Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United Kingdom based Director operating in the Data Center space. If you think a Director is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Tracy Figliola
Director of Global Mobility and Global HR Shared Services of Equinix
Tracy Figliola Responsible for the strategy, policy and execution of all Global Mobility services for the Equinix Group. Building a first class Global Mobility program to facilitate and enable a growth business agenda and nurture talent. In addition global responsibility for HR Shared Services, building the function to deliver core HR services to Equinix. At Equinix, Tracy is part of a dynamic and fast growing team working to deliver significant customer value to organisations who are increasingly viewing their data center strategy as a source of competitive advantage.
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About Equinix: Equinix is an internet company that provides data center services for companies, businesses, and organizations.
Michael Winterson
Managing Director of Equinix
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About Equinix, SixFortyEight: Equinix is an internet company that provides data center services for companies, businesses, and organizations.
Russell Poole
Managing Director, UK and The Nordics of Equinix
Russell joined as UK managing director in April 2000, bringing with him nine years of experience in the UK telecommunications and internet industries. From 1998 to 2000 Russell was a director of MessageNet Ltd – an internet security and messaging security provider. Responsible for sales and operations, he also led the development of e:)scan – Europe’s first e-mail virus and content control service. In October 1999 MessageNet was acquired by Articon-Integralis AG.Between 1993 and 1998, Russell was the national sales manager for General Telecom – the business telecoms division of General Cable Plc. During this time he grew the business from four sales people and £3m annual revenue to 35 sales people in three locations and £25m annual revenue. Russell attended Nottingham University, where he read production engineering. Following twelve months travelling, he commenced his managerial career at Coca-Cola and Schweppes where he enjoyed a successful career as a national account manager.
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About Equinix: Equinix is an internet company that provides data center services for companies, businesses, and organizations.
Mark Anderson
Senior Director of Global Solutions Enablement – EMEA of Equinix
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About Equinix: Equinix is an internet company that provides data center services for companies, businesses, and organizations.
Hui Xie
Deputy Director of Mobile Business Department of China Telecom
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About China Telecom: China Telecom as China’s major basic telecom operators, is implementing the transformation and upgrading strategy.
Marc Waters
Managing Director UK&I of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Marc is the UK & Ireland Managing Director for Hewlett Packard Enterprise. He joined HP Company in November 1999 and was appointed Managing Director in July 2016. As UK&I Managing Director, Marc is responsible for all people and business operations. He oversees a technology portfolio that includes Hybrid Cloud, Edge solutions and comprehensive set of services capabilities. Previously Marc has held key positions including Vice President Enterprise Group, Services Sales Director, Chief of Staff and a number of Sales Management roles. Marc is a passionate supporter of UK business and actively engaged with both Government and the CBI. A practitioner of values based leadership he believes business is a force for good and places personal energy into supporting opportunities for young people. Marc holds a Masters in Business Administration from Henley Business School. He has five children and is interested in football, politics and economics.
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About Hewlett Packard Enterprise: Hewlett Packard Enterprise is an industry technology company that enables customers to go further and faster.
Dirk Anderson
Director of Hybrid Cloud of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Dirk Anderson runs the UK&I Cloud business at HPE. Prior to joining HPE, Dirk was the Managing Director at RedPixie, a leading Azure consultancy that was acquired by HPE in 2017. As leader of the UKI Cloud business, Dirk heads-up a team of high end consultants and engineers who design, build and manage Cloud platforms and solutions for a variety of enterprise customers across various sectors.
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About Hewlett Packard Enterprise: Hewlett Packard Enterprise is an industry technology company that enables customers to go further and faster.
Peter Mansell
Intelligent Edge Services Director of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
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About Hewlett Packard Enterprise: Hewlett Packard Enterprise is an industry technology company that enables customers to go further and faster.
Glenn Russell
Director of Development of Puppet
Glenn is an engineer at Puppet Labs Belfast, working on both the server and client side. Prior to Puppet Labs, he worked at IBM Security Systems building and deploying SIEM and vulnerability management solutions. He has worked in roles ranging from Oracle DBA, TSE to development manager.
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About Puppet: Puppet is an information technology automation software company designed for system administrators.
Simone Warren
Director of Alibaba Cloud
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About Alibaba Cloud: Alibaba Cloud develops highly scalable cloud computing and data management services.
Simon Bearne
Senior Director, Sales & Marketing of Vantage Data Centers
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About Vantage Data Centers: Vantage Data Centers is a company that provides data center solutions.
Derek Allen
Group Director Operations of Global Switch
Derek has extensive knowledge operating large scale data centres where he has led the standardisation and introduction of best practice operating procedures and has been responsible for a number of significant data centre build projects. Prior to joining Global Switch, Derek worked for Cable and Wireless Worldwide where he was Head of Data Centre Development. Before this he held several senior roles within the data centre division of UBS over the course of five years including Director of Data Centre Strategy where he was the technical lead for all new sites and design proposals. Derek spent the first 22 years of his career at BT where he built up comprehensive engineering and facilities expertise.
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About Global Switch: Global Switch is an owner, operator, and developer of large scale network dense, carrier & cloud neutral multi-tenanted data centres
John Stevenson
Group Director of UK of Global Switch
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About Global Switch: Global Switch is an owner, operator, and developer of large scale network dense, carrier & cloud neutral multi-tenanted data centres
Chris Fraser
Managing Director of Aspire Technology Solutions
Chris is the Managing Director and joint founder of Aspire. Perhaps unusually for a managing director, Chris has over 20 years’ experience in the IT and Technology industry. He also has over 12 years of intensive, hands-on technical experience managing enterprise class IT environments and global network infrastructure deployments. Chris has responsibility for oversight and management of all of the company’s technical operations and managed service platforms.
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About Aspire Technology Solutions: Aspire is an award-winning managed services company specialising in hosted services, data centre solutions, communications and IT support.
Tony Dougan
Operations Director of Aspire Technology Solutions
Tony has been working in the IT industry for nearly a decade. During his time at Aspire, Tony has progressed though the technical team and is now focused on company organisation and growth. Daily responsibilities are concentrated on overseeing the technical support teams and development of internal systems. He also focuses on making sure all departments are working together as efficiently as possible throughout Aspire Technology Solutions constant expansion.
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About Aspire Technology Solutions: Aspire is an award-winning managed services company specialising in hosted services, data centre solutions, communications and IT support.
Steve Laverick
Technical Director of Aspire Technology Solutions
Steve has over 20 years’ experience in the IT & Technology industry, holding both management and director positions during this time. He has vast experience in advanced network infrastructure deployment and configuration, network security, system monitoring and maintenance, network administration and server virtualisation technologies. Steve directs a team of consultants providing voice, data, infrastructure and managed services for their customers.
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About Aspire Technology Solutions: Aspire is an award-winning managed services company specialising in hosted services, data centre solutions, communications and IT support.
Stuart Hall
Finance Director of Aspire Technology Solutions
Stuart is an ACA qualified accountant with more than 5 years experience working at a big 4 firm. He has had exposure to a number of listed public interest clients across a range of industries. These include retail, pharmaceuticals, transport, anti-counterfeit technologies and mining. His role as Finance Manager has him overseeing the operation of the billing, purchasing, stores and other office administrative functions. In addition, he is responsible for annual reporting and tax compliance as well as management.
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About Aspire Technology Solutions: Aspire is an award-winning managed services company specialising in hosted services, data centre solutions, communications and IT support.
Stephen McNickle
Sales Director of Aspire Technology Solutions
Stephen has an impressive track record having worked with Mike Errington for a number of years. He is a driving force behind the team’s consultative approach to our customers requirements, and manages the day-to-day operations of the Aspire sales department. Stephen is passionate about listening to our customers and exploring solutions which create business advantage.
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About Aspire Technology Solutions: Aspire is an award-winning managed services company specialising in hosted services, data centre solutions, communications and IT support.
Richard Irons
Senior Business Development Director UK & Europe of Confluence Technologies
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About Confluence Technologies: Confluence is a software company offering solutions for investment management companies to automate their fund administration process.
Matthew Pullen
Managing Director, Europe of CyrusOne
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About CyrusOne: CyrusOne is a data center operator that offers colocation and peering services.
Damon Crawford
Azure Practice Director of Six Degrees Group
Damon Crawford joined Six Degrees in January as Azure Practice Director. Damon has over 20 years’ experience in the Cloud and service provider industry. Damon has broad experience in helping service providers deliver market leading technology and services that help customers successfully transform and grow their own businesses.
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About Six Degrees Group: Six Degrees Group provides integrated and managed data services, including datacenter connectivity, voice and cloud offerings.
Ian Gordon
Director of Business Development, European Markets of ZE PowerGroup
Ian is an expert resource for ZE, and is currently based in the UK as Director of European Markets. Ian brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience with an extensive background in IT and the energy industry. He has helped establish ZEMA as the global standard for data management and analysis. His expertise, enthusiasm and drive are key contributors to powering ZE in the European market. Ian is very adept at understanding client requirements and translating them into concrete business specifications.
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About ZE PowerGroup: ZE PowerGroup is an experienced software development and strategic consulting firm.
Tim Cook
Director , Sales Specialists of Colt Technology
Tim Cook has worked in the Telecommunications industry for more than 20 years, working across both the Networking and UC space. For the last 16 years, Tim has worked at Colt Technology Services. Through his career, he has focused on telephony’s impacts and trends in the Global Telephony and UC market. Tim takes this knowledge and translates into a Modern Workplace environment, and the business requirements for an organisations successful digital transformation. Tim lives in Manchester with his family, and is a keen cyclist….in fact he will be attending Microsoft Future Decoded one week after having completed the Colt Charity Bike Ride,.
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About Colt Technology: Colt Technology is a company that provides communication and network services.
Tim Cook
Director , Sales Specialists of Colt Technology
Tim Cook has worked in the Telecommunications industry for more than 20 years, working across both the Networking and UC space. For the last 16 years, Tim has worked at Colt Technology Services. Through his career, he has focused on telephony’s impacts and trends in the Global Telephony and UC market. Tim takes this knowledge and translates into a Modern Workplace environment, and the business requirements for an organisations successful digital transformation. Tim lives in Manchester with his family, and is a keen cyclist….in fact he will be attending Microsoft Future Decoded one week after having completed the Colt Charity Bike Ride,.
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About Colt Technology: Colt Technology is a company that provides communication and network services.
Mark Woolfenden
Managing Director of Euromoney TRADEDATA
Mark Woolfenden is the Managing Director of Euromoney TRADEDATA, a division of Euromoney Global Limited. Euromoney TRADEDATA is the premier supplier of reference data for the futures and options market to investment banks and institutions worldwide, covering all listed products on the world’s derivatives exchanges. Core services include daily delivery of contract and symbology data files and provision of online interactive data services. Euromoney TRADEDATA has innovated data solutions that have enabled new business and for its clients and advanced the competitive dynamics of the industry. Mark runs the division, represents the company at key industry forums and manages relations with clients and other industry participants including the vendor community. Mark has had extensive experience of providing complex and technical outsourced services to business within the deregulated UK energy markets, running a specialist contributed information exchange data business for global agricultural manufacturers and his current role involving worldwide futures, options and OTC cleared markets. Mark has wide experience in managing customer relationships and new product development and has also served on a number of industry panels and working groups, which have covered regulatory frameworks, technical issues and market enabling solutions.
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About Euromoney TRADEDATA: Euromoney TRADEDATA is a specialist data aggregator and distributor of reference data for the exchange traded and OTC derivatives market.
Gregg Whitbread
Business Development Director of Euromoney TRADEDATA
Gregg has more than 20 years’ experience in reference data, operations and technology with the majority of those being spent in the listed derivatives space, with global responsibility for business development, primarily managing tier one sell side firms but also a wide portfolio of market participants including alliance partnerships. Over a ten year period Gregg has built and headed the Xymbology business, on-boarding double digit vendors partners to the product suite which encompasses cross reference for market data, industry, ISV and regulatory reporting symbology. A well respected member of the global listed derivatives community he is widely recognised as a reference data and instrument symbology SME and often sought after for his views on and knowledge of the exchange traded derivatives market place. Gregg has a track record of delivering innovative products that solve industry problems and assist market participants with the operational challenges they encounter every business day in an ever increasing regulatory environment. Gregg holds a BSc (Hons) in Software Engineering from Birmingham University.
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About Euromoney TRADEDATA: Euromoney TRADEDATA is a specialist data aggregator and distributor of reference data for the exchange traded and OTC derivatives market.
Michael Bell
Sales Director of Restorepoint
Founder at Restorepoint
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About Restorepoint: Restorepoint is a pioneer in network configuration and change management.
Julian Boneham
Director of N4Stack
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About N4Stack: Database as a Service provider available on public and private cloud infrastructure.
Jonathan Arnold
Managing Director of Volta Data Centres
Jonathan has been in IT and business communications solutions since 1996. Throughout the years, he primarily focused on sales and account management, gaining experience in companies such as Siemens, WorldCom, Sirocom, Azzurri Communications and Daisy Group, signing multi-million pound deals and delivering business growth. Prior to joining Volta, Jonathan held the position of Enterprise Sales Director at Daisy Group. Prior to that, he was Managing Director of ServAssure, part of Daisy Group, heading a team of over 30 people including sales, service desk, projects and warehouse.
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About Volta Data Centres: Low-latency, high density data centre next to Silicon Roundabout, Central London
George Sanger
Commercial Director of Onyx Group
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About Onyx Group, Pulsant: Onyx Group is a UK-based provider of business continuity, cloud computing, and datacenter services.
Roger Keenan
Managing Director of City Lifeline
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About City Lifeline: Leading independent London Data Centre – Tier 3, carrier neutral colocation in Central London.
Olly Scott
Operations Director of Datacentre Monkey Ltd
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About Datacentre Monkey Ltd: Secure Server & Datacentre Relocation Services
Olly Scott
Operations Director of Datacentre Monkey Ltd
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About Datacentre Monkey Ltd: Secure Server & Datacentre Relocation Services
