Jonathan, once an avid rugby player and not afraid of being knocked around, had recently pivoted to car racing, a discipline that requires a very different skill set. Laurence admired Jonathan’s determination, resilience, and agility. If the latter could display these qualities in sport, there’s a good chance he’d excel at the helm of a company too.

Dennis succeeded Jonathan as CEO in early 2018. This was a new phase for NVM where the team focused on the US resulting in impressive performance. This momentum did not go unnoticed and ultimately led to the acquisition by Vonage for $350m in cash. Under the leadership of Dennis the team executed the sale of NVM and delivered a successful integration into Vonage. The exit delivered an impressive return for Highland but a sale is often a high-stakes time in a company’s history, and this was no exception. “You can be a CEO for 10 years but to grow and develop you have to move through meaningful events and pivotal moments,” Dennis explains. Laurence agrees. “It was a tense period that required a calm hand and a cool head and as a team, we proved that we had both of those.