The team
Michael Sargeant MBCS
Michael Sargeant MBCS
Chief Executive Officer
Michael has worked either directly for or as a consultant to most of the major general insurers, advising on systems strategy and product implementation. For 10 years, he worked for CMG plc, rising to Managing Director of the Insurance Division. In 2002 he founded IT-Freedom which created award-winning insurance technology, used throughout the industry. IT-Freedom was sold in 2012.
Robert Thomson
Robert Thomson
Chief Revenue Officer
Robert began his career in IBM and progressed through to become Global Sales and Marketing Director in the Insurance Division. In 1998 he left IBM to take up the Global Sales and Marketing role in The HUON Corporation before being part of the management team that sold to The Innovation Group in 2001. Latterly he become CEO of The Innovation Group(UK) before leaving to hold executive positions in major legal and claims outsourcing companies.
Dr Ahmad Mosa MB ChB, PG Dip
Dr Ahmad Mosa MB ChB, PG Dip
Chief Technology Officer
Ahmad has over 20 years of experience designing and implementing award-winning enterprise systems. Over the past 20 years he has implemented insurance solutions at numerous major UK insurers and TPAs while working for TIA Systems and IT-Freedom, later became Hubio. At Iotatech, he is responsible for R&D, and the product vision and strategy.
Harvey Mitchell FCCA, MBA
Harvey Mitchell FCCA, MBA
Chief Financial Officer
Harvey is an experienced finance director who has spent his career working for software companies stretching from SMEs to multinational PLCs. Harvey holds an MBA from the University of Surrey, and is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Certified Accountants.
Sue Balcombe BA(Hons), ACII
Sue Balcombe BA(Hons), ACII
Chief Delivery Officer
Sue has over 20 years’ experience in leading and driving business and technology changes across a number of industries, primarily insurance, where she has helped deliver major projects to many of the UK’s top insurers, MGAs and brokers. Sue has previously held an executive position in The HUON Corporation, a leading software provider, and was a founder and Director of a niche consultancy firm before joining IBM. At Iotatech she is responsible for the successful delivery of all projects.
Toby Mersh
Toby Mersh
Head of Professional Services
Toby has over 28 years of experience in the insurance industry. He started at General Accident working in Underwriting and Claims. In 1996, Toby moved to work for IBM at the Insurance Division and then moved to The HUON Corporation, which was later acquired by The Innovation Group, where he implemented insurance solutions in the UK and USA. Prior to joining Iotatech, he worked at ICE InsureTech, where he was a Programme Manager responsible for numerous implementations.
Les Eckersley
Les Eckersley
Technical Architect
Les has over 25 years of commercial development experience in numerous industries including retail, telecoms, safety critical systems, banking and insurance. Since 2001 he has concentrated on providing creative solutions for the insurance industry and has an excellent track record in specifying, designing, implementing and delivering complex B2B and B2C applications and services.
Simon Hunter
Simon Hunter
Technical Architect
Simon has over 33 years of experience in the insurance industry. He started his career at Eagle Star then later Zurich Insurance working in both Claims and Underwriting. Simon represented the company in the Polaris Project and chaired the user group. In 2000, Simon joined The Innovation Group and was instrumental in designing and developing the Claim solution deployed in a number of major Insurance implementations in the UK and abroad.
Mark Batup
Mark Batup
Head of Experience Design
Mark has been designing digital experiences for both agencies and tech companies for over 18 years, including MOO.com, BMW & Arsenal Football Club. Mark is passionate about agile and user centric design, he prides himself in designing experiences that are not only easy to use but also deliver delight.
Tim Lansom
Tim Lansom
Customer Support Manager
Tim is a highly experienced IT professional with more than twenty five years in the IT industry. During this time, Tim has gained a high degree of corporate and public sector experience. Tim spent 14 years working in London for some of the world’s largest financial institutions and 11 years working for public health organizations in both Australia and London.
The SAC
Formed of senior industry figures, many of whom are key investors, the Strategic Advisory Council is able to provide guidance and support to the business, using their wealth of knowledge and considerable experience across the insurance and related sectors.
Lisa Powis
Lisa Powis
Former CEO and founder of Fresh Insurance
Lisa has worked prominently in the Insurance Industry for over 30 years winning many Industry awards. She is known for the role of founder and CEO of the Fresh Insurance Group, a multi-niched Personal Lines Brokerage which she sold in 2018. Lisa maintains an active interest in InsureTech and sits on several advisory boards. Lisa is head of InsurTech for the Scale Up Group UK and has mentored Technology organisations with the Accelerator Academy.
In 2016, Lisa founded the charity ‘Painting Our World in Silver, dedicated to fight loneliness in the elderly population. During the Covid outbreak, the charity has delivered over 5000 craft care packs to vulnerable and Isolated seniors.
Tim Gregory
Tim Gregory
Former CEO/President of CGI UK. Advisor to ScaleUp Group UK
Tim has enjoyed a very successful and varied career from building start-up businesses to becoming CEO for CGI’s UK business. Tim is now focused on leveraging his significant operational, commercial and strategic experience in a broader capacity through a range of board level roles.
In 2012 Tim led the highly successful integration of the Logica acquisition into CGI’s UK operations, delivering outstanding financial results. He has operated across multiple sectors and geographies, with significant experience in building technology led businesses. He has built over many years significant experience in B2B sales, marketing and growth management, having led major opportunities in both the public and commercial sectors.
He has successfully managed diverse global teams, leading numerous strategic initiatives around culture change, leadership development and organizational agility. He is recognized as a champion of young talent, having spearheaded the introduction of apprenticeship and graduate schemes.
Tony Emms ACII
Tony Emms ACII
Former UK Chief Claims Officer for Zurich Insurance and former Thatcham Chairman
Tony has spent his entire career in the Insurance Claims space, having worked for a number of global insurers, a leading UK based Outsourcing Company and chaired both the Thatcham Research Board and the CII Faculty of Claims.
In 2017 Tony received a Lifetime Achievement award for his services in the UK Claims market.
He was Chief Claims Officer at Zurich Insurance UK for 8 years where he sat on the Executive Committee. In this role and as Zurich Motor Claims Director he led a number of claims transformations, the last of which was to sponsor the implementation of a new claims handling system across the UK.
Tony has a strong interest in the emerging technologies disrupting the UK claims process and works with a number of Insurtech companies in an Advisory Board capacity, as well as providing Consultancy to a range of established global and UK focussed companies.
Mark Cliff
Mark Cliff
Former Chairman for Brightside Group, former CEO of Ageas Retail and former MD of Ageas Insurance
Mark is chairman of Avid Insurance Services Ltd. He has a portfolio of NEDs, including Be Wiser and Evolution Claims Management, as well as a number of advisory roles for insurtech businesses. Previously he was Executive Chairman and CEO of Brightside Group, which he joined in 2015. Prior to Brightside, Mark was Chief Executive of Retail and Distribution at Ageas Insurance Ltd, where he was responsible for all Ageas UK's broker distribution and affinity relationships, as well as Ageas's Kwik Fit Financial Services, Ageas Insurance Solutions, RIAS and Castle Cover.
Mark has also worked at AXA Insurance, where he held the position of Markets, Managing Director, and was responsible for all distribution channels, commercial branch operations, as well as customer service and marketing. Before joining Axa, Mark worked at RSA for 15 years. Mark is also Deputy Chairman of BIBA’s Large Broker Advisory Board and is a former Vice President of the CII.