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 Reading 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 King
Sales Director for Manufacturing of Microsoft
Richard King joined Microsoft in 2005 where he has held various account management and sales leadership roles. He now leads the Manufacturing team for the UK. Before joining Microsoft, Richard held sales and leadership roles at HP. He secured an undergraduate degree from the University of the West of England. Richard lives in Wokingham with his wife and two children.
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About Microsoft: Microsoft is a software corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells a range of software products and services.
Robert Epstein
Windows Product Marketing Director of Microsoft
Robert Epstein has been in the IT industry for over 20 years. He has run his own IT solutions business and spent time in the IT channel working with industry names including HP and Intel. He has been at Microsoft for over 15 years in various roles including Small Business Audience lead and OEM. He is currently UK Product Marketing Manager for Microsoft 365 including Windows 10 and is responsible for helping all partners from SMB to Enterprise understand the value of Windows 10 and Office Pro Plus He was also responsible for leading the launch of Windows 10 in the UK.
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About Microsoft: Microsoft is a software corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells a range of software products and services.
Symon Garfield
Director – Digital Strategy and Innovation (Worldwide Financial Services) of Microsoft
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About Microsoft: Microsoft is a software corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells a range of software products and services.
Steve Dunbar
Internet of Things Commercial Director – Middle East & Africa of Microsoft
Steve Dunbar has over 25 years of experience in the IT sector having held senior sales & marketing leadership positions at companies such as Lotus Software, IBM & Avnet. He’s been with Microsoft for 10 years, and currently leads Microsoft’s IoT strategy for the UK. His remit now is to grow Microsoft’s Internet of Thing’s commercial opportunities with customers & partners.
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About Microsoft: Microsoft is a software corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells a range of software products and services.
Ian Wallis
Director Mobile and Intelligent Bots PaaS Business Development of Oracle
At Oracle Ian drives Chatbot and Mobile PaaS business development in Europe helping customers and partners embrace the next wave of innovation and digitalisation. His focus is on driving customer success and building long term relationships centred around chatbots, virtual assistants, artificial intelligence, mobile and cloud services. Ian previously worked in mobility sales for Pega Systems. Prior to Pega, Ian worked for several mobile platform and mBaaS start-ups including FeedHenry (now part of RedHat), Volantis (sold to Antenna Software which in turn was bought by Pega) and weComm (now part of Opentxt). Ian has a strong enterprise consulting background having worked for Andersen Consulting and Openwave Systems, where he held various senior management positions in Europe and Asia.
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About Oracle, Oracle: Oracle is an integrated cloud application and platform services that sells a range of enterprise information technology solutions.
Stephen Crompton
Senior Director of Product Management of Bentley Systems
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About Bentley Systems: Bentley Systems is the infrastructure engineering software company. We provide innovative software to advance the world’s infrastructure.
Amar Mahadeviah
Regional Director, Virtual Workplace of Wipro Technologies
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About Wipro Technologies, Wipro Technologies: Wipro is a global information technology, consulting and business process services company.
Paul Down
Senior Director of Proofpoint
Paul is responsible for revenue generation in EMEA & APAC. Over the last 15 years, Paul has held positions in software sales and business development for IBM, VMware, 1E, and Compuware. Paul manages the UK based Veriato office, and is responsible for the development and growth of Veriato’s partner infrastructure. Paul has over 25 years experience in Information Technology related positions.
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About Proofpoint: Proofpoint provides cloud-based email security, e-discovery, and compliance solutions for companies to protect sensitive business data.
Charles Bell
Director of Sales Engineering, EMEA of Sitecore
Charles Bell is a Director of Sales Engineering, EMEA at Sitecore.
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About Sitecore: Sitecore is a customer experience management company that provides multichannel marketing automation software and web content management.
Lizzie McPhillips
Director of Human Resources of Redwood Software
Lizzie manages Human Resource Management strategies for Redwood. Plus, she’s an Executive Coach, Personality Profiler, NLP Master Practitioner and active member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Her mission is to coach and encourage positive employee engagement and drive programs that allow employees to thrive.
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About Redwood Software, Redwood Software: Redwood Software is an international company providing job scheduling, report distribution and SAP solutions.
Carl Lightfoot
Director and CTO of MotorDocs
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About CarVue, MotorDocs: MotorDocs provides digital document management software products and solutions for the automotive industry.
Kevin James
Managing Director of Computacenter
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About Computacenter, Computacenter: Computacenter provides IT infrastructure services and solutions in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Belgium.
Tony Abouzolof
Co-Founder &Managing Director of Syncron
Tony Abouzolof is one of the founders of Syncron. Tony Abouzolof has more than 20 years of experience in developing and implementing global supply chain planning solutions. Over the years, it has enabled many leading organizations, such as BAE Systems, Al Futtaim, and Electrolux, to formulate global logistics strategies and carry out the implementation of large-scale supply chain solutions. Tony Abouzolof is a lecturer for many European events; He is known for his leading positions and views on various aspects of international supply chain management. Tony Abouzolof holds a M.Sc. from Cranfield Institute of Technology.
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About Syncron: Syncron empowers the world’s leading manufacturers to maximize product uptime and deliver exceptional after-sales service experiences.
Simon Frost
Group Operations Director of Zonal Retail Data Systems
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About Zonal Retail Data Systems: Zone Retail Data Systems provides technology solutions to the bar, restaurant, retail, hotel, and leisure industry.
David Crawford
Managing Director of Cellnex Telecom Sau
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About Cellnex Telecom Sau, Evestra Onkologia: Cellnex Telecom Sau is an infrastructure operating company that has expertise in wireless telecommunication business.
Helen Fisk
CEO and Sales Director of iDefigo
In 2008, Helen launched iDefigo, bringing a group of experienced entrepreneurs with her. iDefigo is an exciting company that is progressively launching a new generation of security and surveillance technologies to the international market. Helen acts as the company hub, ensuring everyone remains focused and making sure communication processes are solid and active at all times. Helen focuses on sales, strategy and evangelising the business. Helen has a passion for technology and business. With strong negotiation and sales skills, Helen has a keen ability to listen, assimilate and synthesise. Helen relocated to the UK in 2013 and is based out of our Reading office, West of London.
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About iDefigo: iDefigo offers M2M surveillance solutions that help monitor and protect assets for global enterprise and government customers.
Scott Wattie
Co-Founder and Group Commercial Director of iDefigo
Scott has a passion for innovation development and product commercialisation in the security and wireless sectors. Scott has held leadership roles within software development, carriers and consultancy businesses. Additionally he has played leadership roles within the New Zealand wireless industry, including a period as President of the New Zealand Wireless Forum. Scott has the ability to think both strategically and executionally as the need dictates. Scott has a strong bottom line orientation and he is a positive leader. Scott spends his time travelling between New Zealand, Australia, America and Europe, developing strategic partnerships within the Telecommunication industry and evangelising the business.
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About iDefigo: iDefigo offers M2M surveillance solutions that help monitor and protect assets for global enterprise and government customers.
Gavin Scruby
CIO and Director of Smartdebit
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About Smartdebit: Streamline payment handling, improve your cashflow and increase customer retention with SmartDebit.
Jason Baudreau
Director of Product Marketing of NetBrain Technologies
Jason Baudreau serves as director of product marketing at NetBrain Technologies Inc.
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About NetBrain Technologies: Founded in 2004, NetBrain Technologies is the provider of the first map-driven network automation solution.
Ed Bradley
Co -Founder & Director of Virtualstock
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About Virtualstock: Fast-growing technology company providing digital supply chains solutions across the retail and healthcare sectors.
Steve Lucas
Founder and Managing Director of Skillstream
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About Skillstream: Skillstream is the leading contingent workforce management technology.
Stephen Hayes
Managing Director of BECKHOFF
Stephen has over 25 years experience in control systems and is MD at Beckhoff UK. In 2004 he started IA (Integrating Automation Ltd) as a Beckhoff SI for building controls which has developed creating secure IoT gateways and IoT lighting controls. Stephen graduated in Engineering from Kings London.
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About BECKHOFF: Beckhoff implements open automation systems based on PC Control technology.
Rob Skidmore
Chief Product Director and Co-Founder of CarVue
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About CarVue: CarVue is simple but smart automotive management software in the cloud.
James Mitchell
Managing Director UK & Ireland of Kerridge Commercial Systems
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About Kerridge Commercial Systems: Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) is a global provider of specialist ERP software and services.
James Galloway
Co-Founder and Director of IC Resources
James Galloway is the co-founder and director of IC Resources.
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About IC Resources: IC Resources develops and delivers insightful and relevant recruitment solutions to the technology community.
Tony Stewart
Director of StackVelocity
Tony Stewart is a Director at StackVelocity.
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About : StackVelocity a business unit within Jabil providing cloud hardware and software systems integration at global scale.
