The Digital Innovators - UK Tech Leader Profile: James Tucker The UK is a thriving haven of tech entrepreneurship, with tomorrow’s global leaders being forged today in the crucible of the digital revolution. However, unlike the tech rockstars the other side of the Atlantic, Britain doesn’t spend much time celebrating the people most likely to become the next Dorsey, Page or Zuckerberg. At E&I we can’t let that slide, and in this occasional series we’ll be meeting the UK’s most notable and innovative tech talent, and discovering what you need to know about shaping your own digital future. Name & company: James Tucker, CEO, Twenty7Tec. Bournemouth, Dorset. What is Twenty7Tec? We’re a market leading provider of cloud based systems to the mortgage market - our tech is used by over 10,000 mortgage brokers and over 100 lenders. How did Twenty7Tec come to be? We set the business up in 2014 with backing from a local venture capital firm after identifying that the mortgage market in the UK was way behind the curve in its adoption
of new technology. We saw an opportunity to build a business that leveraged modern, cloud based systems to drive efficiencies in process for brokers and lenders, and we’ve done just that. Why did you base your tech company in Bournemouth? There is obviously a perception that financial services is very London-centric, but some of the South Coast’s biggest employers are businesses like JP Morgan, Nationwide, Vitality and Barclays - and that means there is a huge amount of exceptionally knowledgeable people here. When you couple this with a local university, that produces some great tech talent, and makes the South Coast an excellent place to have our base. Many other tech companies are also on the South Coast of England. What makes this such a great location for tech? In addition to the sheer quantity and quality of talent in the area, it’s all about the quality of life we can offer. I love the buzz of London, and spend plenty of time there, but you can’t beat finishing work after a hard day and heading down to Bournemouth beach for some fresh air. What other tech entrepreneurs do you admire, and why? I think James Benamor, founder of Amigo Loans (which is also based in Bournemouth), leads the way down here. Despite the fall in their share price this year, he’s built a phenomenally