Speakers 2026
Simon Read, VP, International business Development & Portfolio Strategy, Zetron
Simon joined Zetron in 2024 as Vice President, International Business Development and Portfolio Strategy. He is based in the UK and is a member of Zetron's global senior leadership team. Prior to joining Zetron, Simon spent 20+ years working for software companies focussed on developing and deploying Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Communications software to public safety agencies. Simon held various senior leadership roles within these organisations driving business development, product innovation and strategic growth. Most recently Simon was the managing director for Saab's public safety business where he successfully drove their strategic growth in the UK and Europe. Interestingly, Simon started this career at APD which has since formed part of an acquisition by Zetron, and so in some ways it feels like he's returned home. Previously, Simon was a Chief Systems Engineer in the Royal Navy specialising in radio communications, and command-and-control solutions. During his 10 year military service, whilst travelling the globe conducting operations in the Gulf, combating cocaine trafficking in the Caribbean, and delivering humanitarian aid to various places around the world, Simon honed his leadership skills and decided to use these, along with his technical abilities to make the move into the private sector. He took with him an inbuilt desire to make a positive difference to those who choose to serve on the front lines, whether they be personnel in our Armed Forces or first responders in our Emergency Services. I couldn't do a job that doesn't have real purpose and helps, in some way, to make the world a better place. At Zetron, I'm part of a team that creates and delivers mission-critical products and services used every day to help our first responders save lives and protect society. That's a huge motivator for me Simon and his partner love to travel at every opportunity they get. They have 4 teenagers between them who have also inherited the travel bug. They love to go on adventures together and are happiest experiencing different cultures, touring new destinations or hitting the slopes.