Products
About Fonix
Founded in 2006, Fonix provides mobile payments and messaging services for clients across media, telecoms, entertainment, enterprise and commerce.
Based in London, Fonix is a fast growth business driven by blue chip clients such as ITV, Bauer Media, BT, Global Radio, Comic Relief and Children in Need to name a few.
Partnering with Fonix means benefitting from direct connections into all the UK carriers and a solid infrastructure, all underpinned by a highly skilled team of industry specialists across commercial, product and technology.
Awards and accreditations
Meet the team
Anthony Baladi
Commercial Director
Anthony has been in the mobile payments industry for over a decade. As Commercial Director he is responsible for new business partnerships and driving mobile carrier payments into the mainstream. Working closely with our client and partner ecosystem, his team provides experienced and consultative account management to ensure they’re getting the best out of mobile carrier payments.
He's a family man but also a self-confessed petrolhead that spends as much time as possible hitting the gym, attempting to relive his glory days of when he represented GB for American Football.
Clare Charles
Head of Client Management
Clare has been in the mobile aggregation space for 12 years. She has extensive experience surrounding messaging and payments within technology, media, charity and telecoms markets.
Over the last 7 years at Fonix, Clare has built key strategic client relationships with industry leading media and broadcast clients, including Comic Relief, Channel 5, Bauer, Global and Children in Need. She now heads up the Client Services team and continues to focus on growing and supporting our existing clients.
Outside of work Clare enjoys playing a spot of golf; she also loves looking after Alba, her little sausage dog. Alba also makes regular appearances at the office!
Francesca Gangemi
Director of Technology and Engineering
Francesca has a master’s in Computer Engineering and has acquired substantial experience of modelling and developing large fault-tolerant and high-performance distributed systems. She has worked both in Europe and the US, helping large companies and start-ups to design, build and maintain their core distributed systems.
Francesca has been a Principal Software Engineer at Fonix since its conception. She works predominantly upon the design and implementation of the backend platforms, as well as the admin and client web interfaces.
It’s not all about tech for Francesca, as when she’s not at work she enjoys reading, gardening and all sorts of creative activities.
Hannah Giles
Head of Marketing
Hannah has spent 8 years working in the mobile technology sector. Joining Fonix in 2015, she is responsible for the overall marketing strategy. Our marketing strategies benefit from her expertise in social media, email and content to SEO, PPC and events.
When she’s not marketing mobile tech, Hannah loves crossing everywhere off her travel bucket list. She also enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, following house music DJs around the country and making furniture, in no particular order.
Louisa Harris
Operations and Delivery Director
Louisa has over 20 years of operational, compliance and commercial experience in the telecoms, media and technology markets. She has spearheaded and run initiatives with some of the largest enterprise clients in the aggregation industry including Channel 5, Children in Need, Match.com, National Rail, Epsilon and DMG.
At Fonix, Louisa drives our operational excellence strategy; our clients trust Louisa to deliver brilliantly realised technology that exceeds their expectations. She works closely with the client services, commercial and technical teams.
Away from work, Louisa is a dab hand with a hammer and paintbrush, having completely renovated her home.
Marco Borzi
Development Manager
Marco has been working within the SMS and mobile payments industries since back in 2010. As one of Fonix’s Senior Software Developers, he works on developing Fonix’s direct billing and SMS APIs.
In his spare time Marco enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. He is also an avid reader, especially around technology and the economy.
Marcus Kern
CTO
Marcus has worked with SMS platforms for almost two decades. Before working at Fonix, he founded voice ITC communications in 1998 and Mobile Interactive Group in 2005.
He then went on to be a CTO of Fonix, where his technology expertise has been critical to the success of the technology department and the company’s services as a whole.
When he’s not surfing the internet reading up about technology, he’s either surfing on the coast in Cornwall, baking bread or doing some yoga.
Martha Kearns
Product Owner
Martha has over 10 years of mobile technology experience and is Fonix’s Product Owner. She organises product development and workload to make sure everything runs smoothly.
She enjoys gaming, cooking and watching TV Dramas, but rarely gets any spare time as she’s busy running around after her two young children.
Rob Weisz
CEO
As a co-founder of Fonix, Rob has been our CEO since 2014 (and he came up with our name!). Rob is responsible for our overall business strategy and vision.
He has over 20 years’ experience in the mobile industry across a range of telecoms and mobile businesses such as iTouch PLC, Redstone, O2, Mobile Interactive Group and Velti. Rob is also Vice-Chairman of the Association of Interactive Media and Micropayments (AIMM).
Outside of Fonix, he can be found either chasing his children around, following sport or getting the lycra on for one of his big cycling adventures.
Stephen George
Client Success & Partnerships Director
Stephen has a broad depth of knowledge when it comes to technology, media and telecoms and has managed large accounts across multiple territories.
At Fonix, Stephen is responsible for leading the growing Client Success & Partnerships team. He brings an abundance of experience in initiating new revenue opportunities, building relationships with the UK mobile networks and shaping initiatives for leading brands.
Outside the office you’ll find Stephen running whilst simultaneously moaning about his dodgy knees. His dog is the only one who listens.
Will Neale
Co-founder
Will is one of our co-founders. He’s a serial tech entrepreneur and angel investor, with a proven track record of founding and leading tech companies to success.
As a co-founder, he knows everything there is to know about the company and the industry. At Fonix, Will is focused on our organisational strategy, finance, operations and corporate development.
It’s no surprise then that outside of Fonix Will’s passion is technology; he’s the co-founder of Grabyo and an investor in Property Partner, Entrepreneur First, Revolut, Thriva, Hello Car, Panaseer, Telleroo, TechnologyWillSaveUs... the list goes on.
Grace Carrick
Financial Analyst
Since graduating with a Maths degree from the University of East Anglia, Grace has gained admin experience within an engineering firm.
Now keen to get stuck into finance, she has joined Fonix's finance department, as our Finance Analyst. She can be found building reports and creating really nifty formulas to keep our company finances in order.
Away from the office, Grace is a self-confessed halloumi addict, constantly eating the stuff and trialling new recipes.
Tanyia Langley
Operations Manager
With a background in financial services, Operations Executive Tanyia focuses on building solid relationships with the mobile network providers and our clients, to ensure that we’re providing a compliant, top-notch service.
Outside of work you’ll find Tanyia snuggled up on the sofa watching a gripping crime drama, whilst also gripping onto a good bar of chocolate!
Allie Kemp
Solutions Consultant
Fresh out of the University of Exeter, Fonix’s Client Services Executive Allie works closely with our clients to ensure all campaigns and reporting run without any hiccups, as efficiently as possible.
Outside of work, you’ll find Allie either on a pair of skis or down at the theatre, where she loves watching musicals, plays and dance productions.
Ollie Allum
Solutions Consultant
Ollie has over 11 years of experience working in the mobile technology sector, specialising in interactive TV, mobile payments, voice and SMS.
Now a Solutions Consultant working across Fonix’s messaging and payments products, his wealth of experience makes him a perfect fit for helping and educating businesses on how to make the most out of mobile services.
Outside the office, Ollie can be found either booking his next festival or getting involved with anything to do with animals (we’ve heard he’s been alpaca trekking and we’re dying to see some photos).
Jess Kennedy
Finance Manager
With 6 years of experience in accountancy, Jess is currently studying towards her CIMA qualification. She is no stranger to audits, keeping on top of employee expenses and preparing the monthly management accounts.
Jessica is a Finance Manager, with her primary role being to support the finance function of the business alongside the rest of the finance team. This includes accruals, prepayments, fixed asset maintenance, audit preparation and cash flow maintenance.
When she’s not helping us turn over a profit she’s turning and twirling in a ballet class, or even on ice, as she has taken up ice skating lessons.
Ravi Ramanathan
Technical Architect
Ravi is passionate about cutting-edge technology, and has over 10 years’ experience working on technology and infrastructure projects across the banking and financial services sectors. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge from his previous roles at Lloyds, FIS and Vectone Mobile.
Now part of the Fonix tech team, Ravi is our Technical Architect, meaning that he has responsibility for IT operations and other technical architect activities.
Outside of work, he’s a family man and enjoys spending time with his daughter Maaya, who he claims is always happy and never too tired to play.
Fiza Munir
Financial Analyst
As a Financial Analyst, Fiza spends time building reports and creating nifty formulas among other finance tasks.
There’s more to Fiza than numbers, as she claims that outside of work her main passion is trainers. She has a substantial collection, which we’ll be looking out for every time she walks around the office!
Mahalakshmi Krishnasamy
Software Developer
Maha has a Bachelor in Computer Science Engineering and has over 7 years experience working as a JAVA developer. She worked in the USA for 4 years before moving to the UK.
At Fonix, she is making our payment platform even better and is focusing on platform features to facilitate our global expansion.
It’s not all about computers for Maha. She is very musical and loves Indian classical dance, and has been learning to get her groove on to this. She’s also learning to play classical string instrument - it’s called a veena!
David Foord
Commercial Manager
David assists our Commercial Director Anthony in introducing new clients to Fonix, developing ongoing client relationships and driving the Commercial Strategy for Fonix's growth.
Outside of the office David is known as a bit of an action man! Whether that’s running around a tennis or squash court, dancing at a festival or riding his motorbike, he’s always on the move. The adventurer that he is, David has climbed mountains in Japan and Nepal!
Konstantin Zenin
Lead Software Developer
Konstantin came to London from Belarus to seek a new challenge and to create new experiences. Now a software developer at Fonix, he will be working on our web platforms that serve all of our clients. Konstantin is a big believer that all code can and must be beautiful.
When he’s not thinking about Ruby/Javascript platforms, he enjoys cycling, football and photography. He loves to travel and climb mountains - he was once seen climbing Mount Kazbek during a week in Georgia.
Natasha Williams McElwain
Client Services Executive
Natasha is a Sociology graduate from The University of Leeds. She went on an Erasmus year where she lived and studied in Amsterdam. She has joined Fonix as a Client Services Executive and will be helping with campaign management.
When she is not working, Natasha loves listening to podcasts and as a food enthusiast, exploring London’s restaurants. With a love for travel she visited Mexico, where she ate great seafood.
Michael Foulkes
CFO
Michael has spent the last 13-years working in senior finance roles for some of Europe’s most successful technology businesses including Mobile Interactive Group, Velti and Black Swan Data. He is responsible for the business’ finance and corporate strategy.
Outside of work, Michael can frequently be found cycling the streets of London in his family cargo bike or reading up on the latest tech news.
Leonard Oguego
Software Developer
Leonard graduated from a doctorate degree in Computer Science in December 2020. He has a background in technology and works as a Ruby on Rails developer at Fonix. What he loves about his role is learning about new technologies and solving IT related issues.
When he’s not working, he enjoys travelling, going for a run, playing/watching football and spending quality time with his friends and family.
Pankaj Prajapati
QA Engineer
Pankaj has a background in technology, he has previous experience working as a QA Automation Tester and has completed his ISTQB certification. He now works as a QA Engineer at Fonix.
When he’s not working, he enjoys listening to music and playing cricket.
Philip Lewis
Software Developer
Philip graduated from the University of Portsmouth with a degree in Computer Science. He did a placement year where he was introduced to web development and now has 3 years of experience programming in Ruby on Rails.
Outside of work, he spends a lot of time reading non-fiction books on History, Politics and social issues like climate change, feminism etc. He also enjoys a pub quiz and going to the cinema.
Rachel Yohannes
Client Services Executive
Rachel has recently returned from teaching English in China and is now Fonix’s Client Services Executive. She works closely with our clients to ensure all campaigns run super smoothly, as efficiently as possible.
Outside of work, Rachel is a regular on the dance floor; she’s also a keen runner and football player. Once she’s put her training shoes away, Rachel has a keen interest in politics, female rights and new age religions.
Sam Hunn
Commercial Manager
Sam joins the world of mobile payments from a commercial background within facilities services. Sam is on board as part of our expansion into a number of new markets, using his experience to establish strong working partnerships in these sectors.
Outside of work, you can find Sam being healthy on the football pitch or golf course, or being not-so-healthy watching these sports or at a restaurant.
Aston Bowden
Digital and Marketing Manager
Aston is a business graduate from University of Nottingham where he specialised in Marketing. He has joined the team as our Digital and Marketing Manager and will help bring more light to Fonix through his skills in media marketing.
Outside of work you will find him being active on the Football pitch, golf course or tennis court. In his downtime, he will always have a TV series on the go or will be learning a new song on the guitar. He has a love for travelling and has discovered this through venturing to many places around the world.
Rosalinda Iuliano
UX/UI Designer
Rosalinda is a Visual Designer with more than 15 years of experience working for design brands, visual art studios and multinational companies. She has achieved a master’s degree in Design from the Polytechnic of Milan. As UX/UI Designer, she is bringing a wealth of experience into the Fonix family.
Outside of work she likes painting, photography, cooking and spending time with her family and friends. Interestingly, in 2009, Linda founded her own studio where she directed eco art and design exhibitions!
Marcelo Ribeiro
Software Developer
Marcelo is a software developer passionate about growth-stage companies that create brilliant products. He joins the team as a full-stack developer, bringing the experience and willingness to understand every Fonix client to develop excellence in our products.
When he's not working, he likes to spend time with his kids on very geeky stuff like trading card games, Dungeons & Dragons, Guitar playing and some, why not, good old Minecraft gaming.
Marla Mecaj
Junior Financial Analyst
Marla came to London to do a master’s degree in Financial Management and Risk at the University of Greenwich. She has dipped her toes in the finance world (analysing data and preparing reports for clients) and has now joined the Fonix Finance Team as a Junior Financial Analyst.
Away from number crunching, Marla enjoys spending time with her dog, watching TV and trying out different cooking recipes.
Melissa Mhlanga
Finance Assistant
Since graduating in Accounting and Finance degree from the Oxford Brookes University, Melissa has gained admin and financial experience within an R&D Firm. Now keen to delve deeper into the world of finance, she has joined the Fonix team as a Finance Assistant. She can be found supporting the finance function of the business alongside the rest of the finance team.
Outside of work, you will find Melissa keeping fit through dance or getting lost in a good book.
Matías Owsianik
Senior Software Engineer
Matías is an experienced software engineer, passionate about finding minimalist solutions to complex problems. He joined the team as a Senior Software Engineer. He previously worked for many startups and large companies around the world, also contributing to open source projects.
In his spare time, he enjoys biking, hiking, and playing golf. He is currently learning to pilot, so maybe you can find him soaring through the skies.