Open Tech Calendar

The road to business success can take many different routes. Come along to hear from accomplished technology business leaders about their journey to achieve their goals, the challenges they've faced and advice they would give to help you succeed.

To share their stories, we are delighted to have speakers Kevin Cowan, Managing Director of x10 Solutions, Peter Proud, CEO and Founder of Cortex Worldwide and David Farquhar, CEO of Intelligent Growth Solutions.


- Kevin Cowan, Managing Director, x10 Solutions

Kevin is one of the founders and senior consultants at x10 Solutions, a SME-focused technology consultancy firm based in Glasgow. Kevin has a background in finance, using his accountancy and software experience to create several technology related businesses throughout his career. Prior to x10, Kevin was involved in the build and successful exit of a SaaS product, which was completed only 18 months after launch.


- Peter Proud, CEO & Founder, Cortex

Peter Proud is the Founder and CEO of Cortex Worldwide, a former WPP agency that has a strategic partnership with Microsoft. The two companies have jointly developed a new cloud-based marketing solution built on Azure, enabling you to quickly build, localise, secure and centrally manage your entire digital real estate. Prior to this, Peter held the role of Managing Director of Strategic Accounts and Partnerships for Accenture Interactive Digital Practice, providing integrated marketing, technology and analytics solutions for the digital world. Before joining Accenture, Peter worked at Microsoft for 14 years managing accounts for some of the world's leading household names and was integral in the establishment of Microsoft's ‘One Microsoft’ initiative. A passionate advocate for the digital technologies industry, Peter sits on both the ScotlandIS Board and Edinburgh Napier University’s Graduate Level Apprenticeship Advisory Board.


- David Farquhar, CEO, Intelligent Growth Solutions

David joined Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) as CEO in November 2017. IGS is a Scottish-based agritech business, and David’s strategic appointment was made to drive its global expansion, grow the senior and wider team and raise the Series A funding round.

Farquhar is a seasoned transformation and business growth technology entrepreneur, with a track record of delivering shareholder value. Most recently, David was CEO of UK-based SaaS vendor Workplace, and lead the team through a hugely successful turnaround, transformation, growth and exit in a merger with US-based Workforce Software. In the past 25 years he has completed 28 transactions as a founder/CEO, angel investor and business mentor, including risk capital investments (PE, VC and angel), acquisitions and trade sales in Europe, North America and Asia.


Book your place now.

Members: Free

Non-members: £35 + VAT