Tom Lawson leads technology consultancy Opencast

Opencast Software has appointed Capgemini Invent alumnus Tom Lawson as its next Chief Executive Officer. 

Tom Lawson has been with Opencast Software since December 2019 in the role of Head of Corporate Development, leading the firm’s strategy for growth and supporting strategic account development across its clients in the government, financial services, healthcare and renewable energy sectors. 

He joined the Newcastle-based IT consultancy and development firm from Capgemini Invent, the management and digital consulting firm of Paris-listed Capgemini. Lawson latterly was an Account Director Capgemini Invent, responsible for the client relationship, strategic account planning, sales and delivery for two key government accounts.

Before that, he worked over seven years at Capgemini, both as an account leader, consultant and delivery manager. Lawson started his career at BT Global Services, where he among others was a Programme Manager for a Scottish Government agency leading a team of over 50 professionals working on a £44 million ICT transformation and managed service programme. 

Lawson will leverage his experience to lead the further growth of Opencast Software, a company with offices in Newcastle and London that specialises in developing end-to-end enterprise solutions. “It’s with great pride that I accepted the role of CEO,” said Lawson. 

Commenting on the firm’s ambitions: “We want to be the place for technology specialists to thrive, where clients return because our approach gets results – empowering, collaborative, caring. We believe in always doing the right thing for our clients and people, and we are focused on doing further good by contributing to the region’s tech community and wider society.”

The appointment comes shortly after Opencast Software announced that it had increased its headcount by 50% since the beginning of 2020, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. By 2025, the firm aims to reach a headcount of 300 people. Much of this growth will be realised through expansion into new segments such as data & analytics, platform engineering, DevOps and user centred design.