Capsule
Anna Dick has taken on a full-time role as CTO at Manchester-based CMS business Capsule. She’s previously acted as a mentor at Baltic Ventures and CTO at Hiring Hub for nearly five years.
FuturU
Healthcare education startup FuturU has appointed Michaela Usakova as its first VP of product. Usakova joins FuturU from Goodwall, a skills-based social network for students and graduates, where she was chief product officer for almost three years. Launched in May 2023, FuturU is on a mission to disrupt the healthcare education space by offering free online training to nurses and care workers globally. The tech startup, which now employs 50 people in the UK, uses AI to bring down the cost of training and create immersive learning experiences that mirror on-the-job training.
FinTech Wales
FinTech Wales has appointed Sarah Kocianski as its new CEO. A FinTech and InsurTech strategist with over a decade of industry experience, Kocianski has worked with global organisations, scaleups and startups from across the financial services industry and beyond.
Digital Futures Institute
Aston University has appointed Sir Peter Rigby as honorary chair of its new Digital Futures Institute. The announcement was made in front of guests at the inaugural lecture given by Professor Abdul Sadka, director of the Digital Futures Institute, at Aston University. Sir Peter founded SCC – the largest privately owned Information Technology Group in Europe – in 1975. SCC has a turnover in EMEA of £3.3bn and more than 45 offices around the globe. Aston University and SCC signed a strategic partnership in March 2023 to drive digital innovation and digital inclusion.
Myriota
Myriota, the direct-to-satellite IoT communications pioneer, has made its latest investment in the company’s global expansion with its first senior hire in EMEA. Robert Barnes takes up the role of VP EMEA, to lead the company’s ambitious growth goals in the region. He’ll report to Myriota’s chief commercial officer Mike Kerrigan, and will be responsible for overseeing sales, marketing and customer success in the region.
DC Advisory
Tim Morris has been appointed UK CEO of international investment bank DC Advisory. He joins from Radius and previously worked at Rothschild & EY.
Pets at Home
Anja Madsen is joining Pets at Home in April as COO after an impressive retail career in both the UK and Denmark.
Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council has bolstered its innovation team with the appointment of Claire Lambert and Tom Whiley as marketing project officer and monitoring and evaluation project officer respectively.
Sorted Group Holdings
Simon Wilkinson has been appointed chairman of Manchester-based tech platform Sorted following a reverse takeover by Location Sciences. Sorted Holdings Limited has been renamed Sorted Group Holdings and admitted to the AIM market of the LSE.
Skyhook Games
Clemens Wangerin, best known for his time at Liverpool-based vTime, has become a business adviser to Skyhook Games.
Wondrwall Group
Wondrwall Group, an intelligent home technology provider founded by CEO Daniel Burton, has appointed David Buzby as chair.
UA92
Ian Turner has taken on the role of chief of people and place at UA92. He previously worked at TalkTalk.
New Angel network to ‘make North funding capital for female founders’