Executive Briefing Programme

The first briefing of 2017 in our series of Executive Briefing events is with guest speaker John O’Connell, Chairman, ScaleUp Group.

Event sponsor

The Executive Briefing Programme is a series of lunch events designed to provide valuable information to senior executives, advisors and consultants in the technology sector.

Simon Orme, Managing Partner, Forensic Management Foundation, www.forensicmanagement.co.uk

We have conducted research to identify key business issues that are relevant to our sector and to identify speakers who bring real authority and expertise to the discussions.

The Executive Briefings will also provide opportunities to network with people who have a shared interest in business development in this sector.

The Briefings will be chaired by Simon Orme, Managing Partner of the Forensic Management Foundation.

Our  first briefing of 2017 is ‘Crossing the ScaleUp chasm’ with John O’Connell, Chairman of ScaleUp Group.

Noted entrepreneur, John O’Connell, who took his own company Staffware through a successful listing and $250m sale, provides unique insights on what it takes to successfully ScaleUp a technology company on a global basis. 

The ScaleUp gap defined – 25,000 businesses have received £14 billion under the Govt EIS in the last 20 years (£20 billion if you include SEIS) but only a third are growing at 20% or more per annum. Why is that? This statistic tells us money on its own is not the answer.

John O’Connell will explain how successful ScaleUp entrepreneurs need to develop as leaders and adopt an investor mentality to help overcome the ScaleUp Gap, using his personal journey from Staffware which grew at 40% compound in the eight years, 10 other investments to forming the ScaleUp Group which he believes will create new Global Champions.

Expect an honest and humorous talk by John, if his past presentations are anything to go by!

His talk should particularly appeal to both tech Institutional investors who have some companies in their portfolio in the ScaleUp Gap currently as well as entrepreneurs considering how to ScaleUp their companies (e.g. post series A) and looking for help to cross the ScaleUp Gap.

To reserve places at this highly sought after event book online or contact tina.compton@tx2events.com ASAP as places are limited.

John O’Connell Biography

John O’Connell is a high profile London based technology entrepreneur and investor, who founded, floated and sold one of the leading Software companies in the UK, Staffware plc. He has personally invested in 12 technology businesses in the last 10 years, having chaired the vast majority in that timeframe, including Opta Sports Data Ltd sold for £48 million in July 2013. John is currently Chairman of 4 UK based companies, 3 operating in the Enterprise software sector; Active Navigation-specialist in Information Governance and Content Clean-up; Avvio – a Hotel Booking engine and Services provider and AOMi – the leading Operations Performance Management exponent. The fourth is the newly launched ScaleUp Group UK which is focused on creating Global Champions in the technology sector.

He is past Chairman of and co -owner of (London) Wasps Rugby Club, during the period when they were the most successful professional rugby club in Europe.

John was recognized as a Master of Information Technology by the US based Trade Association, AIM International. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, where he leads their Enterprise Awards Programme recognising successful Technology Entrepreneurs.

John is an active Philanthropist being Chairman of the Ambassador Group of Co-operation Ireland and co- founder of the Technology Leadership Group of the Prince’s Trust. He has co-authored a book entitled ‘Mastering Your Organization’s Processes’, published by Cambridge University Press.