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 CEO’ operating in the Data Center space. If you think a CEO’ 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.
Paul Hunter
Chief of Staff to CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Follow Paul Hunter:
About Hewlett Packard Enterprise: Hewlett Packard Enterprise is an industry technology company that enables customers to go further and faster.
Nic Rudnick
CEO of Liquid Telecom
Nic Rudnick is the chief executive officer of Liquid Telecom. Prior to that, he held the same position at Econet Carrier Services. Rudnick holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Cape Town and master’s degree in information technology and telecommunications law from the University of Strathclyde. Rudnick lives in London, United Kingdom.
Follow Nic Rudnick:
About Liquid Telecom: Liquid Telecom is an independent data, voice, and IP provider that is committed to building Africa’s digital future.
David Eurin
Chief Executive Officer of Liquid Telecom
Follow David Eurin:
About Liquid Telecom: Liquid Telecom is an independent data, voice, and IP provider that is committed to building Africa’s digital future.
John Corcoran
Chief Executive Officer of Global Switch
John, who has an extensive background in both the property and finance industries, was appointed Executive Chairman of Global Switch in 2008, and assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer in 2014. Previously he served as Chief Financial Officer of Multiplex Group, a large Australian diversified property group, where he was responsible for finance, treasury, administration, planning and major investments. Multiplex Group first became an investor in Global Switch in 2004 and subsequently sold its interest to the Reuben Brothers in 2006. John’s career in the finance industry began at Hambros Bank Limited where he served as a director of its corporate finance business in London, Hong Kong and Sydney where he helped lead the company’s expansion in Asia-Pacific. During this period, John was involved in the bank’s advisory, structured finance, capital markets and development capital businesses, where he worked on major transactions for leading companies around the world. An Australian, John received Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Laws from the University of Sydney. In 1983, he was admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales as a solicitor. He has also attended a number of business management and other financial courses.
Follow John Corcoran:
About Global Switch: Global Switch is an owner, operator, and developer of large scale network dense, carrier & cloud neutral multi-tenanted data centres
Nigel Bayliff
CEO of Aqua Comms
Nigel joined Aqua Comms in October 2016, having previously provided consultancy services to global telecoms companies through SIN Medida Limited, a business he established in 2008 to capitalise on his experience of more than 25 years of senior technical, operational and executive roles in the global telecommunications industry. Nigel also served as Vice-Chairman of the joint United Nations agencies task force that looked at providing disaster relief and climate information from the global web of undersea cables. Between 2009 and 2013, he served as Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Huawei Marine Networks (HMN). Leading HMN from start-up through many complex system sales, the delivery of the first new subsea technology in more than a decade, and the development of a second phase innovative titanium repeater, he drove the organisation to break-even in year four and established its position in the marketplace. From 2002 to 2008, Nigel was a member of the executive team of FLAG Telecom, where he served as an Officer and Deputy Chairman for several group companies and was responsible for construction and operation of the FLAG Global Network, encompassing approximately 65,000 km of submarine cable systems connecting 40 countries and providing carrier-grade connectivity services. Prior to this, he held senior roles at NTL (now Virgin Media) and Cable & Wireless/Mercury Communications (now Vodafone). Nigel is a Chartered Engineer and holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Telecommunications Engineering from Essex University. He studied International Development at INSEAD, Paris, and Strategic Management at Ashridge, UK. In 2006, Nigel was elected as a Fellow of the UK Institute of Engineering Technology.
Follow Nigel Bayliff:
About Aqua Comms, Onix: Aqua Comms provides capacity networking solutions to content providers, cloud based networks, data centres, IT companies & the global media.
Doug Umbers
Chief Executive Officer of Xtera
Doug joined as CEO of Xtera in February 2017. Doug has held a number of senior roles over the last 20 years, at Exec Board level of both publicly quoted and privately owned businesses. Most relevantly, Doug was the MD of VT Communications (now part of Babcock International plc) where he broadened its wireless communications activities internationally and into the UK military, notably submarine comms. He then became the COO of Arqiva, the UK based terrestrial TV, radio, mobile telecoms and satellite communications infrastructure business, delivering the UK’s digital TV switchover programme as well as leading a major operational transformation. Doug’s background is in strategic business development and operational improvement, gained in project and service based businesses, operating mostly in the telecoms and IT markets. After qualifying as a chartered accountant with PWC, Doug joined 3i, a UK private equity business as an investment executive.
Follow Doug Umbers:
About Defence Science and Technology Lab(DSTL), Defence Science and Technology Lab(DSTL), Royal Air Force, Xtera: Xtera is a network equipment and services company providing optical networks for terrestrial and subsea applications.
Jenna Brown
CEO & Co-Founder of Shipamax
Follow Jenna Brown:
About Shipamax: Shipamax provides seamless fleet and deals management for operators and brokers.
Dean Boyle
Founder and CEO of Ekkosense
A born leader, Dean’s skills include extensive ‘networking’ sessions on the golf course and in coffee shops.
Follow Dean Boyle:
About Ekkosense: Ekkosense specialises in developing and delivering expert software analytics, low cost innovative sensors.
Oliver Jones
CEO of Chayora
Oliver is an international leader in complex property developments and long-term operating projects. He has 25 years experience in corporate real estate, critical systems and data centres and has led projects throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America. He is a qualified property professional with strong corporate finance credentials through his London Business School MBA. Oliver works closely with major corporations and governments worldwide in delivering sustainable, innovative business and community solutions. Oliver was previously a Group Board Director and senior equity partner with EC Harris heading all global Corporate Real Estate and Critical Systems portfolios. He is also a Non-executive Director for Keysource Ltd. As a co-founder of Chayora, the principal areas of focus for Oliver are overall team leadership and co-ordination linked to investor management, securing tenants and raising the external profile of the company with key stakeholders.
Follow Oliver Jones:
About Chayora, KrySource: Chayora is an infrastructure developer based in Hong Kong with a focus on building Data Centre platforms in China.
Sumir Karayi
CEO of 1E
Follow Sumir Karayi:
About 1E: 1E provides fully scalable Windows servicing solutions that can handle both routine IT tasks and emergency actions in real time.
