Dan Cobley

Entrepreneur, Tech Investor and Advisor, Managing Director Google UK and Ireland (2011-2014)

Dan Cobley

Entrepreneur, Tech Investor and Advisor, Managing Director Google UK and Ireland (2011-2014)

Dan Cobley is an entrepreneur and angel investor in innovative tech start-up businesses, focusing on financial services. He recently set up Brightbridge Ventures, a fintech-focused venture fund with partners QED Investors and Blenheim Chalcot. Until late 2014, Cobley spent over 8 years at Google. For the last three years he was Managing Director, UK & Ireland – the biggest market for Google outside the US and the most advanced major country in terms of e-commerce and online advertising spending. Cobley was promoted to the UK MD role after five years in Google marketing, first as Marketing Director, UK, Ireland and Benelux and then as VP Marketing, EMEA. In this role he was responsible for all aspects of European business and consumer marketing. Previously, Cobley was VP of Brand and Marketing for Capital One Europe, Marketing Director for Ask Jeeves, and Marketing Director at Pepsi/Walkers. He has also been an early dot.com casualty (great learning!), a strategy consultant, and an oil exploration engineer in Pakistan. Cobley is a regular keynote speaker at conferences; speaking on technology, innovation, and Google’s unique approach to business. He is also an accomplished moderator, interviewer and panellist. He has shared his thoughts on Physics and Marketing at TED conferences and with over a million people on-line. He was named as number 3 in Wired UK top 100 list 2012 and number 2 in Evening Standard 1000 Most Influential Londoners; Digital Innovators, 2012. He appeared on BBC’s Tomorrow’s World as a technology commentator. He has a first degree in physics from Oxford and a master’s in management from Cambridge. He is a trustee of the Technology Trust, and an advisor to a few tech start ups.

About Dan Cobley

Dan Cobley is an entrepreneur and angel investor in innovative tech start-up businesses, focusing on financial services. He recently set up Brightbridge Ventures, a fintech-focused venture fund with partners QED Investors and Blenheim Chalcot.

Until late 2014, Cobley spent over 8 years at Google. For the last three years he was Managing Director, UK & Ireland – the biggest market for Google outside the US and the most advanced major country in terms of e-commerce and online advertising spending.

Cobley was promoted to the UK MD role after five years in Google marketing, first as Marketing Director, UK, Ireland and Benelux and then as VP Marketing, EMEA. In this role he was responsible for all aspects of European business and consumer marketing. Previously, Cobley was VP of Brand and Marketing for Capital One Europe, Marketing Director for Ask Jeeves, and Marketing Director at Pepsi/Walkers. He has also been an early dot.com casualty (great learning!), a strategy consultant, and an oil exploration engineer in Pakistan.

Cobley is a regular keynote speaker at conferences; speaking on technology, innovation, and Google’s unique approach to business. He is also an accomplished moderator, interviewer and panellist. He has shared his thoughts on Physics and Marketing at TED conferences and with over a million people on-line. He was named as number 3 in Wired UK top 100 list 2012 and number 2 in Evening Standard 1000 Most Influential Londoners; Digital Innovators, 2012. He appeared on BBC’s Tomorrow’s World as a technology commentator.

He has a first degree in physics from Oxford and a master’s in management from Cambridge. He is a trustee of the Technology Trust, and an advisor to a few tech start ups.

Topics

  • How digital connectivity and devices are transforming consumer behaviour
  • How digital is changing retail
  • How does innovation happen at Google?
  • Technology and Innovation
  • Implications for business of the connected consumer