ABOUT US

Richard Jones

Co-Founder

Richard’s strengths are business strategy, commercial strategy and finding ways to create businesses against the odds. He uses this to help create new fibre ventures even under the toughest financial situations.

He has held operational roles as CEO, COO, CCO, CSO and CFO across Europe and the Middle East.

He has also been involved in a number of technology start-ups as founder/investor with multiples of the first round share value of 70 times (twice) 40 times and 10 times.

He is well connected within the industry globally and has worked closely with the Fibre to the Home Councils around the World, providing strategy workshops for members (Europe, Africa and MENA) and being conference chairman (MENA).

FIBRE BUSINESS EXPERIENCE

• Swedish Internet Service Provider – with strong EBITDA while being in the top five for broadband service value globally.
• Swedish open access, FTTH communications operator that runs the fibre for fibre owners. Grew to number one in Sweden – possibly the most competitive open access FTTH market in the World.
• Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of of a global active layer operator. Worked around the World to educate the market and develop a pipeline of $500 million.

OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Second person into a new Saudi based operator as Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer. Responsible for strategy through to detailed business planning and commercial rollout including fibre, xDSL and the largest 4G rollout in EMEA to that date.
• Turnaround CEO including for an animation software company and an Internet networking platform.
• Held roles as CEO, COO, CFO, CSO and CCO.

FIBRE INDUSTRY ROLES

• Member of the Ultrabroadband 2020 advisory panel
• Former Chairman of the Smart Cities Committee for the FTTH Council – MENA
• Former conference consultant and chairman – Fibre to the Home Council – MENA
• Co-developed new Smart Cities organisation
• Delivers FTTH regularly strategy workshops and advisory to FTTH Councils in Europe, MENA and Africa over 10 years
• Regular chairman at key FTTH and NGA industry events such as Broadband World Forum
  

OTHER RELEVANT ACHIEVEMENTS

• Start-up technology founder/investor with multiples of first round investments of 70x, 70x 40x and 10x.
• Built new start-ups for BT retail.
• External expert trainer to a ‘big four’ consultancy on strategy and operational engagement for several years.
• Published author on management and strategy (Kogan Page/Hodder and Stoughton)
• Richard has an MBA with distinction (Warwick Business School) and is studying for a Doctorate in Telecoms Strategy and Business Models.