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 Online Portals 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.
Michael Maibaum
Technology Evolution Director, UK & Ireland of Flutter Entertainment
He is an articulate, dedicated and innovative architect and engineering manager with excellent analysis skills, capable of working in and leading a team. He is responsible for making the decisions to ensure a project meets requirements, is delivered on schedule and is well supported in production. He have a keen interest in keeping up-to-date on the latest technology trends to keep ahead of the curve. His excellent communication skills ensure efficient collaboration with management, collaborators and clients.
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About Flutter Entertainment: Flutter Entertainment is the world’s leading online sports betting and gaming operator.
Andrew Michael
CEO, Director & Founder of Bark.com
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About Bark.com: A new better way to buy services online
David Toplas
Founder and Director of Vesta Property
David has a long track record of innovation in investments which balance social and commercial returns. He has created, built and invested in businesses and run institutional funds as well as established a charity and social enterprise. David enjoys his work, cars and playing hockey.
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About Mill Group, Vesta Property: Vesta (www.vestaproperty.com) is a data-driven marketplace for buying and selling residential investment property.
David Courtley
Member of the Board of Directors of Statpro
David, 59, has been in the IT industry for over 25 years and has held a number of senior management roles including CEO of Phoenix IT Group, CEO of Fujitsu Services and Managing Director of EDS UK.He is currently CEO of Mozaic Services, a private company specialising in IT service integration and is Senior Independent Director of AIM-listed The Science Group plc. David will become Chairman of the Group’s Remuneration Committee.
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About Mozaic, Mozaic, Science Group: StatPro is a business that helps investors combine data on performance and risk analytics together to streamline asset management.
Mark Adorian
Member of the Board of Directors of Statpro
Mark was previously Managing Director of Standard & Poor’s Fund Services. Mark co-founded Micropal, the global fund performance analysis company in 1986, becoming their Sales & Marketing Director in 1987. In 1992 he became Managing Director of Micropal, and subsequently in 1997 negotiated the sale of Micropal to Standard & Poor´s, a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies. Between 1999 and 2001, Mark was Managing Director of Standard & Poor’s Fund Services. Mark chairs the Group’s Nominations Committee. Mark’s career in the asset management industry and experience in business growth adds value to the StatPro Board. His understanding of market data in this industry supports the business and strategy.
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About : StatPro is a business that helps investors combine data on performance and risk analytics together to streamline asset management.
Rory Curran
Member of the Board of Directors of Statpro
Rory, 57, been in the IT industry for many years. Rory co-founded 1st Software, one of the first companies to use technology as a financial planning tool for building long-term client relationships in financial services companies. The business was sold in 2006. Rory left in 2008 and has since been a director and investor in a number of technology companies.He is currently a non-executive director of Andromeda Enterprises (trading as Ecodesk) and Sammedia Limited, both cloud-based technology businesses.
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About : StatPro is a business that helps investors combine data on performance and risk analytics together to streamline asset management.
Nicole Vanderbilt
UK Managing Director of Bookshop
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About Bookshop, Gelato, On Purpose: Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores.
Mr. Sufi Miah
Director of ChefOnline
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About : Order Takeaway Food Online or make reservation at your nearest Restaurant via ChefOnline.
Mike Prettejohn
Director of Netcraft
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About Netcraft: Netcraft is an Internet services company based in Bath which provides Internet data mining and anti-cybercrime services.
Akshay Ruparelia
Founder and Managing Director of Doorsteps
Akshay Ruparelia is the Founder of Doorsteps.
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About Doorsteps: Doorsteps is a UK-based online estate agents.
Will Paterson
Founder and Director of EdPlace
Will Paterson led the acquisition of EdPlace in 2011 and its subsequent re-launch in 2012. His working life started in corporate finance in the City of London. He left his finance career 7 years ago and started working online. In 2007 he co-founded and ran Plebble for four years before moving on to EdPlace. The extra support I got from those around him was invaluable through his school and university years. With EdPlace he hope to foster that same support for parents and children alike.
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About EdPlace: EdPlace is dedicated to empowering parents in their child’s education.
Patrick Cooke
Partner & Marketing Director of EdPlace
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About EdPlace: EdPlace is dedicated to empowering parents in their child’s education.
Lee Weymouth
Commercial Director of Ebuyer
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About Ebuyer: This is the official Pinterest for Ebuyer.com!
Marina Storti
Director of Strategy & Proposition of NOW TV
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About NOW TV: Now TV is an internet television service that features latest movies, TV shows, live sports, and more.
Daniel Watts
Founder & Managing Director of Aluminati Network Group
Daniel leads the Aluminati team and has overall responsibility for defining the company’s technical and business strategies and with his deep sector knowledge he leads product innovation. Daniel founded the company in 2002 when he graduated from Oxford with an honours degree in Computation. An expert in online engagement, Daniel is regularly invited to speak at industry conferences and is in regular attendance at multiple CASE events per year. In his spare time Daniel enjoys the physical and mental challenges of basketball and has also coached the Darwin College ladies team to Cambridge championship titles for 4 consecutive years.
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About Aluminati Network Group: Aluminati Network Group provide online services and platforms to unite alumni, student and member networks.
Stephen McMaugh
Director, Sales of bobsguide
Stephen is Sales Director for bobsguide, responsible for directing and leading commercial efforts and overseeing contract service delivery. Prior to joining the AFP group in 2010 McMaugh was Senior Account Manager at Informa Plc (M&T Division) managing a portfolio of accounts in the Benelux and Middle East regions for the daily shipping newspaper, Lloyds List. McMaugh has over 15 years’ experience in business-to-business (B2B) publishing sales and management.
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About bobsguide, bobsguide: Connecting buyers and sellers of financial technology globally
Lisa Charles-Jones
Member of the Board of Directors of Your Move
Lisa worked for LSL Property Services plc for 13 years, which is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, firstly as Head of HR and for the last ten years as Group HR Director. Lisa is also a director of Keyfund Federation Limited and was a director of Reeds Rains Limited and Your-Move.co.uk Limited. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and holds an MBA from the University of Durham.
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About : Your Move assists and provides its customers with financial services to find, buy, sell, and rent real-estate properties.
Nick King
Market Research and Insight Director of Autotrader.com
Nick is an expert in digital media & marketing, possessing skills, knowledge and experience to analyze & interpret trends in consumer adoption of technology and develop strategies for customer acquisition & retention through digital channels
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About Autotrader.com: AutoTrader is an online marketplace for buying and selling new, certified and used cars.
Jason Andrews
Director of Operations of Student Roost
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About Student Roost: Student Roost is an online platform that provides accommodation for students with designed facilities and a personal level of service.
Douglas Higgins
Founder & Director of Mujo Mechanics
Douglas Higgins is the Founder & Director at Mujo Mechanics.
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About Mujo Mechanics: Mujo Mechanics provides smart devices and intelligent cloud platform for a data-driven approach to musculoskeletal health.
Geri McMahon
Non-Executive Director of Mujo Mechanics
Geri McMahon Managing Director joined MUJO following eight years in investment banking to coordinate and drive the team to deliver the MUJO vision. Geri brings a focus on operational excellence, and a wealth of international business experience having worked with government institutions and corporates across EMEA, APAC and AMERICAS regions. Geri holds a combined Finance and Commerce degree with Chinese language from the University of Sydney and previously worked on the trading floors of both RBS and Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Sydney and London.
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About Mujo Mechanics: Mujo Mechanics provides smart devices and intelligent cloud platform for a data-driven approach to musculoskeletal health.
Simon Blower
Co-Founder & Operations Director of Pobble
Simon Blower is a Co-Founder & Operations Director at LendMeYourLiteracy.
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About Pobble: Pobble is the platform to find the best teaching resources, give pupils a global audience for their work, and to assess writing.
Craig Whitney
Non Executive Director of Sceneit
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About CyberLaunch, Sceneit, Tech Connections: Sceneit is software that helps to plan, book tours, activities, travel and accommodation also to find filming locations all over the world.
Emily Short
Creative Director of Failbetter Games
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About Failbetter Games: Choice-based interactive stories online
Ray Sherlock
Director of Engage Hub
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About Engage Hub: Engage Hub social media start up.
Adam Clements
Managing Director of Freshminds
Adam joined Freshminds as COO of what was the Freshminds Group in 2010, bringing with him a wealth of experience as Procurement Manager (UK) of the Morse Group, Operations Director of Morse France and Head of Partner Sales. Adam was also Founding Director of The Key Revolution Ltd – a technology spin-out from Vodafone that went on to raise more than £2m of venture funding and introduced a new secure cloud computing platform to the UK market. As Managing Director, Adam is responsible for running the Freshminds business, with a particular focus on our pool of experienced Strategy and Management Consulting candidates. He works across sectors but with a particular interest in multi-channel Retail and Consumer businesses. Adam has an MBA from Kingston Business School and a BA(Hons) from York. He classes himself as a “very average cricketer, below-average under 9s referee, and an enthusiastic tennis player”.
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About Freshminds: Freshminds sources graduates, researchers, analysts, consultants, project managers, and directors for permanent jobs or consulting projects.
James Callander
Managing Director of Freshminds
James joined Freshminds in 2003 for a 2 week project and has been here ever since, becoming Managing Director in 2008. He was part of the client development team that helped grow the firm from a start-up of 10 people to a business of over 100. He helped to launch a number of products and led on the development of some of Freshminds’ first key clients in consulting, financial services and private equity. Today, as Managing Director James is responsible for leading the commercial side of the business, with a particular focus on our pool of graduate and early career Minds and working with clients across sectors. He comments regularly in the press about the importance of hiring the best talent with a consulting skill set. James has an MA in Geography from Edinburgh University and completed a sales leadership course at Harvard Business School in 2011. Before Freshminds he worked for Roland Berger and Bell Pottinger. He’s a keen cook (albeit with limited range) and enjoys running and tennis. He has stood for parliament twice and acts as an informal advisor to his wife’s luxury travel business.
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About Freshminds: Freshminds sources graduates, researchers, analysts, consultants, project managers, and directors for permanent jobs or consulting projects.
Tom Steck
Director of Co-Founders Club
IT Professional, Visionary, Life-Long Learner
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About Co-Founders Club: Matching co-founders during collaborative learning process
Matthew Funge
Managing Director & Founder of Your Stand Builder
Matthew is the Managing Director & Founder of event technology company Your Stand Builder, and currently lives in London. He is a graduate from the University of Manchester who already has valuable experience of living and working in both the USA and France, in addition to various parts of the UK, which has provided him with valuable international exposure already. He is responsible for building and launching the Your Stand Builder platform in March 2019, following more than 5 years’ in an exhibition project manager role preparing 25+ worldwide events annually for his previous employer – an experience which directly led to the YSB idea being born. Matthew is passionate about making a difference in the global events industry, and is committed to continually exploring technological innovation. He has taken YSB from concept all the way through to execution and plans to build upon this in the future through gradually developing the service further.
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About Your Stand Builder: SaaS, online marketplace, web platform
Ed Henderson
Founder / Managing Director of Uni2
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About Uni2: Uni2 is the fastest growing student company in the UK.
Ed Henderson
Founder / Managing Director of Uni2
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About Uni2: Uni2 is the fastest growing student company in the UK.
Nicola Snell
Owner / Director of Press Loft
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About Press Loft: PR Platform connecting brands with journalists & bloggers worldwide
Stuart Millson
Cofounder and Managing Director of Broker Compare
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About Broker Compare: Broker Compare is a price comparison tool that helps investors find the right online stockbroker for their needs.
Tony Gledhill
Director of Hot Tub Hire Wakefield
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About Hot Tub Hire Wakefield: Hot Tub Hire Wakefield is an online retailer that provides a reliable and affordable hot tub rental service throughout West Yorkshire.
Guy Lewis
Director of Kesseny Ltd
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About Kesseny Ltd: Media production and licensing services
