Chris Thompson Email & Phone Number

Birmingham, West Midlands, Gb

As CEO I lead the vision and strategy for 'You. Smart. Thing.', and an amazing team of talented individuals! We enhance visitor experience and engagement by guiding people to destinations, venues, and events the smart way: personalised; accessible; sustainable.Our intuitive online travel assistant can be tailored to optimise data capture, people flow, dwell time and revenue generation. It enables organisations to offer content-enhanced wayfinding and curated low-carbon door-to-door travel plans that nudge visitors towards ‘net zero’.Easily embedded within web, mobile, ticket booking and customer relationship management systems, ‘You. Smart. Thing.’ adds an additional personalisation layer to services such as Google Maps. This allows destination operators to capture and maintain the visitor relationship, rather than handing off to third parties for travel planning and directions.Unlike Google, ‘You. Smart. Thing.’ offers configurable multi-modal routing directly to venue access points whilst capturing a valuable forecast of visitors’ travel plans. This data can be used for travel demand management, to handle disruptions, improve accessibility, promote active travel, measure transit-based Co2 emissions, and for highly targeted marketing. Click-through rates from travel alerts average 67%! ‘You. Smart. Thing.’ landing pages provide personalised GDPR compliant travel guidance alongside optional rich media content promoting relevant information or offers, at the point of consideration, booking confirmation, or in follow-up communications. Supported by our award-winning team and ISO certified business processes, clients including Coventry UK City of Culture Trust, Commonwealth Games 2022, Rugby League World Cup and multiple regional authorities use ‘You. Smart. Thing.’ to enhance their visitors’ experience. Start guiding your visitors the smart way. Email destinations@yousmartthing.com or visit www.yousmartthing.com.

Birmingham, West Midlands, Gb

As CSO, reporting to the group MD, my role focused on raising capital and steering investment in innovative software products and services that leveraged our IP and Enable's (Y.S.T.'s parent company) track record of building successful platforms. During this time we developed 'You. Smart. Thing.', as a registered trademark of Enable iD Limited, which I become the principal officer of whilst it was a subsidiary of Enable. My management team I bought Enable iD from the parent company in February 2020 and subsequently changed the company name to 'You. Smart. Thing.', focusing on our Travel Assistant SaaS platform proposition.

Leamington Spa, Gb

Established in 1936, Cogent Elliott is one of the oldest independent creative agencies in the world. It employs over 200 people and offers ‘specialist integrated’ services including brand development, through-the-line creative, film, photography, print, digital marketing and CRM. Reporting to the Group Director, Technology and Digital, my role and responsibilities were broadly split between:● Technology scouting: assessment & introduction to the business its clients (40%)● Designing and overseeing implementation of client solutions: product-to-market architecture, high-level user experience design & commercial modelling (40%),● Developing and disseminating Cogent digital services: hybrid web development methods (waterfall, agile), mobile (responsive, native development and LBS) search (SEO, PPC), social/social CRM and content driven analytics, attribution and BI reporting (20%)I led collaborative innovation and new product development initiatives between our in-house teams, technology suppliers and key clients (Atos, Halfords, Land Rover, Marketing Birmingham). I also supported new business activity in a technical pre-sales capacity.

Imano is a West End digital agency specialising in mobile application development. My role focused on understanding and breaking down high-level business objectives and system integration requirements, beyond native mobile operating system functionality. I would then work with the technical and creative teams to design and specify an integrated mobile-first solution. Key projects included:● Channel 4: I produced interactive workshops between TV production companies and Imano’s creative team, focusing on the use and application mobile devices as second screens. This led to a development commission for Channel 4 and ongoing collaborations within broadcast media. ● UEFA: I worked with the project lead to design, specify and procure a mobile optimised global content distribution solution, redefining the applications information architecture to minimise streaming overheads whilst still delivering a compelling user experience.● Endemol: I led a joint-venture proposition between Imano, Endemol Sport and The FA/Wembley Stadium, to create a mobile video platform allowing fans to remotely stream and navigate exclusive live content.● Google GetMo: I successfully led Imano’s bid to become a Google mobile development partner, securing B2B marketing client introductions. In order to scale-up the companies’ founders sold a controlling stake in Imano to global IT services provider, Ness Technologies.

London, Gb

As a former client of DA Recordings (see below), PIAS had an immediate need to develop its online retail business. I moved to PIAS as a contractor and quickly became an integrated member of the senior team with P&L responsibility for online marketing and European roll out of Direct-to-consumer (D2C) Ecommerce, working across operations, IT, business affairs, sales and finance. I worked with our label management teams in Belgium and Paris to build a multi-lingual sales and marketing platform, CRM and global logistics operation supporting both physical and digital products as well as live event ticketing. I also played an active role in helping our global product teams conceive and develop exclusive format bundles, innovative merchandise and packaging, and unique fan experiences. As well as numerous high-profile Ecommerce campaigns, we developed The 02’s official mobile app and installed Bluetooth proximity marketing at O2 Academy venues, incentivising fans to sign-up to artist mailing lists with the offer of instant exclusive digital content.

At Digital Animal I took overall responsibility for client management, channel development and software specification. Having built the business from scratch starting back in 2004, I finally cashed in my chips 6 years on, leaving it in capable hands.

After appearing on Dragons Den I founded DA Recordings Ltd in October 2004 to capitalise on the threat that the Internet presented to the music industry. I had full responsibility for every aspect of the business employing a team of 8 and managing an outsourced software development team of a further 8 people. I secured over £400k in seed capital and built an annual turnover of over £1.8m based on our direct to consumer retail model. We executed successful campaigns for acts including Radiohead, Dame Shirley Bassey and Pink Floyd, becoming preferred suppler to EMI Music. We worked directly with management teams and key stakeholders creating new revenue streams by extending our marketing and commerce solutions to high street brands via music loyalty incentives. After EMI’s takeover by Terra Firma in 2007 I coordinated the sale of DA, its shift to an affiliate marketing led business model and rebrand to Digital Animal in 2009.

London, Gb

I worked for Your Communications, subsequently acquired by Thus and then Vodafone in 2012. I was responsible for a modest annual business development target of £2.6m, selling ISP and Telecommunications services to both public and private sector organisations.

Glasgow, Gb

I worked for OnCue Telecommunications, acquired by Iomart in 2001. I was targeted to secure broadband, virtual private network, router, Voice Over IP, PBX and call centre solution sales.

Miami, Florida, Us

Sales and marketing role positioning Cable & Wireless Communications (UK) Ltd (acquired by Liberty Global in 2016) portfolio of mobile, fixed line telecoms and Internet access products within an account base of 500 SME’s.

Ba(Hons.), Commercial Music

Post A-Level, Media

Btec, Audio Engineering

Btec, Electrical & Mechanical Engineering