TechWM announces leadership shake up, in bid to scale
TechWM’s founder Yiannis Maos is stepping back as CEO, after helping businesses raise more than £100 and inspiring thousands of people to join the tech sector.
Maos will remain on the TechWM board as Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer and will be succeeded by cybersecurity expert Andy Hague, who will join in April.
Not-for-profit organisation TechWM has become known for its most popular showcase event, Birmingham Tech Week, the UK’s largest regional tech festival.
Its sixth tech week was hosted in October, with backing from IBM and a visit for Peter Kyle, the secretary of state for science, innovation & technology.
Stepping into the role is Andy Hague, a tech entrepreneur and board member with over 20 years of experience. As an expert in cybersecurity, with in-depth knowledge and understanding of investment funding, Hague is looking to drive a new era of growth for the West Midlands tech ecosystem.
Maos said: “It’s been an amazing journey, starting with a simple desire to make the tech ecosystem more accessible and evolving into a strategic force for growth.
“I’m proud of our journey, from 5,000 attendees at our first Tech Week to recent recognition from giants like IBM and a visit from the Secretary of State. This fuels our ambition to reach a £100 billion tech sector by 2030 and solidify our narrative: Making Tech Succeed In The Most Human of Places.
“As we transition to CEO leadership, our focus will be strategy, innovation, and preserving our agile spirit. We’ll continue creating opportunities for local talent, ensuring they don’t need to move to London. This is about building a thriving, collaborative community, recognising our collective strength is key to unlocking the West Midlands’ tech potential.”
Hague said: “Leading TechWM, an organisation aligned with my values and my work throughout the last two decades, became an irresistible opportunity after my recent work in industry and government.
“My priority is maintaining TechWM’s momentum and strategically focusing the team’s immense dedication to maximise impact. Strengthening their ‘can-do’ reputation is vital for solidifying TechWM as the key player in public-private tech partnerships.
“Yiannis’s remarkable legacy, especially Birmingham Tech Week’s national prominence, and his continued involvement were crucial to my decision in taking this role. I know from the past 8 years just how much of yourself you need to put into anything to take it from an idea to a reality. I am absolutely delighted that he will be staying involved , and I don’t think I would have considered the role without that knowledge. I look forward to being able to continue the growth of the community that Yiannis, and TechWM, have developed for the region!”
Jason Sahota, Chair of the TechWM board comments: “The board is delighted to welcome Andy as CEO as TechWM is just getting started with the ecosystem showing promising alignment and the opportunity for significant growth.We’ll see a shift from collaboration to partnership, inspiration to opportunity, and celebration to impact. We cannot wait to see the big things that will happen in the upcoming years – keep your eyes peeled!”
