This is who we are

Our people are dyed in the wool web afficianados who clearly understand the role of the new web for business and the individual.

We live and breathe the semantic web, search engines, consumer social media engagament, localisation, continual testing, usable interfaces, funnel optimisation, software as a service, open source content management systems, and agile, iterative delivery.

Our experience covers agency, client and global product work, so the people we work with benefit from this whether we’re working on a European microsite, UK search engine campaign, company content management system or global web application spanning in multiple languages. Underneath it all, the systems, processes, code and infrastructure are all the same, so this is where our people, knowledge and experience shine.

Where necessary we work with peers we respect from more traditional disciplines, to deliver on elements of project delivery where we’re happy to say we’re not expert. For example we don’t hire full time designers, but we do work with very good designers and brand agencies when required. Sticking to our knitting is very important to us, and so is open, honest communication.

Our team is based in Clerkenwell, London; and Sandton, Johannesburg.

Please note that because our people are continually hounded by recruitment agents, we’re only listing principle or contact people.

Principle people:

Gareth Knight – Managing Director, Product Lead, Chief Coffee Maker
Gareth is a digital maven and open source evangelist. Educated as a zoologist, he is a veteran of two dot com bubbles in London, one web 2.0 acquisition, and runs Technovated.

Previously, Gareth served in London as Director of Product Management for MyHeritage.com, a global family genealogy company based in Tel Aviv.

Before joining MyHeritage, Gareth landed seed funding from London’s top early stage investors to co-found Kindo.com, a global family social network with an international team spread around the world. He then led the Product team in London to roll out a localised version of Kindo in 17 languages within 6 months, as well as an aggressive search engine campaign, both of which resulted in users from circa 220 countries and an enviable growth rate.

Kindo was voted one of the top 3 most promising Internet companies in the UK for 2008, and was acquired by MyHeritage in August that year.

Gareth is also organising a web and emerging tech conference, which will bring global experience and perspective to the African context. He also mentors people in Johannesburg who are looking to find their way in the digital industry.

Gareth splits his time between Technovated offices in London and Johannesburg.

Stephen Blake – Technical Lead, Assistant Coffee Maker
Stephen is a tech ninja who understands the role technology plays in business. He served as an officer in the Navy for 5 years and has a degree majoring in Computer Information Systems and Management.

Before Technovated, Stephen worked on a portal implementation for Sony Music involving SAP, Java and Flex, where he was able to hone his Agile development skills. He was a core member of Kindo, which was acquired by MyHeritage in 2008, and now makes sure that everything we deliver benefits from that experience. He has a number of years of web development experience and is a huge fan of open source software.

Stephen is an active runner and triathlete and when he’s not in the office you’re likely to find him training or competing in various endurance events.

Stephen is based in our Clerkenwell office in London.

Brondie McNamara – Business Manager, mine’s a latte’

Brondie keeps it all ticking over and does the jobs nobody else has time to do. With a background in new media office management, she is used to a fast-paced and creative environment and organises things for fun.

She recently carried out some large projects in Soho and runs a music production company with her husband.
Raised in South Africa, Australia, Ireland and the UK, and a stint living in Europe, Brondie can understand the lingo bandied about the office, and is delighted to be back in London.

Nicolás Pérgola – Content Manager, Coffee making maestro

Nicolás is a former advertising professional who’s turned digital. He’s focused on market analysis and content management to help develop Technovated’s consumer retail web-based products.

Before Technovated, he joined Kindo as a Community Manager, a role he continued performing later at MyHeritage.com. He was able to get first hand experience on the art of managing a brand through social media and online PR.

Previously, Nicolás worked for several years in account management at the Buenos Aires offices of a few global advertising agencies. An important part of his experience focused on the telecommunications industry, having worked for local and world-renowned brands of the likes of Sony Ericsson and AT&T, among others.

He’s based in London, where he enjoys everything, even the weather.