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TechWM founder to take new role as CEO appointed

2025-04-02 12:37:58 By

The team at TechWM (from left): chairman Jason Sahota, new chief executive Andy Hague and founder Yiannis Maos

A business body focused on boosting the West Midlands' tech industry has appointed a new chief executive.

TechWM founder Yiannis Maos is stepping down from the role to become its new chief strategy and innovation officer, with cybersecurity expert Andy Hague taking over in April. Mr Maos will remain on the organisation's board.

TechWM was launched in 2019 since when it has helped businesses raise more than £100 million and inspired thousands of people to get into the tech sector.

It runs the annual Birmingham Tech Week festival every October and advises on regional tech policy, making recommendations and creating partnerships between the public, private and academic sectors.

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Mr Maos said: "Having hosted our sixth Birmingham Tech Week in October, the largest to date, it feels right to scale TechWM.

"It's been an amazing journey, starting with a simple desire to make the tech ecosystem more accessible and evolving into a strategic force for growth.

"I'm proud of our journey, from 5,000 attendees at our first Tech Week to recent recognition from giants like IBM and a visit from the Secretary of State. This fuels our ambition to reach a £100 billion tech sector by 2030.

"As we transition, our focus will be strategy, innovation and preserving our agile spirit. We'll continue creating opportunities for local talent, ensuring they don't need to move to London.

"This is about building a thriving, collaborative community, recognising our collective strength is key to unlocking the West Midlands' tech potential."

Mr Hague is a tech entrepreneur and board member with more than 20 years of experience in leading teams.

His specialties are cybersecurity and investment funding and he founded Berkshire-based cybersecurity firm Cyberfort Group.

He said: "Leading TechWM became an irresistible opportunity after my recent work in industry and government.

"My priority is maintaining TechWM's momentum and strategically focusing the team's immense dedication to maximise impact.

"Strengthening their ‘can-do' reputation is vital for solidifying TechWM as the key player in public-private tech partnerships.

"Yiannis's remarkable legacy, especially Birmingham Tech Week's national prominence, and his continued involvement were crucial to my decision in taking this role.

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