ITS Partners with Generation Next to Support the Careers of Young Professionals 

In our bid to empower young professionals to take ownership of their advancing careers, build confidence and foster their professional minds, we have partnered with Generation Next to propel young people’s futures. 

Generation Next: What We’ve Been Up To 

We have been busy in our partnership and have already been a critical component in one of the most exciting Generation Next events this year, the Generation Next Awards. It has been an honour to sponsor the Volunteering and Social Impact category, with our Social Value Manager, Marie Steele, on the judging panel. The candidates, all aged between 18-35, wrote detailed applications and were interviewed by the panel in May. 

The category had so many outstanding candidates who, in themselves, signal such a strong future for innovation and creativity, while incorporating a solid social conscience. Speaking about her experience on the judging panel, Marie Steele said that “it was tough” as “all the applications were fantastic. We had real trouble at the end deciding who should win because the standard was so high! They were all very inspiring.” 

Courtney Brindley took the prize for her work to improve the lives of people subjected to domestic violence. Her development, delivery, and promotion of her J9 Training, alongside her busy full-time role and other commitments, demonstrates the tenacity of the workforce of tomorrow and signals a positive trend in the next generation of workers, showing that they’re dedicated, driven and able to juggle varying priorities. 

Courtney’s J9 initiative has a real-world impact on people subjected to domestic abuse, with the training helping workplaces become more aware and readily prepared to support their employees who might share their experience. The J9 initiative encourages businesses to become safe spaces for their people to access information and support around domestic abuse. 

Impact 

At the forefront of our partnership with Generation Next is a commitment to empowering young people to take ownership of their future. At ITS, we pride ourselves on taking a chance and forging our destiny, which is why we are so proud to partner with Generation Next. Empowering young people has a far more significant impact than simply recognising their ambitions, instead acting as a catalyst to motivate, inspire, and drive forward their ambition to become leaders of the future. 

Through the Generation Next Awards, we send a compelling message that values the contributions of young professionals, propelling them to excel in a competitive world. What’s more, providing opportunities for them to display potential across sectors is vital, nurturing innovation and progress. 

In partnership with Generation Next, we foster innovation and individuality, countering challenges in today’s competitive landscape while pursuing societal change. Courtney’s achievement exemplifies innovation for change, which is why she was the perfect choice for the Volunteering and Social impact award.  

Generation Next also shines a spotlight on local innovation in the East Midlands, giving the area the recognition it deserves as an enterprise hub. Our sponsorships highlight local entrepreneurship, driving investment and support to the local area. We’re excited about our ongoing partnership, hosting events, and nurturing young business leaders with entrepreneurial, socially conscious values. 

This is only the beginning of our partnership with Generation Next. We are truly looking forward to sponsoring more of these amazing events and continuing to support young people in their bid to become market leaders with entrepreneurial values, strong regard for social value, and an empowered attitude that propels them into the next generation of career success. We’ll also be sponsoring the Generation Next Conference in October, so we look forward to continuing our journey towards supporting the next generation of inspiring young professionals and entrepreneurs.  

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Dave Ferry
Chief Sales Officer

As Chief Sales Officer, Dave leads the sales strategy at ITS, driving growth and strengthening customer relationships. Overseeing commercial success across Partner Markets, Public Sector and Major Business, Dave uses his 20 years of telecoms experience to build high-performing teams and deliver innovative solutions that meet market demands.

Previously, Dave held senior roles at Virgin Media Business, leading successful teams in various market segments.

Kevin McNulty
Strategy Director

Kevin leads the Strategy team in ITS, comprising the core functions of network Investment (including M&A), regulation, public affairs, product management and marketing. With over 4 years’ experience within the leadership team of ITS, Kevin has played a pivotal role in shaping the business direction as it has grown to be a leading provider of B2B wholesale connectivity.

Prior to ITS, Kevin has a long background in the industry, having held senior positions in BT, Virgin Media, KCOM and NTT – as well as a period spent in consultancy.

Claire Davies
People & Culture Director

Claire is the People and Culture Director for ITS, responsible for ensuring we provide a great place to work, with amazing people who are happy, productive, and engaged.

A CIPD qualified HR professional with previous industry experience at Amey, as well as more recent experience in a number of small businesses, Claire is passionate about putting people first in order to grow the business.

Mike Goodwin
Chief Technology Officer

Mike is responsible for all technical, operations, customer service and security within ITS. Using his degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and MBA from Manchester Business School, Mike focuses on how ITS can introduce and support complex solutions designed to create customer-focused teams that ensure exceptional experience. On top of his extensive career history spanning TalkTalk, Hyperoptic and Fibre Nation, Mike is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the IET.

Charlie Versi
Chief Operating Officer

Charlie leads ITS’s end-to-end operational delivery, with a focus on service excellence and delivering an outstanding experience for both partners and their business customers. His appointment will help build on the company’s strong foundations – driving transformation, quality, and innovation and using them as key enablers of continued growth.

Daren Baythorpe
Chief Executive Officer

Daren is a dynamic leader who drives the strategy, growth and direction of ITS. Daren has significant utility / telecoms sector experience and has held several board-level leadership and advisory positions for a number of organisations including Severn Trent Water and BT. He served on the Board of Openreach, where he held executive responsibilities as Director of the Customer Service Division, Director for Field Engineering then latterly serving as Managing Director of the Business Division.

Daren also regularly advises and collaborates with government and other regulatory / telecoms bodies on sector-related issues. His in-depth knowledge and understanding of the requirements of operators and high capacity data users, through his vast experience across the industry, mean that ITS is thriving under his leadership

Kevin Gaskell
Chairman

Kevin leads our board and is responsible for giving strategic advice and counsel, as well as attracting and driving investment. Kevin is recognised as one of the most successful leaders of his generation, having led iconic brands such as Porsche, Lamborghini and BMW. A highly experienced serial entrepreneur and private equity chairman, he has led multi-billion-pound global organisations; and also founded startups such as Epyx Limited, building it up to become the market leader for automotive e-commerce solutions.

Kevin has received multiple accolades; highlights include making the ‘UK’s top 40 leaders under 40’ list, chairing the ‘best UK private equity investment of the year’, and being a founder of award-winning start-up companies across the globe.