Switzerland’s Board Owl Names New CEO

Editorial Staff

9 January 2024

Zurich-based human resources technology and software-as-a-service business has named Simon Clifton as its new chief executive, taking the helm from co-founder and previous CEO, Daniel Aghdami.

Under the change, Aghdami will become executive chairman.

Board Owl provides startups, businesses that are scaling up, other companies and non-government organisations with talent for board and advisory board appointments.

Clifton has a background of investing in high-growth technology companies. He co-founded bigblu broadband (BBB) in 2008 and served as chief technology officer.

BBB floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2015. Subsequently, over the next six years, the company acquired 22 competitor businesses across six different countries. Simon stepped down recently when the European part of the business was sold to Eutelsat.

Board Owl, founded in 2019, is a digital matching platform and community for decision-makers. It claims to disrupt the traditional board search process by bringing together companies and board professionals worldwide. The business was spun out of financial services executive search firm DART, and has partnered with organisations such as stock exchanges, accelerators, family offices, universities and private equity houses.