At Mercia, Natalia Blagburn supports their portfolio companies with strategic direction, growth optimisation and board oversight.Natalia has over twenty years of experience working with businesses; as a technology consultant at Accenture, a senior investment manager at Angel Co-Fund and North East Angel Fund, a business support advisor, and, most recently, as a coach to student entrepreneurs at Northumbria University. Whilst at Northumbria, Natalia also developed a deep expertise in venture boards, researching, publishing and speaking on venture board effectiveness internationally. She holds a Doctorate in Corporate Governance of early ventures, PG certificate in coaching, and the Investment Management Certificate (IMC) from the CFA.Outside Mercia, Natalia is a board member of Northern Stage Theatre (Newcastle), a guest faculty at ScaleUp Nation Board Programme (Amsterdam), and a chair of North East Women on Boards peer-support group.