Fast growing software business appoints finance director

Hive, one of the region’s fastest-growing businesses, has appointed a highly experienced strategic finance director.

Iain Coward joins Hive with over 20 years’ experience across a range of well-known businesses.

Hive, which was founded in 2016, is the fastest growing employee feedback platform in the UK. The platform is designed to challenge traditional annual employee surveys by providing businesses and organisations with a dynamic, ongoing ability to understand how their people are feeling and help build real engagement and therefore productivity.

Iain Coward has joined Hive from Communicator where he was head of finance for two years. Iain qualified as a chartered accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Newcastle, and since then has had a range of senior finance roles in industry in the North East and the Isle of Man.

Iain said “Hive is a really exciting software subscription business with ambitious growth plans. It’s that, along with the talented team already in the business, that attracted me to the role.”

Hive works with over 100 organisations across the country including River Island, Travelodge, University of Sunderland, HarperCollins Publishers, Gateshead College, Salvation Army and Natures Way Foods.

CEO and founder John Ryder said “We have ambitions to grow Hive across the UK and internationally and to do this we need to keep adding talent to our amazing team.

“Iain really impressed us with his extensive experience and approach and joins the business as we are poised for significant growth, with plans to increase our client base by 530% over the next three years.

“Our platform aims to dramatically improve the working lives of everyday people. Our customers can ask their employees what they want and when they want it, via flexible surveying technology – ensuring that the opinions and suggestions of their people are heard, understood and actioned as a business priority.”