David qualified as a chartered accountant in 1984 with Touche Ross & Co before joining 3i Corporate Finance Limited in 1986 where he was a Manager giving corporate finance advice. In May 1993 he joined Strand Partners Limited, and was appointed a director in January 1994, where he carried out a range of corporate finance assignments identifying, structuring and managing investments in quoted and unquoted companies.
In October 1997 he left to set up Chelverton Asset Management Limited, which specialises in managing portfolios of private companies and small to medium-sized public companies. He was responsible for setting up Chelverton Growth Trust PLC and, since May 1999, has managed the Small Companies Dividend Trust PLC.
