investors
Firdaus Ruttonshaw - non-executive chairman
Firdaus read law at Jesus College, Cambridge, between 1968 and 1972. He became a qualified accountant with Price Waterhouse and worked with them in the Middle East from 1972 until 1979.
In practice in the Middle East in the latter years he became a partner with Coopers & Lybrand from 1980 to 1997.
In 1997 Firdaus became the Managing Director or Flightbookers plc in London, out of which ebookers plc was born and listed on NASDAQ and LSE.
Mary Clarke - chief executive
Mary J Clarke has served as Chief Executive of Cognisco since January 2004. Under her leadership the company has achieved sustained profitability and implemented a new operating model, developed a more customer and market driven culture and expanded the role and reach of Cognisco.
Mary brings a wealth of business experience to Cognisco. She has worked for a number of technology based companies including start-ups and high growth businesses. She has held UK, European and Worldwide roles for small, medium and large businesses. Her knowledge of Sales and Marketing together with experience in software and services organisations forms a basis of experience to guide Cognisco as it grows both nationally and into other geographical markets.
Before joining Cognisco Mrs Clarke spent over twenty years in the IT and Telecommunications industry. She has developed a number of businesses from start-up in the UK and Far-East, served as Vice President for Lucent Technologies, formerly AT&T Network Systems and as Director of Network Services, Digital Equipment Company Limited.
Mary is a mathematics graduate from Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh.
Kenneth ‘buzz’ West - non-executive director
Following time as a commissioned Army Officer in the UK armed forces Kenneth spent 15 years in Reuters, the financial services information group, latterly as Managing Director of the Middle East and Africa.
Kenneth now runs the investment advisory group Kenneth West Associates and has successfully developed a number of companies with international trading interests in Europe, Middle East and United States in high technology, natural resources and service sectors. He is a Director of Syndicate Asset Management PLC. He also serves as an advisor to certain AIM listed finance and investment companies.
Scott Sharp - director
Scott Sharp is one of the original founders of Cognisco and a major shareholder. Based upon his experience in quantifying and interpreting market opportunities on behalf of clients around the world, his vision was to create an online system that would allow organisations globally to determine how, through their employee base, they could increase efficiency, reduce cost, mitigate risk and maximize productivity by accurately determining employees' levels of understanding, misunderstanding and confidence.
Taking the company from its inception in 1998, Cognisco today assesses client employees in over 140 countries and represents some of the world's leading blue chip organisations and governments.
Scott is also an international sales and marketing business applications expert having over 20 years experience working in the Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific markets.
2007 Highlights
Increased turnover and profit by 54.6% and 113.7% respectively,
Exceeded £1.7 million in net profit before tax and 42% net margin,
Increased export revenues to the USA by 31.4% which accounted for 27% of all revenues,
Increased shareholders’ funds by 76.7%,
Increased profit margins by changing the sales mix to gain a greater focus on more profitable software licences,
Strengthened the focus on sales and marketing by investing in additional resources and PR,
Entered new verticals: Call Centres, Utilities, Public Sector, Defence and Education,
View the full Cognisco Limited Financial Statements (31st December 2007).
2008 Outlook
During 2008, we will continue to enhance our products and solutions whilst improving the service user’s experience. The emphasis will be on:
Excellent headline earnings,
Maintaining high profit before tax margins,
Record sales in the UK & USA,
A strong cash position,
Funding growth in the USA,
Entering new and attractive verticals,
Securing additional high profile alliances; and
To be viewed as a strong prospect for sale.
