Global Inkjet Systems Executive Team
Nick Geddes
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technical Officer
Nick is the co-founder and majority shareholder of GIS. A Computer Science graduate from St John’s College Cambridge, Nick founded GIS in late 2006 after a successful investment banking career at UBS.
Being CTO, Nick drives innovation and leads the ever-growing R&D teams. Nick wrote the GIS variable data RIP, the original curved surface compensation tool and is now working on the latest generation of inkjet image quality enhancement software.
As CEO, he is committed to retaining the core ethical and professional principles of the company, making GIS a trusted partner in business worldwide
Debbie Thorp
Business Development Director
Debbie Thorp has worked in digital printing for over 30 years and joined GIS in 2010 to build the international customer base, and establish strong teams for account management, technical support and marketing.
Earlier in her career, Debbie worked for over 10 years in senior positions at specialist digital printing consultancy companies such as IT Strategies, and was Head of Group Marketing at inkjet printhead manufacturer Xaar for 4 years. Before joining GIS, she was VP EMEA Operations at iTi, an inkjet system integrator.
Debbie is a Board member of ESMA (European Specialist Printing Manufacturers Association) and served as Chair from 2018-2020. She presents regularly at industry conferences worldwide – and was elected to the ASDPT (Academy of Screen and Digital Printing Technologies) in 2017
Debbie has a BA degree in Modern Languages from Manchester University and an MBA from Durham University Business School.
Martin Hoather
Chief Operating Officer
Martin has a wealth of operational and strategic experience stemming from a 21-year career as a Royal Navy Engineer Officer. Highlights of this varied period include several seagoing deployments, a period integrated with the Ministry of Defence’s R&D organisation, DSTL, and selection for the Private Office of the Chief of Defence Staff – the professional head of the British Armed Forces.
Martin joined GIS in 2014 as the Company’s R&D Programme Manager, and was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2017. He is a Chartered Engineer, holds Master’s degrees in Engineering from Cambridge and Cranfield Universities, and is an alumnus of Manchester Business School. He sits on the Regional Advisory Board of Make UK, the Engineering Employers’ Federation.
Dr Steve Jeffels
Chief Financial Officer
A Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor, Steve has an MA in Engineering from Cambridge University and an MBA. Prior to joining GIS, Steve worked for two of the ‘Big 4’, including training in audit with Arthur Andersen, and has had many years of experience across a wide range of company sizes ranging from the world’s largest multinationals to private and private equity owned SMEs, as well as an extensive background in tax and accounting software and ERP systems. Steve’s career encompasses both traditional accounting and finance roles along with significant tax, corporate finance, and commercial leadership positions.
Steve Wiliamson
Engineering Director
With a BEng Electronic Engineering Honours Degree, Steve has over 25 years of related, highly technical experience in RF design and manufacturing, team leadership and project management; this includes strategic, senior roles at companies in the Cambridge area such as CRFS, Cambridge Consultants, Anritsu and Plextek.
His manufacturing knowledge is diverse, ranging between one offs for specialist military / government applications to high volume production for general commercial applications. His passion for electronic design has informed design involvement throughout his career.
As a strategic member of the GIS executive team, Steve is committed to bringing his high-level interpersonal management skills and in-depth experience to strengthening the company’s dynamic development environment as it grows.
