Interview: Phil Lees, WhiteSpider, UK IT Industry Awards finalist

'Technical change is nothing without organisational change'

Phil Lees of WhiteSpider tells us about the work that secured his company a coveted spot on the shortlist at 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 will be announced at a live awards ceremony on Wednesday 12^th November in London.

WhiteSpider is a finalist for the Team of the Year award.

We talked to Phil Lees, the co-founder and CEO of WhiteSpider, to find out more.

Phil brings more than 30 years of experience in IT solutions integration. As a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE), the highest technical accreditation awarded by Cisco, Phil combines deep technical expertise with extensive experience. His distinguished military background in communications underpins a career built on precision, discipline, and professionalism. Today, Phil plays a pivotal role in shaping WhiteSpider's strategy and guiding clients to achieve success through transformative technology.

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

We see the UK IT Industry Awards are one of the most transparent and respected recognition programmes in the sector. The process is fair and thorough: an initial written submission, followed by a 10-minute presentation and Q&A to an unknown judging panel. This ensures unbiased consideration and allows us to bring our story to life beyond the written entry. As the flagship event hosted by BCS and Computing, the awards are an important moment in the IT calendar, celebrating the real impact organisations have delivered.

What would winning this award mean to your company?

Winning would be a profound recognition of the people behind our success. We are fortunate to have high-performing individuals who have come together as a team to deliver projects where outcomes truly mattered, sometimes in life-and-death situations. While we are already proud of what they’ve achieved, being recognised on this stage would highlight to them, and to the wider industry, the incredible impact they’ve made.

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

Our proudest achievement over the past year has been our own transformation. We’ve changed beyond recognition, evolving our brand, reshaping our route to market, and strengthening our operations. And we know the journey isn’t over; as a business, we must continually adapt and improve for our people, clients, and partners. Most importantly, our team has proven our ability to adapt to the rapid pace of change in the industry. It’s not just about technical progress; it's about building an organisation and team ready for the next wave of challenges and opportunities.

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

One of the biggest challenges has been helping organisations shape a realistic cloud strategy. Many start with a “cloud-first” approach, but moving everything to the cloud is rarely straightforward—there are operational, financial, and technical complexities. Our role is to act as trusted advisors, guiding clients to decide what can and should move to the cloud, and what is better left elsewhere. The reason we’ve succeeded is our people: they translate complex technology into clear options, balancing ambition with practicality, and always focusing on achieving our clients’ goals.

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

AI has been the most transformative force over the past year. The question is no longer “if” but “how” organisations should embrace it - making AI operational, functional, and valuable.

Sectors with greater resources are already realising the benefits, but there is an imbalance. Public services and healthcare, where AI could have a profound societal impact, often lack the investment to move at the same pace. We’d like to see the industry close this gap by making AI scalable, accessible, and beneficial across all sectors, not just the best resourced.

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

The greatest opportunity lies in addressing the skills gap. As technology evolves, the complexity of building and managing solutions increases, yet organisations struggle to find the right expertise. We aim to bridge that gap by acting as a trusted partner and an extension of our clients’ teams, bringing technical capability, real-world experience, and strategic guidance.

The UK IT Industry Awards will take place on 12^th November in London. Click here to view the shortlist and here to book your table.