Appold

We started Appold as an emerging technology advisory and investment company whose main focus is to assist:
• Emerging Technology firms expand their businesses through strategic management and capital solutions
• Investment groups seeking returns within the Emerging Technology sector
• Corporates and Institutions looking to utilise and implement new technologies

We are already helping some fantastic companies. Please check the website https://www.appold.com/ for more details.

Partner

Blockchain Centre Vilnius

I was a board member for the Blockchain centre in Vilnius, Lithuania.  This exciting project brings many blockchain companies together in one building and has an excellent team of mentors and trainers to advance the use of blockchain across many industries.  I am happy to have helped where I could and enjoyed working with a fantastic group of people.  https://bcgateway.eu/

Board Member

Pillar

The only community-run, multichain DeFi wallet with one address, low-to-no gas fees, and in-app curated insights to help you ‘learn to earn’.

* Private keys secured by smart contracts
* Fully decentralised for data privacy
* Open source and non-custodial
* Owned and run by the community DAO

Pillar is one place for your tokens, NFTs, dApps and DeFi services. Easily connect to Ethereum, Polygon, Gnosis Chain, BNB Chain, and more.

Please see www.pillar.fi for more.

Foundation President

2030 Group

2030 Group is a global innovation holding and venture studio using distributed ledger technology to solve real-world problems. 2030 Group acquired and created a portfolio of projects in Decentralised Identity, Digital Assets Custody, Digital Assets Tokenisation, and Blockchain Layer-2 Infrastructure. 

Our projects have won multiple industry awards, and have gained significant coverage and recognition, notably for executing the first FCA-regulated Equity Token Offering on a regulated securities venue (the Turquoise platform of the London Stock Exchange).

Co-Founder

Consultancy and Crypto trading

Assisting start-ups and existing companies with digital transformation and also explaining Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies.  Personal trading on Cryptocurrencies, tracking and investing in the ICO market.

Stonehage Fleming

Responsible for all IT Strategy, budget and team, based in the main operations centre in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.  Stonehage Fleming is a Global financial services organisation and has offices in 11 locations across Europe, South Africa and the US.  It is a Multi Family office for the UHNW families of the world.

•	Centralised all IT operations and brought together silo based IT and Software functions (30 staff).  The IT team benefited from a new culture of coaching and learning that brought on their skills and confidence.  Hired a new Security and Networks team to make staff accountable for security and standardise the companies network, audio and video infrastructure.  Established a Software and Application support team that ensured skills within the team and outsourced providers delivered value quickly.
•	Kept strong financial control of all projects and operation expenses making sure that each year the IT department was within budget.  The company grew from 280 staff in 2011 to over 500 staff now and the IT team stayed the same size.  From the beginning of 2015 ran the successful integration project to merge with Fleming Family and Partners finishing this project at the end of 2015.
•	Implemented a secure private cloud infrastructure based in 2 datacentres in Switzerland. This is now the foundation for a secure IT infrastructure that the group uses for all client data and applications.
•	Implemented a Microsoft strategy and negotiated an Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft to gain discounts and implementation assistance with key software that is now in use.  Microsoft CRM is used by the whole firm to record all activity with clients.  Microsoft AX is used for corporate accounting and HR functions.  Microsoft SharePoint for a central intranet and reporting platform.  Microsoft System Centre suite is used for all IT control and automation.

Group Information Technology Director

Ermitage

In 2003 it was recognised that aligning business and IT strategy was key to the future success and ability to scale the business further. Focused on many change management and process re-engineering projects to improve further the efficiency and reduce costs in the group.  Instrumental in starting and managing the process of building 2 world class systems:

LEWIS – A quantitative and qualitative system tracking over 5000 hedge funds.  It also includes; liquidity tracking, order and cash management, portfolio projection and due diligence monitoring.
OPTICS – Advanced proprietary tool for creating and managing customised portfolios to client objectives.  It uses an advanced construction algorithm that transforms forecasts into portfolios. 

•	In 2006 headed up the team that moved our Luxembourg administration function to HSBC and then built a new technology platform for the future Ermitage business (owned by Caledonia and Management).
•	In 2009 given more responsibility to oversee all of IT, Infrastructure, Information areas of the business (8 people). Successfully implemented in the information areas a change in processes into semi and fully automated.  This allowed the team to concentrate on error free and high quality information delivery to clients.  Implemented the move of our administration function from HSBC to Bank of America (now LaCrosse)
•	In 2010 successfully licensed Ermitage’s core technology to a large US Pension fund which is now fully integrated into their investment decision making process.
•	Achieved 100% up time for core systems; LEWIS, OPTICS, Sage CRM,   Microgen 4Series, Opalis Robot, SharePoint, SAP and Access Dimensions.  All projects have been delivered on time and on budget.

Group IT Director

Liberty Ermitage

Responsibility for 3 sites and a total of 5 staff.  The business grew rapidly ($600m to $2bn AUM) without increasing the Group staff count of 60. This was achieved by investing in systems (Microgen 4Series, Sungard Invest1, Sage CRM) and adding efficiencies in processes through system development. Core achievements were:
•	Project managed three core system installations 
•	Project managed numerous in-house software systems
•	Automated 100’s of processes using Opalis Robot server
•	Implemented a robust secure WAN infrastructure using multiple connections in each office
•	Built ‘Hot site’ Business Recovery centres.
•	Designed and built the Liberty Ermitage corporate web site.
•	Kept the IT team together through 2 corporate takeovers.

Group IT Manager

Morpeth IT

Founded and held position of CEO for a Computer Consultancy business, ascertaining and recommending solutions including computer hardware and software needs. Specialised in deploying innovative software solutions, managing computer networks, training, troubleshooting, marketing and general technology advice.  Clients were from financial services, property and retail backgrounds.

CEO for IT Consultancy

Investor and advisor to the emerging technology sector with over 30 years of experience in running and expanding international financial organisations. 
Before setting up Appold, Rob was a co-founder of 2030 and President of the Pillar Project, both well-respected Blockchain companies.  Before that Rob was a Director of Stonehage Fleming, one of the largest independent multi-service family offices, and Ermitage, a specialist asset manager, focused on the Hedge fund industry.
Rob has a Fintech Qualification from MIT and has strong interests in Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin), Artificial Intelligence and the disruption that these technologies will have on many industries.

Experience includes Global Technology Deployment, Strategic and Business Planning, Merger and Acquisitions, Team management and Coaching, Project and Change Management, Business Process Re-engineering, Security, Organisational Redesign, Software Development, Blockchain and Fintech.

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