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 Hampshire based Director operating in the Software 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.
Richard Munro
Director, Global Cloud Strategy of VMware
Richard is the Global Cloud Strategy Director for VMware. In this leadership role, Richard’s scope is to align VMware products and services to the objectives and challenges organisations are facing with cloud and digital transformation. This includes developing executive and c-level content to both educate and inform at a general level, and articulate the value proposition of VMware Cloud capability as part of the VMware Cross-Cloud architecture. With more than 25 years of experience in the industry, Richard has a strong technical background in cloud infrastructure, being an evangelist for next generation IT Services, cloud transformation, cloud native applications (e.g. CI/CD, Containers, Serverless, etc) and Wardley mapping. Throughout his career, he had been instrumental in both business and IT transformation programmes for a number of global organisations.
Follow Richard Munro:
About VMware: VMware is a software company providing cloud and virtualization services that powers complex digital infrastructure.
Brian Shorland
Senior Director of Product Management of BlueCat
Follow Brian Shorland:
About BlueCat: BlueCat builds next-generation IPAM, DNS, and DHCP solutions that connect mobile devices, applications, and the cloud.
Lisa Turner
Marketing Director of Lead Forensics
Follow Lisa Turner:
About Lead Forensics: Lead Forensics is the B2B software that identifies anonymous website visitors, providing full contact details and customer journey insight.
Andy Slater
VP & Managing Director EMEA of Actifio
Having joined Actifio in 2011, Andy leads the EMEA sales execution. Prior to this role, Andy was pivotal in heading up the services and installation customers in the region. Prior to Actifio, Andy lead sales and operations at TecTrade, a data protection and storage partner based in the UK. His 15+ years in roles as Chief Operating Officer and Sales Director allowed him to build strategic customer and regional relationships.
Follow Andy Slater:
About Actifio: Actifio delivers enterprise data-as-a-service to global enterprise customers and service provider partners.
Paul Rodgers
Group HR Director & Business Operations Director of Micro Focus
Paul Rodgers became the Group HR Director for Micro Focus International in April 2008. Prior to joining, Paul was the Managing Director of a successful Executive HR consultancy business for 4 years, with clients such as Dell, Unilever, Yahoo, and Sainsbury’s. Paul has further large corporate experience having previously been the Group HR Director for Cable & Wireless and spending 17 years in IBM covering various senior roles such as HR Director for UK & Ireland; Sales Operations Director for the European PC Division and Project Management Executive within the Global Services Division. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Computer Science from the University of Ulster and a Masters of Business Administration.
Follow Paul Rodgers:
About Micro Focus, Micro Focus, Micro Focus: Micro Focus is a software company with 40 years of experience in delivering and supporting enterprise software solutions.
John Haines
Director of Software of JUST DEVELOP iT
Follow John Haines:
About JUST DEVELOP iT: Just Develop It (JDi) is a Hampshire based investment company that specialises in early stage and growth capital across.
Jay Francis
Director of Technology of JUST DEVELOP iT
Follow Jay Francis:
About JUST DEVELOP iT: Just Develop It (JDi) is a Hampshire based investment company that specialises in early stage and growth capital across.
Ben Rolison
Director of Sales of JUST DEVELOP iT
Follow Ben Rolison:
About JUST DEVELOP iT: Just Develop It (JDi) is a Hampshire based investment company that specialises in early stage and growth capital across.
Sophy MacDonald
Director of Operations of JUST DEVELOP iT
Follow Sophy MacDonald:
About JUST DEVELOP iT: Just Develop It (JDi) is a Hampshire based investment company that specialises in early stage and growth capital across.
Dan Short
Director of Support of JUST DEVELOP iT
Follow Dan Short:
About JUST DEVELOP iT: Just Develop It (JDi) is a Hampshire based investment company that specialises in early stage and growth capital across.
Mark Fusco
Member of the Board of Directors of Exa Corporation
Mark Fusco currently serves on several technology-focused company as a Member of the Board of Directors, including Viewpoint, Black Duck Software and Dyn. Mark’s leadership and expertise in helping drive operational performance, product innovation and market leadership provides an incredible asset to those organizations in which he contributes. Previously, Mark served as the Chief Executive Officer, President and a Member of the Board of Directors at Aspen Technology Inc., from January 3, 2005 until September 30, 2013. Mark served as Principal Accounting Officer and Principal Financial Officer of Aspen Technology Inc. from February 2009 to July 1, 2009 and served as its Acting Principal Accounting Officer. Mark served as Chief Executive Officer and President at Aspentech Ltd. from May 2002 to January 2005.Mark served as the President and Chief Operating Officer of Ajilon Consulting and also served as its Executive Vice President from 1999 to 2002.Mark was a Co-Founder of Software Quality Partners and served as its President from 1994 to 1999. From 1994 to 1999, Mark served as President of Analysis and Computer Systems Inc. Mark served as Director of Aspen Technology Inc., since December 9, 2003 until September 30, 2013. Prior to his business career, Mark was a professional ice hockey player and Member of the National Hockey League team the Hartford Whalers and was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey Team.Mark holds a B.A in Economics from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.
Follow Mark Fusco:
About : Exa Corporation is a developer and distributor of computer-aided engineering (CAE) software.
Sally Johnson
Director and Company Sec of Madiston
With a background in marketing, finance and administration, Sally worked with many IT and small business as a consultant. She joined Tim at his second business, Mondas, when it was a sole trader business, becoming Company Secretary and responsible for marketing. In that time, Sally was involved in the AIM flotation, two acquisitions and fundraising. She has taken products from launch to market leading positions, established quality procedures and helped small businesses grow.
Follow Sally Johnson:
About Madiston: Madiston offers a commercially available peer to peer/online lending software platform.
Sally Johnson
Director and Company Sec of Madiston
With a background in marketing, finance and administration, Sally worked with many IT and small business as a consultant. She joined Tim at his second business, Mondas, when it was a sole trader business, becoming Company Secretary and responsible for marketing. In that time, Sally was involved in the AIM flotation, two acquisitions and fundraising. She has taken products from launch to market leading positions, established quality procedures and helped small businesses grow.
Follow Sally Johnson:
About Madiston: Madiston offers a commercially available peer to peer/online lending software platform.
Shawn Tracy
Director of Operations of ATOM
Follow Shawn Tracy:
About ATOM: The ATOM Group is a software and security company located in Portsmouth, NH.
Karen Ovenden
Operations Director of Hireserve
Karen is responsible for the day to day business operations of Hireserve and making sure we have a happy, well supported and valued team. Contributing in just about every business function (with the exception of coding) Karen knows the business inside and out, from product to people. Away from the office you may find Karen still checking her emails… But when she does manage to switch off it will be when taking the Director of Morale (Mabel) for walks, going to see the latest blockbusters or surrounding herself with her family for a cooked meal.
Follow Karen Ovenden:
About Hireserve: Hireserve a thriving UK recruitment technology company.
Tyler Dannat
Director of Marketing of PortalGuard
Follow Tyler Dannat:
About PortalGuard: PortalGuard is a seamless solution providing organizations & enterprises.
Mike Bourassa
Director, Business Development of WBT Systems
Follow Mike Bourassa:
About WBT Systems: WBT is a consulting firm focus on education and certification programs.
Travis York
Board of Directors of Explorics
Follow Travis York:
About : Explorics is a SaaS marketing technology company offering a reporting and analytics platform for results-oriented business leaders.
Andrew Walker
Programme Director of ITAL
Follow Andrew Walker:
About ITAL: ITAL develops software solutions to businesses who rely on people and systems for their day-to-day activities.
Howard D. Stewart
Co-Founder, Executive Vice President of Engineering and Director of NitroSecurity
Co-Founder, Executive Vice President of Engineering and Director at NitroSecurity.
Follow Howard D. Stewart:
About NitroSecurity, Stewart Search: NitroSecurity is a provider of unified information and event management security solutions for enterprises.
Chris Kaye
Director Consulting Services of Simply Office 365
Follow Chris Kaye:
About Simply Office 365: Simply Office 365 is a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider that specializes in Microsoft 365 productivity solutions and services.
Jason Walls
Director of Technical Marketing of QA Cafe
Jason Walls is Director of Technical Marketing at QA Cafe, creators of the industry standard CDRouter test platform for connected devices, and Director of the Broadband User Services Work Area at the Broadband Forum. A protocol geek at heart, he’s been involved with testing technologies like TR-069 since its first interoperability ambitions. Jason has accrued nearly 20 years of computer networking experience, fusing strategic, marketing, engineering, and end-user perspectives to create, promote, and maintain emerging technologies. He holds an MBA from the University of New Hampshire and is an alumnus of UNH’s InterOperability Laboratory.
Follow Jason Walls:
About Broadband Forum, Broadband Forum, QA Cafe: QA Cafe is a provider of test tools for broadband and home network premises equipment (CPE).
Mark Price
Director of Sales & Marketing of CoralTree Systems
Mark is a versatile and driven sales and marketing leader. A seasoned professional with more than 15 years’ experience in the media and communications industry, Mark has a ‘hands-on’ understanding of the demands of this fast-paced sector. As part of CoralTree’s Management Team, Mark heads up business development. Central to this role is understanding market drivers and how CoralTree can deliver innovative solutions to address clients’ business challenges.
Follow Mark Price:
About CoralTree Systems: CoralTree Systems is a leading provider of converged solutions for European service providers.
Michael Hayes
Director Of Development of Aquitas Solutions
Follow Michael Hayes:
About Aquitas Solutions: Aquitas is a leading management consulting company serving asset-intensive organizations across various industries.
