Ed Vernon was founder and Managing Director of BIC Systems, a leading indigenous technology solutions business. This was acquired by BT plc in 2004 after which he became Head of Corporate Development at BTNI.

Ed is a former Chairman of the NI Software Industry Federation and led a fundamental review of strategy for the software and technology sector and was Chair of the Matrix ICT Panel. He is Chief Executive of Synetecs and Chairman of Macildowie. He is a Foundation Board Trustee of Queens University, a member of the IoD NI Committee and a Strategic Advisor to BT Ireland.

Ed has received a number of business awards including the BCS IT Professional of the Year, the IoD's Award of Excellence and entry into Invest NI's inaugural Hall of Fame which was designed to celebrate the best of local entrepreneurship and promote enterprise through the showcasing of role models.