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New team members who joined us in February

BY Victoria Neame

A huge Assured welcome to our new guys: Nik, Chris, Michelle, Jack, Laura, Sarah, Liam, Stan, Daniel, Krysler, Jim, Sean, and Danny who have joined us to work in our technical, client services, finance, and sales teams. Here is an introduction to them!

Nik Grove, Innovation Team

Nik has spent 25 years in the IT industry, starting on the customer side of the fence working through field, email, network, and data center support before specializing on infrastructure and eventually culminating in a role as Head of IT for the International Bank of Qatar. After returning to the UK, Nik switched to the vendor side working at an early HCI vendor, Pivot3, meeting Chris (Chris Deacon, Innovation Team), moving to Rubrik, and then spending the last 4.5 years starting a UK-based partner (ITHQ) from ground zero.

“Having worked with Assured since the early days of Rubrik we’ve known the senior management team for a long while and have wanted to work together for years!  The opportunity to start the Innovation Team with Chris and work with this hugely successful team couldn’t be passed up!

Outside of work I run a motorsport race team and have been competing in endurance racing for 13 years. We’ve built an academy for graduates wanting practical motorsport experience which takes a lot of time.   Otherwise I’m walking the dog (Senna) or sleeping!”

Chris Deacon, Innovation Team

With 14 years of experience in the IT industry, Chris has built a strong track record in communication, leadership, and performance-driven problem-solving. He is known for his ability to simplify complex ideas, foster collaboration, and drive results.

His career has been shaped by a structured and strategic approach, with a focus on efficiency, productivity, and continuous improvement. Chris values leadership that sets clear benchmarks for success and encourages innovation.

Chris now co-leads the Innovation Team at Assured Data Protection with Nik Grove, where they are focused on identifying and implementing new technologies to enhance the Assured customer experience.”

Michelle Smith, Accounts Payable Clerk

Michelle started her career in customer services working in the telecommunications industry moving into accounts in 2015.  The last 10 years have been spent developing skills and experience in all aspects of purchase ledger, management accounts, and month end reporting.

“I am excited to have joined Assured at a time of growth and look forward to working with the team to implement the new systems and processes.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, going for long walks in the countryside and reading (anything except horror).”

Jack Tyler, Inside Account Executive

After graduating from James Madison University, Jack joined MemoryBlue as an SDR, where he specialized in cold outreach sales. He supported a cloud-based utility management company and a firm providing enterprise and government sectors with a centralized drone management solution.
“My first six weeks at Assured have exceeded my expectations. The team’s unwavering support and dedication have made me feel truly at home. I’m excited to grow in my role and contribute to the company’s continued success.
In my free time, I enjoy doing activities like cooking, hiking/rock climbing, playing pickleball, watching movies, and hanging out with my two Dachshunds Frankie and Ginger.”

Laura Dominguez, Channel Account Manager

Laura has been working in technology for nearly 15 years, specializing in sales, partner management, and business development across leading vendors and distributors in the LATAM region. She has focused on cybersecurity, data protection, and enterprise solutions, collaborating closely with partners to drive growth and optimize go-to-market strategies.

“I’ve really enjoyed my first few weeks at Assured Data Protection. It’s an exciting time to be part of the team, and I’m very excited to continue building and expanding our presence in LATAM.”

Outside of work, I love traveling, discovering new restaurants, and spending time with my family, dogs, and friends. I also enjoy outdoor adventures—whenever possible, we escape to the woods, always ready for a hike or a camping trip.”

Sarah Richardson, Senior Developer

With over a decade of experience in software development, Sarah offers a wealth of knowledge and diverse skills. Her career spans various industries, including virtual reality, insurance, and real estate, providing her with a unique blend of technical expertise and problem-solving abilities. She excels in coding and software development, as well as managing complex systems and optimizing operational performance.

“I am thrilled to be working at Assured Data Protection. The company has been incredibly welcoming, and I’m excited to contribute to our innovative projects. I’m particularly excited to be part of a team that values inclusivity and collaboration, where every perspective is valued and every voice is heard.

Outside of work, I have many hobbies I engage in, such as crochet, coding, scuba diving, gaming, etc.”

Liam Hawksworth, Senior Finance Manager

Liam is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant and before joining Assured has spent the majority of his career in Practice as a Financial Auditor.

“Joining Assured Data Protection has been a breath of fresh air. The culture of the business and energy from our team is exactly what I was looking for. I’m hugely excited to be contributing to our growth plans and to be helping take our business processes to the next level.

Outside of work, I am the proud owner of a vegetable garden allotment and am working towards my blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.”

Stan Wright, Channel Development Manager

Stan has spent the last 17 years achieving and exceeding sales quotas in several capacities. For 8 years, he served his many affluent clients in the banking sector in various managerial roles,  before transitioning into selling Saas solutions.  For the past 7 years, he has been successfully delivering Unified Communication and Workflow automation solutions to enterprise-level customers.

“I am excited to join Assured during this time of rapid growth. What has impressed me the most is the personalized experience I have received from the entire team, and willingness to help me succeed. I am looking forward to supporting our Channel & Sales organizations to help us achieve our revenue goals.”

Daniel Benfield, Senior Solutions Engineer

Daniel has spent more than 25 years in IT, most recently as the lead systems and network engineer for a top 3 US life insurance company. While there, he developed their enterprise disaster recovery solution.
“I’m excited to join Assured Data Protection at such an interesting time for the company. I look forward to helping the team deliver excellent disaster recovery services to our customers.”
Daniel enjoys photography, travel, and working on his many computers.

Krysler Soriano, QA Engineer

Krysler has been a QA Engineer for 8 years in IT. He started as an apprentice and worked his way up to become a qualified QA Engineer.
“I’m delighted to be part of the development team at Assured Data Protection. I’m looking forward to continuing to grow my skill set and help Assured within the business.
In my spare time, I love going out and trying different kinds of food. I also love to travel and explore different places. Japan is the most memorable country I have visited. I also enjoy photography, whether it’s through digital or film. Capturing moments that tell a story.”

Jim Butler, Senior Developer

Jim has been in the software development game for 2 decades, the last few years as a lead developer in the telecoms and MSP world. Outside of work, he’s usually playing Roblox with his 4-year-old son or attempting to repair old game consoles.
“I’m loving it here at Assured Data Protection – it’s a great atmosphere with amazing people”.

Sean Bowes, Senior Product Owner

Sean joins Assured as a Senior Product Owner.

“After having my eye on joining the Assured team since early 2024, I’m incredibly grateful to finally be joining the Product team and helping to shape a phenomenal future for Assured. Everyone has been exceptionally welcoming to me and working with our really talented dev team has already been very enjoyable.

Outside of work I do a lot of weightlifting, boxing, wrestling, and hiking. If it keeps me active I’m all for it. I also play a lot of D&D and other board games with friends, and spend long hours looking at cheap flights with my partner.”

Danny Smith, Lead Developer

Danny has been in software development for the last 15 years, helping to build products and teams in some of the big Manchester tech companies like LateRooms.com and BrightHR before helping the largest coupon provider in the US, Entertainment, move from physical books to an entirely digital platform.
“I’m looking forward to helping Assured grow their development teams and work alongside the talented developers here to make it happen.”
When Danny isn’t doing whatever his two dogs want, he likes to unwind by playing video games, watching anime and occasionally playing the guitar. He also owns over 250 different board games and plans to actually have played all of them one day, if his wife can stop him from buying more. His dislikes include writing about himself and providing photographic evidence of his existence.