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 London based VP’ operating in the Internet space. If you think a VP’ 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.
Edward Barrow
VP, Corporate Strategy of Optimizely
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About Optimizely: Optimizely is a platform that provides digital experience solutions.
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Jim Ryan
SVP & CSO of Liberty Global
James Ryan is Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Liberty Global, a position he has held since January 2012. In this capacity, he is responsible for Liberty Global’s corporate strategy, across all regions. James’s oversight of such strategy is key in delivering on Liberty Global’s customer-centric goals. He is an executive officer of Liberty Global and sits on Liberty Global’s Executive Leadership Team. James joined Liberty Global in May 2000 as Managing Director of Strategy and Corporate Development. Prior to joining Liberty Global, he spent a number of years in investment banking, initially with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and then with Deutsche Bank and PriceWaterhouse Coopers, advising clients in the telecommunications sector. Prior to that, he held roles in Bain and Company and MMG Patricoff (now Apax). James sits on the Board of Directors of Telenet Group Holding NV, a Liberty Global subsidiary and a Belgian public limited liability company. He is a Trustee of the Lessons for Life Foundation. James holds an honours degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from St. John’s College, Oxford University.
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About Liberty Global: Liberty Global is an international cable company providing television, broadband internet, and telephony services.
Kevin Lee
VP, Chief Product Officer of eBay
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About eBay: eBay is an online marketplace that connects a global network of buyers and sellers.
Susannah Clark
VP Communications, Global of Farfetch
Susannah is Communications Partner at EQT Ventures. Susannah works with portfolio companies to define their communications strategies, and helps them with storytelling and PR strategies. Before she joined EQT Ventures, Susannah was VP Communications globally for King Digital Entertainment, makers of the hit game franchise,Candy Crush. In this role, she ran corporate communications (helping the company IPO on the NYSE, and later with its acquisition by Activision Blizzard), consumer PR and internal communications around the world. Previously, Susannah has worked in communications and PR for companies including MoneySuperMarket, Apple, Microsoft, T-Mobile, Match.com and Motorola both in the UK and Australia. She has a Bachelor of Arts from University of Sydney. Susannah has a strong personal interest and involvement in the not-for-profit sector. She is the Chair of the Next Generation Committee for the UK youth charity, Leap Confronting Conflict, and a Trustee of the PTEN Research Foundation.
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About Farfetch: Farfetch is an online luxury fashion retail platform.
Sara Wood
Global VP Product Management of Farfetch
At Farfetch, Sara oversees all Global Consumer Products. Her team works across product management, design, and analytics in all Farfetch markets. Sara sits on the Farfetch Executive Board and is a member of the Strategy Committee. Sara joined Farfetch in October 2017 and is responsible for strategy and development of all consumer-centric products including; marketplace, platform, ecommerce, mobile, marketing, personalization, payments, loyalty, and inspiration. Sara’s experience prior to Farfetch spans 20 years as a product leader at the intersection of content, community, and technology as well as being an Early-stage Startup Advisor.
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About Farfetch, Salon Media Group: Farfetch is an online luxury fashion retail platform.
Kelly Kowal
Executive Vice President, Farfetch Platform Solutions (FPS) of Farfetch
As Managing Director of Farfetch Black & White, Kelly’s role is focused on leading her team to build revolutionary multi-channel e-commerce solutions and operating e-commerce sites for luxury brands and retailers. Kelly sits on the Farfetch Executive Board. Kelly joined Farfetch in 2010 to build and lead all digital marketing initiatives including customer acquisition, retention and engagement. Within her time at Farfetch, she also led the international growth and development strategy, overseeing expansion and localisation for all markets. Kelly’s background is in internet marketing and e-commerce, with her experience spanning over 15 years.
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About Farfetch: Farfetch is an online luxury fashion retail platform.
Sandrine Deveaux
Executive Vice President, Store of the Future of Farfetch
Sandrine is at the helm of Farfetch’s retail innovation vision ‘Store of the Future’ and is responsible for developing, executing and rolling out new, in-store technologies across Farfetch’s community of retail partners. Under Deveaux’s leadership, her team are focused on developing a pioneering mix of technology that will shape the retail experience of the future. Deveaux’s marketing, omni-channel and e-commerce expertise was honed in her previous roles at Harvey Nichols as multi-channel director and director of marketing and e-commerce at Matchesfashion.com. Sandrine also previously held roles at AOL and Bloomberg Media. Deveaux graduated from French business school ISC and holds a master’s degree in technology from ESSEC.
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About Farfetch: Farfetch is an online luxury fashion retail platform.
James Maynard
General Counsel & SVP Group Legal of Farfetch
At Farfetch James is responsible for the management and service delivery of the Farfetch Legal & Company Secretariat team. James sits on the Farfetch Executive Board, is a member of the Strategy Committee and Co-Chair of the Risk Group. James has ultimate responsibility for corporate execution of all M&A activity, large scale commercial agreements, IP and brand protection and enforcement, compliance (including data protection and anti-trust), contentious employee matters, material litigation and managing the Farfetch Group’s legal and compliance risk. Prior to joining Farfetch in 2014, for almost a decade James worked as legal counsel to various online technology companies, having spent his formative professional life as a corporate M&A lawyer in a City firm.
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About Farfetch: Farfetch is an online luxury fashion retail platform.
Léo Chappaz
Global VP, Performance Advertising of Teads US
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About Teads US: Teads US invented outstream video advertising and is the no.1 video advertising marketplace in the world.
John-Paul Szczepanik
Senior Vice President Of Engineering of Isotropic Systems
John-Paul Szczepanik is the CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER at Isotropic Systems.
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About Isotropic Systems: Isotropic Systems develops multi-service, high-bandwidth, low power, fully integrated terminals designed to support the satellite industry.
Anita Woods
VP Product of Wefarm
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About Wefarm: Wefarm is a farmer-to-farmer digital network that enables users to share information via SMS.
Thibaut Rouffineau
VP Marketing of Canonical
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About Canonical: Canonical is a computer software company that markets commercial support and related services for Ubuntu and related projects.
Åsa Nyström
VP of Customer Advocacy of Buffer
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About Buffer: Social Media Management Software for Growing Brands
James Prudhomme
Executive Vice President, International of Index Exchange
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About Index Exchange: Index Exchange is an exchange technology, enabling digital publishers and suppliers to sell ad impressions programmatically and in realtime.
Piero Sierra
VP, Product Management of Skyscanner
Piero Sierra is VP of Product Management and leads Skyscanner’s flights product worldwide. Piero has over 20 years of experience delivering world-class consumer products like Skype, Messenger, OneDrive and Windows. Prior to joining Skyscanner, Piero was a Partner at Microsoft.
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About Skyscanner: Skyscanner operates as a trips meta-search engine company.
Tom Eilon
VP Strategy of AccuRx
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About AccuRx, Founders Academy: AccuRx is on a mission to bring patients and their healthcare teams together.
Martin Lycka
SVP for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling of Entain
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About Entain: Entain is a multinational sports betting and gaming group operating in the online and retail sector.
Anna Tong
VP Marketing of Wooshii
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About Wooshii: The Video Production Marketplace
Ingmar Zach
SVP, Product of Criteo
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About Criteo: Criteo is a global technology company that serves personalized online display advertisements to consumers on behalf of e-commerce companies.
Greg Williams
Co-Founder, SVP, Strategic Business Development of MediaMath
Greg leads MediaMath’s business development efforts globally. In this role, Greg creates business and technology relationships with partners and oversees MediaMath’s OPEN Partnership program. Having focused his career at the intersection of marketing and technology, Greg is an expert in automation and large-scale technology offerings. Leveraging his unique blend of business and technical skills, Greg works with clients and with data and inventory partners across media channels to help them build their businesses on MediaMath’s TerminalOne platform. Prior to his move to London, Greg managed all internal and external reporting and analyses from MediaMath’s New York headquarters. In this role, Greg spearheaded the design, development, and management of MediaMath’s analytics platform. Before co-founding MediaMath, Greg led advertiser media strategy at [x+1], working with global brands on website and media optimisation. In that role, Greg also worked with a team to establish a new media division that quickly outpaced its established parent company. Before [x+1], Greg’s background was in econometric data modeling, marketing strategy, and integration of marketing platforms for Fortune 500 companies at Nielsen and Accenture. Greg holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University and an MBA from Fordham University with concentrations in accounting and finance.
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About MediaMath: MediaMath develops and delivers digital advertising media and data management technology solutions to advertisers worldwide.
David Mills
VP / Global Supply Director of Iglu Cruise
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About Iglu Cruise, Iglu Cruise: Iglu Cruise is an internet-based travel agency specializing in the sale of snowboarding and ski holidays, cruises and Christmas holidays.
Mahdi Shariff
SVP & Chief Strategy Officer of Biddingx
Shariff serves as Chief Strategy Officer for Sunteng, a Big Data-driven marketing and analytics company which processes 28 billion impressions daily and delivers campaigns for IBM and Qualcomm. Fluent in Chinese, Shariff arrived in China in 2014 searching for an interesting startup in advertising technology. He hails from the United Kingdom where he worked as an investment banker covering Telecommunications, Media and Technology (TMT) deals in London. .
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About Biddingx: BiddingX is an advertising technology company that provides a full set of marketing solutions to its clients.
Jack Buechler
VP Business Development and Product Management of Talia
Jack Buechler is the Vice President of Business Development at Talia Ltd. He has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience in IT and telecommunications – making Mr. Buechler one of the industry’s leading experts. Past and current projects include definitions of satellite hub systems, integration of broadband satellite systems, terrestrial fibre services, VoIP service integration, Trunk VoIP systems, sales of integrated GSM satellite systems. Mr. Buechler has worked in many business sectors including Defence, Oil and Gas, Retail and Financial.Mr Buechler’s current position is at Talia Ltd – a top-tier network provider in the Middle East, Africa, America and Europe. Talia Ltd known as a market leader and experts in satellite, voice, video and broadcast solutions with their own WTA tier 3 certified teleport facility in Germany. Prior to working at Talia Ltd, Mr. Buechler has served at senior level positions at Loral Cyberstar, Orion Network Systems and Kingston Inmedia (Now Arqiva), and Advantech Wireless including: Vice President Sales EMEA, Head of Carrier and Internet Sales and product manager Satellite data products at BT.
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About Talia: Talia is a top-tier provider of Internet, voice, and video services
David Bailey
Vice President, Global Merchandising of SmartThings
David Bailey, Vice President, Marketing Communications at SmartThings
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About SmartThings: SmartThings, a smartphone app, allows its users to monitor and control their domestic affairs even when they are out of their home.
Quentin Roquefort
SVP Engineering of Chirp
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About Chirp: Chirp uses existing speakers and microphones to enable frictionless M2M communication to seamlessly and securely transfer data via sound.
Lucia Mastromauro
Vice President, Global Head of Client Partnerships of Adform
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About Adform: Making display advertising simple, relevant, rewarding for advertisers, agencies and publishers
Aviel Sela
Co-Founder & VP, Products of ESquare
Aviel Sela is a co-founder and the vice president of products at ESquare.
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About ESquare: ESquare is a Cyber protected platform for the industrial segment.
Sean Sewell
Co-Founder | VP Revenue of Partnerize
Sean is the Co-Founder and VP Revenue EMEA of Performance Horizon, an online marketing technology provider based on a suite of performance marketing products and services. Sean has over 7 years of online experience. Formerly Commercial Director for AOL, Sean spent two years heading up buy.at and AOL lead generation products, budgets, and growth strategy. Tenacious and strong relationship builder at all levels, responsible for building growing the Performance Horizon client global client portfolio. Sean studied Marketing at University of Bedfordshire as well as at Erasmus International Business School in Rotterdam.
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About Partnerize: Partnerize is the only partnership management solution for marketers seeking high quality, scalable subsidies to primary channels.
Paul Taylor
VP, UK Revenue of Partnerize
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About Partnerize: Partnerize is the only partnership management solution for marketers seeking high quality, scalable subsidies to primary channels.
Paul Taylor
VP, UK Revenue of Partnerize
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About Partnerize: Partnerize is the only partnership management solution for marketers seeking high quality, scalable subsidies to primary channels.
Jean-Jacques Sahel
Vice President, Europe of ICANN
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About ICANN: ICANN (pronounced eye-can) is the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. It’s a non-profit corporation that was created in
Mohamed Dabbour
CEO Millicom Africa & Executive Vice President of Millicom Systems
Mohamed was appointed as Executive Vice President Africa for Millicom on February 1st 2017. In his role he is responsible for ensuring profitable growth and cash flow for Millicom Africa. Mohamed joined Millicom in 2008 and has held a broad variety of roles in the Africa region, including Chief Financial Officer in Chad in 2009 and Chief Financial Officer in Ghana in 2011. Most recently he was appointed Chief Financial Officer for the Africa region in August 2015. Mohamed holds an Executive MBA degree from London Business School.
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About Millicom Systems: Millicom Systems offers a range of digital services to over 50 million customers primarily under the Tigo brand.
Patrick Hannon
Vice President – Corporate Development of Frontier Silicon
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About Frontier Silicon: Frontier Silicon is a supplier of semiconductors, modules, and software solutions for digital radio and connected devices.
Barry Dahan
Executive Vice President, Global Sales of DragonWave
Barry Dahan is the Executive Vice President of Global Sales at DragonWave. Barry has 30 years’ experience in the International Telecom industry in various roles. Prior to joining DragonWave in 2011, Barry was tasked with building the business and infrastructure for Starent Networks. Barry was employed with ALU and Nortel in various Executive / Leadership roles. Since 2010 Barry is investing in private growth companies. Barry holds a Business Degree in Finance as well as a Bachelor in Engineering from Polytechnique in Canada.
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About DragonWave: DragonWave Inc. (DragonWave) is a provider of high-capacity Ethernet microwave solutions for Internet protocol (IP) networks. Its
Patrick Traynor
Consultant (VP Sales / Sales Director) of Silicon Growth Ltd
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About Silicon Growth Ltd: Silicon Growth helps startups scale. Sales strategy, enablement and operations.
Ivan Kotorov
VP Enterprise Accounts of VendorMach
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About VendorMach: Big data analytics platform for ecommerce supplier planning and accounts payable (AP) reconciliations, reducing fraud, error and costs.
Aleix Megias Homar
Director, VP Programmes of Open Cosmos
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About Open Cosmos: Open Cosmos provides simple and affordable space missions.
John Shearing
EVP, Group Solutions and Security of Interoute Communications
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About Interoute Communications: Interoute is an international telecommunications service provider and the owner operator of Europe’s largest cloud services platform
Reggie James
Executive Director | Co-Chief Operating Officer & SVP of Marketing & Communications of Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group, Inc
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About : DBMM Group provides investment opportunity in the growing Digital Marketing & Social Media sector. Operating in NY, London & LA
Fiona Abrams
VP Customer Service & Communications of Brayola
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About Brayola: The World’s Smartest Personal Bra Shopper.
Chris Wakely
Executive Vice President, Global Enterprise of Benify
Chris Wakely has been working in global benefits technology for the last 15 years. He has seen the changes taking place both in insurance provision and the increasing importance of the employee experience. He is based out of the Benify London office.
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About Benify: Benefits Management and Total Rewards platform – SaaS
Malcolm Cox
SVP Product Strategy, Brand Engagement of Grapeshot
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About Grapeshot: Grapeshot is a contextual intelligence platform that empowers brands to deliver relevance to every customer experience.
Johnny Hammond
VP of BuyerPrice Inc.
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About BuyerPrice Inc.: BuyerPrice is a revolutionary new way to buy your home for less.
Kieran Williams
Vice President – Business Development of Captini
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About Captini: Captini transforms Guest WiFi networks into an automated marketing service that increases customer return rates.
Carl Franklin
Executive Vice President of App vNext
Carl Franklin is Executive Vice President of App vNext, a software development firm focused on modern methodologies and technologies. Carl is a 20+ year veteran of the software industry, co-host and founder of .NET Rocks!, the first and most widely listened to podcast for .NET developers, a Microsoft MVP for Kinect for Windows, a MicrosoftRegional Director, and Senior Executive of Pwop Studios, a full-service audio and video production/post production studio located in Southeastern Connecticut.
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About App vNext, Microsoft, Pwop Productions: Our clients trust us because we commit to their business issues with enormous intensity, bringing to bear not only world-class development.
Allen MacCannell
VP Sales & Marketing of Web CEO
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About Web CEO: Web CEO is one of the top 5 developers of desktop and online SEO software for website optimization (according to a variety of independent
Justin Kirby
VP/Strategic Content Marketing of Tenthwave Digital
Justin Kirby is an Internet veteran who has been writing about the impact of interactive technologies on business and marketing since the early 90s. His books include Connected Marketing (2005), Best of Branded Content Marketing: Volume I (2013), and Best of Branded Content Marketing: Volume II (2014). He chairs and speaks at conferences around the globe, and heads up strategic content marketing at Tenthwave, the new interactive agency from the US whose clients include Facebook, Google and eBay.
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About Tenthwave Digital: Tenthwave Digital is a full-service digital agency with market-leading expertise in promotions.
