Steven Edwards (entrepreneur)
Steven Edwards, OBE (born 16 September 1957 in London) is a British entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was one of the founders of Geneva Technology, a British software company. His philanthropic work supports education and social mobility.
Early life[edit]
Edwards was born in London, England. He studied Physics at the University of Oxford.[1]
Career[edit]
Edwards worked on the CAD system MEDUSA at Cambridge Interactive Systems Ltd (CIS), co-founded by Dick Newell and part of the Cambridge Phenomenon.
Edwards, along with Alex Bowden, who had also worked at CIS, founded Generic Technology, a software business working in engineering software databases. Rosalind Smith joined the business as a third equal shareholder, and it changed its focus to software for the telecommunications industry, and was renamed Geneva Technology. In December 1999, Venture Capital firms Spectrum Equity and Geocapital made a $20 million investment in Geneva Technology,[2] and in 2001 Geneva Technology was sold to Convergys Corporation for $700 million.[3][4][5] Stephen Thomas, who was CEO of Geneva from 1998 until the sale,[6] and had also worked at CIS, died in an accident in Antarctica.[7][8][9]
Edwards has since worked as a helicopter pilot in the gas industry.[10]
Philanthropy[edit]
In 2008 Edwards, and his then wife Rosalind Smith, gave £30 million to Smith's Cambridge College New Hall, which was renamed Murray Edwards in recognition of the founder Dame Rosemary Murray and of the donation by the Edwards family.[11][12][13][14][15][16] There was some controversy regarding the renaming.[17][18][19]
He is a founder and trustee of the Lancaster-Taylor Charitable Trust.[20]
Edwards was a co-founder of BestCourse4me, a charity helping students choose university courses.
Personal and family life[edit]
Edwards has six children, Katherine, Jonathan and Daniel from his first marriage, and Beatrice, Benjamin and Miranda, from his second marriage. He lives near Cambridge, England.
He has several hobbies and is notably an avid collector of garden gnomes.
Honours and Awards[edit]
Edwards is an Honorary Fellow of St Edmund's Hall, University of Oxford, and a Foundation Fellow of Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge.
Edwards was awarded an OBE for services to Higher Education.
References[edit]
- ↑ "Steve Edwards | Honorary Fellow". St Edmund Hall.
- ↑ "Geocapital and Spectrum co-lead Geneva investment". www.fnlondon.com.
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20130817084255/http://www.billingworld.com/articles/2001/05/financial-watch-convergys-brings-geneva-into-the.aspx
- ↑ "Fast Track". Fast Track.
- ↑ "American software group buys Geneva Technology for $700m". The Telegraph.
- ↑ "About Stephen". stephenthomasmemorial.com.
- ↑ "Tragedy Fuels Debate About Antarctic Cruising". www.themosttraveled.com.
- ↑ "Explorer dies in fall though ice". January 18, 2005 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ https://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk/news/48854
- ↑ https://www.seh.ox.ac/people/steve-edwards
- ↑ Curtis, Polly; editor, education (June 17, 2008). "Cambridge college gets a £30m donation - and a new name" – via www.theguardian.com.
- ↑ "Oxford and Cambridge get record cash boost". The Telegraph.
- ↑ "Cambridge college gets a £30m donation - and a new name". the Guardian. June 17, 2008.
- ↑ "Record £30 million gift provides a bright future for Cambridge College". University of Cambridge. June 17, 2008.
- ↑ "Cambridge college to be named after $30m donor". Mail Online.
- ↑ "College renamed after £30m gift". June 18, 2008 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ "Cambridge alumnae protest at plans to rename New Hall college". The Independent. August 28, 2008.
- ↑ McDonagh, Melanie. "Renaming New Hall, Cambridge: an act of sheer egotism" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
- ↑ "New Hall". A Different Voice.
- ↑ "THE LANCASTER-TAYLOR CHARITABLE TRUST - Charity 1106035". register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk.
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