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Richard G. Newell
Chairman, Smallworld
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Profile:
Dick Newell has been a driving force in the CAD and GIS software business during the last 25 years. During his career, he has been a leader in the definition, implementation and exploitation phases of a number of major systems, 3 of which have become world leaders in their markets, namely PDMS, Medusa and now Smallworld GIS.
Dick could be described as an entrepreneur who combines a keen awareness of the requirements of users, a flair for innovative systems architectures and an ability to assemble a team of world class individuals to deliver. His first company, Cambridge Interactive Systems Ltd, was built with zero capital investment and was successfully sold to ComputerVision in 1983, having grown from zero to $25m in five years. The Medusa business ultimately grew to a peak of around $200m in 1988, the year he founded Smallworld.
Since Smallworld was founded, Dick has become recognised as one of the lead players in the GIS industry, he has produced a long list of papers and articles in the GIS magazines and technical journal literature, a number of which have become required reading in academia. Smallworld GIS has become recognised as the technical market leader in the GIS industry.
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Education:
Dick Newell took his degree in Civil Engineering at the City and Guilds Institute, Imperial College, University of London. Following a year working as a civil engineer on the M4 motorway in South Wales, he returned to the mathematics department at the Royal College of Science to take a one year diploma in Numerical Analysis. This was followed by a move to the Chemical Engineering department at Imperial College where he took his PhD on automated methods for chemical plant layout.
Career:
Dec 1988 to now: Founder and chairman of Smallworld . (Became Smallworldwide plc.in November 1996.)
DEC 1977 to July 1988: Founder with 3 others of Cambridge Interactive Systems Ltd, developers of the Medusa CAD system. In 1983 CIS was sold to ComputerVision and Dick was made chairman of the CIS subsidiary. In early 1988 Prime Computer bought ComputerVision, including CIS. Left Prime in July 1988 when the total Medusa revenues were of the order of $200 million per annum.
1968 to 1977: Joined the CAD Centre (called Mintech Atlas Centre at the time) as a senior programmer. Involved in the design and implementation of a number of projects, culminating in being project manager of the Plant Design Management System, PDMS. PDMS continues as the market leader in plant design to this day. Resigned from Cadcentre in 1977 to form new company, Cambridge Interactive Systems Ltd.
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