About Us
It’s the people at OBT Live that make it happen
We are Outside the Box Thinkers and creators
We’ve taken the core principles of LiveOps and rewritten the rules to create game-changing results.
Why?
OBT Live is on a mission to help brands unlock the power of real-time, AI-driven engagement.
For increased opportunities, enhanced revenue and a world where your business isn’t just about transactions; it’s about unforgettable experiences. Welcome to a world where thinking outside the box is not just a concept – it’s our way of life.
Let’s create something extraordinary together…
SNAPSHOT
A new business, with deep foundations in tech.
25 Years Tech & Behavioural Psychology Experience
Global Team & Customer Base
Certified Microsoft Experts in Azure & Data
OUR MISSION
To create unrivalled customer engagement
THE PEOPLE
Our Outside the Box Thinkers: Your new dream team.
Adrian Woodrup
Head of Pre-Sales
With years of experience in the IT space, Adrian focuses on Platform Architecture and LiveOps. He’s all about turning customer ideas into real solutions. As Head of Pre-Sales at OBT Live, Adrian enjoys working in fast-paced environments, bringing his expertise to every project.
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Carl Evans
Development Tech Lead
Carl’s been in the industry for over a decade, moving from sysadmin to technical architect. He’s skilled in systems administration, software engineering, and DevOps. Carl is passionate about tech like ML, IoT and 3D printing. He loves leading teams that push boundaries.
Charlie Courtney
Head of Customer Success
With 8 years in Service Management and Customer Success, Charlie has risen from Service Manager to Head of Customer Success. He’s passionate about delivering tailored, first-class service, building strong relationships and making a real impact on customers. Charlie is certified in Azure and FinOps, ensuring he brings technical expertise to every interaction.
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Carly Seymour
Head of Enablement
With 20 years in customer-focused roles and 7 years in Project and Business Change Management, Carly has managed projects across the digital arena, from SMEs to global corporates. Passionate about driving positive change, problem-solving, and delivering successful results, she is certified in Agile PM and Management of Portfolios.
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Chris Hodgson
Founder & Co-CEO
With 20+ years in tech, Chris has led high performing team to success, earning top industry awards and certifications. He’s passionate about developing people and believes in the power of a strong culture for driving business success.
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Danny Rebic
Live Services Director
Danny brings 10 years of experience to the table, specialising in support, service management and customer success. He’s worked with customer based services and led teams to develop leading products and services, always aiming to keep customers happy and satisfied.
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Ed Smith
Chief Engineer
With over 10 years in tech, Ed is all about Cloud, DevOps, and Software Engineering. Certified in AWS and Azure, he’s known for his technical know-how and dedication to getting the job done right. Ed is always pushing to stay ahead in the tech game.
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Ellie Rice
Account Director
Ellie has spent over a decade working with customers, focusing on delivering great experiences. She knows the industry inside out and has strong connections, especially at Microsoft. Ellie’s passion lies in building relationships and making sure customers are always well taken care of.
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Leah Russell
Head of Strategic Alliances
Since joining Microsoft in 2007, Leah has dedicated 17 years to building and transforming alliances between organizations. She’s passionate about co-selling and aligning go-to-market strategies to drive mutual success. Leah focuses on delivering value to customers through powerful partnerships that benefit all involved.
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Louis Hayward
Experience Architect
Louis is a veteran game designer and producer with 20+ years’ experience across global IPs like Disney, Pirates of the Caribbean and ARMA. He brings deep expertise in behavioural design, user engagement and mobile-first experiences that drive real results
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Olivia Jaskolka
Marketing Director
With 15+ years in tech marketing, Olivia loves driving business growth. She’s led teams and launched marketing initiatives that make a difference. Olivia believes in keeping marketing and sales closely aligned so that every effort counts and contributes to the bigger picture.
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Paul Shannon
Founder & Co-CEO
With over 25 years industry experience, Paul thrives within fast paced, high growth, strategic businesses. A well-known industry leader, Paul was the recipient of CRN’s Industry Achievement award and is a frequent speaker and panellist at industry events.
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Rachel Wood
COO
Rachel has 15 years of experience leading professional services and product delivery, including at ANS Group and Barclays. She’s passionate about creating energetic teams and mentoring new talent. Rachel’s passion is delivering great results while keeping the work environment fun and dynamic.
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Rishella Hodgson
Finance Director
Rishella is a CIMA-certified Finance Director with over 10 years of experience. She’s worked on financial systems for both startups and larger companies. Rishella believes in teamwork and sees finance as a key player in supporting the entire business and delivering value to customers.
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Ryan Froggatt
Senior Dev Engineer
Ryan has 6+ years in the industry, focusing on Kubernetes and automation. He enjoys making software delivery smoother with CI/CD pipelines and Terraform. Ryan is passionate about building cloud infrastructure that’s both reliable and scalable, meeting the diverse needs of different businesses.
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Sam Whittle
Data Engineer
A Data Engineer with 4 years of experience, Sam is passionate about enabling data-driven decisions, tackling complex data challenges, and staying on top of the ever-evolving field of data engineering. Certified in Azure, Sam is dedicated to delivering reliable and impactful data solutions.
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Will Dewhurst
Senior Dev Engineer
Will has over five years of experience with Azure, AWS and GCP. He’s into Cloud Architecture, Kubernetes and using Terraform to build efficient systems. Will is passionate about tech, enjoys contributing to open-source projects and loves mentoring up-and-coming cloud professionals.
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Arif Rahman
Head of Data
Arif has 12+ years of experience in Azure, data solutions and AI, leading practices generating over £1.5M rev. He has helped organisations achieve sought after Microsoft Advanced Specialisation multiple times. His passion lies in leveraging emerging technologies to drive strategic value and business growth to customers.
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Matt Boyes
Management Accountant
Matt is an experienced management accountant with 8 years in finance roles across the food, leisure and housebuilding sectors. Working towards his CIMA qualification, he’s passionate about leveraging finance to drive business success through strong internal relationships and strategic collaboration with the whole business.
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Daniel Scorah
Lead DevOps Engineer
With over 12 years of experience in IT, Dan has worked in roles such as Head of Cloud, Principal Solutions Architect and Lead DevOps Engineer. He has scaled managed services across public cloud, DevOps, data & AI and low-code solutions from inception to £5m in annual revenue and is passionate about driving innovation and digital transformation.
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Mamadou Diop
Snr. Software Engineer
With over 10 years of experience, Mamadou specialises in building scalable systems with JavaScript and cloud platforms like Azure and AWS. Skilled in full-stack development, he is passionate about solving challenges and fostering collaborative, results-driven environments.
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Mahgoub Gaafar
Product Owner
Experienced Product Owner blending UI/UX and technical expertise with a strategic business mindset. He excel in delivering innovative solutions, prioritising exceptional user experiences and driving projects that contribute to business growth.
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JOIN OUR TEAM
Fancy joining the outside of the box thinkers? Take a look at our current vacancies…
“ When it comes to business, the team you surround yourself with are the single most important contributing factor to your success.”
PAUL SHANNON | FOUNDER & CO CEO
OBT - THE STORY
Outside the Box Thinkers
Bold, independent innovators, who dare to think differently.
Founded by industry veterans Paul Shannon and Chris Hodgson, we’re a business built on culture and made from passion. We are driven by a desire to find answers, discover new opportunities and venture into unchartered territory. It’s how we face opportunities, tackle challenges, it’s how we operate with our customers and adopt new technology.
Backed by industry-leading investors.
In 2025, OBT Live secured £2.25M in Series A funding led by NPIF II – Praetura Equity Finance, part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II. This investment reflects the strength of our platform, our vision and it will fuel our next stage of growth.
Global ambition, local roots.
Headquartered in Liverpool, OBT Live recently expanded into the Middle East with a regional hub in Dubai. A major step in our global strategy and a signal of what’s to come.
Let's build what's next in Engagement.
Together.
Have we sparked an idea?
Want to learn more about our mission or explore partnership opportunities?
Get in Touch. We’d love to start talking about what we can do to transform your customer engagement model.
