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Movers & Shakers | February 2026
Check out all the latest partnerships, appointments, awards, and expansions across Scottish tech with DIGIT’s Movers & Shakers.
Welcome to February 2026’s bumper edition of Movers & Shakers.
We’ve seen a string of heavyweight appointments over the past few weeks, as familiar faces step into unfamiliar and influential new roles across some of the sector’s most established names, everywhere from long-standing fixtures like CodeBase and STAC, to talk of the town startup, Willo.
February also saw a run of new partnerships, with heavy hitters like Data Vita, SP Energy Networks, and subsea robotics specialist Rovtech all inking new deals, while Lenovo officially cut the ribbon on its latest AI lab, right at the heart of Edinburgh’s ancient cobbled streets.
It’s been a breathless month, but there’s always time for a bit of bubbly, which this month comes courtesy of DIGIT’s annual Scottish Cyber Awards, returning on the 26th March. Want a sneak peek at the finalists? Scroll on down!
Appointments
Leadership Changes As CodeBase Seeks New CEO
Glasgow Scaleup Willo Recruits Tech Veteran as VP of Partnerships
Glasgow-founded scaleup Willo has appointed Jim Berrisford as its new vice president of partnerships to kick off what co-founder Euan Cameron described as ‘a pivotal year’ for the recruitment tech firm.
As VP of partnerships, Berrisford will lead Willo’s global partner strategy, focusing on scalable infrastructure and developer toolkits embedded with ATS and HCM providers. His remit will include reshaping legacy relationships, building new ‘pure play’ strategic alliances with key players in the hiring ecosystem, and ensuring Willo is tightly integrated within customers’ existing tech stacks.
Berrisford joins Willo with over twenty years’ experience in the talent sector, including in recruitment, in‑house acquisition, and senior commercial and partnerships roles at vendors like Vonq and Reezomo, alongside his work as a business ambassador for a UK autism charity.
“What excites me about Willo is that it sits in that ‘next system of productivity (NSOP)’ space – giving partners and customers an embedded, best-of-breed solution that removes friction rather than adding to the noise,” said Berrisford.
Read more here.
STAC Announces New Chair Appointment & £15M Fund
Scotland’s Smart Things Accelerator Centre (STAC) has appointed Jim Rowan as its new Chair as the organisation launches a £15 million investment fund.
The Glasgow-born former CEO of Volvo Cars and Dyson brings three decades of global technology leadership to his new role, where he will lead STAC’s strategic direction and leverage his global networks to open international markets for portfolio companies, aiming to champion Scottish deep tech capabilities on the world stage.
His appointment comes as STAC launches a £15 million fund focusing on Scottish startups and companies ready to scale across robotics, AI, quantum computing, photonics, and advanced manufacturing.
“We’re good at innovation in Scotland, but we need to get better at invention at scale. As a nation, we need to think bigger, act quicker and be much more comfortable betting on ourselves. STAC is the vehicle to compete in next-generation technology,” said Rowan.
Read more here.
Burness Paull Appoints Tim Dale as New “Knowledge Partner”
Burness Paull has appointed Tim Dale to the new role of knowledge and client service partner, where he will be responsible for elevating all aspects of the law firm’s knowledge and learning, ensuring the expertise of its staff continues to develop in line with changes to the law and the commercial needs of clients.
Dale, who brings a decade of experience in leading and growing a knowledge function in an international law firm, will also play an important role in assessing the impact of AI on the delivery of legal advice provided by the firm, as well as the identification and adoption of AI-powered solutions that drive value through efficiency and better client service.
“The appointment of Tim is an important milestone in our strategy,” said Peter Lawson, chair at Burness Paull.
“Our goal of being the leading law firm operating in and from Scotland can only be fulfilled by attracting outstanding talent and equipping them with the tools and ongoing learning required to advise on the business-critical, complex matters for which our clients look to us.”
Proofpoint Strengthens Scottish Team
Cyberfirm Proofpoint has welcomed David McKeand as Senior Account Manager based in Scotland, where he will support organisations get to grips with their data security, regulatory and AI-related risks.
McKenand will work closely with executive teams and key stakeholders at organisations across Scotland to help them maintain operational resilience and enable digital growth, in line with data security, AI security and cyber risk strategies.
Proofpoint said that McKeand’s appointment reflects demand for outcome-led approaches to reducing data exposure, particularly where people interact with sensitive information in critical industries like financial services, energy and the public sector.
George Walker appointed as Ofcom Board member for Scotland
The Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs, and Culture has announced the appointment of George Walker as the Ofcom Board Member for Scotland.
George Walker is an experienced Non-Executive Director with a broad background across regulation, governance and consumer protection in the public sector. He is currently Senior Independent Director at The Pensions Regulator and Chair of Social Investment Scotland.
The appointment will run from 01 March 2026 to 28 February 2030.
AND Digital Accelerates US Expansion with Appointment of Catherine Rousseau
AND Digital has appointed Catherine Rousseau as Technical Solutions Director to support AND Digital’s US expansion to scale its digital transformation, engineering and AI capabilities across North America.
In her new role, Rousseau will define and execute AND Digital’s strategy, with responsibility for building partnerships and leading the delivery of enterprise technology solutions for AND Digital’s US clients, which include Mastercard and Dynamic Yield.
Rousseau is a senior advisor to executive stakeholders, overseeing solution design, technical delivery, and architectural quality across complex digital transformation programmes. Her focus will include cloud strategy, application modernisation, platform engineering, and the adoption of modern engineering and AI-enabled delivery practices.
“Catherine’s appointment is a key step in executing our US growth strategy. As demand accelerates for enterprise-scale digital transformation and AI-enabled platforms, her ability to lead complex delivery, advise senior stakeholders, and develop technical capability will be instrumental in supporting our clients and scaling AND Digital’s impact across North America,” said Mike Lee, US President at AND Digital.
Partnerships
DataVita and Altibox Carrier Announce Strategic Partnership
DataVita has announced a new strategic partnership with Altibox Carrier, a provider of international high-speed connectivity across the Nordics and Europe, and the operator behind the NO-UK subsea cable linking Norway and the UK.
Under the deal, the NO-UK subsea cable will be directly integrated into DataVita’s Scottish data centre campuses, delivering high-performance, direct connectivity between the Scottish facilities and the Nordics, creating what DataVita called a “seamless digital corridor purpose-built for hyperscalers and neo-cloud providers”.
The Scottish firm said the partnership will deliver key benefits, including scalable 100G and 400G services with low latency, a diverse, high-capacity path that strengthens regional infrastructure, while leveraging the renewable energy profiles of both Norway and Scotland.
“Scotland is a natural hub between North America and Europe. Partnering with Altibox Carrier enhances our reach and provides the infrastructure modern digital workloads demand,” said Danny Quinn, DataVita MD.
Rovtech Partners with Unique Group to Take International Markets
Aberdeen-based subsea robotics specialist Rovtech has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with offshore solutions provider Unique Group, focused on expanding sales, service and support for Rovtech’s VALOR ROV systems across the Middle East and Asia Pacific.
By combining Rovtech’s advanced subsea robotics capability with Unique Group’s regional footprint, the partnership is designed to accelerate market penetration and enhance local support in regions where demand for reliable, high-performance ROV systems continues to grow.
Under the agreement, Unique Group will focus on promoting, supporting and servicing VALOR ROV systems across the Middle East and Asia Pacific, leveraging its established regional teams, facilities and client relationships. Sales and support in other international markets will continue to be managed directly by Rovtech, which will provide technical expertise and marketing collateral to underpin joint activity.
The agreement builds on VALOR’s existing global track record, with systems already successfully operating in regions including Australia, India, the Middle East and Brazil.
“We have systems operating successfully around the world, and partnering with Unique Group allows us to build deeper regional capability in the Middle East and Asia Pacific while continuing to manage and grow our presence elsewhere. It is a practical, customer-focused step in the evolution of the VALOR platform,” said John Polson, CEO of Rovtech.
Glasgow Uni and SP Energy Networks Announce Partnership
SP Energy Networks and the University of Glasgow have inked a multi‑year partnership that will create a sector‑leading ‘cyber defence lab’, fund PhD and graduate apprenticeship programmes, and develop data, cyber, digital and AI skills needed to deliver a resilient, Net Zero electricity system.
The new agreement builds on years of positive collaboration between the university and the network operator, and will focus on bringing together their strengths in engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity to design solutions, test new ideas in real environments, and explore innovation opportunities.
At the heart of the partnership is a focus on building graduate apprenticeships in core skill areas, and continuing R&D to support cyber, data and digital programmes within a framework of knowledge exchange, innovation and project delivery.
“At the heart of this partnership is something deeply important to us: investing in our people and attracting new talent into our industry,” said Jen Davies, head of workforce renewal at SP Energy Networks.
“This collaboration will give our teams access to the latest thinking from leading academic minds. It’s an approach that supports retention, builds confidence, and reinforces the long-term resilience of SP Energy Networks.”
Expansions
Lenovo Launches New AI Lab in Edinburgh
Consumer tech giant Lenovo has opened a new AI lab in Edinburgh as part of a global expansion of its R&D footprint.
Opened by the electronics firm’s CTO, Dr Tolga Kurtoglu, the Scottish chapter of Lenovo’s AI Technology Centers (LATC) will join other AI labs opening in London and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, along with a new Digital Trust Lab in Tel Aviv.
These labs will see Lenovo researchers focus on the real-world deployment of foundation models, the evolution of agentic AI, and the orchestration of intelligent systems that collaborate seamlessly across environments. Working under the umbrella of Lenovo’s wider AI innovation strategy, led by Kurtoglu, the tech company said that these efforts will help shape the future of AI-powered computing by “turning innovation into impact”.
While specific details of each lab’s work were not revealed, Lenovo labelled Edinburgh and London the “ideal locations” for its first LATC facilities, with the company citing each city’s vibrant tech sectors and rapidly expanding AI ecosystems.
“By bringing together world-class researchers, engineers, and academic partners, we’re accelerating the development of technologies that not only push the boundaries of what’s possible but do so in ways that earn and maintain trust in the benefits of AI to society,” said Kurtoglu.
Read more here.
Awards
Scottish Cyber Awards 2026 | Meet the Finalists
The Scottish Cyber Awards have revealed their 2026 finalist shortlist!
Hosted by DIGIT and the Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland, the awards are a stalwart event in the Scottish cyber calendar, showcasing the best of the country’s cyber talent.
In a hugely competitive year, judges commended all entrants for their outstanding applications, demonstrating the wealth of expertise within the sector. Now in its eighth year, the awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of stand-out individuals and organisations in the world of Scottish cybersecurity. Providing an opportunity to network, share ideas and celebrate achievements in the industry, the awards will be held on 26 March at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
“These are some of the leading cybersecurity practitioners in the industry, and the people helping to ensure that our SMBs, enterprises, and infrastructure are safe. It’s crucial that we recognise their efforts and achievements,” said DIGIT founder, Ray Bugg.
Read more here.
Scotland Launches Digital Education Awards
A ‘first-of-its-kind’ digital education awards scheme to recognise and celebrate teachers and education professionals leading innovation in digital skills teaching has launched.
The Digital Education Awards Scotland (DEAS) scheme aims to highlight the outstanding work of educators who champion digital skills in classrooms and beyond, encouraging best practice, career development and better outcomes for learners.
The national programme also supports Scotland’s commitment to developing a digitally capable workforce and closing digital skills gaps in schools. Enhancing teacher capacity and ensuring students develop digital skills are a key focus of the National Improvement Framework (NIF) for Scottish education.
“These awards reflect the strength of Scotland’s existing digital framework and will ensure those taking proactive steps to promote the country’s digital skills agenda are appropriately recognised,” said Anna Doody, Director of Programmes, DEAS.
Read more here.
