OVER ONS

Richard Atkins brings an abundance of knowledge and experience to Acora, having spent the majority of his career within the IT services industry.

Previously, he was a Director at Data Sciences where he led its MBO from Thorn EMI in 1991 and then managed its successful sale to IBM in 1996. His final role at IBM was as General Manager for IBM Global Services Northern Europe, where he was also a member of the IBM worldwide Senior Leadership Team. Since leaving IBM in 2005 he has acted as a non-executive director for several public and private equity backed companies including Compel, Message Labs, Morse and Easynet.

As well as being Chairman at Entanet and Miles 33 and a non-executive director at MicroFocus plc and Aon in the UK, we are proud to have him as Chairman of Acora.

David leads Acora with the vision, drive and commitment he expects from every member of the business. He believes in being accessible to both staff and clients in equal measure, leading by example and challenging himself to constant improvement every day.

Since leading the MBO in 2006, he has been committed to building a high performance, values-led culture with people at its heart. David’s vision has always been to create a game-changing company that redefines the value of service in the industry. Through his singular commitment to client focus, he has driven change through every level of our business to transform our culture, processes and service delivery.

The board he has handpicked to accompany him on his journey are testament to the quality Acora will pioneer and the standards we will set as we continue to challenge expectation and deliver excellence for the most dynamic and ambitious businesses in the mid-market today.

Having qualified as an accountant, I decided fairly quickly I didn’t want to continue in practice, so made the jump into the commercial world. As a finance director, I was a customer of what became Acora and got to know David Rabson: when he was putting his new team together after the MBO in 2006, he asked me to join him as FD, because I’d always given him a hard time and he wanted me on his side of the table! My job is to provide checks and balances to his incredible drive, keep the bank and other third parties happy and ensure we’re on a sustainable footing. I like being in a role where I can help shape change. From a technical development perspective, our growth means bigger, more interesting things to do and learn about, such as acquisitions and the move to private equity. Personally, I’d teach my younger self to lift yourself and your thinking above worrying about the next two or three months and keep looking further ahead. That’s what comes from working alongside truly visionary people.

Richard Conway was a founder of Elastacloud and now Acora Group CTO, bringing over 25 years of expertise in software engineering to the forefront of technological innovation. From his early days developing games on his father’s computer, Richard’s passion for coding has evolved into a lifelong commitment to pioneering cutting-edge solutions.

As a Microsoft Regional Director and a former Azure MVP, he is dedicated to leveraging advanced technologies to tackle some of the most pressing challenges across various sectors.

Richard’s work primarily focuses on sustainability, data, and AI, driving impactful solutions for Elastacloud’s clients in finance, energy, legal, and built environments. Beyond his technical achievements, Richard is an accomplished author and speaker, regularly contributing to the broader tech community through conferences and publications. His efforts also extend to building communities around Azure and sustainability, further cementing his role as a thought leader in the industry.

As a qualified accountant, Aylesh identifies and supports ambitious management teams across London looking to take the next step in their growth journey. Aylesh has helped businesses to expand internationally and has supported the growth of several businesses across a range of sectors.