The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 43: June/July 2019 | Page 20

THE TECHIES AWARDS 2019
The Judges
Director
Acorn Biz Solutions
Ali Hadavizadeh
Gabriella Cox
Acorn Biz Solutions is a Wiltshire
based, independent business-
focused consultancy, eager
to improve the establishment,
survival and investor readiness
of early stage High-Tech, High-
Growth start-ups and SMEs
and accelerate their growth,
Managing Director
Systemagic
international competitiveness and
sustainability through provision
of meaningful, tailor-made
business support initiatives. Ali
has previously worked in a variety
of areas including research,
commercial and start-up
business incubation and support.
James Eades
20
local businesses. He enjoys
supporting and promoting
the tech sector in and around
Wiltshire and leapt at the chance
to be involved with The Techies
to help celebrate the region’s
tech superstars.
Open Call Competition Lead
Defence & Security Accelerator (DASA) Director
Swindon & Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership
Gabriella leads on the Open Call
Competition for the Defence
and Security Accelerator
(DASA). DASA finds and funds
exploitable innovation to support
UK defence and security quickly
and effectively, and support UK
prosperity. Gabriella is also a
trustee for charity Off The Record, Paddy has a wide range of
experience in the public and
private sectors, working as a
business analyst and system
designer and running his own
companies. He also spent
leading their digital strategy.
She was previously the Sector
Lead for Digital for Enterprise
Europe Network, sitting on the
EEN worldwide sector group for
ICT, the worldwide sub group for
Immersive Technology and the
EEN Sector Group for Women
Entrepreneurship.
Paddy Bradley
Kate Westbrook is a leading
technology and contracts
lawyer in the South West.
Her team at Thrings works
with a range of technology
businesses, from UK SMEs
to multinational listed PLCs.
Working with these innovative
and fast-paced enterprises,
Kate enjoys becoming part
of the team to help these
businesses grow. Based in
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2019
Swindon herself, she feels that
the tech sector in Wiltshire is
in need of a spotlight and The
Techies is stepping in to help
it shine. Kate provides training
and support to selected early-
stage innovation businesses
through a local project being
piloted for national roll-out.
over 20 years in education as
a teacher, headteacher and
education inspector. He is a
member of a number of Boards
for voluntary groups.
Chief Digital Officer
Hartham Group
Head of Commercial
Thrings Solicitors
Kate Westbrook
Starting his first online business
aged 17, James has always had
a passion for technology and
business. As managing director
of IT support and cloud internet
IT services firm Systemagic,
James has grown a respected,
vibrant and successful business
which works with over 400
Jack Maxton
Jack is a Strategy, Design
and Transformation expert.
He has supported public and
private sector organisations
in the board room and, on the
front-line, reorganise, reskill
and reequip themselves for the
challenges and opportunities
presented by the 4th Industrial
Revolution.
Project Manager
Swindon & Wiltshire SME Growth
Mirabelle Mack
Mirabelle is co-managing the
SME Growth project, provid-
ing 12 hours of fully funded
business support to businesses
with up to 250 employees. She
is passionate about creating a
more intuitive customer journey
to access the right business
support offer including central
government, local authority,
funded programs and private
sector support. Her personal
experience includes working
across a variety of sectors
and scales of business, from
self-employed consultancy in
renewable energy through to
working for Swindon Borough
Council.