Management team
Explore the management team’s backgrounds, leadership, and roles to understand their expertise and vision for the group’s mission.
Edward Lovett
Founder and Chief Executive
Edward Lovett grew up within the car retail industry, with the family running high-end dealerships in the West Country, including franchises for Porsche, BMW and Ferrari. Lovett worked within the business for around 20 years, giving him a firm grounding in the trade, but it was his interest in collector car auctions and love of doing great deals that inspired the current business.
Having been a familiar face at collector car events and auctions around the world for more than 15 years, Edward Lovett had seen both the good and bad of the traditional auction world. While the excitement of bidding and the chance to see new records set gives auctions a real buzz, the logistics of the events and the high selling fees felt outdated in the digital age.
He therefore saw an opportunity to revolutionise how people buy and sell; launching Collecting Cars in the UK in 2019, then going global. Diversification into sought-after timepieces with Watch Collecting took place in 2021, and the two online platforms are the founding pillars of The Collecting Group.
Meet our leadership team
Federico Maffini
Chief Operating Officer
Federico Maffini is the COO at The Collecting Group, leading business operations, strategy execution, and scaling initiatives in the online auction space. With over a decade of experience in technology and e-commerce, he specializes in program management, finance, and analytics. Previously, Federico held leadership roles at Amazon and AWS, managing global teams across finance and operations.
Passionate about efficiency and impact, he focuses on eliminating complexity and driving execution. He is the author of Zero Bullsht Program Management and an active mentor. Federico holds a Master’s in International Business and multiple industry certifications, including SCRUM and FinOps.
George Young
Chief Product Officer
George is the Chief Product Officer at The Collecting Group, leading the company’s product vision, strategy, and roadmap to drive business growth. With 12 years of experience in digital product leadership, he has shaped e-commerce best practices to enhance customer engagement and retention while delivering a market-leading UI. Previously, George led Audi’s digital transformation at Somo, drove award-winning innovations at Hopster, and delivered significant revenue growth for brands like New Look, HSBC and Badoo.
Passionate about AI and machine learning, George and his team are focused on immersive, hyper-personalised experiences that deliver for the customer.
Abid Ismail
Chief Financial Officer
Abid Ismail is Chief Financial Officer at The Collecting Group, bringing over 20 years of finance and commercial expertise to the team. He has a background across the Big 4 accountancy firms in audit and corporate finance, as well as FTSE 100 corporate experience. Abid spent the majority of the last decade in scale-up and growth businesses across SaaS and e-commerce, delivering commercial and fundraising support including an IPO on AIM on the London Stock Exchange.
Passionate about the collector car and watch markets, Abid is committed to ensuring finance is a key decision-support function and growth enabler as the Collecting Group disrupts the global luxury market.
Oliver Johnstone
Global Sales Director
Oliver Johnstone is the Global Sales Director at The Collecting Group and has been with the company since 2019.
With 10 years of experience and a background in management consulting at Ernst & Young, Oliver first joined as a consignment specialist before leading the UK sales team and ultimately transitioning into the global head of sales role.
Now, he focuses on expanding the business into new geographies and building a world-class team to drive growth.
Passionate about the collector car and watch markets, Oliver is committed to bringing transparency and innovation to the space, helping disrupt the global luxury market.
Anthony Long
General Counsel
Anthony Long is the General Counsel at The Collecting Group, bringing over 14 years of legal experience to the team. He started his career as a corporate lawyer before transitioning into in-house counsel roles at Karhoo and Flit Technologies, where he navigated the complexities of fast-growing businesses.
Since joining The Collecting Group in 2022, Anthony has played a key role in ensuring the company operates smoothly and securely as it continues to disrupt the auction space. With a keen eye for detail and a practical approach to legal strategy, he helps the business stay ahead while keeping things simple for collectors and sellers alike.
Liv Severino
Head of HR
Liv Severino is the Head of HR at The Collecting Group, where she works alongside the Leadership team to develop and implement HR initiatives that directly support the company's vision and goals. With 12 years of experience spanning Medical Technology, Media, and Online e-commerce, Liv brings a wealth of global knowledge and expertise to the role. She is responsible for shaping TCG's culture, attracting and retaining top talent, and fostering a productive and engaged workforce.
Liv is CIPD Level 5 qualified, and is passionate about supporting people to learn and grow, and is a huge advocate for employee wellbeing in the workplace.
Olly Brand
Head of Engineering
Olly Brand is a strategic engineering leader with 20+ years of experience leveraging technology to solve complex business challenges. He has led teams in both startups and enterprises, balancing fast-paced delivery with scalable, resilient architecture. Skilled in managing remote onshore and offshore teams, he focuses on fostering a positive, people-centric culture where everyone can excel.
Passionate about technology, Olly stays ahead of industry trends and shares insights through speaking engagements and publications. His expertise spans front-end performance, microservices, BI, CRM integrations, and cloud platforms like AWS and GCP. He thrives on delivering complex projects, mentoring talent, and building efficient, high-performing teams.