Rob WirszyczRob has over 20 years experience working inside and alongside technology-related growth businesses, both in the UK and overseas. He has had spells as Director General for the UK IT industry CSSA (now Intellect), EMEA Marketing & Strategy Director for EDS, and CEO of InterX plc’s ITNetwork.com. Currently Rob is the an adviser to many leading companies in the TMT sector through his work with Group Partners, and a non executive director of Netstore plc, Skinkers Limited, Reflective Solutions, Ultraknowledge, Silent Knight and The Norton Practice. He is also a member of the CBI E-Business Council, the Parliamentary IT Committee, and the IT Livery Company. He speaks frequently at conferences and seminars on business and technology issues. |
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Bob PettigrewBob has more than 20 years experience in the development of emerging businesses having been a director and investor of a number of growth oriented companies over this period. Bob’s initial career was in research largely carried out at the National Engineering Laboratory in East Kilbride. In the late 70’s he joined PA Consulting and for 7 years was based at their Technology Lab in Cambridge before moving on to found the Generics Group of technology consulting and early stage investment companies which grew to a listing on the main London market in 2001 capitalised at £250m. Since taking early retirement in 2003 Bob has been active as an early stage investor and director of a number companies including Voxar in Edinburgh where as chairman he managed its trade sale for $50m and Oxonica plc which recently had a successful listing on the Aim market. |
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Ed ThompsonEd is a VP and Research Director at IT research house Gartner. He has been with Gartner since the mid 1990s and along with regular publication of research on his special areas, Ed is a renowned conference speaker and advises Technology businesses throughout the world on strategic and business issues. Prior to Gartner, Ed was a Research Consultant at INTECO and Analyst Programmer at Software Sciences/Data Sciences. |
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Shields RussellShields Russell is a Director of Rapid Innovation Group (RIG), a specialist business development consulting firm. In this capacity, he currently advises a portfolio of investor-backed technology-based companies with high growth potential. Prior to founding RIG, Shields was a consultant at Charter Management Consulting working across sectors with for large organisations and fast growth SMEs. He is currently a non-executive Director of Glide Technologies. Shields is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and holds a Masters from Lancaster University. |
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Peter OsbornPeter has been an entrepreneur and business advisor for nearly 30 years, concentrating on high growth sectors and companies under-going rapid change. He has founded several technology businesses, the most recent being Journey Dynamics. Peter has held many executive and non-executive board level roles including chairman, acting as an independent director and representing the interests of investors. Over recent years Peter has worked with a number of venture capital funds, conducting due diligence and restructuring reviews, and working with management teams. He has also acted as an investing associate for an early stage technology fund. He is an advisor to Brunel University on commercialisation, and a non-executive director of their enterprise business. |
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