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 Chairman operating in the Innovation Management space. If you think a Chairman 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.
Stuart Marks
Founder and Chairman of L Marks
Stuart Marks is a successful entrepreneur who has built and sold four businesses over the past 25 years. They have spanned several sectors including CRM, location-based services and digital media. Every company applied innovation to challenge existing business models. Stuart has worked with a diverse and international customer-base including Sainsbury’s, British Airways, Unilever, Vodafone, BMW and various government agencies across the world. His previous company, ITIS Holdings plc, was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was Europe’s leading provider of real-time traffic information and connected car technology. The first company to commercialize crowdsourced data from GPS devices and mobile phone networks, Stuart sold the firm in 2011 to Washington-based INRIX before going on to establish L Marks to invest in the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
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About a2om international, L Marks: L Marks is the trusted partner for global businesses, powering corporate innovation and fuelling growth
Faisal Butt
Founder, CEO & Chairman of Pi Labs
Faisal is CEO, Founder and Chairman of Pi Labs Ltd. Faisal founded Pi Labs Ltd in 2015, after leading the first round of investments in PropTech start-ups Hubble and Trussle as an individual investor. Faisal and his team have built a portfolio of 50 PropTech companies across UK and Europe, making Pi Labs one of the most active investors in PropTech start-ups globally.
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About Pi Labs, Spire Ventures: Europe’s first and most active VC firm investing in early-stage proptech entrepreneurs.
Jerre Stead
Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Clarivate Analytics
Jerre L. Stead joined the PCN Technology, Inc. Board of Directors in October of 2008. From 1996 until his June 1, 2000 retirement, Mr. Stead was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ingram Micro Inc., a leading distributor of computers and peripherals. Mr. Stead has also held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Square D Co., which was acquired by Schneider Electric, S.A. He also served as CEO of AT&T Global Information Solutions (NCR Corporation) and Legent Corporation. Since 2006, Mr. Stead has served as Chairman of the Board and CEO for IHS, one of the leading global providers of critical technical information, decision-support tools, and related services to customers in the energy, defense, aerospace, construction, electronics, and automotive industries. Mr. Stead is currently also a Director of Armstrong Holdings, Inc., Conexant Systems, Mobility Electronics, Inc., Brightpoint, Inc. and TBG Group. He has also held numerous positions during a 21-year career at Honeywell. He is a well-known Author of Executive books including Flight of the Buffalo and is the Chairman of the Board for the Center of Ethics and Values at Garret Seminary at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
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About Clarivate Analytics: Clarivate Analytics accelerates the pace of innovation by providing trusted insights and analytics.
Doug Ward
Chairman of Celtic Renewables
In a long and distinguished career, spanning over 35 years, Doug Ward established himself as one of the most influential people in Scotland’s biofuel, agriculture and food & drink industries. Roles included: Managing Director of William Forrest and Sons (key role in BSE crisis); founder of Argent Energy which constructed a £15 million biodiesel plant (first facility of its kind in the world producing diesel entirely from waste oil sources). Doug serves as the Vice-President of the European Biodiesel Board and former Chairman of the Renewable Energy Association transport fuels group. He is a leading international authority on biofuel and a key influencer on policy in the UK and the EU.
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About Celtic Renewables: Celtic Renewables is a biofuel startup focused on the renewable energy and whisky sector.
David Pattison
Chairman of Rezonence
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About Rezonence: Our mission is to fund journalism through high performance advertising.
Nigel Hamway
Chairman of Quickheart
As Chairman, Nigel helps produce the harmonies that develop into the complete Quickheart performance. Through provocation, questioning and positive interference. A qualified Chartered Accountant and a Cambridge University graduate, he is also currently Director of Charterhouse Development Capital, Chairman of AIM listed The Conygar Investment Company PLC, Trustee for Oxfordshire Community Foundation and Hon Treasurer of The Society of Wood Engravers.
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About Quickheart: Quickheart, an innovative technology company that specialises in digitally enabled social care solutions.
