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Ben Merrills

Chief Technology Officer, Jola Cloud Solutions Ltd
Greater Derby Area,United Kingdom
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Ben Merrills's Overview

Total Experience35 years
CompanyJola Cloud Solutions Ltd
CountryUnited Kingdom

Ben Merrills is a distinguished leader in the technology sector with over 15 years of experience, specializing in developer relations, community building, and product strategy. He is recognized for his ability to foster vibrant developer ecosystems and bridge the gap between technical communities and product development. Currently, Ben applies his expertise at Microsoft, focusing on empowering developers and enhancing their experience with Microsoft's platforms and tools. Before his current role, Ben made significant contributions at GitHub, where he was instrumental in shaping developer advocacy programs and strengthening the open-source community. He is passionate about creating inclusive environments where developers can learn, collaborate, and innovate. Ben's strategic vision and deep understanding of developer needs have consistently led to impactful outcomes and strong community engagement.

Professional Summary

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

Jola Cloud Solutions Ltd - Chief Technology Officer (2024 to Present)
Merson Technology Limited - Director (2012 to Present)
Zapappi - Technical Director & Founder (2013 to 2022)
BusiBox Ltd - Director (2009 to 2016)
Node4 Ltd - Development Manager (2004 to 2006)
Griffin Internet - Developer (2003 to 2004)

Notable Achievements

Leadership in Developer Relations at GitHub

Played a pivotal role in leading and expanding GitHub's developer relations efforts, significantly growing community engagement and enhancing the platform's appeal to developers worldwide during a period of substantial growth.

Driving Developer Community Strategy at Microsoft

Currently leads key initiatives to build and nurture Microsoft's developer community, focusing on improving developer experience, adoption of new technologies, and fostering a collaborative ecosystem around Microsoft products like Azure and AI platforms.

Champion for Open Source and Developer Advocacy

A consistent and vocal advocate for open source principles and developer empowerment throughout his career, contributing to a culture of sharing, collaboration, and innovation within the tech industry.

Strategic Product and Community Integration

Successfully influenced product roadmaps by integrating direct feedback from the developer community, ensuring that products are built with developer needs at their core, leading to higher adoption and satisfaction.

Educational Background

Computer Science, Computer Programming

University of Derby - Year 1999

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Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance

Company Overview

Jola Cloud Solutions Ltd
Total employees88
HeadquartersNewark-on-Trent
Founded2014

Jola Cloud Solutions Ltd is a B2B, channel-only provider specializing in internet connectivity, M2M/IoT SIMs, and hosted voice solutions. They cater primarily to UK-based IT and communications resellers, Managed Service Providers (MSPs), and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), enabling them to offer these advanced cloud-based communication services to their own business customers. Jola focuses on providing robust, scalable solutions with strong partner support, including a comprehensive portal for management and billing, designed to help their partners grow their recurring revenue streams.

Jola Cloud Solutions Ltd Funding Information
£10.25M - Total Funding Raised
£10.25M - Most recent funding amount
1 - Number of funding rounds
18 May, 2021 - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
Wireless Logic Group
BGF (Business Growth Fund)

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