Simon Blagden has 30 years business experience in the IT and Telecoms industry, initially at GEC where he was an International Commercial Manager.

In 1991, he joined Quante AG as UK Managing Director and then joined the Main Board in 1995 as CEO of International Operations. In 2000 he joined Spescom in Johannesburg to head up its international telecoms and IT business. In 2005, he was appointed as Non Executive Chairman of Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe, a post he held for 14 years.

Simon was appointed MBE in 1997 for services to export and was appointed CBE in 2016 for services to the economy.