Digital Transformation · AI Strategy · Executive Leadership

Turning technology businesses into profitable, AI-enabled ones.

A CEO and digital transformation leader with 25+ years scaling, transforming and turning around SaaS and technology businesses. Now helping boards and founders grow with AI.

Engagements have included: BT, Home Office, Salesforce, BAE Systems, Virgin Media, TSB, Samsung, Savills, UnitedHealth Group, FirstRand, Chubb, G4S, SECOM, Securitas, Stanley Security, UK Police Forces.

The Operator

Kevin Barton

A commercial CEO and technologist who turns underperforming businesses into profitable, AI-enabled ones. Not an agency. An embedded partner.

Twenty-five years building, scaling and transforming SaaS, technology and digital businesses - the last fifteen in the CTO and CEO seat. As CEO of PanicGuard, I delivered a full turnaround: profitable for the first time in the company's fourteen-year history within twenty months, with a six-figure reduction in annual operating costs, recurring revenue grown into seven figures, and significant new investment secured from existing shareholders.

As CTO before that, I scaled a globally deployed SaaS platform across 24 countries and 14 languages supporting more than 5 million users, achieving ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, BS 8484 and Secured by Design accreditations. Today, through my consultancy Strata Works, I help boards and founders adopt AI - balancing risk against opportunity and translating complex change into decisions a board can act on. Engagements have spanned BT, the Home Office, Salesforce, BAE Systems, Virgin Media, TSB, Samsung, Savills, UnitedHealth Group and UK Police Forces.

• 25+ Years Experience
• 2M+ Users Supported
• 7-Figure ARR Delivered
• 24 Countries Scaled

Projects

Ventures I have led, shipped, and scaled - not slideware.

• PanicGuard

  CEO · formerly CTO (12 yrs)

  Personal safety and lone-worker SaaS for enterprise, government and public sector. Turned profitable for the first time in 14 years - seven-figure ARR, with a six-figure reduction in annual costs.

  panicguard.com

• Hollie Guard

  Technology lead

  A consumer personal safety app developed with the Hollie Gazzard Trust - protecting hundreds of thousands of users across the UK.

  hollieguard.com

• Strata Works

  Founder & Principal Consultant

  AI-led transformation for SMEs and scaling businesses - lead generation, bid and tender automation, HR and workflow automation, and business intelligence.

  strataworks.co.uk

• We Go Local Solutions

  Advisor

  Helping a local-first business connect communities with the services around them through smarter technology and digital growth.

• Deep Design

  Advisor

  Partnering with a design studio to align creative craft with product strategy and AI-enabled ways of working.

Consulting Engagements

I embed with your leadership team to define strategy, mitigate risks, and build custom AI solutions that drive measurable business outcomes.

• AI Strategy & Transformation

  AI adoption roadmaps, governance and change management across marketing, HR, operations and commercial functions.

• AI Lead Generation

  AI-driven lead generation systems that increase qualified sales opportunities while reducing customer acquisition cost.

• Bid & Tender Automation

  Automated bid and tender workflows that cut preparation time and increase submission capacity.

• HR & Recruitment Automation

  AI-enhanced recruitment screening, onboarding automation and employee engagement systems.

• Workflow & Business Intelligence

  Integrated automation combining CRM, marketing, document management and BI to lift productivity.

• Fractional CTO / Board Advisory

  Board-level guidance, technology leadership and team building for organisations navigating AI and transformation.

The Methodology

Weeks, not months. Focused entirely on shipping.

1. Discover — Audit processes and map opportunities.
2. Design — Architect secure, compliant solutions.
3. Build — Rapid prototyping and custom engineering.
4. Deploy — Seamless integration into your operations.
5. Optimise — Monitoring, retraining, and scaling.

Ready to turn AI potential into operational reality?

• 6-Figure - Annual costs removed
• 7-Figure - Recurring revenue
• 6-Figure - Investment secured

Book a discovery call.

Tell me a little about your business and where AI could move the needle. I will reply personally within two working days.