Ryan Welmans is the co-founder and Chairman of Sopro, where he serves as presiding officer of the board and provides strategic oversight for one of the fastest-growing companies in B2B sales engagement and multi-channel prospecting.
Since launching Sopro in 2015, Ryan has combined commercial rigor with deep technical and data-driven thinking to build a business that helps thousands of B2B organisations scale pipeline predictably.
As Chairman, Ryan focuses on governance, oversight, and long-term strategic direction. While the CEO leads day-to-day execution, Ryan ensures the company maintains a clear strategy, that performance and priorities are regularly reviewed at board level, and that risks and opportunities are carefully monitored. He plays a critical role in setting the tone at the top, ensuring Sopro has the right leadership, strategy, ethics, and governance structures in place to support sustainable growth.
A commercially-minded leader with a passion for analytics, Ryan thrives on solving complex business challenges through strategy, team empowerment, and operational excellence. His approach blends rigorous experimentation with customer-centric decision-making, helping Sopro evolve from an early email-focused prospecting service into a multi-channel outreach platform powered by technology and human insight.
Career highlights
- Co-founded Sopro, growing the business into a multi-million-pound turnover company with 300+ full-time team members across global hubs.
- Spearheaded Sopro’s expansion into multi-channel outbound services and significant European markets, including strategic acquisitions.
- Recognised with a Silver Lockdown Leader award at the SME National Business Awards 2021 for resilient leadership and innovative response during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Active founder and advisor in the tech ecosystem, contributing to incubators and high-growth ventures beyond Sopro.
- Co-Founder and MD at GDPRLocal, the UK’s fastest growing B2B compliance partner. Working to redefine Privacy and AI compliance support for modern markets.
