and performance management
- Large-scale change and operating model / TOM development and implementation
- Programme leadership, workstream integration, dependency management
- Stakeholder influence (HMG, regulators, industry, Board, executive leaders)
- Clear, high-impact communications: briefs, speeches, papers, narratives
- Building and leading small high-performing teams; coaching and delegation
Volunteering
Under 11’s Football Coach for Queen’s Park Gardens Community Hub, in north west London.
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Project Director (BGP Fund set up)
British Business Bank
01.2024 - 05.2025
Chief of Staff to the CEO (Director)
British Business Bank
06.2023 - Current
Senior Manager, Policy & Strategy
British Business Bank
08.2020 - 06.2023
Senior Policy Advisor
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
03.2018 - 08.2020
Senior Policy Advisor
Federation of Small Businesses
05.2016 - 03.2018
Policy Advisor to Leader of the Council and Head of Office
Islington Council
05.2012 - 05.2016
Political Advisor
Brent Council
07.2010 - 05.2012
Parliamentary Assistant
House of Commons
09.2008 - 07.2010
Masters - Modern History and Politics
Royal Holloway, University of London
09.2007 - 09.2008
BA - History
Royal Holloway, University of London
09.2004 - 09.2007