Paul Nannetti appointed Chair to lead Ekco’s European growth

Ekco has appointed Paul Nannetti as Chair of its Board of Directors to support the company's managed cloud and cybersecurity services growth across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

Paul Nannetti will collaborate with Eoin Blacklock, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ekco, and the wider senior management team to guide the company's strategic direction as it seeks to expand its regional presence and commercial operations in Europe.

Nannetti brings extensive industry experience to the role, with a career spanning global technology services. He previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Capgemini's Cloud Infrastructure Services Division and was a member of Capgemini's Group Executive Committee across a 22-year tenure. Nannetti has also held leadership positions at IBM and EY, providing him with broad exposure across technology, consulting, and managed IT services businesses internationally.

His previous positions include serving as Chair of Arkphire and ANS, as well as a board member of Advania. Nannetti guided Arkphire through its scale-up phase and strategic sale, working closely with its founder CEO and private equity stakeholders. He currently chairs Hippo, a digital consultancy that operates in both the UK public and private sectors, and Roboyo, a professional services company specialising in automation with operations in 16 countries.

The appointment follows the transition of Don Robert, who has served as Chair of Ekco. Robert will continue to support the company as a founding partner within Corten Capital, the lead shareholder of Ekco. The company has expressed its appreciation for Robert's contributions during his tenure as Chair.

Leadership views

"It's a privilege to join Ekco at such a pivotal stage of its journey. The team has built a unique platform that combines local market intimacy with world-class cloud and security capability. I look forward to working with Ekco's management team to accelerate growth and realise Ekco's full potential as a category leader in Cloud and Security managed services across Europe."

Blacklock highlighted the importance of Nannetti's appointment as the company advances to its next phase of expansion.

"We are thrilled to welcome Paul as our new Chair. His deep industry knowledge, international experience and proven leadership will be invaluable as we move into our next phase of growth. Paul brings not just vision, but hands-on operating expertise that will help us scale with discipline and ambition."

Joseph Schull, Managing Partner at Corten Capital, also commented on Nannetti's record in the sector and the relevance for Ekco's objectives.

"Paul is an exceptional leader with a phenomenal track record of delivering transformational growth and value creation in B2B technology-driven businesses. His experience will be instrumental as we support Ekco's growth and continue to build a market-leading European platform in managed cloud and cybersecurity services."

Company background

Ekco provides managed cloud and security services to enterprise, midmarket, and small to medium business clients across Ireland, the UK, and the Netherlands. Its portfolio includes services such as cloud security, backup and disaster recovery, endpoint protection, and managed detection and response. The company has grown through strategic acquisitions and continued investment in both technology and talent. With regional offices that extend beyond Europe to Africa and Asia, Ekco was included in the Deloitte Fast 500 2024 list, reflecting its recent growth trajectory and market impact.

Corten Capital is the primary shareholder in Ekco. The private equity firm has raised EUR €1.2 billion across two funds and invests in business-to-business software and services businesses in Europe and North America. Don Robert, who steps down as Chair of Ekco, remains a founding partner of the firm.

Nannetti's appointment is positioned as part of Ekco's ongoing efforts to expand its capabilities and competitive position in the managed cloud and cybersecurity space within Europe.