Kingdon resumes chairman’s role at Warrington software specialist

Warrington software specialist Blue Prism announced today that Dr Jason Kingdon has re-assumed the role of full-time executive chairman.

This is a role he previously held prior to the company’s successful IPO in 2016.

He will aim to accelerate AIM-listed Blue Prism’s role as a platform for corporate adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies.

Dr Kingdon has been engaged with Blue Prism for more than 11 years and has an unparalleled understanding of the product, its underlying technology, and the group’s ongoing strategic direction.

He has a PhD in AI from University College London (UCL) and has been commercialising AI for more than 25 years.

He was co-founder of the Intelligent System Lab at UCL and Searchspace where he was CEO between 1993 and until its highly successful exit in 2005, when he sold the business to US private equity.

Kingdon had previously communicated his intention to step back from the board of Blue Prism to focus on several AI projects, which have now largely been completed.

The board said it is confident in this new more commercial role, and that Dr Kingdon’s experience can accelerate the group’s stance in relation to rapidly-evolving AI technology.

As executive chairman Dr Kingdon will assume direct reporting and leadership responsibility for Blue Prism’s go-to-market and product functions

Alastair Bathgate will remain chief executive and will focus the majority of his time on customer relationships, promotion of the Blue Prism brand and various strategic programmes.

These responsibilities increasingly require dedicated and expert attention given the group’s rapid global growth and the increasing opportunities within the group’s existing customer base of more than 1,400, the company said.

Kingdon and Bathgate will share responsibility for investor relations. These changes to the structure will become effective immediately.

With these changes the board will have half its members as independent non-executive directors. Further, to ensure appropriate governance, Chris Batterham will assume the role of non-executive deputy chairman and remain as senior independent director of the group.

Alastair Bathgate said: “I am delighted that Jason is taking on this new exciting role; we have collaborated for over 11 years, he was one of the first to recognise the market opportunity and help Blue Prism enter its growth phase.

“Jason supported us as we developed and launched one of the most important technologies to emerge from the UK in decades.

“It is great to be working together full-time again and it completes another successful year for Blue Prism. A full update on our trading performance will be issued on 21 November.”

Jason Kingdon said: “I have been working with Alastair and Dave Moss for over 11 years and it’s exciting to be back with operations as I believe we are on the cusp of RPA being recognised as the platform of choice for all corporate AI.

“As an AI technologist it is an amazing time to really promote, execute and accelerate technologies, methods and ideas that have now matured into powerful corporate capabilities.

“RPA is, in my mind, AI for business and will be the channel through which this powerful fast-evolving technology breaks through to mainstream business.”