Data Connection is led by an executive team who have built their careers within the company. They share the same deeply-held core principles of focusing on recruiting and training the best talent, striving for excellence in every area of the company and commitment to customers. We are proud of our record of
- delivering market-dominating, cutting-edge telecommunications products
- providing highly responsive support services to world-wide customers
- managing world-class engineering teams to deliver on time to extremely high quality standards
- building a stable and enduring organization.
Ian S Ferguson
Chairman and Founder, Data Connection
Ian S Ferguson founded Data Connection in 1981 and served as Chairman and CEO until December 1998 when he relinquished his role as CEO to concentrate on the MetaSwitch division. As a manager, accountant, salesman and leader, he believes in ability, effort, reward, people - and fun. Above all, Data Connection has developed under his guidance to
- create commercial success and share the reward equitably
- do the difficult things well
- concentrate on people and their development
- be an open, unpoliced, responsible, communicative society
- continue and thrive with a senior management team committed to stable, long-term growth.
Prior to founding Data Connection, Ian spent eleven years with IBM UK, where he played a major role in the late 1970s transition of IBM from a large mainframe, list price company to a major network provider offering more flexible terms and conditions. He is also actively involved in working with the UK government to improve the effectiveness and relevance of the national education and training system to meet both the aspirations of young people and the needs of employers. His significant contributions in this area were recognized by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005 with the award of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
Phil McConnell
Chief Executive Officer, Network Protocols Division
Phil, along with Ian Ferguson and five others, founded Data Connection in 1981. He led the company’s entry into the communications protocol software business in 1983, and since then has managed the company’s business units developing and marketing products in the fields of SNA, ATM, MPLS VoIP and IP Routing. In 1999 he took over the role of company CEO while Ian Ferguson focussed on developing the MetaSwitch Division. He is currently CEO of the Network Protocols Division.
Before the foundation of Data Connection, Phil worked for IBM UK as a systems engineer specialising in distributed systems.
Phil is a graduate of the University of Cambridge, England with a degree in Mathematics. His interests include music, skiing, and, above all, his family.
Graeme MacArthur
Chief Executive Officer, MetaSwitch Division
As CEO of MetaSwitch, Graeme continues his passion of a building customer-centric organization that he demonstrated as CEO of Data Connection's Internet Applications Division, a position he held from 2000 until the merger of the company's softswitching and applications divisions in 2007. In that role, he transformed a technology-oriented business unit into an industry leader in telecom applications, in the process establishing relationships with many of the world's largest service providers.
Graeme joined Data Connection in 1985 after gaining a BSc in Computer Science from Glasgow University. Similar to the majority of the company's senior managament team, Graeme worked his way through engineering and customer support roles on the way to establishing himself as a world-class business leader.
Outside of work, Graeme is a passionate golfer and enjoys living within easy driving distance of some of Scotland's most glorious links courses, including Carnoustie and St. Andrews.
John Lazar
President and Chief Operating Officer, MetaSwitch Division
John Lazar joined Data Connection in 1987 as a software engineer, and has worked in several different divisions in the company, covering both communication/networking and Internet applications. John was a key member of the founding team that established MetaSwitch, and he led the organization from 2003 to 2007, overseeing the organization's growth from initial market entry to a market leadership position with $50M+ revenue and over 250 customers worldwide.
In his role as President and COO, John's focus is on shaping a sustainable long-term strategy for technology and product evolution; building products and solutions that meet MetaSwitch's customers' needs while exceeding their already high expectations for world-class quality; operational growth; and marketing – where he will continue to work closely with MetaSwitch customers and the industry.
John graduated from the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, with an MSc in Computation and a DPhil in History. His interests include soccer, music and art - and spending time with his family.
Clive Partridge
Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Connectivity Division
Clive Partridge graduated from Cambridge University with a First Class honours degree in Computer Science and Engineering in 1981. After graduating, he worked as an 8-bit assembler systems programmer for microcomputer manufacturers - and can still remember many 6502 and Z80 opcodes.
He joined Data Connection in 1984, and has spent most of his time in the Enterprise Connectivity business, during which time the business has become both technical and market leaders in its space. A key part of his job is the management of strategic partnerships with key OEM customers, such as IBM and Microsoft.
Outside of work, Clive is involved in local education, and enjoys skiing and mountain walking.