Chris Buchanan
- Chief Operating Officer (COO), Innvotec
Chris Buchanan - B Ed, Edinburgh University, MSc in Applied Computing from Manchester Metropolitan University, MBA from Guildhall University and is a Member of the British Computer Society. He has held senior technology positions within the Wholesale Banking, Commodities and Insurance sectors for over 40 years. He was Group CIO for Noble Group based in Hong Kong, Global CIO for Deutsche Bank Treasury & Derivatives Division, Global CIO for Commerzbank Financial Products, Director of Strategy & Development for Aviva as well as being CIO for UFJI (Europe). He has a strong track record in providing advisory services regarding technology and organisational strategy to major international financial services as well as transport and logistics organisations.
I have over 35 years’ business experience ranging from launching and leading start-ups to running a mid-sized business. I started out by setting up a software training company before becoming CEO of a scientific instrument business, Grant Instruments. More recently I helped technology start-ups get funding, leading product launches and setting up their sales channels, both in B2B and consumer markets.
A few years ago, I decided I didn’t enjoy running businesses so I started The Innovation Practice, a company providing facilitation for businesses of all shapes and sizes, helping them to untangle strategic issues. It’s just me and I want it to stay that way.
So, although it has taken me many years to achieve, I have found my perfect place. Every day is different, I meet great people and work with amazing businesses and do all the stuff I really enjoy - thinking, designing, innovating, learning and presenting, and most of all I get to help people and that is what drives me.
Neil Dickins
- Director, IC Resources
Neil is a founder of Intellectual Capital Resources, Europe’s premier technology recruitment firm. He started the company with the raison d'être of being an active participant in the technology community, rather than an ‘external supplier’. This means that every IC Resources business decision is made with the best long term interests of clients and candidates in mind. It also means that IC Resources is happy to sponsor Discovering Start Ups, one of the industry’s most valuable events. Beyond the office, Neil can be found occasionally treading the boards of the Questors Theatre and regularly toiling up and down a basketball court. IC Resources recruits technical and commercial roles from entry to Cxo level.
Sam Dods
- Managing Director, Koru
Sam Dods is an Organisational Consultant and cofounder of Koru. With a background in Mining Engineering, he co-founded and grew a tech company, Aperio Ltd. to a successful acquisition by Fugro in 2012.
As a former Technical Director, Managing Director and Head of Organisational Development, Sam is a values driven leader who has lived and worked in 4 continents and developed a profound awareness of the importance of psychodynamics in today’s work place. He help's leadership teams build more effective organisations; improving the team’s self-awareness and awareness of others so that they can work together to design and implement their strategic direction.
Tanja Goudarzi Pour
- Director, Value Horizons
Tanja is a London-based angel investor, mentor, consultant and lecturer in finance, entrepreneurship and organisational behaviour. After a long-term career in investment banking, she now focuses on evaluating angel investments and early stage financing opportunities, privately and in syndicate form. She works with a number of UK-based accelerators and a wider investor universe, including venture capital funds.
During her time as banker, Tanja held senior director positions in structured finance and loan syndication. Her specialisation was in the entire value chain from sourcing, advising, structuring, issuance of and investment in debt capital market instruments, acting for the banks she worked with and on behalf of large international corporate and financial institution clients, mostly across Europe.
Prior to this, Tanja worked as a management consultant and in the education sector.
She holds an international M.B.A. and a degree in mathematics and business administration (Diplom-Mathematikerin). She studied at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, The Netherlands; the University of Michigan, USA; RWTH Aachen Technical University, Germany; and York University, U.K.
Vin Lingathoti is a partner at CIC and focuses on technology investments. Vin is a software engineer by background and has spent over a decade in Silicon Valley working with tech companies. Before joining CIC he led venture investments and acquisitions for Cisco Systems in London and San Jose. At Cisco, he was responsible for investments in Panaseer, Behaviosec, Intersec, 6Wind and Worldsensing. He was also involved in several acquisitions in IoT, Cybersecurity, Datacenter and Enterprise Networking. Vin has an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and MS in computer science from University of Potsdam, Germany.
Vin manages CIC's investments in Swim.ai, Imagen and Undo.
I run Richard Ord Consulting Ltd, trading as The Silicon Eye in Cambridge providing consultancy for growth. (Why The Silicon Eye? Well it's just a bit more interesting!)
Whether for strategy, market engagement, or simply to communicate a message more clearly, I've been advising companies on growth and scale-up for 15 years in sectors including semiconductors, IoT, renewable energy and the power industry.
I’m an experienced semiconductor executive of 30 years in companies including Texas Instruments, VLSI Technology (later Philips Semiconductors, ST-Ericsson and NXP) and latterly running Bluetooth at CSR - now Qualcomm - as they took the market by storm.
I have been there at the start of new markets, prospecting for ASIC with the founders of Arm, developing the first standard chipsets for Samsung’s launch into GSM, or working with Ericsson and “King Harald Bluetooth” at VLSI Technology. I’ve built businesses from zero to $300m in revenues, bought and been bought, and built teams from scratch to organisations of 100’s.
I now apply that experience to advise start-ups, universities, investors, listed corporations, and government agencies with their business challenges as a consultant or an interim executive.
Tofiq Qureshi
- Managing Director, Innvotec
Tofiq Qureshi is a serial entrepreneur with twenty years of business experience, including ten years in the investment industry. The focus is on startup and early-stage opportunities in Fintech, Edtech and general technology with a global footprint. He also has a personal investment focus, with close friends and family, on UK based ventures and overseas passive co-investment. Tofiq has an MBA from Imperial College, London, and BS in Electronic Engineering. He has been involved with financial institutions, such as Bank of New York Mellon and in consultancy with Accenture.
Peter is Founder & CEO of Vision Formers, the specialist consultancy that supports and mentors leaders of visionary technology businesses get product to market and turn ideas into reality.
Vision Formers works with start-ups and scale-ups, providing significant expertise in accelerating business growth through a focus on developing a robust product strategy, growing and coaching product and development teams, and providing operational excellence. Peter has a long track record of conceiving, developing and marketing successful technology-based solutions, deployed at scale, globally. Innovative products Peter has brought to market in digital, cloud, AI, consumer electronics and telecommunications have been used by countless millions of people on a daily basis globally, badged by the world’s leading digital and technology brands.
Peter also works with Digital Catapult as Programme Manager for UKTIN, working with partners and stakeholders to deliver UKTIN’s mission to transform the UK telecoms innovation ecosystem, capitalising on the country’s strengths in technology, academia, and entrepreneurialism, while positioning it for growth as new opportunities emerge in the industry.
Peter is a board member of CW (Cambridge Wireless), a Fellow of the IET, a Chartered Engineer, and a member of the Association of Business Mentors.
Hossein Yassaie
- Tech Entrepreneur, Advisor / NED & Investor, HY Ventures
Sir Hossein Yassaie is a recognised figure on the world technology stage and an entrepreneur with a deep belief in disruptive technologies and business strategies. He was founder and CEO of Imagination Technologies Group Plc until Q1 2016, where he created a global tech business powering billions of devices. He was also behind the iconic brand Pure. His work has deeply impacted many markets including automotive, enterprise, consumer and mobile.
In 2013 Hossein was Knighted by the Queen, in recognition of his services to technology & innovation. He now is chair/director/investor in several companies and is passionate about helping UK start-ups to achieve success and scale. His tech portfolio includes Atomos, Ultraleap, Uniphy, Agile Analog, articulate.xyz, Mindtech, Kokoon and Mindtrace. His tech interests span across areas from next-gen user interfaces, artificial intelligence(AI)/machine learning(ML) & next generation computing architectures, through smart systems for health and education to IoT systems and cloud services.
He also appreciates and has strong views when it comes to fine and outstanding dining experiences. This passion has led to his active involvement in and development of Unique Dining restaurant group focusing on diners’ experience and currently operating Crockers Tring and Crockers Henley fine-dining restaurants.