New CEO revealed at private equity-backed IT firm
Air IT, the Nottingham- Derby- and Lincoln-based IT managed services provider, has appointed Barney Taylor as its new CEO.
Air IT is backed by August Equity and provides IT and cyber security services to almost 3,000 customers, employing over 500 people across 12 offices.
Taylor was latterly CEO at Focus Group, where the business achieved organic- and M&A-driven growth, securing new investment and unicorn status with a $1bn valuation earlier this year.
The move will also see Taylor join the August Equity Technology Panel.
The appointment comes after recent addition of Gordon Hurst as Air IT chairman.
He said: “It is a fantastic time to be joining Air IT and working with Gordon and the team at August Equity. Air IT has a clear plan to accelerate over the coming years and as we look to realise this ambition, we will build a business that people love to work in, built on high performance, a clear focus on customer service and a great culture.’
Hurst said: “Barney brings deep expertise of the IT services market, particularly focused on the SME sector. Aside from his considerable organic growth and M&A experience, he also has a proven track record in creating a positive culture and a focus on customer service in the businesses that he has run. We are excited to have him on board to help Air IT to continue to capitalise on the rapidly growing UK SME IT Services market.”
Mehul Patel, partner at August Equity said: “We welcome Barney into Air IT, where we look forward to working with him on the next stage of growth. We are also very pleased he will be working with the wider August Equity team to drive scale and future investment opportunities across both our portfolio and the wider market.”
