Home
People
PeopleBoard of Directors
Steve Morris
CHAIRMAN & CEO
Read profile
Steve is a venture capitalist with over 25 years’ experience in the IT industry.
He founded Catalyst Solutions plc in 1994. In its first year Catalyst became the leading IBM business partner in the UK, growing by 1998 to over 500 employees with offices worldwide and turnover in excess of $100M. He sold the majority of his stake in Catalyst in 1998.
In October 1998 Steve became CEO and Majority shareholder in IFTE Ltd., providing fire training equipment to the world’s leading airports and municipal fire services. After purchasing a majority shareholding in the company he took up the position of CEO, taking the company from a small UK business to a world leader in its field, dramatically increasing the company’s reputation and turnover. After the takeover and integration of Symtron, the only competitor to IFTE in the world – based in USA, Steve floated IFTE on AIM. IFTE was sold to KIDDE engineering in 2003.
In October 2000 Steve merged Notability Solutions Ltd (now Cartmor TWP Holdco 3, AssurIT’s holding company) and took the business from losing £750K per month to profitability, in three months. He completed a reconstruction of the combined businesses, and subsequently disposed of three of the major business units.
Following the disposal of Catalyst, Notability and IFTE Steve became an investor in a wide variety of businesses, taking a hands-on role in their development, and specialising in mergers and acquisitions, predominantly in the technology industry.
He founded Catalyst Solutions plc in 1994. In its first year Catalyst became the leading IBM business partner in the UK, growing by 1998 to over 500 employees with offices worldwide and turnover in excess of $100M. He sold the majority of his stake in Catalyst in 1998.
In October 1998 Steve became CEO and Majority shareholder in IFTE Ltd., providing fire training equipment to the world’s leading airports and municipal fire services. After purchasing a majority shareholding in the company he took up the position of CEO, taking the company from a small UK business to a world leader in its field, dramatically increasing the company’s reputation and turnover. After the takeover and integration of Symtron, the only competitor to IFTE in the world – based in USA, Steve floated IFTE on AIM. IFTE was sold to KIDDE engineering in 2003.
In October 2000 Steve merged Notability Solutions Ltd (now Cartmor TWP Holdco 3, AssurIT’s holding company) and took the business from losing £750K per month to profitability, in three months. He completed a reconstruction of the combined businesses, and subsequently disposed of three of the major business units.
Following the disposal of Catalyst, Notability and IFTE Steve became an investor in a wide variety of businesses, taking a hands-on role in their development, and specialising in mergers and acquisitions, predominantly in the technology industry.
Duncan Bulley
Finance Director
Read profile
Duncan, a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, joined Apex, an IBM Premier Business Partner, in April 1998. His main role was the management of the Finance and Administrative functions, overseeing significant business growth, acquisition and disposal.
The intervening period saw Duncan’s role grow to that of Finance Director for the Global Computers Group. The experience gained over the previous seven years proved to be invaluable in assisting with a second successful buyout of the Company. In December 2006, he accepted a promotion to the position of Managing Director.
Duncan’s new role in the expanding APSU Capital group of companies sees a return to familiar ground, reacquainting him with a traditional Group Finance and Administration role.
The intervening period saw Duncan’s role grow to that of Finance Director for the Global Computers Group. The experience gained over the previous seven years proved to be invaluable in assisting with a second successful buyout of the Company. In December 2006, he accepted a promotion to the position of Managing Director.
Duncan’s new role in the expanding APSU Capital group of companies sees a return to familiar ground, reacquainting him with a traditional Group Finance and Administration role.
GERRY BURKE
GROUP MARKETING DIRECTOR
Read profile
Prior to joining AssurIT in 2001, Gerry held various managerial positions in construction, graphic design and marketing.
During his employment at AssurIT he has gained a thorough understanding of all of the functions of the Managed Services business, leading to his promotion, in 2010, to Managing Director with overall responsibility for Finance and Operations. He joined the main board in 2006.
Following the acquisition of Apex Computers International in 2011, and the formation of APSU, Gerry was promoted to Group Marketing Director with overall responsibility for Marketing and Special Projects.
During his employment at AssurIT he has gained a thorough understanding of all of the functions of the Managed Services business, leading to his promotion, in 2010, to Managing Director with overall responsibility for Finance and Operations. He joined the main board in 2006.
Following the acquisition of Apex Computers International in 2011, and the formation of APSU, Gerry was promoted to Group Marketing Director with overall responsibility for Marketing and Special Projects.
Dan Scobie
Group Services Director
Read profile
Dan joined ASPU in November 2012 to lead the technical services functions.
A graduate of the University of Brighton with over 20 years’ experience in the IT industry, Dan spent the preceding 5 years at an interim IT consultant leading IT Infrastructure for companies such as Boots, Provident Insurance and Alliance Medical.
A graduate of the University of Brighton with over 20 years’ experience in the IT industry, Dan spent the preceding 5 years at an interim IT consultant leading IT Infrastructure for companies such as Boots, Provident Insurance and Alliance Medical.
Steve Ellis
Non-Executive Director
Read profile
Steve is an Engineering graduate with over 20 years’ experience in the IT Industry.
He joined IBM in 1988 and spent three years working in the Small and Medium Business (SMB) sector. He co-founded Notability in 1999, merging the company with Catalyst Solutions in 2000.
In 2003 Steve led an MBO with Private Equity funding from Barclays Ventures and Beringea VCT. That business was sold in 2005 to Logicalis, where he created a £100M+ computing company in the UK via acquisition and organic growth.
In 2005 he was a finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. His last position in Logicalis before leaving in 2007 was Senior Vice President of International Development.
He joined IBM in 1988 and spent three years working in the Small and Medium Business (SMB) sector. He co-founded Notability in 1999, merging the company with Catalyst Solutions in 2000.
In 2003 Steve led an MBO with Private Equity funding from Barclays Ventures and Beringea VCT. That business was sold in 2005 to Logicalis, where he created a £100M+ computing company in the UK via acquisition and organic growth.
In 2005 he was a finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. His last position in Logicalis before leaving in 2007 was Senior Vice President of International Development.
Andy Hvass
Non-Executive Director
Read profile
Andy has over 25 years’ experience in the IT sector and over 16 years’ experience in telecommunications and network services.
Until June 2011, he was Director of the Capita IT and Network Services, a business unit within the IT Services Division of Capita.
Andy was previously a co-founder of Synetrix Limited in 1998 where as Sales and Marketing Director he was responsible for driving year on year revenue and profit growth, including the merger and reverse takeover of Equinox Converged Solutions in December 2004, backed by Apax Partners, and the subsequent acquisition of i2Q Limited, a specialist educational software and services company, in mid-2006. Synetrix Holdings Limited was acquired by Capita Group plc in December 2009 at a turnover of over £73m.
Prior to Synetrix, and following graduation from Loughborough University with a degree in Engineering Science and Technology, Andy held product research & development, sales & marketing and sales management positions within IBM from 1985 to 1998.
Until June 2011, he was Director of the Capita IT and Network Services, a business unit within the IT Services Division of Capita.
Andy was previously a co-founder of Synetrix Limited in 1998 where as Sales and Marketing Director he was responsible for driving year on year revenue and profit growth, including the merger and reverse takeover of Equinox Converged Solutions in December 2004, backed by Apax Partners, and the subsequent acquisition of i2Q Limited, a specialist educational software and services company, in mid-2006. Synetrix Holdings Limited was acquired by Capita Group plc in December 2009 at a turnover of over £73m.
Prior to Synetrix, and following graduation from Loughborough University with a degree in Engineering Science and Technology, Andy held product research & development, sales & marketing and sales management positions within IBM from 1985 to 1998.
Klaus Lovgreen
Non-Executive Director
Read profile
Klaus has spent most of his professional career in the online space and since 1996 he has had extensive hands-on experience creating, running and selling a company in the online advertising and media industry.
In 1996 he initiated AME Info with a view to enhance communication for business in the region. Under his management, AME Info became the leading provider of business and financial information in and about the Middle East.
In March 2005, HSBC Private Equity Middle East Ltd. acquired a significant equity stake in AME Info FZ LLC and in July 2006, London-based Emap plc (EMA.L) announced that Emap Communications, its business-to-business (B2B) division, had acquired AME Info.
Klaus launched RingtoneFeeder together with Geoff Smith in 2008 and later also invested into Tradeshift, EVERBREAD, GRIDiant, Oxis Energy and Wordy.
In 2009, he made the ‘Top Angels‘ list on TechCrunch. In 2011, he established evershift which serves as a vehicle to make direct investments into disruptive ideas, music and existing revenue generating businesses across industries but ideally companies with a strong online component where he can potentially add some value over and above investing.
In 1996 he initiated AME Info with a view to enhance communication for business in the region. Under his management, AME Info became the leading provider of business and financial information in and about the Middle East.
In March 2005, HSBC Private Equity Middle East Ltd. acquired a significant equity stake in AME Info FZ LLC and in July 2006, London-based Emap plc (EMA.L) announced that Emap Communications, its business-to-business (B2B) division, had acquired AME Info.
Klaus launched RingtoneFeeder together with Geoff Smith in 2008 and later also invested into Tradeshift, EVERBREAD, GRIDiant, Oxis Energy and Wordy.
In 2009, he made the ‘Top Angels‘ list on TechCrunch. In 2011, he established evershift which serves as a vehicle to make direct investments into disruptive ideas, music and existing revenue generating businesses across industries but ideally companies with a strong online component where he can potentially add some value over and above investing.