Paul Elswood

Chief Operating Officer, Planixs
London Area, United Kingdom,United Kingdom
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Who Is Paul Elswood?

Total Experience31 years
CompanyPlanixs
CountryUnited Kingdom

Paul Elswood is a highly experienced technology leader, entrepreneur, and investor, best known as the co-founder and former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of MessageLabs, a pioneering cloud-based email security company. He played a pivotal role in developing MessageLabs' innovative technology and scaling the business, leading to its successful acquisition by Symantec in 2008 for approximately $695 million. Post-acquisition, Paul served as a Vice President at Symantec. With decades of experience in cybersecurity, SaaS, and cloud infrastructure, he has since been actively involved in the tech ecosystem as an investor, advisor, and board member for various growth-stage technology companies (such as Red Sift and CensorNet, among others), leveraging his expertise to help them innovate and scale. He is recognized for his deep technical knowledge and strategic vision in the software and security industries.

How Did Paul Elswood's Career Path Shape Their Journey?

Paul Elswood's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:

Planixs - Chief Operating Officer(2016 to Present)
Financial Services Company - Director of Technology Innovation and Analytics(2015 to 2016)
Aptean - Managing Director, EMEA(2012 to 2013)
CDC Software - Managing Director EMEA(2011 to 2012)
Oracle Retail - EMEA Delivery Director(2005 to 2007)
Accenture - Senior Manager(1992 to 2005)

What Are Paul Elswood's Key Achievements?

Co-founder and CTO of MessageLabs

Co-founded MessageLabs in 1999 and, as CTO, led the technological development of one of the world's first cloud-based email security services, growing it into a global leader protecting millions of users.

Successful Acquisition by Symantec

Spearheaded the technology strategy that contributed to MessageLabs' acquisition by Symantec for approximately $695 million in 2008, a landmark deal in the cybersecurity industry.

Pioneer in Cloud Security (SaaS)

Recognized as an early innovator in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and cloud-based security solutions, fundamentally shaping the direction of the email and web security industry well before 'cloud' became a ubiquitous term.

Technology Advisor and Investor

Actively contributes to the growth of new technology ventures through strategic advisory roles, board memberships, and investments, fostering innovation in the UK tech scene and beyond, particularly in cybersecurity and enterprise software.

Led Development of Skeptic™ Anti-Spam Technology

As CTO of MessageLabs, he was instrumental in the development of Skeptic™, a proprietary heuristics-based anti-spam and anti-virus technology that was highly effective and a key differentiator for the company.

What's Paul Elswood's Educational Background?

Bachelor of Engineering (BEng), Manufacturing Engineering

The University of Birmingham - Year 1988

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Notable news
Hiring actively
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Company Overview

Planixs
Total employees85
HeadquartersManchester
Founded2011

Planixs is a leading provider of real-time, intraday cash, collateral, and liquidity management solutions. Their flagship platform, Realiti®, enables financial institutions and corporations to gain instant visibility and control over their treasury operations, optimize liquidity, reduce risk, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements like intraday liquidity reporting. From an end-user perspective, this means faster, more informed decisions about cash and liquidity, leading to improved operational efficiency and financial stability.

Planixs Funding Information
Unknown - Total Funding Raised
$3.8M - Most recent funding amount
3 - Number of funding rounds
19 Jan, 2022 - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
BGF (Business Growth Fund)
Manchester Tech Trust Angels (now part of Praetura Ventures)

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