Board of Directors

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Peter MacLean

Peter is a successful businessman with more than 40 years experience of the IT software and services industry. As chief executive of Guardian iT plc, he built the company from a turnover of less than £0.5 million to more than £110 million with a profit of over £17 million and operations in 12 countries. Peter led Guardian through a management buyout in 1994 and a very successfully floatation on the main market of the London Stock Exchange in 1998. Prior to Guardian, Peter was a main board director of Sherwood International plc, an IT software and services group, and was managing director of their Lloyd’s and London market insurance, financial services and local government subsidiaries.

Director and ImperaData managing director Garry Growns

Garry has 30 years experience in IT services and telecommunications, including the Internet, disaster recovery and data management services. His previous position was as a main boarddirector for Guardian iT plc where he had specific responsibility for group sales. He was also chief operating officer with responsibility for the group’s day to day disaster recovery and data back up businesses. Previously Garry worked at COLT Internet as international sales director and BT as a general manager in the data networking and Internet sectors.

Director and Dynax managing director Eddy Alejos

Eddy, who is 41 has a formal technical background in Electronic Engineering, and is a member of the Institute Electronic Engineering.During his career he has held the position of technical manager in various IT companies where he was responsible for group strategy and technicaldevelopment. Eddy has acquired extensive management skills through being part of senior management teams. As part of his achievements he has completed development of technical directions for various high profile companies in the computer industry. He has also incubated and founded an electronic distribution company as well as wireless networking business. 

Group Finance Director David Hearn

David is a Chartered Accountant qualifying with Pannell Kerr Forster and has been involved in fast-growing technology lead businesses since 1993.  He has experience of fund-raising for privately owned and listed companies, both AIM and fully listed, and headed up the finance team in two flotations.  He has also been involved in a number of acquisitions. He previously held head of finance positions at: Appian Technology plc, a specialist provider of number plate recognition systems using neural networks; LinkGuard Limited, a VC backed internet start-up, providing solutions to the broken link issue on the web; Modular Technology Plc, a manufacturer and supplier of PC add-ons; and Photobition Group Plc a supplier to the media and technology industry.

Non Executive Director Derek King

Derek, is a fund principal of the South East Growth Fund, the £30million DTi backed regional venture capital fund managed by West Midlands Enterprise Limited. Operational for two years, SEGF has to date invested in 26 companies, including ImperaData, at all stages of development from start up to MBO, making the fund one of the most active in the UK at present. Derek was previously with Midland Bank plc where his career spanned a variety of roles, including lending and commercial insolvency, before joining HSBC Ventures (formerly Midland Growth Capital), part of HSBC Bank plc in 1996 and then West Midlands Enterprise Limited in 2000.

Non Executive Director Richard Gourlay

Richard is managing director of Sussex Place Ventures, the seed and early stage venture capital fund management company owned by London Business School. He was previously an investment director, Top Technology Ltd from 1996 to 2004, providing early stage venture capital for British technology companies.
Richard previously spent 10 years with the Financial Times, initially in Asia as a foreign correspondent based in Manila. He subsequently wrote extensively about the venture capital and private equity markets in the UK and Europe before becoming a practicing venture capital investor in 1996. He started his career at Citibank NA after gaining an Economics degree at London University.  

He sits on the board of nCipher, which is quoted in the main market of the London Stock Exchange.