Meet The Team

  • CEO

    Steve Cliffe is a highly experienced serial technology entrepreneur, CEO, business advisor and NED, who has a proven track record in marketing, business planning, sales and manufacturing in Europe, North America and Asia.

    A clear strategic thinker that has developed and implemented successful marketing, product and business models to dramatically improve company margin, business performance and valuation.

    An accomplished negotiator who has achieved significant cost reductions and efficiency improvements in all areas of business.

  • Chair

    Rebecca Ganz (Becks) is a dynamic Non-Executive Director (NED) and highly experienced strategy advisor to Boards, C-Suites and Entrepreneurs. With a NED portfolio spanning Education, Institutional Health & Business, Becks offers a compelling mix of disruptive, entrepreneurial know- how with best practice corporate governance. Core abilities include designing finely honed strategic direction underpinned by pragmatic guidance on effective implementation. She combines sensitivity to cultural and stakeholder requirements born of a global career across a range of sectors, with a readiness to challenge. As such, Becks thrives on change – guiding and facilitating ambitious, purpose driven teams to achieve each organisation’s potential.

  • Chief Commercial Officer

    Charlie joined Blueskeye in December 2023.

  • VP Business Development

    After graduating in Anthropology and Sociology from Swansea University, Sarah worked in market research in the Travel & Tourism sector before leading a European Funded programme to support Leadership Development in Industrial South Wales.

    As part of that programme Sarah worked with Telos Partners who she subsequently joined in 2002. At Telos Partners, Sarah led and supported programmes of work with public,private and voluntary sector organisations focussing on sustainable growth and development.

    Sarah has 10 years experience of working in various roles in the health sector.

    Before joining BlueSkeye AI, she was National Manager at Patients Know Best (PHKB), a social enterprise and technology platform bringing together health and social care providers patient data with the patient’s own data to create one secure Personal Health Record (PHR) for the patient. At PKB Sarah led the rollout of Patients Know Best [a software as a service, patient controlled record] in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the devolved nations of the United Kingdom.

    Sarah also contributed to the review and evaluation of the delivery of local mental health services and dermatology services in Wales. Sarah is the Vice Chair for an all Wales skin charity, Skin Care Cymru and set up the first Cross Party Group on Skin in the Welsh Parliament (the Senedd) to raise the profile of skin health in Wales.

    Sarah is a trustee of the Telos Foundation, an organisation that supports and encourages sustainability and growth amongst social enterprises in the UK. Sarah is also a strategic advisor to the Bevan Commission ( Wales’ leading health think tank).

    Throughout her career Sarah has continued with her academic interests completing an MSc in Social Research and a PhD. Sarah’s doctoral research focused on patient centred care in gastroenterology and outpatient settings.

  • Founder, Head of Core Engineering

    University of Nottingham PhD graduate with a background in machine analysis of human affect states specialised in mobile, desktop and server deployment of machine learning tools for automatic affect estimation.

  • Head of Data

    As the Head of Data for BlueSkeye AI I am responsible for the machine learning datasets that we collect and annotate. These datasets are then used to train our B-Social AI models. Additionally, I am part of the R&D team at BlueSkeye AI where I use my knowledge of machine learning and computer vision to help improve our technologies for improved mental health and well-being.

    In 2021 I passed my Viva Voce for my Computer Science PhD which specialised in “Deep Learning Using Tiny Domain-Specific Datasets with Sparse Labels”, under the supervision of Prof. Michel Valstar. My research focused around semantic segmentation and action recognition with small clinical datasets.

  • Senior Machine Learning Engineer

    Shashank has over 7 years of experience in the area of machine learning and computer vision. Prior to joining BlueSkeye, he was a post-doctoral research fellow at the School of Computer Science, University of Nottingham where he worked in the field of automated depression analysis from facial behavioral signals. He received his PhD in Computer Science at the University of Nottingham in 2018 and enjoys working at the intersection of machine learning and mental health.

  • Head of Delivery

    Chris began his career working within the games industry working on projects alongside the likes of Microsoft and SEGA, after a number of years in the games industry and a degree in Games Design Chris turned to the education sector where he lectured in games design and development for 4 years.

    Chris has now turned his hand to the product management side of development having previously worked for Twinkl Educational Publishing as the Product Management for their Go! Product. Chris joins Blueskeye eager to make an impact and bring value to the organisation.

  • Head of Research and Development

    Mani has 6 years of research and development experience in Computer Vision and Applied Machine Learning. Before starting at BlueSkeye, he was a PhD candidate at the University of Nottingham. His doctoral research focused on uncertainty-aware and label-efficient deep learning for facial and vocal emotion recognition.

    Prior to joining grad school, he worked in industrial R&D projects on driver monitoring systems, in which he developed low-latency ML models for embedded systems. He received his Bachelors degree in Electronics Engineering from IIIT RK Valley. Mani is interested in solving problems at the confluence of statistical machine learning, human expressive behaviour analysis, and software engineering.

  • Human Factors Engineer

    Adrian has over 7 years of experience in the field of Human Factors, and has designed and conducted multiple scientific experiments exploring how peoples’ physiological data responds to changes in workload. Before joining BlueSkeye, he was a post-doctoral research fellow in the Human Factors Research Group at the University of Nottingham, looking at the use of digital technologies in manufacturing and their impact on the people interacting with them. He received his PhD in Human Factors at the University of Nottingham in 2018, researching methods of estimating workload levels based on physiological data, primarily focusing on facial thermography.

  • Machine Learning Engineer

    I am a graduate from the University of Nottingham where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, specialising in AI and Machine Learning. Prior to joining BlueSkeye AI, I’ve worked on several projects involving AI-based chatbots, as well as object detection.

  • Digital Health and Wellbeing Technology Lead

    Tom Lodge has a PhD from the University of Nottingham. He has over 20 years experience in networking technologies, data visualisation and front and backend development. He has led technical development on a number of government funded projects and has worked with companies including the BBC, Microsoft, BT and Unilever. He has a little under 30 published papers, and has published in leading HCI and user interface design conferences.

  • Senior Software Engineer

    PhD graduate in Computer Science from The University of Nottingham. Specialising in mobile device development. Experience working with external companies and designers.

  • Quality Assurance Tester

    Adam is a Veteran of Quality Assurance testing with of over of decade of experience in the role , earning his skills throughout many development cycles of AAA video games here in Nottingham, he’s now on board with us as a top Quality Assurance Tester after joining in the Summer of ’22 as a Junior QA Tester, keeping his keen eye on our Blueskeye apps and data.

  • Software Developer

    Ayobami is BlueSkeye's Software Developer specialising in React Native, he has over 5 years of expertise in mobile application development and a real passion and talent for transforming ideas into digital products.

    Recently earning a distinguished Master's degree in Software Engineering from Staffordshire University, this complements his prior Bachelor's degree in Computer Science.

    Ayobami has a solid commitment to continuous learning and mastering ever-evolving technology. His past work experience includes Mobile Team Lead at renowned organisations Prospa and I-Invest.

  • Mobile Developer

    Graduate in MSc Computing Systems from Nottingham Trent University. With a background in software development and image classification. I hope to develop my skills further and grow alongside BlueSkeye, joining them on their mission to improve health and wellbeing.

  • Mobile Developer

    I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science with AI from the University of Nottingham, dabbling in Machine Learning and mobile development. BlueSkeye AI’s vision is truly virtuous, and it is a pleasure to strive towards a better future together with the team.

  • A Staffordshire University graduate with a Bachelor's degree in video game design and programming. Thomas stated his career working on virtual battle simulations, future weapon research and virtual reality."

  • AI Data Annotator

    Jake has extensive Data Management experience within the fields of Technology, Finance and Accountancy, this has been amassed since earning his degree in Mathematics with Statistics from the University of Portsmouth.

    Having assisted in the creation and implementation of several new company systems together with his keen eye for accuracy and efficiency, Jake's skill sets help us here at BlueSkeye AI to adhere to the highest levels of data precision and reliability.

  • AI Data Annotator

    Penny graduated from the University of Manchester with a degree in Psychology, signifying her extensive knowledge and understanding of human emotions, from their social communicative purposes to their neural mechanisms. Conducting psychological experiments and performing a plethora of statistical analyses on large datasets honed Penny’s skills in data collection and analysis, developing high precision and rigorous quality assurance.
    At Blueskeye, Penny now leverages her psychological expertise to meticulously annotate face and voice data for expressed emotions, ensuring Blueskeye’s AI model recognises human emotions with the utmost accuracy.

  • AI Data Annotator

    My Background is in Education being a qualified Primary School Teacher together with my Level 2 in Counselling skills this gives me a very good understanding of human emotions and how they present themselves. I am very excited to have joined the Blueskeye team and look forward helping both the company and the wider society improve the quality of their lives through the use of AI.

  • Junior Data Ops Engineer

    University of Nottingham graduate in the field of Mathematical Physics. Transitioned from working as a head brewer and freelance game developer to pursue a fulfilling career in data science, discovering a love of data ops and data engineering along the way. Outside of work I'm a cat lover and rollerskating enthusiast.

  • People & Culture Manager

    Hannah has worked across the public sector, education, NHS and charity sectors in administrative and HR roles. She enjoys developing systems and working with people to create efficient working processes. A spreadsheet nerd and data wrangler, she looks forward to making BlueSkeye AI an effective office as a base to work from. As a mental health first aider and supporter of healthy work/life balance, Hannah is keen to support the wellbeing of the Blueskeye team as well as finding inclusive ways of working as a diverse team.

  • Finance Assistant

    Originally from Hong Kong, I moved to the UK in 2021. Prior to joining Blueskeye AI, I worked at various sectors including toy manufacturing & trading, beauty industry and airlines industry. I’m excited to stretch my potential and grow with the team to make positive impact on the world.

  • IT Operative

  • Go To Market & Early Adoption

    John is an active angel investor and board advisor for early stage technology companies. He actively supports his portfolio of AI companies and is retained by Consilience Ventures, as a commercial and AI expert, as well as a member of their investment committee.

    Previously he was the founding shareholder of Aurora, which became the market leader in AI solutions for the air sector, before a successful exit. His business career includes two decades leading WIT Consultancy, which was a respected boutique, that had the privilege to lead some of the most complex and challenging global commercial programs in the Telecoms, Technology and Banking sectors.

  • Medtech

  • Director of Marketing and Communications

    Simon is a lifelong marketing and communications professional who began his career as a graduate trainee at, the then, British Rail after graduating from Aberystwyth University with a degree in English Literature.

    Simon began his career as a market research manager before moving into marketing management whilst completing the Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma and subsequently an MA in Marketing.

    Following a five year stint teaching Marketing at Birmingham City University he worked as an interim marketing and communications manager for a range of public and private sector organisations. These included The Electoral Commission, HM Prison Service, Leicestershire Police and Rolls-Royce. In that time he worked on projects as diverse as encouraging participation in elections, confidence in local policing and the development of autonomous ships.

    Simon has worked for the last 5 years as the Director of Communications, Marketing and Customer Experience at Nottingham College, the single Further Education College for Nottingham. Here he was responsible for the recruitment and retention of over 35000 students.

  • Experimental Psychology Data Scientist

    Emma is an Experimental Psychology Data Scientist at BlueSkeye AI; her work focuses on cross-cultural validation of emotional expression detection.

    Grown up in Oldham, she completed an undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford, followed by an MRes Psychology at the University of York. Throughout, she focused on the development of social cognition and processes.

    She then embarked on a PhD in Psychology at the University of York, in which she is soon to submit. Her thesis focuses on quantifying the naturalistic visual input of toddlers and their caregivers through collaboration with computer vision researchers. It was this experience that sparked her interest in the interplay between Psychology and AI. In her spare time, she enjoys running, bouldering, HEMA and writing.

  • Marketing and Communications Assistant

  • Marketing/Business Intern

  • Founder, CTO

    PhD in Computer Science, systems and networking 4 years researching edge computing and privacy-preserving AI and Machine learning 10 years experience software engineering and project management.

  • Chief Evangelist and Scientific Officer (CESO)
    Professor Michel Valstar is a co- founder of BlueSkeye AI and an Honorary Professor in Automatic Human Behaviour Understanding in Computer Science at the University of Nottingham.

    He is an expert in machine learning, computer vision and facial expression analysis and a thought leader in affective computing and social signal processing. Over 18 years in this field his work has been cited over 17000 times in over 100 peer reviewed publications. He is the organiser of 9 international conferences on the subject.

  • Project Manager

    Amelia brings over 8 years of project management and customer success management experience with clients from across the globe. She has successfully implemented multiple digital transformation, early adopter, AI optimisation, and internal projects.

    Amelia is a PMI certified Project Manager with an MBA specialising in Psychology from Wrexham University, Postgraduate Certificate in Ergonomics from the University of Derby, and Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Ottawa.

  • Automotive Engineer Lead

    Automotive Engineering Lead for BlueSkeye AI, responsible for developing our automotive products and integrating our BSocial AI package therein, to allow for smarter driver monitoring for improved health and well-being on the road. I have a background in AI and Machine Learning and am very excited to see how the company will develop and believe the mission of BlueSkeye is certainly a noble and necessary one.

  • Machine Learning Intern

    I'm pursuing a Master's degree in Machine Learning at the University of Nottingham, with particular interests in Computational Neuroscience, NLP, and finance. I've previously worked as an ML researcher in various sectors, including retail, healthcare, and environmental science. At present, I am interning at BLUESKEYE AI, where I am exploring the significance of text data for recognizing human emotions. Outside of work, I enjoy fitness, making music, and spending laid-back days with friends.

  • Human Factors Research Engineering Assistant

    Year 2 PhD student at the Horizon Centre for Doctoral Training, University of Nottingham

    Area of Research: Automotive Human Factors

    After her Bachelor's in Computer Science and working for a year as a software developer, Iris pursued her Masters in Human Computer Interaction at the University of Nottingham. Following this, she worked for 6 months as a Research Assistant with the School of Computer Science and then 1.5 years as a User Researcher at a tech start-up in London. Iris started her PhD in the topic 'Adaptive Driving Interfaces for the Ageing Population in Future Vehicles' in September 2023.