Tech start-up snaps up two new managers

An Edinburgh legal tech startup has strengthened its management team with two senior appointments.

Snapdragon, a monitoring service for SMES to find and resolve instances of online intellectual property (IP) infringement, announced key hires in its marketing and product teams.

Alexis Ovenstone, previously responsible for implementing marketing strategy at haggis maker Macsween, has joined as head of marketing, while Kieron Smith takes on the role of product manager.

Ovenstone has more than 20 years of experience in fastmoving consumer goods marketing with brands such as Whyte & Mackay, Clover and Cathedral City.

She said: “I am fully aware of the struggles that many face when it comes to counterfeiting. I’m a strong believer that Snapdragon can make a real difference to the global counterfeit market, especially for SMES [small and mediumsized enterprises] who often lack the funds and resources to be able to fight back.”

Smith, who has worked in software development and product management for 20 years, will lead the firm’s digital team in developing Swoop, its recently launched DIY brand monitoring platform.

He said: “I am looking forward to working closely with Snapdragon’s team of linguists and IP experts to further enhance Swoop and help ensure that we achieve our mission of becoming a household name in the world of brand protection.”

Snapdragon founder Rachel Jones said the appointments would be a “great asset”. 0 Alexis Ovenstone, one of two hires at Snapdragon