We’ve put together this page for media enquiries, so you can find a brief overview of our company, leadership, and key facts. If you need anything else, please email info@switchplane.com.
Key Facts
- Switchplane was founded in 2003 by brothers Joel and Tom Fielder, who continue to lead the business today.
- The company specialises in custom software development and AI, providing businesses and organisations with bespoke mobile applications, web-based platforms, and intelligent systems.
- Switchplane helps organisations achieve their goals by solving complex problems and building world-class software, whether that means freeing up staff time, selling more effectively, improving customer service or employee experience, or making a meaningful impact.
- Switchplane works with owner-managed SMEs across a variety of industry sectors, with particular experience in insurance, construction, manufacturing, travel, distribution and logistics, e-commerce, and social good.
- The team works using Agile project management methodologies to provide clients with a quick return on investment, through regular feedback, testing, iterative working, and prioritisation.
- The team is based at FOUNDRY in Eastbourne's town centre, working flexibly across the office and from home.
- There are 12 staff members across the operations and development teams, all directly employed by the company.
- Switchplane cares about the environment, planting trees through Treekly. To date, the team has planted 12,652 trees.
- Switchplane founded Chalk Eastbourne in 2020, a business-led community for Eastbourne's digital and technology sector, which has since grown into Eastbourne DigiFest, the region's annual conference for digital and technology.
Leadership Team
Joel Fielder
Joint Managing Director
Joel Fielder co-founded Switchplane in 2003 alongside his brother Tom and has led the business ever since with a strong commercial focus and a pragmatic, delivery-led approach. He works closely with clients and internal teams to ensure technology investments translate into real business outcomes.
Tom Fielder
Joint Managing Director
Tom Fielder is joint Managing Director at Switchplane, which he co-founded in 2003. With over 25 years' experience in software development and technology leadership, he has spent his career helping organisations increase productivity and turn technology investment into measurable ROI.
Donna Fielder
COO
Donna Fielder is Chief Operating Officer at Switchplane. She joined the business in 2017, bringing over a decade of senior marketing and operations experience with her. She oversees HR, compliance, legal, and internal company operations, ensuring the business operates on solid foundations as it grows.
Lewis Hobden
Head of Engineering
Lewis Hobden is Head of Engineering at Switchplane, having joined the business in 2016 and built nearly a decade of experience across development, architecture, and strategy.
Sarah Cronk
Operations Manager
Sarah Cronk is Operations Manager at Switchplane, sitting on the leadership team and contributing to business strategy alongside day-to-day operational delivery. Since 2018, she has been acting as a central point of coordination between leadership, delivery, and marketing.
Adam Dowding
Senior Developer
Adam joined Switchplane in 2023 and has progressed quickly to become a member of the leadership team, combining deep technical capability with a growing focus on product strategy, consultancy, and team leadership.