Robert Jordan, CEO with a rugby playing past…

“As a child, I loved comparing things, finding out which was the biggest, tallest or smallest. ‘Top Trumps’ with its colourful cards was one of my favourite games as it helped me satisfy this curiosity. It was the perfect way to start my lifelong collection of facts and figures.

In my teenage years, I was a dedicated rugby player, competing at a semi-professional level across England, France and even Australia. Traveling from club to club was an amazing adventure. When I settled down, I switched gears and became a rugby coach, working with under-18 teams. Coaching was a fulfilling journey. I enjoyed nurturing new talents and witnessing their progress. The organisational aspects of the sport were also fascinating to explore. It was a great way to keep my love for rugby alive and achieve some victories along the way!

Shortly after graduating from Brunel University I joined DHL Express and participated in their comprehensive training programs. These taught me management principles, project management and expanded my knowledge about data collection. As a result, I was privileged to work on DHLs global data warehouse project. It was an opportunity to see the world of data from both a commercial and technical angle.

In the early 2000s, inspired by Claudia Imhoff’s business intelligence concept of information flows within companies, I embarked on a new venture and founded The Information Factory. Recognising that information is abundant and underutilised, the aim was to collect and analyse data to help businesses make informed decisions.

Starting my own business was incredibly stressful. Delivering projects on time, meeting customer expectations and managing cash flow was tough. I also learned that running a company is more than just numbers and responsibilities. It's a social adventure, and I've met many interesting people. Some of these relationships have become lifelong friendships that I hold dear.

Over the years our company has grown in stature. We've become more proactive in serving our customers and after two decades of experience, we've mastered our field. I'm immensely proud of what we've accomplished at The Information Factory, from a loyal customer base and launching our first application to having a team of over 50 co-workers.