About Us
We started Virtual IT to offer small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) an "all in one" fully managed IT solution, encompassing hardware, software, Microsoft Exchange email, offsite backup, Virtual Private Network from home, and high quality support. We can act as your own IT department, or complement your existing resources, with no capital outlay - just a predictable, monthly cost that helps you stay in control of your budget.
Established in 2001, Virtual IT has quickly become one of the prominent managed IT services company for SMBs. We were ranked no. 1 in London and no. 3 in the UK as the fastest growing company in the 2007 Deloitte Technology Fast 50. We have also established important partnerships with key industry IT players, and are a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and an HP Preferred Business Partner.
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>> The story of Virtual IT
Highly experienced at providing IT support, we strive to ensure that implementation is straightforward and problem free. As a result, our services and expertise have become sought after throughout the UK.
Virtual IT is a company born out of decades of experience at the leading edge of the IT industry. Our founder, David Somen, and our two other most senior executives have a wealth of experience normally found in much larger companies.
Our foundations were laid in 1995, when David and Jonathan Somen founded Virtual Technology Group, which offered telephone call-back services in Africa and dial-through telephone services in the UK. After several years of strong growth and a number of acquisitions, the group (now renamed the LCR Telecom Group) focused on providing least-cost routing telephone services to small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) in several European countries. Having achieved revenues of $50 million in 1999, and over 10,000 SMB customers, LCR Telecom Group was sold in February 2000 to PRIMUS Telecommunications, a $1 billion plus NASDAQ listed company, in a transaction worth just under $100 million.
Following the sale of LCR Telecom Group, David Somen became the European Managing Director of PRIMUS Telecommunications, responsible for its voice and data business. PRIMUS Europe had revenues of over $300 million and close to 1,000 people.
Whilst at Primus and LCR, which specialised in selling to and servicing the telecommunications needs of an SMB, it became evident to David that there was a real gap in the market for the IT services that an SMB needs to run their business effectively and successfully... And this is where the idea of Virtual IT was born; a hassle free experience with quality service so that the SMB focuses on building and growing their business, rather than worrying about the day to day challenges of running it.
Liam Strong, Virtual IT’s Chairman since 2002, is currently the Partner and Managing Director of the European operations of Cerberus Capital Partners, a leading US private equity fund. Prior to this, Liam has been CEO of various organisations such as Teleglobe Inc, MCI International and Sears Europe.
Natalie Ayres, joined the Virtual IT board in July 2007. Natalie has been in the IT industry for over 20 years, 15 of them with Microsoft, where she sat on the UK Board of Directors and ran the SMB and channel partner business.