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 Executive Director operating in the Internet space. If you think a Executive 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.
Ran Janda
Executive Director of Smarter
Ran heads Internal Operations and is the Executive Director at Smarter, London. Ran has visibility of all the departments in the business. She has over five years’ experience in technology startups. Ran is responsible for ensuring that the business has the best working environment and processes in place. To this end, she has grown the business from four to 30 employees, overseen a major office move from Croydon to London. Ran is also responsible for HR, day-to-day internal management and also manages logistics for major exhibitions and conferences the Smarter attends. Before joining Smarter, Ran worked for Xively Ltd, an IoT connected product management platform. She had overall responsibility for the day-to-day financial management as well as supporting the growth of the company in recruitment and HR. Over the course of two years, the company experienced rapid growth and was acquired by Boston-based remote access firm LogMeIn in 2011 for $15M.
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About Smarter: Smarter develops connected kitchen products that bridge the gap between the traditional and smart kitchen.
Maria Lam
Non-Executive Director of QPQ
Maria Lam is a Director at QPQ.
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About QPQ: QPQ is a network infrastructure to enable a digital universe.
Stephen Rice
Non-Executive Director of QPQ
Stephen Rice is a Non-Executive Director at QPQ.
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About QPQ: QPQ is a network infrastructure to enable a digital universe.
Patrick Falconer
Executive Director of The New York Times
Patrick Falconer is Managing Director of The New York Times global office in London and is responsible for advertising sales across all NYTG platforms in Northern Europe and the Middle East and Africa. He first joined the International Herald Tribune (now the International New York Times) in 1988 and then again in 1999 after a 3 year spell at Time Inc. where he managed advertising sales for Fortune magazine in the UK and the Netherlands. In his time at the IHT/NYT he worked on the successful launch the first ever monthly IHT magazine – International Fund Investment and was instrumental in launching the highly successful IHT Luxury Conference series in 2001 now in its twelfth year. Patrick was a founding member of the World Media Group in 1998 and served as President of the group in 2009 – 2010. He has also been a board member of British American Business since 2008. He is a History graduate, is married, has four children and lives in Winchester in the UK.
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About The New York Times: The New York Times creates, collects, and distributes news, information, and entertainment through a daily newspaper and a website.
Zarir Vakil
Non Executive Director of WRLD
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About : A 3D cloud-based platform of real-world environments to create digital twins.
Zarir Vakil
Non Executive Director of WRLD
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About : A 3D cloud-based platform of real-world environments to create digital twins.
Bonamy Grimes
Non Executive Director of Decidz
Co-Founder at Skyscanner
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About : Decidz is a simple app designed to help you meet up and do things with friends.
Hugo Drayton
Independent Non-Executive Director of Future
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About Future: Future creates high-quality multi-media products which reach their audiences online, on mobile and in print.
Edwin Candy
Non Executive Director of Voip-Pal.com
Professor Ed Candy is the former Technology Director of Hutchison 3G, serving as 3 Group Technology Director for Hutchison 3G from 2000 to 2009, where he was primarily responsible for the technology for the world’s most advanced 3G Networks operating across nine countries. From 1996-2000, Mr. Candy served as Group Development Director for Simoco and from 1993-1996 as Technology Director for Orange, where he contributed significantly to the creation and success of the personal communication network. Mr. Candy now acts as a Strategic Technology advisor for the 3 Group and provides innovation guidance, strategic advice and consultancy through his company Strategitel Ltd.
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About Voip-Pal.com: Voip-Pal considers its patent suite to be fundamental to modern telecommunications using internet protocol.
Shane Rooney
Executive Director of GSMA
Shane Rooney is an Executive Director at the GSMA on the IoT Programme. Bringing together strategies and synergies across the M2M verticals and the wider IoT ecosystems. Shane had previously led the GSMA’s initiative in developing mobile solutions in Smart Cities and collaborating with cities like Barcelona, Dubai and Shanghai. His team has developed a wider range of Smart City Indicators, Case Studies and Business Cases demonstrating the importance of mobile technology. His team also have developed enablers in IoT Security and embedded SIM. He has led the launch of Cellular LPWA Networks Technology ( NB-IOT & LTE-M) initiative globally and now promoting Cellular V2X technology. Previously he has been a Group Vice President with Etisalat , developing solutions for Energy, Security and Transport IoT solutions for Middle East, Africa and Asia. Before that he has worked with other Mobile Operators, Vodafone, Hutchison and 3 UK as well as launching and divesting of his own M2M company. Shane pioneered early telematics and connected car solutions for Ford Motor Company in the USA and Europe. He has extensive Global experience. He holds a PhD in Communications Systems specialising in Location Based Services and studied Business Marketing at IMD Switzerland.
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About GSMA: The GSMA is a trade group that represents network operators using GSM technology for their networks.
Seb Chakraborty
Executive Director (Digital CTO) of Virgin Media
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About Virgin Media: Virgin Media is a UK-based company offering TV, broadband, landline phone and cellular services.
Vince Gunn
Non Executive Director and Shareholder of Pagazzi Lighting
Vince Gunn has served as Managing Director of Crocs Europe since arriving at the company in October 2011. Mr. Gunn currently oversees Crocs’ European business, encompassing the wholesale, retail and e-commerce operations. Prior to joining Crocs, Mr. Gunn held senior roles at The Body Shop International, including Head of Global Retail and Managing Director at The Body Shop UK. He also served on the Board of Thomson Travel Group and Mothercare as Retail Development and Operations Director, developing a number of new retail concepts and brand repositioning projects. At Blackwell UK, Mr. Gunn served as Chief Executive Officer and secured numerous industry accreditations for the company, including Bookselling Company of the Year and Retail Chain of the Year. In addition, Mr. Gunn ran his own consultancy and delivered turnaround and special projects for leading brands including Virgin Group and KRM AG – ECCO Group. Additionally, Mr. Gunn currently serves on the board for Pagazzi Lighting.
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About : Pagazzi Lighting is an online retailer offering lighting and mirrors.
Gordon MacAulay
Founder & Non Executive Director of Parsley Box
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About Parsley Box: Parsley Box is the great new way to enjoy wholesome tasty meals at home.
Patrick Eve
Co-founder & Non Executive Director of TranslateMedia
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About TranslateMedia, ZigZag Global: TranslateMedia provides professional translation, localisation, and transcreation services for documents, websites, and content marketing.
Mark Crocker
Executive Director of Madiston
Mark is an experienced General Manager in the software industry with a proven track record in opening offices, expanding internationally, turning around underperforming business units, raising investment capital, leading businesses through significant revenue growth/profitability, mergers/acquisitions and shareholder exits.
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About Madiston: Madiston offers a commercially available peer to peer/online lending software platform.
Simon bullers
Non Executive Director of PureNChic.com
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About PureNChic.com: We are online marketplace that specialise in European designed product
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
Tim Faircliff
Non Executive Director of Association of Online Publishers
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About Association of Online Publishers: AOP is an industry body representing digital publishing companies that create original, branded, quality content.
Mike Butterworth
Independent Non-Executive Director of Kin and Carta
Mike Butterworth, ACA joined the Board on 1 August 2010. Mike had served for 8 years as Group Finance Director of Cookson Group plc, a FTSE250 company, until December 2012 when Cookson was de-merged. Previously, Mike was Group Finance Director of Incepta Group plc for 5 years, an international marketing and communications group, prior to which he spent 5 years as Group Financial Controller at BBA Group plc, the international aviation and materials technology group. Mike is senior Non-Executive Director and chairs meetings of the Audit Committee.
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About : Kin + Carta is a global digital transformation business that advises, creates, and connects marketing and customer experience.
Kevan Davey
Non Executive Director of Mitigate Cyber
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About Mitigate Cyber: Mitigate Cyber offers a range of cybersecurity solutions ranging from threat mitigation to testing, training, and more.
Patrick Brennan
Non Executive Director of Bumper
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About : Bumper is a payment platform for car dealerships.
Martin Sutton
Executive Director of Brand Registry Group
Martin is the Executive Director and a co-founder of the Brand Registry Group (BRG). The BRG is a trade association, formed in 2013, to support the interests of major brands that apply to run their own dotBrand registries. This association focuses on policy and contractual issues within the ICANN arena, where Martin has been actively engaged for many years. Martin was a former risk manager for one of the world’s leading global banks, managing digital risks that related to domain name portfolios, online fraud and security, brand protection and enforcement. He held various positions within HSBC Holdings from 1997. He also led HSBC’s New gTLD programme, including the application for their own registry (.hsbc) and developing their strategic response to the introduction of 1600+ top level domains. He also runs his own company, Top Dot Consulting, which helps major companies to improve risk management towards their critical domain names (digital assets), including their top-level-domain registries.
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About Brand Registry Group: BRG) is an association of companies who share the goal of empowering Brand Top-Level-Domains (Brand TLDs) in the domain name industry..
Mark-Paul Buckingham
Non-Executive Director of Reactec
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About Reactec, Xi Engineering Consultants: Reactec is the market leader in monitoring and management support solutions for hand and arm vibration syndrome
Nick Hays
Executive Director of Global Career Networks Pte Ltd
A proven track record in international recruitment spanning over 20 years, developing, steering and improving key talent attraction and engagement solutions at a strategic level primarily in the healthcare sector. A broad spectrum of clients from small employers seeking a few, through to fully managing recruitment campaigns on behalf of both start-up and large government healthcare organisations to secure up to 2,000 staff. A strategic thinker with detailed knowledge of global medical workforce dynamics, with particular interest in migratory patterns driven by supply and demand, believing that there is no recruitment challenge that cannot be solved with the provision of the right solution. Driven to ensure successful outcomes by overcoming perceived barriers, establishing projects, building strong high performance teams, implementing action plans and building relationships with key stakeholders. Considered an expert in medical recruitment offering insight and sphere of influence on a global basis.
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About Global Career Networks Pte Ltd: Careers.Global operates a global professional networking and career portal primarily focused on the medical and healthcare professions.
Nick Nicolaou
Non Executive Director of Streetlike
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About Streetlike: In-store Digital Interactive Reward Platform for Enterprise Retail
