Empowering entrepreneurs
to shape their future

Graeme Donnelly is the Founder and CEO of 1st Formations, bringing over 25 years of leadership experience in the startup and SME sectors.

A passionate advocate for entrepreneurship, Graeme has built a portfolio of successful companies under the BSQ Group, developing innovative business services that support thousands of entrepreneurs across the UK and also abroad.

Under his leadership, 1st Formations has become one of the most trusted names in UK company formation and small business support. It's now widely known for its customer-first ethos, commitment to quality, and award-winning services.

Graeme also champions sustainability and social impact through the company's carbon net-zero status and ongoing support for local charities and community initiatives.

Nick is a Chartered Governance Professional and Company Secretary with over a decade of industry experience.

He joined 1st Formations in 2018 to initially establish and grow the company secretarial department.

Today, he holds a varied role, focusing on staff training and development to ensure company secretarial excellence, presenting the company's YouTube channel, developing content across our website and services, and delivering webinars, speeches, and more.

Kate is our Content Director who leads on content strategies that drive growth across our digital platforms.

She focuses on optimising performance through search-optimised content designed for both our customers and emerging technologies like generative AI search models and large language models (LLMs).

At the intersection of content, SEO and AI, Kate supports our mission to empower startups and small businesses to scale their online presence. Her strengths include SEO content strategy, brand voice development, and driving marketing performance through data-informed, engaging storytelling. She also brings a global perspective to the team, with fluency in French, Italian and Spanish.

Keziah leads the company's sustainability strategy and corporate social responsibility efforts.

She established a key partnership with the WONDER Foundation, supporting vulnerable communities through education and advocacy.

Keziah also played a central role in achieving the company's Carbon Net Zero commitment and Green Mark Level 2 certification, reinforcing a strong focus on ethical and environmental responsibility. She holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental Consultancy from Newcastle University, supporting her leadership in sustainable business practices.

John is Chief of Staff at 1st Formations and a statutory director of BSQ Group, working closely with the CEO and leadership team to support strategic operations across the organisation.

He joined 1st Formations in 2017 and has held several senior roles during his time with the business, including Head of Quality Control, Head of Customer Services and Chief Operating Officer. Through these positions, John has developed extensive experience in operational management, governance and organisational leadership.

In his current role, John is responsible for maintaining content integrity across the company's internal and external materials while also providing strategic advice to the CEO on recruitment, operations and commercial matters.

Amelia is Director of Operations at 1st Formations, where she leads the management and development of the company's customer-facing departments.

Since joining the business in 2019, Amelia has progressed through several roles including Service Improvement Manager, Head of Sales and Support, and Associate Director. Through these positions, she developed a deep understanding of the operational systems and administrative processes that support entrepreneurs when starting and managing UK companies.

Today, she focuses on maintaining high service standards across the organisation while ensuring operational processes, customer support functions and internal workflows run efficiently. Her work also includes helping develop AI-powered tools that strengthen the company's customer support platform and improve the overall experience for founders using 1st Formations' services.

Steve is Chief Financial Officer at 1st Formations and a Chartered Accountant with more than 20 years of experience in finance, corporate strategy and mergers and acquisitions.

He joined the business in December 2024 as fractional CFO, with responsibility for developing and overseeing a finance function capable of supporting the company's continued growth.

In his role, Steve focuses on ensuring the organisation's financial strategy aligns closely with its broader business objectives. He oversees financial planning, capital management and strategic financial decision-making, helping ensure the company has the resources and financial structure required to execute its long-term plans. His experience across finance, corporate development and M&A provides valuable insight as BSQ Group continues to expand its services and operations.

Edward is the Legal Practice Director and in-house counsel for 1st Formations and its group companies. With over a decade of experience as a corporate and commercial solicitor, Edward expertly advises a diverse clientele, from start-ups to listed companies and multinational corporate groups across various industries. He joined 1st Formations in 2024, bringing with him extensive experience from his previous roles in the corporate and commercial departments of esteemed London law firms, where he reached the partner level.

Edward is renowned for his client-focused, commercial, and pragmatic approach, ensuring comprehensive legal support tailored to business needs. His expertise encompasses corporate matters such as equity investments, shareholder agreements, business acquisitions, and corporate governance, alongside banking, finance transactions, and stock market listings.

In the commercial sector, Edward excels in drafting agreements, data protection compliance, and website policies. His proficiency extends to employment law, focusing on contracts and employee handbooks. Admitted as a solicitor of England and Wales in 2013, Edward continues to provide exceptional legal guidance and strategic insight.

Priscila is the Affiliates & Partnerships Director at 1st Formations, where she leads the development and growth of strategic partnerships that drive customer acquisition and business expansion.

She specialises in affiliate marketing and relationship management, building high-performing partner networks and strengthening brand positioning through aligned, results-focused collaborations.

Through her work in partnerships and performance marketing, Priscila advances 1st Formations' mission to empower entrepreneurs to start and scale their businesses. Her key strengths include partnership strategy, stakeholder management, and delivering measurable results through data-led decision-making.

Charlotte is Chief Product Officer at 1st Formations, where she leads product strategy and helps develop the company's digital platform for entrepreneurs.

With more than 15 years of experience in product leadership, innovation strategy and platform development, Charlotte has led cross-functional teams across technology, operations and growth initiatives. Her career spans global product leadership and the development of digital services designed to scale and deliver measurable value for businesses and customers.

At 1st Formations, Charlotte focuses on evolving the company's products beyond company formation, helping build tools and services that support entrepreneurs throughout the early stages of starting and running a business. Her work centres on creating products that simplify complex processes and remove friction for founders from day one.

Zeeshan is a Chartered Accountant with more than 20 years of experience in accountancy and tax, supporting businesses across a range of sectors including telecoms, construction, and banking and financial services.

Before joining 1st Formations, he successfully built and ran his own accountancy practice for nearly a decade, developing extensive experience working with small and growing businesses.

Today, Zeeshan focuses on supporting newly formed SMEs, providing practical accountancy guidance to help founders manage their finances from the outset. Combining strong technical expertise with a client-focused approach, he helps early-stage businesses build solid financial foundations and navigate the key tax and accounting responsibilities that come with running a company.

Freddie-Nicolle is Head of Legal at 1st Formations, where she provides legal guidance that supports the company's day-to-day operations and wider business activities.

She is a qualified solicitor and has an adaptable approach to complex legal matters. Her experience across different legal environments has given her a broad perspective and strong problem-solving skills when interpreting legislation and navigating regulatory requirements.

In her role, Freddie-Nicolle focuses on delivering clear, commercially aware advice that helps the business operate confidently and responsibly. She works closely with teams across the organisation, analysing legal issues and providing practical guidance that is both technically robust and suited to real-world business decisions.

Sophia is Head of Customer Service at 1st Formations, where she oversees customer support and service delivery across the business.

She joined the company in 2021 in the Mail Team and quickly progressed through the Sales and Support Team, becoming Team Leader before being appointed Head of Department in September 2024.

In her current role, Sophia oversees the Customer Services Department, managing complex customer queries and complaints while supporting internal projects that improve processes and service delivery. With a degree in Law and Criminology, she brings a strong analytical mindset and a customer-focused approach to ensuring founders receive clear, reliable support when starting and managing their businesses.

Abbie O'Neill is Head of Company Secretarial at 1st Formations, where she leads and supports the Company Secretarial department.

She joined the company in 2021 as a Company Formation Executive and has progressed through several roles, including Assistant Manager of Sales and Support, before becoming Head of Company Secretarial in 2024. Through these positions, Abbie developed strong practical experience supporting UK companies with statutory obligations and company administration.

In her current role, she focuses on maintaining high governance standards and ensuring company secretarial processes remain accurate, compliant and efficient. Abbie is currently enrolled in the Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme and is working towards becoming a Chartered Company Secretary.

Charlotte is Head of Outbound Sales at 1st Formations, where she leads the team responsible for generating new business through strategic outbound initiatives.

She joined the company in 2023 as part of the original outbound sales team and was promoted to Head of Outbound Sales after one year. Through this role, Charlotte has developed strong experience in sales strategy, team leadership and revenue growth.

Today, she focuses on driving consistent new business while supporting her team through hands-on leadership, real-time coaching and rapid problem-solving to maintain high performance. With a degree in Advertising, Charlotte brings strong communication skills, strategic thinking and close attention to detail to the planning and execution of outbound campaigns.

Jodie is the Head of Customer Retention at 1st Formations and joined the company in October 2021. With a solid background in Customer Service and Retention, she leads a dedicated team focused on effectively managing cancellations, refunds, and win-back.

Jodie oversees daily operations and spearheads renewal processes, striving to enhance customer loyalty and satisfaction. She emphasises team training and development, equipping her team to handle customer engagements with empathy and efficiency.

Her leadership ensures that her team transforms potential negative experiences into positive outcomes, thereby strengthening customer loyalty and contributing to the company's growth.

Devika is Talent Acquisition Manager at 1st Formations, where she leads recruitment and supports the growth of teams across the organisation.

She focuses on building strong relationships with hiring managers and candidates to ensure a thoughtful and inclusive recruitment process. Devika works closely with teams to understand the skills, experience and qualities needed for each role, helping identify talent that aligns with the company's culture and long-term goals.

Her approach to recruitment centres on creating a positive candidate experience while supporting fair and inclusive hiring practices. By focusing on meaningful connections and clear communication, Devika helps build teams that enable the business and its people to grow and succeed.

Alex is a Talent Partner at 1st Formations, leading recruitment across the company's Accounting-as-a-Service product as well as technology and fintech teams.

With experience in recruitment and HR, he works closely with stakeholders to define hiring strategies, assess talent and build teams that support the company's growth.

Alex manages end-to-end recruitment processes, focusing on identifying candidates with the skills and experience needed across specialist, technical and financial roles. Earlier in his career, he worked as a financial analyst specialising in company valuation, bringing strong commercial insight to his work in talent and recruitment. He is a native Spanish speaker and fluent in Italian.

Lauren is a senior people and organisational development leader at 1st Formations and a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD.

She joined the company in January 2026 to support the professionalisation and scalability of its People function as the business continues to grow. Lauren works closely with leadership teams to develop organisational strategies that support high performance, strong culture and sustainable expansion.

Her experience spans technology and professional services environments, with a focus on learning and organisational development, talent strategy, performance frameworks and workforce development. Lauren takes a pragmatic, values-led approach to building people systems that help organisations attract, develop and retain talented teams while supporting business growth and organisational change.

James is Deputy Director of Operations at 1st Formations, where he oversees day-to-day operations and works to improve internal systems and service delivery.

He joined the business in 2019 as a Formations Executive and has progressed through several roles, including Team Supervisor, Assistant Manager of the Sales and Support Team and Head of Sales and Support, before becoming Deputy Director of Operations in 2024. Through these roles, James has developed a strong understanding of the operational and customer support processes that help entrepreneurs start and manage UK companies.

In his current role, James focuses on refining workflows, aligning operational teams and maintaining high service standards across the organisation. His expertise spans operational management, service optimisation and the development of efficient systems that support consistent business performance.