Liam started his career as a software services apprentice at a managed IT services and ERP software company, learning the technology and project management side of the business from the ground up.

He went on to join a data software development house as a Project Manager, moved into product management, then became Deputy Operations Manager. From there, he moved to one of the UK’s biggest payroll software providers, where he worked his way up to Product Management Manager.

In 2025, he joined the Ascend Group, bringing that product experience back to a business built by payroll people, for payroll people.

As Product & Commercial Director, Liam’s focus is on what clients see and use. He leads the development of Luna Software and the Elementary platform, deciding which features get built and how they fit into everyday payroll life. He also leads commercial growth across the Group.

As CISO, he looks after information security and quality across the Group. That covers Ascend’s ISO 9001, ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certifications and its CIPP Payroll Assurance Scheme accreditation. He’s a finalist in the CIPP Spotlight Awards and, since November 2026, a full member of the CIPP.

For Liam, good technology should make life simpler for everyone it touches.

“The best payroll technology is the kind you barely notice. It does the heavy lifting quietly in the background, so payroll teams can spend their time on the people they’re paying.

I’ve worked on both the operations and product side, and I’ve learned that a feature only earns its place if it solves a real problem for the person using it. That’s why we build our software with payroll professionals, listen to the people using it every day and keep improving it with every release.”

That thinking runs through everything his team builds: start with the real problem, then make the fix as easy to use as possible.