The CW Board
Olu Orugboh
Olu is the CEO and Founder of Synergy Solutions, a specialist management consultancy practice, focussed on helping companies stay at the forefront of evolving technology and the ever-changing world of customer expectations, whilst remaining resilient and futureproofing their business.
As a senior leader and seasoned professional with over 20 years’ experience, leading businesses through change, transformation and migration into digital environments, Olu has assisted a range of companies from start-ups, through to high growth scale ups to FTSE listed companies both in the UK and Internationally to embrace digital technology, safely, whilst remaining resilient and responsive to the rapidly changing environment. Olu has deep international experience, assisting enterprises to turnaround their failing operations through to putting in place infrastructures to support growth initiatives and introduce digital innovation. She has extensive business experience having had the opportunity, through both her own business and other executive level positions to shape the strategy for a wide array of businesses and introduce digital technology, providing a range of companies with the opportunity to speed up response and enhance the quality of that response, which she believes to be vital in the delivery of an agile business.
Olu is highly committed to assisting organisations to become resilient and future proofed. In addition to running a business, Olu is a mother to two wonderful children and is passionate about growing the impact of digital technology in underserved communities.
- X:
- @oasikhia
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/olu-orugboh-7a9ba9/
Sylvia Lu, FRSA
Sylvia Lu is an award-winning Chartered Engineer and Non-Executive Director. Sylvia has over 16 years of experience in the Telecom industry for four mobile generations with semiconductor vendors. Sylvia provides guidance on the impact of emerging technologies on products and corporate strategy, influences global standards, accelerates the adoption of new technologies, and provides independent advice to industry and policy stakeholders.
Sylvia serves on several national and global industry Boards: she is an elected board director of CWC (CWConnected), and serves on the Advisory Board of UKTIN, which provides independent advice on the telecoms sector, champions the opportunities in telecoms research, development, and innovation for the UK, and helps UKTIN provide impartial input to government. She also served on the Board of 5G-ACIA (5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation), joined forces with global industry stakeholders to influence 5G development and deployment in line with industrial imperatives to accelerate Industry 4.0.
She holds a first-class Electronic Engineering degree, a Master of Science degree in Communications and Signal Processing from the University of Bristol. She graduated with a Distinction from the University of Oxford in PGDip Strategy & Innovation, and an Executive MBA degree from the University of Cambridge. Sylvia is also an artist.
- X:
- SylviaLuUk
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylvialu
Julie Bradford
Julie has worked in the wireless industry for over 20 years. She has held a member elected place on the CWConnected (CWC) board since 2022, is a champion for the newly formed Mobile Networks Special Interest Group (SIG) and was formerly a champion for the Virtual Networks SIG as well as the conference chair for CWIC 2021 and 2022.
At Real Wireless, she is a thought leader in business case analysis for wireless infrastructure including understanding emerging use cases, quantifying the operational, socio-economic and environmental benefits of enhanced wireless services and understanding network dimensioning and cost implications under different architecture options (including network virtualisation and slicing, public vs private mobile and shared vs dedicated infrastructure).
Julie currently leads Real Wireless’ involvement in the European Sustainability Lighthouse project, SUSTAIN-6G. Working alongside tier 1 European vendors and operators, this includes leading the development and application of frameworks for evaluating sustainability in 6G covering the dimensions of economic, societal and environmental sustainability with each of these considered from the perspectives of both direct infrastructure and device impact and indirect implications from usage of wireless (particularly in the smart energy, healthcare and agriculture sectors).
Julie has also worked with clients to understand the impact of investment in wireless infrastructure to their region or business, including local authorities (such as Belfast City Council), neutral hosts and transport hubs.
Prior to joining Real Wireless, Julie was Communications Engineer at QinetiQ UK, consultant at PA Consulting UK, and Senior Systems Engineer for Airvana UK.
Chris Bruce
An international business executive with over 30 years experience of leading growth businesses in wireless, internet and cloud sectors. Chris has spent 15 years in the Wi-Fi Service Provider business: CEO BT Openzone Wi-Fi; Chair of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (Board Director for 10 years); MD and Board Director, GlobalReach Technology (Wi-Fi roaming and authentication specialists).
Chris is now a strategic consultant to wireless vendors and operators offering advice and delivering projects to enhance Go To Market results. Chris is NED Chairman of Handshakr SAAS platform company, bringing together large corporates and smaller innovators to collaborate.
Chris’s career includes: Sales and Marketing Director Business mobile, Telfort (Dutch Mobile Operator); CEO BT Openzone Wi-Fi; VP Advise for Communications providing advisory and wholesale services to Telcos in Middle East, Africa, Asia, LatAm; VP Europe Channels BT Internet Hosting and NED at Inet Spa, Italian Internet Hosting market leader. Chris held leadership roles in BT Global, launching services to Enterprise and Wholesale customers. Previously, Chris had Marketing and Product management positions at Ericsson, Ascom and CASE Communications.
Chris has a passion for innovation and growth and has supported start-ups and scale-ups as a mentor in accelerator programmes focused on Smart Cities, Blockchain and Authentication. Chris has a deep interest in Industrial IoT and Smart Cities.
Public sector experience includes a 12 month secondment to the Department of Trade & Industry, managing the UK Broadband Britain delivery programme and representing on BT’s East of England Regional Board.
Dan Clarke
Dan is Head of Innovation and Technology for the Greater Cambridge Partnership and works with new and emerging tech to help address the challenges facing Cambridge such as traffic flow, the public transport system, and air quality. Dan’s work has included the deployment of sensor networks, data platforms and travel planning apps and trialling the UK’s first purpose-built automated bus as part of the public transport system. He has also worked with the University of Cambridge on a digital twin of the city.
Dan has supported Cambridge being used as testbed for new technologies. He works across local and central government, business and academia to ensure that the city is using new technologies to support its ambitions. Dan is currently on the UKTIN Transport working group, on the advisory board for DaRe (a university led project to support net zero transport) and he is a SIG champion for the Smart and Intelligent cities SIG.
Previously Dan worked for Connecting Cambridgeshire on the deployment of connectivity across the county. He led projects including the adoption of a LoRa network, assisted MNO’s in establishing mobile connectivity (including deploying 5G small cells) and explored the use of neutral host and private networks across the county.
Paul Crane
Paul is a telecoms technologist. He is a member of the CWConnected Board and became CEO in November 2022. He was Director of Network Research at BT, a member of the Telco Infra Project board and Wireless Broadband Alliance board. His career includes work in Europe and the USA, building and launching telecommunication joint-ventures.
Paul is a visiting professor at the University of Surrey, Institute for Communications Systems. He is passionate about the benefits of telecommunications, a common theme in his current work is to help drive telecommunications skills and capabilities in the UK.
Michaela Eschbach
Michaela has an impressive track record as a Founder and Director, both in the not-for-profit and for-profit space.
As co-founder of Form the Future CIC, Michaela drove strategic direction and operations for this multi-award-winning organisation which connects young people with career opportunities. As Managing Director of Founders4Schools, Michaela led the operational, financial and cultural transformation of this ed-tech charity.
Michaela is known for her passion and dedication in successfully driving companies through growth and challenges.
She was winner of the Cambridge News ‘Cambridge’s Most Influential Business people Award’ in 2017 and was included in the EU-Startups’ Top 100: Europe’s Most Influential Women in the Startup and Venture Capital Space in 2023.
Michaela says, "As CEO of CWConnected, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this exceptional organisation through a period of dynamic change in the tech landscape. Together with our dedicated members, we will harness the power of innovation to not only adapt to the evolving industry but to also drive it forward, ensuring CWConnected remains the cornerstone of technological advancement and value creation."
Tim Ensor
Tim Ensor is EVP and General Manager for Cambridge Consultant’s Intelligent Services Business Unit. He is responsible globally for CC’s business and client relationships in AI and Digital Services
Tim works with senior clients across many sectors to help them achieve business growth by identifying, developing and deploying world-changing innovation based on deep tech. Prior to CC, Tim has had a string of commercial leadership roles in high-growth technology and consulting businesses working in fields including AI, robotics, telecoms, energy, consumer goods and logistics.
He’s a frequent public speaker and event chair focusing on the latest developments at the intersection of technology and business. He has a Master of Engineering from University of Bath and MBA from University of Cambridge.
Paul Morris
Paul Morris is Vice President of the Communications Business Unit at EnSilica plc, where he leads the strategy, development and commercialisation of advanced wireless and semiconductor solutions. He began his career working on digital wireless technologies and semiconductor systems and has since built a distinguished career spanning over 30 years across both multinational corporations and high‑growth technology ventures.
Paul has held senior technical and commercial leadership roles at Qualcomm, CSR, Cadence and Symbionics, alongside key positions in several Cambridge‑based start‑ups. His experience bridges deep technical innovation with business leadership, encompassing product strategy, IP development, partnerships and market expansion in global technology markets.
He holds a First‑Class Honours degree in Electronic Engineering and is a Chartered Engineer with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). Paul is also a Project Management Professional (PMP) in good standing and is the author of multiple patents covering wireless technologies. His career reflects a consistent focus on translating complex engineering innovation into commercially successful products and sustainable business growth.
With extensive experience across the Cambridge technology ecosystem, Paul brings a strong understanding of how academia, start‑ups, scale‑ups and established organisations can collaborate to drive innovation. He is passionate about mentoring future leaders, strengthening industry networks and supporting initiatives that promote the continued growth and global impact of the Cambridge Wireless and technology community.
Jonathan Pearl
I am a (non-practicing) Solicitor with wide-ranging diplomacy, influencing, and communication skills. Over 30+ years working in 2 household-name tech companies I have gained a wealth of practical experience in managing projects and people in complex environments. I ran the Corporate Board of a multi-national Joint Venture in the Telecoms space for 12 years. I have lived and worked abroad (in USA and Japan) and at one time managed a global team of over 100 professionals.
I have expertise in corporate governance, compliance, and risk management and became a trusted senior adviser to organizations operating in challenging global environments.
I have been accredited as a mediator by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution since 2002, so after I left full-time employment in 2018, I decided to set up a mediation / conflict resolution consultancy. My mediation practice is mainly focused on the public sector. In 2018 I also became a Founder-Director of a virtual reality software developer working mainly in the Middle East – a position I gave up in March 2024.
Throughout my career I have always had a commitment to community service. In 2019 I was appointed by the Ministry of Justice to sit on the Independent Monitoring Board of HMP/YOI Feltham. I was a Trustee of an Education-Tech charity for 6 years. I have also been a school governor.
Dominick Peasley
Dominick is CEO of SPRK Capital, the leading FinTech lender to UK SMEs engaged in innovation, working with British Business Investments. The business has helped hundred of SMEs solve their cashflow requirements and enable them to continue to invest and develop some of the UK’s leading technology.
Prior to launching SPRK he was responsible for all lending capital at Funding Circle, the largest platform lender to small businesses in the UK. He joined pre-IPO to institutionalise their capital base and during his tenure raised over £5bn of new capital to support SMEs in the UK. He was instrumental in the UK Government loan schemes, through CBILS, BBLS and most recently the RLS programme.
Dominick is involved as the co-founder of Salt, the leading technology disruptor in cloud native music royalty processing, with the business scaling to over £10m of ARR in 3 years.
Before that, Dominick co-founded Capital-B a FinTech advisory and capital placement agency focused on developing lending businesses and increasing their access to funding.
Prior to this Dominick worked for Goldman Sachs where he headed UK and global bank distribution for its asset management business, he was voted their top European business development individual.
Dominick qualified as a chartered accountant with PwC and is a Fellow of the ICAEW. He holds a Masters in Engineering from Durham University.
Paula Rogers-Brown
Paula is the Founder of PRB Consulting, supporting business transformation and growth across scale-ups, corporates, research institutes, and innovation agencies. She brings strategic clarity and a highly collaborative leadership style to complex innovation environments, delivering sustainable impact across technology-led programmes, entrepreneurial ventures, and multi-stakeholder ecosystems.
Her current work includes leading on entrepreneurship engagement for Homerton Changemakers which includes the annual Catalyst Fund Social Innovation competition, 40 x 40 Mentor Scheme and entrepreneurship development programme. Her work also involves engaging across the collegiate university and wider innovation ecosystem.
Paula is a Non-Executive Director of CWConnected and is also a member of the Cambridge Tech Week Steering Committee. Paula also serves as a Panel Member for the Judicial Appointments Commission. She mentors start-up founders and has recently contributed to national research and innovation strategy as a panel member for a UKRI Cross-Research Council Interdisciplinary Funding Scheme.
Earlier leadership roles include positions at Innovate UK Business Connect and the Institution of Engineering & Technology, where she directed national innovation programmes, built strategic partnerships, and shaped sector-wide engagement initiatives.
Paula is a sought-after speaker on innovation entrepreneurship, and inclusive leadership, regularly sharing perspectives on building high-performing ecosystems and developing the next generation of founders and leaders.