William read law at Cambridge University and completed an MBA at INSEAD in Fontainebleau. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University College Suffolk. In his twenties he had short careers as an army officer, a barrister and an investment banker. Over nine years he built up The New Covent Garden Soup Company before selling it to a public company. He and several colleagues then bought the embryonic Green & Black’s from its founder and grew it to an international brand which they sold to Cadburys in 2005.

William and two partners formed Nemadi Advisors in 2000 to advise and finance early stage businesses. Over the years, he has developed experience in such diverse sectors as London restaurants, flower retailing, natural insulation, pottery, CO2 low concrete, bovine genetics and building hotel chains.

He is an advisor to or director of many organisations, public and private, including Cawston Press and premium soft drinks brand LA Brewery, a non-alcoholic drinks business. He is a Trustee of both The Grosvenor Estate and Gascoyne Cecil Estate He is a non-executive director of Samworth Brothers, a large food manufacturer to the UK multiple grocers and The Keystone Positive Change Investment Trust – a listed impact investment fund. He is a member of The Governing Council of The John Innes Centre for plant science.

William farms organically and conventionally in East Anglia. He is an active environmentalist and a campaigner for better food and rural issues. He is President of The Suffolk Wildlife Trust. He speaks and writes regularly on these issues as well as on innovation and the creation and fostering of entrepreneurial cultures in all types of organisation. He was High Sheriff of Suffolk 2016 – 2017 and maintains links with many NGOs and volunteering organisations within the county.

William and his family live in coastal Suffolk.