Karen Winton joins Nest to spearhead UK expansion

Karen Winton, former CMO at InvestHK, has moved to startup incubator Nest as managing partner to drive the group's overseas expansion plans. Working alongside Nest founder Simon Squibb, Winton will oversee the group's push into the UK and the expansion of its co-branded accelerator programs with AIA and DBS Bank.Nest London will be housed out of Level39, Europe’s largest FinTech incubator that earlier this year partnered with Nest to provide support for technology startups in Hong Kong and London. “This is an exciting time for Nest," Squibb said. "The opening of our office in London, launch of our co-branded accelerator programs with AIA and DBS Bank and the rapid growth of our equity crowd funding platform Investable give us a lot to talk to UK founders about.”Winton has spent the past five years working with InvestHK, the Hong Kong SAR Government’s department for foreign direct investment. She oversaw the creation and launch of the department’s successful StartmeupHK initiative. "I have worked on projects with Simon and the Nest team in the past, and have the utmost respect for their experience and accomplishments. I look forward to managing the setting up and expansion of Nest London in the coming months,” Winton said.Her previous roles include executive editor at The Economist Group and Hong Kong editor for Fairfax Business Media.