Meet our world-class team

Lee is the CEO and founder of Cantarus, growing the business from a three-person startup to one of the largest and most decorated digital agencies in the North of England, now employing over 80 people and serving more than 100 UK and international clients.

With more than 25 years’ experience in digital, Lee is a seasoned technologist and strategist whose deep understanding of digital transformation spans web, mobile apps, cybersecurity, eCommerce, infrastructure, and membership services. 

He’s passionate about equipping organisations with the structure, people, processes, technology and data to create a consistent model for success. His client and outcome-centric approach has created an agency with an outstanding reputation, as evidenced by our Net Promoter Score which consistently exceeds +60.


Specialist Sectors: Membership & Associations, Public Sector, Retail & Commerce, Education, Non-Profit & Charity 

Key Clients: WHSmith, British Computer Society (BCS), Sports Direct, Worldpay, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), British Army, De Beers DTC, Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), NHS Charities Together, Institute of Directors, Royal College of Physicians (RCP),  The College of Optometrists, Stroke Association, United Utilities, The Children’s Society, INTO University Partnerships, Chartered Institute Of Building (CIOB)

Melany joined Cantarus as our General Counsel in February 2020. She is primarily responsible for negotiating contracts with clients, liaising with the company’s external solicitors and advising the board on commercial issues. Prior to joining Cantarus, she was Technical & Compliance Director at the UK’s largest insolvency practice. She started her legal career over 20 years ago at a well-respected high street firm in Suffolk where she made partner before deciding to relocate to Manchester.

As our COO, Mike has crucial responsibility for operational delivery across the business and works with our various managers, consultants, and delivery teams to champion client success. 

Mike joined Cantarus in 2009 as our first non-founder employee and has since risen through the business to his current position. During his time with the business, Mike has successfully led dozens of client projects for large, multinational organisations in retail, not-for-profit, membership, and commercial sectors, including the Institute of Directors (IoD), The Royal Pharmaceutical Society, WHSmith, and Frasers Group. 

Under Mike’s operational leadership, Cantarus has grown into one of the largest agencies in the North of England, consistently delivering high levels of customer satisfaction and world-class digital solutions to our clients and partners. 

Mike has a highly technical background, having graduated top of his year in the School of Computer Science at the University of Manchester, and, as such, places a great deal of emphasis on the quality of the technical solutions we deliver to the market. 

Rebecca joined Cantarus in 2015 as a Developer and has since worked as an Analyst Developer and Consultant. In 2019, she was promoted to the role of Technical Delivery Manager. Rebecca has been essential to Cantarus, delivering a number of MemConnect app projects and refinements for clients, including the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Her role in accelerating the expansion and refinement of our MemConnect product offering was formally recognised in her promotion to Head of Product Delivery in 2021.  

Rebecca has also worked on and led major projects such as WHSmith, Sports Direct, The Children's Society, and the University of Chicago, to name a few. 

Rob is the Creative Director at Cantarus, where he leads a multidisciplinary team of UX and Design specialists. With a focus on brand, web, and product design, he sets the creative vision and ensures the delivery of digital experiences that are simple, effective, and visually compelling. 

With over 15 years of experience across leading agencies and in-house roles, Rob has worked throughout the UK, Europe, and Asia, collaborating with partners to bring standout digital brand communications to life. He brings a strategic, collaborative, and people-first approach to every project – believing the best work comes from ambitious ideas, strong partnerships, and a touch of joy. 

Specialist Sectors: Retail & Commerce, Automotive, Food & Beverage, Financial Services 

Key Clients: Lexus Europe, British Army, RIBA, Youth Sport Trust, Co-op Food, Morrisons, Pizza Hut Restaurants, Everlast Fitness 

Nick is Head of Growth at Cantarus, bringing over 20 years of cross-sector experience spanning digital transformation, eCommerce, digital marketing, information security, and data insight. He works closely with organisations to align their technology investments with long-term strategic goals, unlocking innovation and driving measurable results. 

Nick has held senior digital leadership roles across both commercial and not-for-profit sectors, including the British Heart Foundation, Turning Point, and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, where he served as Head of Digital. His ability to bridge technical and strategic thinking makes him a trusted advisor to organisations seeking to evolve their digital capabilities. 

Specialist Sectors: Membership & Associations, Not-for-Profit & Charity, Public Sector, Education, Retail & Commerce

Key Clients: British Heart Foundation, Turning Point, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Home Learning College 

Brendan is Chief Delivery Officer at Cantarus, where he leads our Technical Delivery, Client Success, and Experience Design teams. Since joining in 2017, he has progressed through multiple leadership roles, underpinned by a consistent focus on operational excellence, client impact, and commercial growth. 

Brendan has overseen the successful delivery of some of Cantarus’ largest digital transformation programmes for organisations such as the Royal College of Physicians, the British Army, and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Working closely with C-level stakeholders, he ensures strategic alignment, quality, and measurable outcomes across every major project. 

Alongside his delivery remit, Brendan plays a key role in ensuring Cantarus’ approach drives commercial value – balancing budgets, resources, and innovation to maximise long-term impact for clients. 

Recognised for optimising delivery processes and building high-performing teams, Brendan brings a pragmatic approach that blends efficiency with innovation. His expertise spans digital transformation, delivery optimisation, and leadership, offering clear, actionable insights that resonate with both technical and strategic audiences. 

Specialist Sectors: Public Sector, Membership & Associations, Professional Bodies, Healthcare, Finance, Education 

Key Clients: RIBA, British Army, CIM, Royal College of Physicians 

Yvonne joined the Cantarus team in 2020, with over 15 years’ experience as a Finance Manager providing strategic direction and organisational management with direct accountability for the financial management accounting functions. Yvonne has previously worked in a number of sectors, including advertising, insolvency and recruitment.

Matt joined Cantarus in 2017 and has helped our infrastructure services offering grow by introducing newer technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes, as well as Azure cloud hosting, alongside our traditional VMware infrastructure. Matt has previously worked deploying large-scale public sector infrastructure projects and has many years of experience delivering enterprise-level VMware solutions.

Mark is Chief Product Officer at Cantarus, where he leads the agency’s product and community strategy, advising a diverse portfolio of clients on how to drive meaningful digital engagement. 

With over 20 years’ experience in technology, membership, and community-building, Mark has worked across the UK and US, helping membership bodies, non-profits, and associations deliver exceptional digital experiences.

Before joining Cantarus, Mark played a pivotal role in shaping what is now one of the world’s leading online community platforms, used by over 1,000 organisations globally. His earlier career included senior roles within membership organisations and a position as policy aide to US Senator Bill Roth, advising on telecommunications and internet legislation at a pivotal time in digital history. 

Known for his depth of insight and strategic clarity, Mark brings a balanced, forward-thinking approach to digital transformation. He regularly speaks at industry events, offering practical guidance and vision on the future of member engagement. 

Specialist Sectors: Membership & Associations, Non-Profit & Charity, Public Sector, Education 

Key Clients: The Law Society of England and Wales, British Computer Society, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales, Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, Royal College of Psychiatrists, NHS Charities Together, Youth Sport Trust, Chartered Institute of Building
 

Rob joined Cantarus in 2024 to lead Cantarus' expansion into the USA. He has almost 30 years of experience in the association sector, working for two different associations – one a professional society and one a trade association – and four different software vendors that serve membership organisations. Rob's previous roles span running the IT helpdesk to project managing software implementations, and from managing a client success team to launching and running a comprehensive partner program.

Kirstie is Head of Marketing at Cantarus, with over 20 years of experience leading marketing, brand, and partnerships across the digital and tech landscape. A former DADI Award winner for Creative Operations and a Fellow of the RSA, she’s worked across some of the UK’s most respected agencies, including Reading Room, Rippleffect, Amaze, and CTI Digital. 

At Cantarus, Kirstie shapes the agency’s brand and go-to-market strategy, balancing storytelling with commercial impact. She’s known for building high-performing teams from the ground up and for her ability to craft strategic partnerships that deliver real-world results. Across her career, she’s driven over £8 million in revenue through partner-led initiatives and has supported long-term growth for both the agencies and clients she’s worked with. 

Kirstie is a passionate advocate for purpose-led marketing, inclusive leadership, and finding the next generation of digital talent. She actively mentors emerging leaders and serves as Co-Chair of BIMA North West and a board advisor for SODA, helping shape the future of digital education and talent. 

Specialist Sectors: Sports & Leisure, Membership & Associations, NFP, Public Sector, Arts & Culture 

Key Clients: Chelsea FC, Everton FC, Unite the Union, USDAW, CWU, CWG, Race for Life, RNLI, Dogs Trust, Dept of Health & Social Services, Knowsley Council, Royal Navy, Maritime Coastline, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Wallace Collection, British Council, Visit Britain, London 2012, Peoples History Museum

As Head of Development at Cantarus, Jon oversees the Service Delivery Team, ensuring technical excellence, innovation and collaboration across every project. With more than a decade of experience in .NET and web technologies, he is passionate about delivering scalable, high-performing web solutions that provide real value for clients.

An Umbraco MVP, Certified Master and member of the Umbraco Cloud Advisory Board, Jon plays an active role in shaping the future of the platform and the wider community. He is dedicated to driving continuous improvement within the development function and ensuring Cantarus remains at the forefront of modern web development.

Dean has been a Dynamics CRM developer for 20 years, working on version 3, 4, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016 and Dynamics 365. Prior to starting Cantarus CRM, Dean worked with multiple end customers and other Dynamics partners as both a Dynamics CRM developer and solution architect on projects of varying sizes.

Steven is a Dynamics 365 Programme Manager with over 15 years of experience in CRM implementation and management. His journey with Dynamics began in 2008 as a Project Manager for a global Dynamics CRM v4 implementation at Euromoney, a leading publishing and events business. Steven successfully led a team to roll out Dynamics CRM to 300 users across the UK, US, and Asia, delivering a transformative solution for the organisation. Steven subsequently co-founded Cantarus CRM and has been deeply involved in every aspect of CRM projects, from analysis to implementation.

Lee joined Cantarus at the start of 2020 and leads the development work behind our Products team. With more than 15 years’ experience in .NET, he focuses on building reliable, well-structured systems that support the day-to-day operations and long-term growth of our platforms.
 
He also heads up the engineering behind our React Native mobile app offering, guiding its technical direction and ensuring it integrates smoothly with the wider product ecosystem. Alongside this, Lee brings many years of hands-on experience in infrastructure and DevOps, having managed a range of large internal and external systems throughout his career.

At Cantarus, Lee works closely with developers, designers and product specialists to keep our platforms stable, maintainable and easy to evolve. He’s committed to creating an environment where the team can do their best work and where our products continue to improve in ways that genuinely benefit our clients and their users.