Phil Young, area vice president – Northern Europe, Sitecore

What has been your path to power?

I’ve worked in and around software and technology since graduating from Brunel University in 1994, primarily in sales, and initially with a Dutch ERP software vendor before moving into the CRM space when Salesforce was launching. Without realising at the time, these early years gave me insights and exposure to the value of data across all business disciplines. So, when I changed direction in the early 2000s and founded a facilities management business with my brother, we adopted a data-driven approach and invested in a technology and data foundations that at the time no other providers could match.

Returning to the software vendor world in 2010, I spent a number of years with Alterian and Adobe, before a five-year spell at Tealium. I’m now enjoying leading the Northern European business for Sitecore and was drawn to Sitecore’s ambition and vision, which is to disrupt the market with innovative solutions that turn consumers in to fans. As I reflect on the last 28 years since graduating, it’s easy to see that data, and its application to help solve business problems has been at the heart of all my roles.