London, 3 February 2026 – ClearCourse, a leading provider of industry-specific software and embedded payments, today announces a series of strategic senior leadership appointments as part of growth plans for 2026, reinforcing its commitment to scale while maintaining a strong focus on customer success and long-term partnerships.
The Group has appointed Nigel Bayles as Chief Financial Officer and Jonathan Bedford as Chief Operating Officer, alongside Cecilia Lee as Head of AI Transformation and Jesse Williamson as Head of M&A. The appointments, effective immediately, mark a significant step forward in the Group’s strategy to scale its integrated SaaS and payments offering for SMEs.
As ClearCourse continues to unify its portfolio of over 30+ vertical-specific brands, the Group is focused on building a leadership team with a proven track record of execution in multi-vertical high-growth environments. The new appointments will ensure the Group is poised to deliver market leading technology and support to its SME customer base.
Nigel Bayles joins the ClearCourse Board as Chief Financial Officer, bringing extensive experience in strengthening financial foundations for high-growth businesses. Nigel began his career as an auditor, working with SMEs in sectors from farmers to local retailers, before joining PwC and subsequently Nike and Sage. He joins ClearCourse from Iptor, a global provider of ERP software solutions, where, as CFO, he led the transformation of the finance team. At ClearCourse, he will drive the financial strategy required to support the Group’s growth plans.
As Chief Operating Officer, Jonathan Bedford will play a pivotal role in scaling the Group by serving our software businesses with the integrated, mission critical platform of value-add solutions, including payments. With 30 years’ experience in technology, Jonathan brings a data-centric, process-driven approach to scaling and optimising operations. Central to his leadership approach is a deep commitment to listening to customers, using their feedback and insights to continually improve products and customer experience
To support ClearCourse’s continued scale and growth, Cecilia Lee joins as Head of AI Transformation. She holds a PhD in Service Design focusing on human-AI interaction and brings over 13 years’ experience working in the field. Cecilia joins from international law firm Fieldfisher, where she led the delivery of the firm’s AI vision, turning strategy into high-value products. Cecilia will lead the integration of advanced technologies across the Group, both internally to improve efficiencies and upskill teams, and externally, enhancing the customer offering. Across the product suite, her focus will be on accelerating the delivery of real customer value by building on ClearCourse’s established vertical software to introduce AI innovation that solves real, specific problems, helping customers improve efficiency and stay ahead of competitors.
“As we enter our next phase of growth, we are doubling down on our commitment to be a leading engine powering small and medium businesses across the UK and beyond.”
Christina Hamilton, CEO, ClearCourse
As acquisition continues to be a key driver of growth at ClearCourse, the company has appointed Jesse Williamson as Head of M&A. Jesse brings over 20 years of experience across the software, technology, and payments industries, most recently advising private equity and venture capital groups and their portfolio businesses on vertical software growth and acquisition. At ClearCourse, he will lead an evolving acquisition strategy, identifying opportunities to enter new verticals and grow within existing ones.
Christina Hamilton, CEO of ClearCourse, said: “As we enter our next phase of growth, we are doubling down on our commitment to be a leading engine powering small and medium businesses across the UK and beyond. This new leadership team is central to that mission, integrating advanced sector specific technology across our product suite and building the scalable operating models required to support them. With Nigel, Jonathan, Cecilia and Jesse on board, ClearCourse is even better positioned to provide our SME customers with access to the enterprise-level technology they need to succeed and grow.”
