Ben Heald - CEO

Ben was one of the founders of Sift in 1996. He launched AccountingWEB in May 1997, which is now one of the largest online professional publishing businesses with 100,000 members in the UK. He also took responsibility for the subsequent launch of AccountingWEB US, TrainingZone, KnowledgeBoard and TravelMole. He acted as the first editor, then Community Director of AccountingWEB, then Director of Communities for Sift. He also took the lead in raising Sift's two rounds of external finance in 1999 and 2000. He was appointed CEO of Sift in September 2002.

Ben trained as an accountant with KPMG, spending six years in their London office, and then spent 3 years running his own accounting and consulting practice. His 12 years experience at Sift has given him a wide range of experience building and launching products within the technical sector, and running online publishing businesses.

He is a regular speaker on matters relating to online communities, online publishing and online business in general.

Ben is married with 2 teenage kids and lives in Bristol.  He's still at the top of the company squash league, a keen sportsman: running half-marathons, cycling to work, a reasonable golfer and stalwart of the Sift cricket team.

Steven Priscott - Finance Director

Steven joined Sift in 1998 and was appointed Finance Director in September 2004.  As well as taking responsibility for the day-to-day financial affairs of the company, he works closely with Ben on driving business efficiencies and improvements.  He's also taken responsibility for Sift's five recent acquisitions (Virtual Business Network, Blue Cinder, KnowledgeBoard, Finance Week and UK Business Forums).  Steven is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Steven is also captain of the Sift cricket team.

 

Alan Howarth - Non-Executive Chairman

Alan became Chairman of Sift in April 2008, following Bill Passmore's retirement. He has extensive business experience in a range of national and international organisations. Early management experience was gained with Bass followed by periods in Hewlett Packard and John Swire & Sons before spending nearly two decades in Ernst & Young as one of the founding partners of the Management Consulting practice. During this time he lead the divisions engaged in the retailing, consumer products and technology sectors. As a Chartered IT Practitioner he has been deeply involved over the years in retail and media technology. He is currently Non-Executive Chairman of several listed and private companies including Gresham Computing plc, Highams Group plc, Adili plc and CRF Inc.