Simon Williams

Simon Williams is the Co-Founder of WovenLight, a hybrid technology and investment firm that combines deal craft with cutting-edge data science.13 He has extensive experience in applied data, with a career spanning over 25 years.2

Professional Background

Simon's entrepreneurial journey is impressive:

• He co-founded QuantumBlack, an analytics firm with roots in Formula 1, where he served as Chief Executive. QuantumBlack was later acquired by McKinsey & Co and has since expanded globally.2
• WovenLight is the fourth company Simon has helped establish. Of his previous ventures, two were sold successfully, while one failed.2

Career Progression

Simon's career path includes:

• Starting at Reuters in product management
• Moving to ABN AMRO in Amsterdam
• Transitioning to building technology companies2

Current Focus

At WovenLight, Simon is dedicated to integrating data science skills and methods with the private equity investment lifecycle. His goal is to deliver a consistent and differentiated approach to performance improvement and value creation in this sector.24

Personal Life

Simon resides in Twickenham, south-west London, with his wife, two children, and their dog.2 He has a passion for fine cartography, which has influenced his perspective on data and its applications.2

Philosophy

Simon draws an interesting parallel between maps and data layers, noting that the most valuable aspect is not just the insight offered, but the feedback mechanism that allows for faster learning. He believes this observation is crucial for reskilling humans and redesigning processes to address future challenges and protect livelihoods.2