Interview: Culina Group, UK IT Industry Awards finalist

'Culina has managed challenges through strong customer relationships and by driving out costs’

Sander Tiel of Culina Group, tells us about the company's challenges and achievements over the past year that helped it reach the shortlist for the UK IT Industry Awards 2025.

The UK IT Industry Awards are the largest and most well-known event in the technology industry calendar. Owned and operated by Computing and BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, the awards enjoy a level of professionalism and industry knowledge not seen at other shows.

This year's winners were announced at a live awards ceremony on Wednesday 12^th November in London, and Culina Group was a finalist in Digital Transformation Project of the Year category.

Before the awards, we talked to Sander Tiel, Group IT Director for Service Operations & Infrastructure, to find out more about the company's biggest challenges and achievements over the past year.

Sander is a seasoned IT executive with over 30 years of experience leading global infrastructure and operations. He oversees service management, datacentres, cloud, networking and end-user computing at Culina.

Skilled in managing multimillion-pound budgets and diverse teams, Sander has driven transformation across enterprise IT environments, including roles at UST Global, Arrow Electronics and Walgreens Boots Alliance.

Why do you think awards like the UK IT Industry Awards matter?

The awards set a benchmark for IT professionals and organisations and highlight the often-invisible focus on innovation, resilience and IT and business transformation. It helps motivate teams and focuses on the positive, for teams that are often only called out when IT doesn't work. It helps to celebrate success.

What would winning this award mean to your company?

Culina Group is in the midst of a major shift - streamlining operations, driving synergies and investing in digital technology and automation. Recognition at the UK IT Industry Awards would validate these efforts externally, showing that our approach to efficiency and innovation is not just internal rhetoric but industry-leading practice.

What would you say is your company's proudest achievement over the past year?

After a period of high-profile departures and turbulence, Culina Group has stabilised under new leadership. Liam McElroy highlights the formation of a senior executive team with over 300 years of combined experience, and a shift from aggressive acquisitions to organic growth and operational streamlining.

What have been the biggest challenges of 2025 so far and how have you overcome them? How have your people helped with that?

Rising costs of living, minimum wage and National Insurance have put pressure on pricing and margins. Culina has managed these challenges through strong customer relationships and by driving out costs via synergies and integration.

The senior team's experience and the engagement of managers and colleagues have been crucial. Initiatives like the "Top 100 call" and direct engagement with MDs and CEOs have fostered collaboration and positive feedback, helping the company navigate challenges together.

How do you think the industry has changed over the past year and what changes do you think it still needs to make?

The industry is increasingly focused on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. Culina is investing in fuel efficiency, electric trucks and a transport control tower to reduce emissions and improve asset utilisation.

There's concern that only larger companies can afford the transition to electric vehicles, and more government support is needed to help SMEs adapt and remain competitive.

What do you see as the main opportunities for the industry in the coming year? How do you plan to capitalise on those opportunities?

Embracing automation, digital technology, and new business models will help Culina and the industry stay competitive and meet evolving customer needs.

Further investment in decarbonisation and efficient logistics will not only meet regulatory and societal expectations but also drive cost savings and new business opportunities.