LEPs & SMEs

Adrian is Entrepreneur in Residence for SETsquared and the 5G Test-bed in Basingstoke. He is also CEO and founder of Candescence a company providing innovation, entrepreneurship and go to market expertise that creates outstanding commercial impact. In a career spanning 40 years he has been Director of Marketing for the global Connectivity business at Oxford Semiconductor and Director of Engineering at Metawave Video Systems. A business innovation leader and product and go to market expert, he has been the driving force behind more than 20 multi-million dollar products in the electronics, software and semiconductor industries. He brings a wealth of experience in hi-tech markets, combining more than 15 years of marketing and business management with over 20 years of technical leadership

I am the founder and CEO of Electronic Media Services, an innovative SME that specialises in providing last mile communications using FWA, Cellular and Fibre. EMS manufactures and markets the award winning i-MO® (Intelligent-Mobile Office) SD-WAN router appliance and associated Optibond® Software Defined Networking (SDN) management software. We undertake product development (software and hardware) and manufacturing in China. We have SI partners in Europe, Africa and Asia.

I am a Non-Executive Director of The China Britain Business Council (CBBC) where I represent the interests of SMEs. The CBBC is the UK Government’s (DIT & FCO) primary partner for providing business support services to companies exporting to China and also Chinese companies investing in the UK.

I am a SME board member of The Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The EM3 LEP is the fourth largest economic region in England outside London and manages over £250M of Local Growth Funds. I am chair of the Enterprise and Innovation Action Group which focuses on developing the SME technology clusters in the region. I also chair the Space Cluster Steering Group that is developing a local initiative that aligns with the Government’s Industrial Strategy to strengthen the UK’s global leadership in the space sector (EO and 5G). I have also chaired a Task and Finish workgroup on Internationalisation.

I am chair of the Institute of Directors (IoD) London International Trade Special Interest Group, I co-chair (with Huawei) the techUK UK-China Forum and I also co-chair (with WIPRO) a techUK UK-India Trade Working Group.

She has over 10 years’ hands on experience in consulting, ranging from managing and delivering change programs in client organisations focused on improving business efficiency, delivering sustainability targets, positively influencing urban metabolism elements and engaging with planning smart energy. She is responsible for project and budget management including end to end relationship management. She has also acted on client’s behalf in official hearings, public consultations, meetings with regulators and report writing. Described as a ‘doer’, Becki strives to deliver work that is meaningful and has a significant impact.

Over the last 25 years, the CEO of Healthcare Analytics, Brendan Crossey has gained extensive knowledge of deliver innovative technology solutions into the manufacturing, healthcare and energy sectors.

Brendan has spent the last 5 years establishing several start-up businesses and has spent time working with Investors and Innovation Labs in Ireland, UK and the US.

Previously Brendan spent 9 years building and developing EMC’s presence in Northern Ireland with a strong focus on service transformation using Data Analytics, He also spent 7 years with Sun Microsystems and 8 years with Fujitsu Services.

Brendan was involved in several projects working with the government, universities and other commercial organisations to increase the awareness and use of Data Analytics technologies to transform the Energy, Health and Manufacturing sectors.

Brendan was a member of the Northern Ireland Matrix panel which advised the government on its policy to support the growing Digital Economy over the next 7 years.

Brendan founded Healthcare Analytics in September 2016 who have developed a partnership with the Northern Ireland Health Service to build an innovative, scalable and secure platform using advanced Machine Learning (ML) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for the management of Healthcare Assets including Beds, Instruments, patients and staff.

Background - Local Government Finance/Computer Audit/ICT Programme Management/Contract Management

Gary Thompson is Director of Development at Staffordshire University, with a strong background in Full Fibre Networks and 5G. He has a strong commercial and technical background spanning 25 years covering a range of Multi-Million Innovation, Digital and Economic Development programmes. 

Recently working for Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the 5G Innovation Centre from the University of Surrey and other partners, he created a vision and strategy for a 5G Region.

With Sir Terry Matthews and Simon Gibson of Wesley Clover created the original business case for "The Internet Coast" for the Swansea Bay City Region £1.3bn City Deal. He has worked as Chief Investment Officer for Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, and developed an International Internet Gateway and Multi-Terabit Fibre Spine plan for the Cardiff Capital Region.

His early career with Marconi ignited his passion for communications systems and the way they connect people, places and their future prosperity to make the best of every available economic opportunity. 

He is excited about the transformative affect communicating using Full Fibre Networks and 5G will have on the development of new economies in Future Energy Systems, Health and Precision Medicine, Autonomous Vehicles and Advanced Manufacturing.

An extensive background in manufacturing engineering that has encompassed a broad range of digital technology solutions and innovation.  A business growth specialist, supporting businesses to achieve aims and objectives through the introduction and implementation of appropriate digital technologies.  

A Prince2 practitioner, with extensive experience of project management, supporting teams of digital consultants, events and engagement officers and contract and audit managers. 

Responsible for the development and delivery of a range of digital themed events, including conferences, workshops, training courses and awareness-raising seminars. I represent the D2N2 Growth Hub at a regional and national level in areas of digital transformation and sit on the UK5G LEPs & SMEs working group.

I have developed solid systems analysis and design practices and provide digital consultancy services underpinned by ILM level 5 in leadership and management, SFEDI / ILM Level 5 Diploma in Business Support and 30 years of practical experience.

Current activities included the planning and delivery of a range of Digital business support programmes, delivered across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire.

I compliment the existing business support services provided by other Business support-based organisations and Local Authorities across the East Midlands, including Universities, Department for International Trade (DIT), Princes Trust and Destination Management Partnerships.  I pride myself on delivering a completely impartial and independent digital support service, I work with Business “start-ups” through to multi-national organisations.

My involvement in the Digital sector was ignited at a child when i got hold of my first computer back in the mid 80's and created my first few lines of code that then evolved to link a few wires and bulbs to interact with the real world. At the time although i did not realise it i had probably created a computer controled home automation system on a Dragon 32 computer. From those few lines of code a career spanning over 2 decades in the sector has evolved.

I have become known as "A friendly trouble maker with a mission to Challenge everything because Disruption is good life is boring if you let others tell you how it should be done." In a number of areas from Digital & Tech to Politics

I am committed to collaboration and innovation through advancement in Digital & Tech to help better the world. I have a strong belief that through technology we can bring the world together and solve many of the big issues around the world.

Key to this is advancing connectivity to enable everyone to have high speed always on connectivity.

I do believe that the best way to make advancement and take great steps forward to evolve is by smashing apart and building better than before.

Alongside my own business developing software and apps along with IoT, AR, VR and other tech development projects for clients both here in the UK and international. I am co-founder of Wired Cumbria who have worked on various projects aimed at supporting the development of a digital, creative and tech sector in Cumbria. We are supporting the growth of IoT through our Things Cumbria project and promoting digital maturity and the potential to exploit for growth new developments in digital and technolight by Business & communities through our Cumbria Digital project.

Managing Director Beta Instrument Ltd

Managing Director Peek Traffic Systems Ltd

Founder and Managing Director Scancard Systems Ltd

Director Business and Enterprise Support Brunel University

Director Research and Innovation Support University of Surrey and COO 5G Innovation Centre

Executive Secretary ERA Foundation Ltd

Chair of the UK5G LEPs & SMEs Working Group

My role is an integral part of a team delivering account management to businesses contacting the Growth Hub, offering a individual signposting service into relevant services across the region to help drive business growth.

I work closely with the Growth Hub’s partners to provide up to date information around business need, supporting local strategies to encourage inward investment and scale up of Black Country SME’s as a core focus.

I bring with me to role 9 years’ experience supporting start-up businesses, seeing the challenges faced for new businesses to grow and be successful, it is important to me we ensure the correct support and programmes are easily accessible as that business grows and develops, supporting the wider economy in the Black Country and making us the first choice for relocation.

Deputy Chair of the UK5G LEPs & SMEs Working Group

Phil is Managing Director of Brighton-based, independent membership organisation Wired Sussex and is founder of the FuseBox innovation hub. He also serves on the boards of Coast to Capital LEP, Brighton Digital Exchange and Brighton Digital Festival.

Phil has extensive experience of supporting research-driven innovation and strategy agendas. He was the industry lead on the original Brighton Fuse research and advised on the aligned Fuse projects in the South West and North East.

Prior to Wired Sussex, Phil was worldwide managing director of the Extreme portfolio of media businesses. Phil has also served on the board of MTV, started Atomic Media in partnership with Bob Geldof and worked in a strategy position for News Corporation. He is an alumnus of the University of Sussex and, in 2015, was awarded an honorary Master of Letters from the University of Brighton for his contribution to the technology sector.

As member of the Digital Infrastructure Team at Scottish Futures Trust Sarah supports innovation and knowledge sharing in respect of 5G deployment and use case development.

Sarah is also the Policy and Practice Director at the newly established Scotland 5G Centre - a national platform for innovation, knowledge sharing and collaboration backed by the Scottish Government. Her role ensures that the public sector are supported in the development of strategy and approaches to 5G, and that best practise is identified and shared at a national level. Sarah looks to encourage and bring together the wide spectrum of public sector organisations to coordinate their resources and knowledge.