Russ Shaw
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Russ is an angel and venture investor and non-executive director of a number of high growth businesses including Dialog—a publicly traded semiconductor company, AIM listed Cupid plc and Unwire--a Danish, venture-backed mobile commerce business. He is also a limited partner in Ariadne Capital’s ACE Fund and an investor in and advisor to Amazing Media Group. Russ is also a board member of the Tech City Advisory Group.

Previously, Russ was the Chairman of the Marketing Group of Great Britain and was Vice President & General Manager at Skype with responsibility for its mobile division globally, responsible for Skype’s mobile apps as well as carrier and OEM relationships; he also had geographic responsibility for Europe, Middle East & Africa. Russ exited when Skype was sold to Microsoft.

Before Skype, Russ was at Telefonica, where he was the Global Innovation Director. This included managing a venture fund and an internal ‘incubation’ initiative. Prior to this role, he was with Telefonica’s O2 mobile business, as Marketing Director, responsible for initiatives such as The O2 venue in London.

He has a BS from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Blog Entries by Russ Shaw

Mounting Investor Confidence Paves the Way for a New Age of UK Tech

(0) Comments | Posted 6 March 2013 | (14:58)

New figures released last week by Ascendant Corporate Finance reveal a welcome resurgence in the UK and Irish tech scene, and it appears that it's just a sign of things to come.

Over £1billion was invested in 232 deals of over half a million pounds...

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Boris Backing London's Tech is a Great Start

(0) Comments | Posted 14 February 2013 | (18:20)

The London tech scene needs its champions, which is why it was so encouraging to see Boris Johnson open the day's trading at the London Stock Exchange (LSE) this week and encourage investors to back the science and technology sectors. This mayoral stimulus is exactly what's needed to...

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Why Remaining in the EU Is Vital for London's Tech Start-ups

(0) Comments | Posted 4 February 2013 | (15:10)

David Cameron's long awaited EU speech provides a good opportunity for UK policy makers, businesses and the general public, to re-address the UK's relationship with Europe.

That the promise of a referendum triggered a five-point bounce in the polls demonstrates a significant interest...

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New Tech City Investments Are a Further Boost to Britain's Digital Aspirations

(0) Comments | Posted 10 December 2012 | (13:55)

The Autumn Statement announcement that Tech City will receive £50m of Treasury funding for development of the Old Street area is a further welcome move in the continuing upward curve for this unlikely 'hotspot'.

In a further demonstration of the government's ongoing commitment to developing the UK as a leading...

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It's Time For Britain to Stop Doing Itself Down

(0) Comments | Posted 16 October 2012 | (17:38)

David Cameron used his conference speech last week to warn that we must "do or decline" and that we must "show determination and imagination" if we want Britain to be great in the future. It's a laudable pursuit, and one that must start with a pledge to stop doing ourselves...

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Education the Key to Ensuring Our Digital Future

(0) Comments | Posted 23 August 2012 | (14:57)

This is an exciting time for East London. The regeneration of the Stratford area will prove one of the lasting Olympic legacies. Tech City, the cluster of digital and technology start-ups around the Old Street Roundabout, has mushroomed to 3,200 companies employing 48,000 people according to a new Centre for...

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Tech City: The Other 'Team GB' to Get Behind This Summer

(1) Comments | Posted 1 August 2012 | (00:00)

This summer's unabashed patriotism has not passed me by - I will be one of many supporting our top athletes from the stands at the Olympic Park.

But aside from our sportsmen and women, I will also be cheering on a very different 'Team GB'. Based just down the road...

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The Creative Destruction of the Banks Could be Sooner Than They Think

(0) Comments | Posted 3 July 2012 | (10:17)

The scandal around Barclays' interest rate fixing and the computer glitch chaos experienced by RBS, NatWest and Ulster Bank customers recently are just the latest reminders of the systemic problems facing the UK's banks.

Pitched into turmoil by the financial crisis and irrevocably scarred by the bonuses fiasco, these issues...

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For Startups, Marketing Should Always Be at the Top Table

(0) Comments | Posted 31 May 2012 | (12:56)

Adding a marketing plan as an afterthought can be one of the biggest mistakes that a new business can make, but it's a mistake that I see all too often in UK digital startups.

Those who lead digital businesses are often skilled in engineering, product development or...

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