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.
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