Five partners.
High speed, low drag.
Anthony Rushton
Partner
Anthony spent the first part of his career in the U.K. Ministry of Defence after being recruited, due to exemplary results at higher schools, into the Royal Ordnance division of the U.K. armed forces research and development program. After completing six years in the MOD and gaining his Bachelor's Degree at the University of York, he became the youngest ever board member, at the age of 29, of a leading advertising agency in London. His role and responsibilities including new business development and technology innovation. After leaving the thriving ad agency world Anthony co-founded and became CEO of a multinational digital media forensics company, with headquarters in London, New York and Tokyo. Shortly thereafter he was nominated for, and awarded, an International Emmy Award for services to online video streaming, compression techniques and interactive video innovations. During the global pandemic Anthony ran a philanthropic international membership program for essential workers. Wherein some of the largest brands and service providers in the world provided preferential access to their products for first responders. Naturally, he became advisor to some of those brands and service providers looking to forge new deals beyond the global lock down. These relationships triggered a brief to acquire physical sustainable aviation fuel for a leading private aviation company, Anthony now has over three years experience of researching, trading and publishing theses on oil distillates and biofuels. Having spent nine months researching the macro level economic effects of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) mandates, he published the radical 'SAF Manifesto'. Anthony is based in London, England.
Greg Brook
Partner
Greg Brook is an Aerial Combat and Ground Reconnaissance Photographer for the U.S. Air Force. He is a Columbia University trained Neuroscientist and Behaviourist, and he has an 18 year track record of successfully integrating and accomplishing high priority mission sets and projects for the Department of Defense, Department of State, Non-Governmental Aid Organizations, and national as well as international business partners. He has deployed multiple times with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army Special Operations, and international partner units. Greg joined the U.S. Air Force in 2006, rising through the ranks to become the NCOIC of combat documentation for his squadron, being entrusted with responsibility for 30 combat photographers. Greg has seen combat and learned how to excel under pressure, but most crucially, his training and experiences taught him how to connect with people all over the world. Greg has also worked as an operational deployment director for Global Surgical Medical Group, an international medical NGO providing the best trauma care possible to refugees and populations in war zones. With GSMSG, Greg personally fundraised $1.5 million to fund operations worldwide. He has led civilian evacuation efforts in Afghanistan in 2021 and led the first and longest continuous U.S. Surgical and training support mission in Ukraine, leading a team there on March 4, 2022. Greg is a 2023 Tillman Scholar and has over three years experience of researching and trading biofuels. He is based in New York, USA.
Nick Sands
Partner
Nick Sands has over a decade of career experience building highly profitable companies & launching new products that are structured to handle growth at scale. Nick's expertise lies within Operational Excellence. He led the research operations team for a market research firm which conducted primary research on TMT, Industrials, Energy, Consumer, Healthcare & more. Nick also built a B2B lead generation division within that market research firm which sold services to the likes of some of the world's largest organizations including: Amazon, NVIDIA, Adobe, Deloitte, Oracle, Snowflake & hundreds of others. His firm was acquired by private equity for just shy of $100M in 2020. He has 10+ years of experience researching the Energy sector and seven plus years of putting deals together across various industry verticals. Nick is based in in the Greater New York City area, USA.
Zak Helme
Partner
Zak Helme began his career as a US Navy Signals Intelligence Analyst, where he held 'Top Secret' clearance and was entrusted with multiple high-stakes programs. His expertise then carried over into the Intelligence Community, where he excelled as a mission manager. In this role, he was responsible for delivering critical overhead intelligence across designated Areas of Operation, supporting both high-ranking officials and frontline warfighters to make battlefield decisions. With multiple deployments across diverse theatres, Zak not only trained allied forces but also provided real-time intelligence analysis and dissemination, ensuring both air and ground superiority by expertly filtering actionable intelligence from vast amounts of data to accomplish mission objectives. To put simply, he found the appropriate signal through the noise. Following his distinguished military service, Zak pursued an education at Columbia University in the City of New York, complementing his technical intelligence expertise with a deep understanding of social sciences, gaining insight into human behaviour and decision-making. This unique combination of advanced signal processing skills and a well-rounded social science education propelled Zak into the world of commodities, where he applied his sharp analytical abilities to close complex deals. His journey led him to Saffire, where he has become an invaluable asset, driving success with his unparalleled skill set. Zak is currently based in Florida, USA.
Luke Elliott
Partner
Luke Elliott began his career as a Helicopter Crew Chief and Aviation Rescue Swimmer in Navy Special Operations, completing three deployments and advancing to Petty Officer Second Class. Building on his military experience, he studied Financial Economics and Business at Columbia University, gaining expertise in finance and investment banking. As a Financial Analyst, he led market analysis, price trend evaluations, and developed forecasting models to optimize performance. Luke also served at the Department of Veterans Affairs, aiding veterans in their transition to civilian life. His blend of tactical discipline and financial acumen drives his success in high-stakes environments. Luke is based in New York, USA.
