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 Professional Services 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.
Kai Feller
Founder & CEO of Bark.com
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About Bark.com: A new better way to buy services online
Andrew Michael
CEO, Director & Founder of Bark.com
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About Bark.com: A new better way to buy services online
Sandeep Bansal
Founder & CEO of Medic Creations
Dr Bansal graduated from Imperial College London with a MSc in Paediatrics and Child Health. In 2013 he started his General Practitioner training at Oxford Deanery where he was also Trainee Lead, representing Oxford Deanery for the Associates in Training (AiT) committee in their quarterly meetings at Royal College of General Practitioners. From his professional experience and feedback from his peers, DrBansal raised the concerns of poor Information Governance (IG) compliance around sharing patient dataat AiT meetings. With the AiT board’s response of their inability to offer an alternative solution, Dr Bansalcarried out a survey to understand the extent of the problem in 2014. The survey for his 180 colleagues went viral and he received 2050 responses confirming the poor IG compliance practice, predominantly around the use of WhatsApp. In 2014 he set up Medic Creations and created the innovative app MedicBleep to enable secure and reliable clinical communication for primary, secondary and community care. With enabling communication across healthcare organisations and professionals, Medic Bleep empowerstrue interoperability, the future of healthcare management and innovation. Medic Creations was selected for Web Summit Alpha 2015 and is listed in the Journal of mHealth’s top100 Global Digital Companies for 2016 and 2017.
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About Bennett Coleman and Co Ltd, Harvard Medical School, Medic Creations, shl.vc: Revolutionising Communications in Healthcare
Tim Sadler
Co-Founder & CEO of Tessian
Tim is the CEO and co-founder of CheckRecipient, a next generation email security platform which uses machine learning to predict when emails are being sent to the wrong people. Some of the world’s largest organisations across the financial and legal sectors are using CheckRecipient and in the past 6 months the company has been crowned “Best Security Startup” by WIRED, “Best Machine Intelligence Startup” by Legal Geek and “Best Startup – Gold Category” by Info Security Products Guide. Tim was recently listed as one of Forbes “30 Under 30” in European Technology for 2017.
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About Tessian: Tessian creates a Human Layer Security that helps people work without security disruptions getting in the way.
Chris Deboer
President & CEO of GAIN Credit
“I joined Global Analytics because of the extraordinary quality of the team, the size of the global market, the commitment to excellence and the opportunity to make a difference in changing the industry.” Chris leads our business development and partnerships and has over 20 years of experience in sales, client partnerships and key account management. Prior to Global Chris managed a team of industry professionals tasked with maintaining and growing relationships with Fair Isaac Corporation’s five largest customers. There, he developed a team-based, relationship-driven sales model with a focus on gaining deeper relationships across the client base. Chris holds a MSEE and BSEE from the University of California at Santa Barbara and plays tennis competitively.
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About GAIN Credit: GAIN Credit is a fintech company dedicated to providing credit for people who are underserved by mainstream financial service companies.
Simon Freakley
CEO of Alix Partners
CEO at Alix Partners
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About Alix Partners: AlixPartners is a global business advisory firm of results-oriented professionals who specialize in creating value and restoring business.
Scott Haddow
CEO of MTI
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About MTI: A leading multi-national provider of professional services and comprehensive data storage solutions
Andrew Mindenhall
Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Agilisys
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About Agilisys: Agilisys is an innovative IT and business software and services providers.
Patrick Petitti
Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Catalant
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About Catalant: Catalant is a software company that provides global enterprises with software solutions to access business expertise on demand.
Noah Jamal
Chief Executive Officer of Servca Group
Chief Executive Officer
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About Servca Group, VCAP Capital: Servca Group is an global (re)insurance group that provides non-standard healthcare, financial, and professional lines insurance.
Jaka Levstek
CEO & Co-Founder of D.Labs
Jaka Levstek is a CEO & Co-Founder at D.Labs company.
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About CEED Slovenia, D.Labs, Imperial College Business School, Imperial Venture Mentoring Service (IVMS): D.Labs helped clients grow their business by building them successful internet products.
John Murphy
President & CEO – Europe, Middle East, India & Africa of WSP Global
John Murphy is President and CEO of WSP for Europe (including the UK), the Middle East, India, and Africa (EMEIA). John had joined Parsons Brinckerhoff in 2010 as Chief Financial Officer. John has more than 25 years of financial and senior management experience, including 14 years working with major engineering contractors and their domestic and international operations. Positions in this sector included serving as Executive Vice President and Finance Director for the Engineering & Consultancy Division of Kvaerner ASA in London, UK, and various roles in the US and Canada. John was CEO of Irving Transportation Services, with overall responsibility for the integrated transportation businesses of the Irving Group, one of the largest privately held conglomerates in Canada. John also served as the head of Irving Group’s Marine and Industrial Division. John received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Mount Allison University in Canada and is a Canadian Chartered Accountant.
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About WSP Global: WSP is one of the world’s leading professional services firm.
Steve Robinson
Managing Director and CEO of Little Fish (UK)
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About Little Fish (UK): Littlefish is an award winning and rapidly growing Managed IT Services Provider.
Daniel van Binsbergen
CEO and Co-Founder of Lexoo
Daniel van Binsbergen Before founding Lexoo, Daniel worked for over 5 years as a lawyer at an international law firm (De Brauw), first in Amsterdam, then in London. He’s always up for a game of squash, and is easily excited.
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About Lexoo: Lexoo is a lawyer comparison marketplace that helps businesses choose a lawyer with confidence.
Romanie Thomas
Founder & CEO of Juggle Jobs
Romanie Thomas is Founder at Juggle Jobs.
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About Juggle Jobs: Juggle is an information technology company that offers a SaaS platform for the future of work.
Karen Kwong
Founder and CEO of RenOC
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About RenOC: RenOC provides psychology-based insights that help individuals for their business success.
Al Ramich
Founder and CEO of SmallGiants.Agency
Al founded SmallGiants from a passion for taking small companies and building them into giants of their fields. Al is also a founder and CEO at deep-tech startup Loomi.ai. Previously leading digital innovation at Toshiba, Samsung, Vodafone and helped grow IHS Markit digital strategy from a startup to a global $40B giant.
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About Forbes Agency Council, loomi.ai, SmallGiants.Agency: Small Giants is a marketing and business development agency for architecture, engineering, construction & commercial real estate companies.
Simon Foster
CEO of Comexposium
Simon Foster is a 25 year veteran of the exhibitions and media industry. He joins Comexposium from UBM plc, a leading global B2B events organization, where he previously was CEO of UBM EMEA. Simon has a deep knowledge of the global events Industry, international business development, and leadership in Europe, the United States, and Asia. He notably was CEO of both UBM Americas and of UBM EMEA during his time at UBM plc. Some highlights of his time with UBM include launching and building businesses in Brazil, Turkey and Mexico, many successful acquisitions and integrations, most notably the $1bn Advanstar deal. Simon will lead the Comexposium Group strategic development and implementation across the Globe, managing existing products and teams, optimizing products’ performance, as well as overseeing new business launches and acquisitions integration. All Division Managing Directors in France and Regional CEOs in the US and in APAC will report to him. Simon will also manage HR, Business Solutions, Operations and Strategy & Integration teams.
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About Comexposium: Comexposium is an event organizer.
Gavin Snell
Chief Executive Officer of Ellis Whittam
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About Ellis Whittam: Ellis Whittam is an Employment Law, HR and Health & Safety support for UK employers.
Pip Jamieson
Founder & CEO of The Dots
Pip Jamieson is the Founder & CEO of The Dots (https://the-dots.com), a professional network for people that don’t wear suits to work -‘dubbed “The next LinkedIn?’ by Forbes. Delightfully Dyslexic with a distinctive marmite laugh (you either love it or you hate it) Pip was named by The Sunday Times as one of the Top 100 Disruptive Entrepreneurs innovating in their respective fields & as one of the trailblazing leaders having a positive impact on the world. Being a dyslexic sole female tech founder, Pip has put promoting social responsibility and helping business build diverse teams at the heart of everything they do! 68% + of The Dots community is female, 31% + BAME & 16% + LGBT+. The Dots also do a lot of work around socioeconomic diversity and neurodiversity to fuel a more balanced industry of the future.
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About The Dots: The professional network for people who don’t wear suits to work.
Niel Bethell
Founder & CEO of NSS
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About NSS: NSS provides specialists and professionals for operational services.
Adrian Ezra
CEO of JamieAi
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About JamieAi: JamieAi connects graduates within Data Science, Technology and Finance to amazing companies across the UK.
Paul Blunden
CEO of UX247
Paul Blunden is CEO at Usability247.
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About UX247: UX247 London UX Research Agency
David Poole
CEO and Co-Founder of Symphony Ventures
David is an industry visionary with over 20 years as a corporate executive, running multi-billion dollar outsourcing and services firms. He has grown global businesses, built industry leading sales and operations teams, and spearheaded innovation across the industry in areas including platform-based BPO, supply chain BPO, cloud-based services, and user experience. David’s priorities at Symphony are to develop a world-class team and to work closely with client leadership to help them leverage Symphony’s Digital Ecosystem of automation partners and other inspired delivery models to compete in a digital world.
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About Symphony Ventures: Symphony is a professional services firm passionate about creating value for the world’s leading organizations.
Gurnek Bains
Founder and CEO of Global Future
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About Global Future: Global Future educates, informs, and helps people understand the benefits of globalization.
Barnaby Piggott
Founder & CEO of Holland Mountain
Barnaby is a highly accomplished private equity project specialist with more than 15 years of experience working with private equity fund managers, administrators and investors throughout Europe and the US. He has completed over 50 client engagements with leading industry names, including Coller Capital, Bridgepoint, UBS (now MUFG), IK Partners and Octopus Investments. Barney began his career in private equity with AnalytX (now eFront) before spending six years with consulting firm 4vco. He founded Holland Mountain in 2009. Barney is a CFA® Charterholder, a CIPM® Certificant and a PRINCE2® Registered Practitioner.
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About : Holland Mountain is a leading specialist consulting firm and data solutions provider.
Justin Speake
CEO of Chord Group
Justin Speake is the CEO of Chord Group, an international trade development company that develops, markets, and manages Special Economic Zones.
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About Chord Group: Chord Group is an international trade development company that develops, markets, and manages Special Economic Zones (“SEZ”).
Charles Thiede
CEO and Co-Founder of Zapnito
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About Zapnito: Zapnito is the SaaS online community platform for intelligence-driven organizations.
James Sandoval
Founder and CEO of MeasureMatch
James is the Founder & CEO of London-based MeasureMatch.
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About MeasureMatch: The Professional Services Marketplace & Partner Ecosystem Platform
Derry Holt
Co-founder & CEO of OneUp Sales
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About OneUp Sales: OneUp Sales is a sales team management & motivation platform built to transform the way we run sales teams forever.
Nikki Cochrane
CO-CEO & Co- Founder of DigitalMums
Nikki set up the business with Kathryn so the weight of our flexible mission falls on her shoulders. She comes out in hives if she has to leave E8 and is the only person under 90 with an addiction to wine gums.
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About DigitalMums: Digital Mums is a social media skills training.
Matthew Adam
Chief Executive Officer of We are Digital
Matthew Adam joined We are Digital as Chief Executive Officer in 2013.
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About We are Digital: We are Digital is digital and financial inclusion training providers to councils, housing associations, charities.
Alec Wadey
CEO / Founder of Ding Dong Diary Limited
Alec Wadey is the founder and CEO of Ding Dong Diary Limited. He is also the digital transformation practice director (UK) of delaware North America. Alec earned his degree at De Montfort University.
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About Ding Dong Diary Limited: Ding Dong Diary Limited is an online diary tailored to suit recreational and professional bodies.
Roger Noble
Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Zegami
Roger Noble is a Software Developer and Data Visualisation expert with a passion for building new and innovative technologies that help people see the world in a new way.
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About Zegami: Delivering explainable AI faster and more accurately. Zegami are end-to-end imaging AI specialists combining unique tools and ML services
John McArthur
Founder & CEO of Tracsis
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About Tracsis: The Tracsis Group is a leading international provider of software and services for the planning and management of mass transit operations.
Callum Murray
Founder and CEO of Amiqus Resolution
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About Amiqus Resolution: Amiqus Resolution is an online service to quickly and affordably resolve commercial disputes without appearing in court or tribunal.
Helen Tupper
Co-founder & CEO of Amazing If
Helen Tupper is the co-founder of Amazing If, an award-winning career development and training business, that helps organisations to engage their employees and individuals develop the skills to succeed in a Squiggly Career. Alongside Amazing If, Helen is the Director of Hoxby Collective’s Futureproofing Consultancy, helping organisations ensure their purpose, culture and structure are future fit, and a founding member of The New Work Network, an initiative designed to accelerate the adoption of flexible working. Her career in marketing has included roles as Marketing Director for Microsoft, Marketing Director for Virgin Red and Global Head of Customer Experience and Thought Leadership for BP Castrol. Helen shares her thoughts on the future of work and careers in her monthly column for Marketing Week and on her weekly Squiggly Careers podcast.
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About Amazing If, The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA): Amazing If is a consultancy that provides professional training and courses for the better career development of the people.
Lucinda Carney
CEO & Founder of Actus
Lucinda is the founder and CEO of Actus Performance & Talent Management Software which increases productivity, engagement and compliance in organisations across the world. She is also a Business Psychologist and provides aligned Consultancy, Coaching and Training under the banner #HRChangeAgent. Actus Software was launched in 2012 and has since gone from strength to strength with more than 50,000 users across the Public and Private sector and growing rapidly. Based in the UK cloud, Actus provides comprehensive performance and talent management functionality, yet is quick to set up and easy to use embedding year-round people management activities, leading to optimum individual and business performance. Clients include Merseyside Police; Oxford City Council; a series of NHS Trusts and a number of high profile financial and blue-chip commercial entities. Actus also has an exciting roadmap, recently launching a compliance module for firms that fall under the extended Senior Management and Certification Regime (SM&CR). Actus Comply provides peace of mind with a secure, but accessible system of control specifically designed to meet the SM&CR requirements required by the FCA. In 2016 Lucinda was named Everywoman Tech Entrepreneur of the Year and the business demonstrates further credibility through a host of other accreditations including Cyber Essentials; IS0 27001 and presence on the Governments Digital Marketplace.
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About Actus: Actus performance appraisal software provides leading-edge technology solutions to embed year round performance management.
Logan Naidu
CEO and Founder of Dartmouth Partners
Logan is the founder and CEO of Dartmouth Partners. He has a notable track record in recruiting across financial services but with a particular focus on M&A and Private Equity. While running the firm from a strategic perspective, Logan uses his recruitment expertise to guide consultants in the execution of roles. He continues to work on the delivery of more senior advisory and investment mandates. Logan studied to Masters level at the University of Birmingham before entering the City in 2000. He began his career at JPMorgan and PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Corporate Finance. Logan co-founded the Cornell Partnership in 2005 before leading a successful exit of the financial services and graduate business to form what is now Dartmouth. Logan has a desire for individuals and businesses to work together to mutually flourish and to enjoy shared success and this is reflected internally at Dartmouth. Dartmouth’s success is partly due to Logan’s drive to succeed.
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About Dartmouth Partners: Dartmouth Partners is provides recruitment consultancy.
Lionel Hackett
CEO of WiseCrowd
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About WiseCrowd: WiseCrowd is the trusted online platform connecting businesses with freelance consultants in Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC)
