Meet the Team

Meet Brook, our football-loving Key Account Manager who joined the Commtel family in April 2022 as an Internal Sales Executive. Brook’s eagerness to learn and team ethos allowed him to master his new role quickly and progress to Key Account Manager in record time!

Brook is not only a team player at work but also on the pitch. He has been playing for Oxted & District FC since he was 5 and earned the Captain Title for the 2022 season!

In 2023, Brook took on his most rewarding role yet: becoming a new dad. Balancing his professional achievements and family life, Brook continues to be an invaluable member of the Commtel team whilst keeping us entertained with his dance moves on our staff nights out.

Meet Sharon, our dedicated Sales Administrator! Sharon joined our team at the end of May, bringing her organisational skills and positive attitude to our sales department.

Outside of work, Sharon is an avid runner and can be found doing Parkrun most weekends. While she now prefers shorter distances, she proudly boasts the accomplishment of completing two half marathons!

In addition to her running, Sharon has a talent for baking and has recently taken on an allotment with her partner. Although her cake-making has taken a backseat over the last few years, she still loves baking for family celebrations and has even crafted a wedding cake!

We’ve quickly learned that Sharon can turn her hand to pretty much anything. At her previous job, during the quiet periods of lockdown, she learned soldering and took on the ambitious project of building an outhouse, with her partner, at the bottom of their garden! It was turned it into a cosy bar and has become their favourite spot to unwind with a glass of wine on sunny evenings, when she’s not playing taxi to her two girls, of course!

With her multitasking abilities and can-do attitude, Sharon is an invaluable member of the Commtel family.

Lilly (aka Lilypad) joined us in 2017, initially managing our SIM cards. About six months later, she was poached by the sales team to take on a Sales Admin role, alongside managing the SIMs. She quickly ditched the SIMs entirely, progressing to Business Development Manager, and most recently, Customer Service Manager! In addition to overseeing our technical support team, Lilly also manages our warranties – she’s certainly a busy lady!

Apparently, her favourite hobby is bottomless brunch… and if that doesn’t count then it’s long walks and going to the gym. Did you know that she’s also run the Brighton Marathon?!

Lilly is also Mum to one of our Chief Welfare ‘Woof’icers, Juno the Labrador, who frequents the office with her buddies Margot, our other Labrador ‘CWW’, and Moo the French Bulldog!

Lilly is currently on Maternity Leave with the newest addition to her family (and Commtel’s!) and we can’t wait to welcome her back soon!

Josh has such an interesting history – with French, German, Portuguese and English heritage! Living in Portugal for a few years means he can understand the language perfectly and is not too bad at speaking it too! Why not put him to the test?

Josh joined our programming team in 2019 and is also a part-time Network Ninja, assisting Paula with TG Telecom! On top of this, he is learning flutter so that he can help our Senior Technical Engineer, Paul, with app development! He’s like a young Jedi.. learning from Obi One..

Lewis is our cat loving, boxing mad, programmer who has been with us since 2019.

Like Tigger, he’s always moving and likes to be kept busy, whether it’s at work or with his intense fitness training. His main goal in life is to be a middleweight world champion Boxer by 2025!

Lewis also produces some of our training videos, and in his spare time, is a frequent Twitch streamer!

Callum joined us in 2021 as part of our programming team and has a passion for providing top customer service!

He’s a gamer at heart and spends most of his spare time glued to his computer or listening to music! He also loves travelling the world and will snatch any opportunity to visit somewhere new!

When he was only two years old, he had Craniofacial surgery (“the most complex of facial plastic surgery” according to Google) which lasted just over 9 hours!

Don’t let Callum’s calm voice fool you, he’s the Programming team’s very own Karate Kid with around 7 years of martial arts experience!

Say hello to Alex, our Technical Support Technician, who joined us in November! Alex has quickly become a valuable member of the team, bringing a blend of technical expertise and passion to the table.

Outside the tech realm, Alex is a Brazilian Jujitsu enthusiast and a drone hobbyist, showcasing both his physical and creative sides. While his drone project is currently on hold, it’s a testament to his dedication to innovation. When he’s not grappling on the mat, or working on his drone, he also enjoys the company of his 12-year-old tabby cat, Daisy!

Not just confined to the digital realm, Alex’s interests once led him to the world of parkour coaching. With an eye for movement and a spirit for adventure, he shared his expertise, guiding others through the thrilling landscapes of urban athleticism.

Meet Sam, our pink-haired, cat-loving, proud Brummy, Business Communications Manager, who joined the Commtel team in 2014 as a Sales Administrator!

In her time here, she has had a number of promotions within the Sales Team, eventually earning her Senior Business Development Manager title in 2019. However, in November 2021 Sam hung up her sales hat and moved into marketing full-time and has since been promoted to Business Communications Manager in January 2024!

When Sam is not working on a marketing campaign, organising an exhibition, or showing off her party trick (licking her own elbow!), she is either taking pictures of her cat, Sir Bean, or she’s covered in paint (and brick dust!) whilst renovating her 200-year-old cottage in East Grinstead. If you want to know why she can’t download any more apps on her phone, it’s because the storage is taken up with pictures of her house and her cat..

Meet Mike, our coffee-loving ‘Chief Botherer’ who joined us in May’22 and always has a random fact to share (seriously, he is full of them!). Don’t let his relaxed nature and calming voice fool you though, he’s a tough cookie and spent many years as a Doorman!

Before he joined the Commtel family, he worked as a Planning Designer in residential development for 10 years and also co-owns a bar with his Dad!

Originally from Bolton, Mike now resides on the south coast with his wife and young son. When he’s not keeping the team’s caffeine levels topped up, he can be found gardening, on long dog walks in the New Forest or barbequing. In fact, he has a BBQ on his birthday every year, even though it’s at the end of November… To be fair though, this is the same man who only wears shorts, even when it’s snowing!

Mobile: +44 (0)7548 763367
Email: mike.winterbottom@commtel.io

Jez started working with us in 2018 and is part of our fabulous production team and is now in charge of our QA! Jez has brought a wealth of knowledge and experience into the department, enhancing our QA standards and procedures.

He’s big on all sports, but mainly Rugby, and is the youngest Chairman of a Rugby club (we think in the country – certainly the least retired from playing anyway!). He’s also our very own connoisseur of cards against humanity…

Paul joined us back in 2018 as part of the programming team and quickly became our go-to IT expert, always remotely fixing our PCs (especially when we were all working from home!). He’s since moved up to become our Development Manager, playing a key role in developing our latest products and apps.

In November 2023, Paul became a proud new dad, so when he’s not cheering on Fulham from his season ticket seat, he’s busy enjoying family life. However, on staff nights out, Paul is usually the one behind any round of shots—he used to favour Jägerbombs, but these days it’s all about the Baby Guinness!

Oh, and his dance moves? Legendary.

Meet Brendan, our Developer with an impressive list of hobbies – apparently, he’s been told he’s got far too many! From darts and snooker to rock climbing, he’s always up to something. His passions, though, are Muay Thai (training twice a week) and a weekly round of golf.

When he’s not coding or throwing punches, Brendan’s favourite way to spend his time is with his two-year-old, who he reckons is the best company around. Oh, and did we mention he’s one of seven brothers – and a twin? Never a dull moment, we’re sure!

Ethan joined us in July 2021https://www.commtel.io/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Ethan-Mll-scaled.jpg as a Junior Production Engineer and was promoted to Engineering Build Lead in December 2022!

He is absolutely obsessed with anything car-related, specifically VW, and when not at work, he’s either out driving or fixing his cars. His weekends are spent attending various car shows, and if he isn’t working on cars, talking about cars, or driving cars, he can be found tinkering with bikes!

Ethan is also super helpful and always willing to lend a hand. Whether it’s a bit of manual labour or changing the odd headlight bulb, he’s always there to assist!

Meet Kaydon, our art-loving Junior Production Engineer, who joined us in January, amidst the chaos of one of our busiest months! Even though we threw him straight into the deep end, his super chill nature and background in assembling cameras and screens, set him off on a flying start!

Our very own music nerd (his words, not ours!), Kaydon loves seeing live music when he can and spends some of his free time researching different types of music. His main hobby, however, is art! Particularly painting and drawing, and he’s designed most of his own tattoos too! When he’s not painting or researching music, he can be found playing various instruments, mainly bass and guitar!

Say hello to Reece, our motorbike-riding Junior Production Engineer who joined us in March. He has a flair for adventure and a love for technology! With his polite and friendly demeanour and approachable nature, Reece is always willing to lend a hand.

When he’s not immersed in a computer game, you can find him cruising the open roads on his beloved motorbike or perfecting his archery skills. In fact, Reece’s dedication to archery goes beyond personal enjoyment as he actively contributes to the sport. He serves as the Equipment Officer on the committee of the archery club he attends, demonstrating his organisational abilities and attention to detail!

Meet Dan, our car-obsessed, music-loving Junior Production Engineer, who joined our team in August 2023.

When Dan isn’t meticulously building Commtel’s products, you can find him fuelling his passion for cars. From participating in road rallies to getting his hands dirty fixing cars, his love for all things automotive knows no bounds. Whether he’s under the bonnet or behind the wheel, Dan is always in his element.

But Dan’s need for speed extends beyond the asphalt. On weekends, you’ll often find him tearing up motocross tracks on his trusty dirt bike or cruising around the fields on a tractor.

When he’s not pursuing his automotive passions, Dan is a social butterfly. He’s a raver at heart and rarely misses a chance to dance the night away, spending quality time with his friends (or trying to pull girls..).

So, whether he’s tuning engines or tearing up the dance floor, Dan brings his enthusiasm and energy to everything he does, both in and out of the office.

Suresh is our superstar CFO who joined us in 2020. In his first 2 years, he made significant improvements to our processes and systems, and has recently been promoted to Chief Financial Officer!

Suresh is a bit of a foodie, and his favourite dish is Chilli Beef. He is also a huge family man and was graced with his first daughter in early ’21 and another in May ’23! We all love seeing photos of them growing up and hearing about their milestones!

Di is our monster munch loving, travel fanatic, bad ass Chief Operating Officer who started with us part time as a working mum back in 2010. That’s right – she has been putting up with us for over ten years!

During her time, she started taking care of the warranties, progressing onto Purchase Ledger, Head of Accounts, Operations Manager and now runs the day-to-day business as our Chief Operating Officer.

Remember we mentioned Di was a mum? The job doesn’t end when she steps through our door! With a heart of gold, she is open for all of us at Commtel, and will never close regardless. At the same time, she will be the first to put us back in line!

Even with the challenges of working remotely over the last couple of years, she’s always the first to ask how we all are in the company group chat and get us all interacting. Whether it’s asking us all what we’re up to or what music we’ve been listening to recently, she works hard to ensure the whole team is happy.

With her extensive product knowledge, and all-round awesome management skills, Di is truly treasured, and we really wouldn’t be the company we are without her!

Bernard joined us in January 2019 as our Head of Special Projects and has recently taken on the role of Acting Commercial Director.

His favourite thing to do is shopping, and he absolutely loves design – cars, architecture, furniture, watches, you name it!

He’s a registered gold and silversmith too and is very well travelled. He’s spent many years working internationally and always has a wise story to tell.

In his short time at Commtel, he has helped the company get numerous projects over the line and we wouldn’t be without him!

Piers is our Aikido loving, Chief Financial Officer, who joined us in around 2012 as a consultant.

By day, he oversees our finance department, but by night, he’s our very own Sensei! You think we’re joking, but he’s been practising for 40 years and is currently the chairman of the British Aikido Board – the Governing body of aikido in the UK! A bit like Batman.. or maybe more like Splinter, actually.. (if you know, you know).

Piers also enjoys spending time in his wood workshop making toys and furniture for his grandchildren.

Meet the heart of Commtel!

Alan is our golf-loving, CEO who, when not on the golf course, or up on a ski slope, can be found walking his dogs and spending time with his family.

He was a choir boy in his younger days (before his voice broke, of course) and a ball boy at Wimbledon in the really hot summer of 1976! Alan’s expert dad-dancing and sense of humour often entertain the team at the company’s social events too!

When we asked him for a fact about himself, he said that he is “a dyslexic state-school underachiever, who left school with no qualifications” (his words, not ours!), but Alan’s passion, positive outlook and innovative ideas paved the way for telephone-based door entry as we know it today. That very first prototype, born from a passing comment back in 1985, and based on a BT-type handset using speed dial, robotic fingers and a bit of old hoover pipe (seriously!), is the foundation of the Telguard and Optimus intercoms our customers know and love.

Alan is full of wise words and thought-provoking advice, but something his Nan said to him many years ago is something he shares with us often, and that is “I would rather be mad and know it, than mad and not know it.”