Meet The Team
Meet the people that make BookNow Software the company it is, a customer-centric, flexible solution across the entertainment and leisure industry.
Luke Sims
CEO
With a background in building a software consultancy focusing on salesforce technology, the next obvious step was to build a trampoline park….. of course! A totally natural transition.
However, once an entrepreneur always an entrepreneur and after experiencing a Skyzone park in Anaheim, California, during an annual visit to my folks house, I was staggered to find the concept didn’t exist in the UK. With a talented wife looking for something to sink her teeth into, it didn’t take any selling to get her to take the reins (of course her decision wasn’t at all influenced by our young children Henry Amelia and Freya). 4 weeks later we had a fully costed business plan and 12 months later we opened the doors to the UK’s first trampoline park (according to the BBC anyway, allegedly a park opened in the midlands 1 day earlier? potato, potato).
After operating for a short period of time and hearing the technology frustrations from the park managers it was clear there wasn’t a modern solution in the market to the ticketed leisure operators problems. So we set about building BookNow software, and of course if you’re going to build a software solution why not build it on the world most advanced cloud platform Salesforce.com.
Gareth Stephens
Co-Founder
Gemma Colbourne
Commercial Director
With a diverse background in Operations and Sales, I have been with BookNow Software from the start of its amazing journey.
Having worked as the Operations Director for the CEO’s group of trampoline parks I have an in-depth knowledge of leisure and entertainment operators of the needs and wants to drive their own business’ forwards.
Having served for ten years as a Commissioned Officer in the British Army and represented Great Britain numerous times as a Great Britain Bobsleigh driver winning races across the world, I am a little bit driven and determined! I have led and managed large teams both Operationally (in the Army) and in Sales in the Corporate world, I love seeing others in my team succeed through supportive learning.
Married with two wonderful children, my life outside of work is just as busy, and, as an active member of both school and local committees, as well as keeping fit with CrossFit, hockey and running, life is by no means ever dull!
Brandon Gray
Vice President, north america
With a background in live events and hospitality, I joined BookNow to expand our business into the United States. Having worked in the family entertainment and hospitality business, I understand your unique needs to help drive and support the success of your businesses.
Previously I managed online events and reservation platforms for TopGolf and managed ticket operations in live events to help introduce new ways to drive revenue and increase guest experience.
Outside of work, you can find me spending time with my wife and two young children.
Stephen Garrick
Technical Pre-Sales Engineer
I am the Technical Pre-Sales Engineer at BookNow Software, responsible for guiding prospective customers through the solution, ensuring that BookNow Software is the right software for them, and that all technical questions are answered during the sales process.
I graduated with a degree in Business and Information Technology .
I have also previously managed multilingual pilot teams for Booking.com, helping introduce their new attractions product to over 16 countries worldwide.
I strongly believe we should always put the customer at the centre of our decision making, which is why I have pursued a career that combines customer service/success with technology.
Outside of work I put myself through the pain of being a Fulham Football Club season ticket holder!
Nick Thurston
Development Director
I’m Nick, I’ve been with BookNow Software right from the get go.
I’ve always had an interest in computing, I built my own PC and developed websites for family members businesses aged 14. Before BookNow, I was the IT manager for Gravity Force and part of the original development team involved in building the first iteration of what later became known as BookNow Software.
After discussions with Luke around the commercial possibilities of what we had built, the IP of our booking system was carved out of Lukes other ventures and moved to BookNow Software Limited, where I now fulfil the role of Development Director.
When I’m not at work, you can find me behind a pair of decks, as I like to think of myself as the next Pete Tong……. sadly without the fame, fortune, jetset life style, etc.
Oli Shepherd
Product Manager
I have 9 years’ experience in bringing software products to market, both in my own businesses and working for others. I have managed cross-functional teams for 15 years, grown a number of teams and managed people across remote sites, both within country and internationally.
I am responsible for the product development lifecycle at BookNow Software, managing our roadmap to ensure that we add the most possible value to our customers as efficiently as possible.
That means listening closely to our existing and new customers and making sure we have a product strategy that delivers the functions that will have the most impact for them, their team and their business.
I live in South West Surrey with my beautiful wife and two brilliant boys. I like to keep fit when my joints let me and am making ham-fisted attempts to learn a couple of instruments.
Dean Lewis
Head of marketing
After nearly six years in a marketing role at a creative agency I was keen to make the transition to an exciting and fast growing software business, it was just a case of finding the right company – step in BookNow Software!
I’m responsible for marketing the solution to win new business for BookNow Software, both in the UK and internationally.
When I’m not running BookNow’s marketing, you’ll likely find me at a Crossfit gym or indulging in far too much food – balance is key after all…
Bhaskar Nadendla
Head of QA
I am a QA Lead at BookNow with over 6 years of experience in software testing. I initially joined the BookNow team as an Automation Test Engineer. My expertise lies in developing test strategies and plans for projects, considering the appropriate level of automation to achieve testing goals efficiently. I am responsible for scheduling and running automated test suites, analysing test results, and providing reports to stakeholders on test outcomes. Additionally, I collaborate with developers and stakeholders to track, prioritise, and verify defects, ensuring timely resolution.
Before joining BookNow, I worked as a Software Test Engineer at Pitney Bowes LLC, located in Nebraska, United States. During my time there, I worked on various projects, implementing robust test automation frameworks using Selenium WebDriver and TestNG. Additionally, I hold a Master’s degree in Computer Information and Systems from Bellevue University in Nebraska, USA.
Outside of work, I enjoy playing cricket and cooking a variety of dishes.
Kane White
Senior Developer
I’m Kane. I studied a degree in Games Programming at University which gave me a diverse range of programming knowledge and an intuition for finding solutions to difficult and unusual problems.
Post degree I decided to move to France taking the role of Head of IT operations for a ski-chalet company, partly for the work but mostly for the skiing!
Wanting to apply my skillset to a more programmatic endeavour, I joined BookNow Software to help push the boundaries of what booking software can be by developing an incredible product for our customers.
Working remotely from the French Alps means that in my downtime I can hit the slopes for a shred, as long as there’s snow on the ground!
Ritu Chaudhary
Product Development
I am an Automation Tester at BookNow Software. My role and responsibility includes defining test strategies, designing test cases, performing automation and recommending solutions for improvement.
Before joining BookNow I worked as an Assistant Professor in Diploma College, my experience there taught me to find different ways to look at problems which indeed made me explore testing as a career.
The only good thing that happened in 2020 is joining the BookNow Team! So far I’m really enjoying helping them in revolutionising the booking platform.
In my free hours, I like to cook for my family and spending time with them.
Chris Marsh
Service Manager
After relocating with my family from the Midlands down to Hampshire, I joined BookNow as Services Manager. My role here is to oversee the Onboarding and Customer Success team – ensuring new and existing customers have all the tools and support they require.
Previously, I spent 8 years working for a company specialising within the leisure and golf sector. My time here taught me lots, with my job roles spanning installations, support, and implementation.
Outside of work, you’ll most likely find me at a soft play or running around a farm park chasing after my two young children!
Coralie Marlow
Project Manager
I have previously worked for 15 years within the hospitality industry managing bars and restaurants. This is where I discovered my passion for customer service. I took this enthusiasm and moved to SaaS and haven’t looked back since! Being part of the implementation team, I am here to assist with your onboarding journey, ensuring your project remains on schedule, and I am here to answer any questions you may have.
When I’m not at work you’ll most likely find me baking, painting or making something crafty!
Daniel reed
Senior Account Executive
After several years in the medical sector as a sales specialist, I thought it was time to change path and looked to join a fast paced start up and that’s how I found BookNow!
I enjoy meeting and speaking with new prospects and working out how our solution can help solve the various problems people in the industry come across, and building long lasting relationships.
When I’m not at work, you can find me following my beloved Portsmouth FC up and down the country!
Craig Emberson
Software Test Engineer
After graduating with a distinction in MSC Computer Science, I wanted to utilise the knowledge I gained in IT & software engineering at a fast paced software company – enter BookNow Software.
My role at BookNow Software is to ensure customers have fast and friendly support, allowing our team to provide support, configuration and training where required.
In my spare time I enjoy going to music gigs, watching movies, playing weekend football and spending time with my girlfriend and family.
Karen Pereira
Software Developer
I’m Karen. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering and I moved to the UK a year ago. During my time here I’ve worked in the robotics industry, as a software engineer. I’ve dealt with orchestrating tasks for robots, displaying the logistics and integrating it with a web application.
I’ve recently joined BookNow as a Junior Developer and it’s been absolutely amazing. I’m elated to learn more about this Industry while assisting the development process and achieving a better product for our customers!
Outside of work you’ll find me watching Standup Comedy, Basketball and taking pictures of my Dog.
Ben Kirk
Customer Success Executive
With a keen passion for computers (I’ve built two), I undertook a network infrastructure engineer apprenticeship and worked in outsourced IT for 2 and a half years before joining BookNow, as I wanted to move over into the SaaS industry.
Outside of computers and software, my other interests are online gaming and playing the drums!
Oliver Bone
Developer
Meet our developer, a coding enthusiast with a passion for BMWs and drum and bass music. Their technical expertise and creative flair make them a valuable addition to our team. Beyond coding, they indulge in BMWs, showcasing precision and innovation, and they groove to drum and bass beats, highlighting their love for rhythm and complexity. Their curiosity and dedication keep our team updated and inspired.
Michelle Chisango
Customer Success Executive
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