TEES TECH AWARDS 2024
TEES TECH AMBASSADOR
SPONSORED BY WESTRAY RECRUITMENT GROUP
WINNER
DAN WATSON
He was a founding father of the Tees Tech Awards – and now Dan Watson ’ s peers have given him one of his own .
For many years , Dan quietly but effectively served Middlesbrough ’ s tech sector through his role with the council ’ s Middlesbrough Digital – including helping set up the Tees Tech Awards , which are now in their fifth year .
He recently began a new venture with Company of the Year finalists Alt Labs – and the respect he has from all areas of the tech and digital sector is clear .
And when former winners of the Tees Tech Ambassador title met to select the 2024 recipient , Dan was the unanimous choice .
Describing his victory as “ a bit surreal ”, Dan told Tees Business : “ This wasn ’ t something I ever thought or expected would happen – you always look at other people and see the great things they do . But I will keep shouting about the Tees Valley ’ s tech scene .
“ We had some amazing things going on in early 2011 when I first got involved in some great companies – an incredible university , everything .
“ We had all the pieces of the ecosystem here , but now I think we ’ ve learned how to pull all of them together .
“ We ’ ve seen a significant level of growth , and that continuous momentum has transformed everything to where we are now .”
The Tees Tech Ambassador panel that selected Dan for the 2024 award comprised former winners Dom Lusardi , Mark South , David Dixon and Bob Makin , along with Ashleigh Wright , MD of category sponsor Westray Recruitment Group .
Dan – who received the award from Kyle Jevons of Westray Recruitment Group – said : “ To follow the people that have won it – David , Dom , Bob and Mark – is a bit surreal , to be honest .
“ These are all people I ’ ve looked up to for the whole of my career within the digital tech sector . I certainly didn ’ t think it would be me tonight .
“ I ’ ve loved my career and watching businesses grow within the Tees Valley digital tech sector .
Ambassador – Dan Watson is presented with the trophy by Kyle Jevons , of category sponsor Westray Recruitment Group .
“ The Tees Valley is a great region for digital tech companies to flourish , with opportunity and competitive advantage .”
“ More recently , I ’ ve moved into a role with Alt Labs where we ’ re supporting wider Tees Valley digital tech companies .
“ Ultimately , I hope we can do them justice and really deliver something incredible .
“ Alt Labs is a great team , and I think we ’ re going to do some amazing things .” Reflecting on his win – as well as his “ ambassador ” role – Dan said : “ The Tees Valley is a great region for digital tech companies to flourish , with opportunity and competitive advantage .
“ There would be no ambassador award without the dedication and sheer grit of every founder who has gone through the early pains of starting and growing a digital tech company in the Tees Valley .
“ I ’ ve watched the previous ambassadors achieve incredible things in their field . I ’ m lucky enough to call them friends and I ’ m thankful for everything I ’ ve learned from them .
“ But being thrown into that group is still something I might have to get grips with .
“ I ’ m taking this as a responsibility , not an accolade – hopefully adding some value to this cracking sector we have locally .”
SPONSOR ’ S REFLECTIONS :
Kyle Jevons , manager Teesside operations , Westray Recruitment Group “ Teesside is everything to me . I ’ m a local lad and the success of everybody in the region means so much to me and our business . Celebrating everybody ’ s successes and seeing Dan getting his win there – he ’ s worked under the radar , he ’ s such a humble man – that ’ s exactly why we want to be involved with these awards .”
WINNERS ’ ROLL CALL : 2020 : Dominic Lusardi 2021 : Mark South 2022 : David Dixon 2023 : Bob Makin
148 | Tees Business