ADEPT DATA SERVICES - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Member of the Senior Management Team
• Technical Director

In relation to Adept Data Services, Jason is the least experienced in relation to the publishing and events industries but has had quite an involvement in supporting Dev Partners' clients in these arenas. Jason possesses a wealth of knowledge and great technical ability and, as a member of the common management team across our small group of companies, his knowledge and experience is invaluable. It would be fair to say that, occasionally, we suspect Jason is gardening when he should be coding, but that's another story.

Job Titles:

• Head of Operations
• Member of the Senior Management Team

Involved with publishing and events since 2006, Jeff joined Dev Partners in 2020. Having circulation, subscriptions, call centre and events experience, as well as circulation audits, makes him a good fit within Adept Data Services, along with many of our other groups' clients. His project management skills, together with circulation management and events experience are invaluable.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Senior Management Team
• Circulation & Marketing Specialist

Julie has managed the circulations for a very many B2B magazines over the years, working at Wilmington Publishing, VNU Business Publications, Datateam and Quantum Publishing. Her experience also extends into copywriting and marketing, which is well utilised within her role across our companies.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Senior Management Team
• Systems Manager

Kevin is an experienced systems developer and manager who has worked for CDS Global, Abacus e-media, WDIS, AI Bureau and Sussex Computers. Experienced in supporting B2B and B2C publishing clients alike, together with his other skills makes him an extremely valuable member of staff. Don't tell him that otherwise he may want a salary increase! Kevin has been working with our sister companies since 2015, initially as a freelancer but then as a full-time member of staff.

Job Titles:

• Chairman
• Member of the Senior Management Team

Paul's background is accounting but moreover is an experienced business manager. His exposure to publishing started in the 1980s and, since then, has worked within Wilmington Group, jointly managed WDIS and has undertaken consultancy work for Abacus e-media and Telegraph Media Group amongst others. Paul has been working as Commercial Manager for Dev Partners and Cloud Vendor since the beginning of 2015.

Job Titles:

• Managing Director
• Member of the Senior Management Team

Rob joined Wilmington Publishing in 1998, initially involved in data entry and database management for what was pretty much Wilmington's first online service related to light aircraft. His IT skills were quickly recognised, resulting in him becoming a member of the IT department, reporting to Paul Mitchell. In 2002, Paul invited Rob to join WDIS, having had to argue a good case with Wilmington. Whilst Rob remained based in Kent, Paul ended up as his unpaid chauffeur on the days he needed to be in WDIS's West London office, foolish or what? Thankfully, he eventually passed his driving test. Following Rob's time with Wilmington Publishing, his WDIS days saw him add network administration, UNIX systems management and systems development to his repertoire. Following Optima's purchase of WDIS and then onward to his days with CDS Global, Rob continued to progress his knowledge in relation to systems and networking, alongside an ever-increasing involvement in web and general software development. Rob developed CRM, order processing and billing systems not only for in-house use but these were also adopted by WDIS clients. In 2010 Rob decided it was time to go out alone setting up his own business, which became Dev Partners. Initially, he continued to undertake work, and still does, for CDS Global alongside freelance systems development and support. Pretty soon he'd also attracted clients such as H2O Publishing. Around this time, aided and abetted by Paul Mitchell, Kevin Venn and another, during what should have been his spare time, Rob wrote what became our AdeptIS software. Around the end of 2011, Paul Mitchell commissioned Rob to write a CRM / SOP system to handle exhibitions and other events as well as magazine ad sales for VOS Media, where Paul was a consultant, this software continued to be used by Telegraph Media Group for a considerable time after they acquired VOS. This system was the basis of and has evolved into our AdeptEM software. Still undertaking freelance development jobs, in 2013 Rob met Jason and at the end of that year they formed a new business, now called Cloud Vendor. This was primarily serving the fashion industry and has high profile clients such as Motel Rocks, AX Paris and ChiChi Clothing. Testament to Rob's abilities, many Dev Partners clients have come about because of ex-colleagues and their businesses or recommendations. Kevin Venn once commented that Rob was one of the fastest and most competent developers he'd come across. Away from work Rob is a semi-professional musician playing in an Arctic Monkeys tribute band along with other musical projects. He and Jason are also part owners of a music store, above which are our company's main office. There's generally a guitar in the corner of the office which concerns many of us that he's strumming when he should be coding!

Job Titles:

• Member of the Senior Management Team
• Data & Audit Specialist

Simon has extensive experience as a systems developer and information specialist with a flexible skill set covering databases, data cleaning/deduplication and circulation audits. Simon has held IT roles for a wide spectrum of businesses including publishing, fulfilment bureaus, global financial services and utilities. Simon joined us in 2016, when CDS Global decided to outsource their B2B development and support to Dev Partners.