Sarah F. Wood Explained

Sarah Florence Wood
Occupation:Businesswoman
Birth Place:Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Alma Mater:University of Cambridge
Spouse:Scott Button
Awards:OBE

Sarah Florence Wood (born 1973)[1] is a British businesswoman. She is the co-founder of video advertising platform Unruly[2] and received an OBE for services to innovation and technology.[3]

Early life and education

Wood was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England where she lived until the age of ten before moving close to Brighton. Wood graduated from Cambridge University with a bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in American literature.[4] [5]

Career

From 2002 to 2004 Wood worked as a fundraising and development officer The Old Vic theatre in London. From 2004 to 2005, she was a lecturer in American Studies at the University of Sussex.

In 2006, Wood co-founded Unruly, a global video advertising marketplace, with Scott Button and Matt Cooker. In 2015 Wood and her co-founders sold Unruly to American media and publishing company News Corp.[6]

In 2018, Wood was appointed a non-executive board member for global lifestyle clothing brand Superdry.[7] additionally, She has served as a judge for the Women's Prize for Fiction. Wood is an independent director on the board of Tech Nation, a growth platform for British tech entrepreneurs.[8]

Wood is also an ambassador for The Prince's Trust "Women Supporting Women" programme, and is on the advisory boards for AccelerateHer and City Ventures (University of London).

In October 2018, Wood released her first publication Stepping Up, about business leadership.[9]

During 2021, Wood was appointed Non Executive Director of UK-based artificial intelligence company Signal AI. The company uses artificial intelligence to transform data into accessible business knowledge. Additionally in 2021, Wood was also appointed Non Executive Director of International investment firm Hambro Perks, an acquisition firm that provide capital and support to technology-enabled companies.[10] [11]

Wood has also been listed as a trustee for children's charity the Anna Freud National Centre.[12]

Recognition

In 2015, Wood was voted one of "15 Women to Watch in Tech" by Inc., one of Europe's "'most inspiring women' in technology" by Inspiring Fifty[13] and #4 in Digital Spy's "Top 10 Women in Tech".[14]

In November 2016 Wood received an OBE in the Queen's 90th Birthday Honours for services to innovation and technology.[15]

In March 2023, Wood was listed as number 67 on the Evening Standard Tech Rich List with a reported networth of roughly £67 million.[16]

Personal life

She lives in London with her husband Scott Button and her three children.

Works

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sarah Florence WOOD personal appointments . Companies House (UK) . 16 June 2023.
  2. News: Butter . Susannah . Meet Unruly's Sarah Wood, the woman Murdoch has paid millions to 'deliver wow'. Evening Standard. 25 September 2015. 13 June 2022. live. 8 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211008192155/https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/meet-unruly-s-sarah-wood-the-woman-murdoch-has-paid-millions-to-deliver-wow-a2955756.html.
  3. Web site: Seven things you need to know about Sarah Wood OBE. Institute of Directors. 30 August 2022. 14 June 2022. live. 3 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220803113857/https://www.iod.com/resources/blog/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-sarah-wood-obe/.
  4. Web site: Wheeler . Suzanne . Why Unruly CEO Sarah Wood keeps powering forward. Every Woman. 10 January 2018. 14 June 2022. live. 8 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211008192252/https://www.everywoman.com/my-development/learning-areas/articles/why-unruly-ceo-sarah-wood-keeps-powering-forward.
  5. Web site: Centre for Film and Screen affiliates: Sarah Wood . University of Cambridge. 10 December 1997. 13 June 2022. live. 26 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211026071000/https://www.mmll.cam.ac.uk/film/people/sarah-wood.
  6. Web site: Sarah Wood. Gordon & Eden. 27 July 2022. live. 27 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220727084646/https://www.gordoneden.co.uk/sarah-wood.
  7. Hounslea . Tara . Superdry appoints video marketplace founder to board. Drapers. 30 July 2018. 14 June 2022. live. 11 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220711112036/https://www.drapersonline.com/news/superdry-appoints-video-marketplace-founder-to-board.
  8. Web site: Sarah Wood–keynote speaker. London Speaker Bureau. 10 March 2021. 14 June 2022. live. 15 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220615003638/https://londonspeakerbureau.com/speaker-profile/sarah-wood/.
  9. Web site: Unruly CEO Sarah Wood launches book on inspiring next generation of leaders. Unruly. 18 October 2017. 14 June 2022. live. 11 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220711112036/https://unruly.co/news/article/2017/10/18/unruly-ceo-sarah-wood-launches-book-leadership/.
  10. Web site: UK-based Signal AI aims to transform decision making through augmented intelligence; raises €44.4M. siliconcanals.com. 15 December 2021. 4 August 2022. Vishal. Singh.
  11. Web site: Where are they now—Ad Age Leading Women Europe 2016. Ad Age. Yadira. Gonzalez. 11 March 2022. 4 August 2022.
  12. Web site: our-trustees. 15 May 2023. annafreud.org.
  13. Web site: Meet the 50 'most inspiring women' in European technology. M&M Global . 13 February 2015. 4 August 2022.
  14. Web site: Sarah Wood cofounder & co-CEO, Unruly . Future Of Storytelling. 24 February 2016. 14 June 2022. live. 7 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210807233102/https://futureofstorytelling.org/speaker/sarah-wood.
  15. Web site: Prince Charles gives Unruly co-founders Sarah Wood and Scott Button OBEs. Unruly. 18 November 2016. 14 June 2022. live. 14 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220614111930/https://unruly.co/blog/article/2016/11/18/prince-charles-gives-unruly-co-founders-sarah-wood-scott-button-obes/.
  16. Web site: Sarah Wood net worth Tech Rich List. 8 March 2023. 15 May 2023. standard.co.uk.