Upstream Management Team
Alexis Sheldon (38) – Joint CEO with responsibility for Sales
Alexis founded Upstream Connections Ltd in 2003 with his business partner Jose Mendez.
A Cambridge graduate with an MA in Tourism Management and Marketing, Alexis is currently fluent in English, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German and Hebrew. His route to Upstream Connections Ltd (UC) started in 1992 with various management/teaching roles worldwide in the Media, Event Management and Language Training industries. Working only for market leading companies, Alexis spent 11 years modernising and introducing technology to these businesses. Always excited by the growth of the internet as a market place for new and old businesses alike, Alexis worked from 1999 until 2003 as the Online Development Manager for The Cactus group of companies. If you’ve ever used Google to look for language training over the last decade you will know how successful Cactus has been. Alexis is always available to clients old and new to discuss your needs.
Known affectionately as Alex, it is fair to say that he is the bright member of the team with a love of travel, language and of course the internet.
Jose Mendez (33) – Joint CEO with responsibility for Operations
A business graduate who established his first private venture at the age of 23, Jose is currently fluent in Spanish, English and SEO. Considered one of the leading Search Engine Optimisation specialists in the UK, Jose has been practising the art of online marketing for more than a decade. His route to Upstream Connections Ltd (UC) started in 1998 with consultancy work, all related to the creation of online businesses. Joining The Cactus group in 2001, where he met Alexis, Jose worked as the Marketing Manager before establishing UC in 2003. Jose is responsible for managing all aspects of the business concerning SEO, design, programming, ecommerce systems implementation and research & development.
Known affectionately as Jose, it is fair to say that he is the geek in the team with a passion for online marketing.
Alex Hammond - Sales
Alex is our sales manager. Ask him what we can do for you.
Likes: music, reading, wine, sunshine, honesty (it’s such a lonely word).
Dislikes: buzzwords, hypocrisy and when the clocks go back.
An English Literature degree from Sussex University has provided perfect preparation for writing and advising on search engine friendly copy (and the ability to offer a great post-structuralist analysis afterwards). Alex lived in Argentina for a bit and would love the chance to practice Spanish with you.
Jonathan Kelner (38) – Non Executive Director
Jonathan works as a management consultant assisting clients in the service sector with growth and change in their business. Projects have incorporated an Ofex (now Plus) flotation, turning an unprofitable computer retailer into a successful service business, hands-on business planning and fund raising with new start-ups and ongoing advisory roles with companies in the Media, Investment Property, Motor, Security, Charity and Call Centre industries. Jonathan previously spent 10 years in the retail industry, with Marks & Spencer Plc, Heal & Son Ltd and Field & Trek Plc. He has extensive retail management experience, specialising in training and development.
Known affectionately as JK, he is easily manipulated by the offer of a piece of Cadbury’s dairy milk.
Commenting on his appointment in February 2007, as a Non Executive Director of Upstream Connections Ltd, Jonathan declared “I am very excited to be working with the talented team at Upstream Connections”.
Claudia Bachmann - SEO Manager
Claudia is responsible for managing Upstream’s large, international team of linkbuilders and copywriters, maintaining client relationships and ensuring that clients’ are kept up to date with all developments through weekly/monthly reports.
Claudia likes: socialising, Brighton & Hove
Claudia dislikes: inefficiency
Claudia studied International Information Management in Hildesheim (Germany). In 2005 she completed an internship with Upstream Connections and impressed us so much that she has been working here ever since.
Dave Khayat – Lead Editor / Systems
Dave is our lead editor and office systems administrator at Upstream, responsible for copywriting, style editing, proof reading and quality checking, as well as developing and implementing IT solutions around our Hove HQ. He oversees our activity in the realm of social media.
Dave likes: music (an accomplished pianist, Dave has held several lounge piano jobs in restaurants, bars and hotels prior to joining Upstream), anything Japanese (fascinated by the language and culture, having studied Japanese for extra credits at university, and heavily into anime), playing cricket, table tennis and golf, or any sport that doesn’t require a great deal of running.
Dave dislikes: shallow people, the mutilation of the English language through business buzzwords (incensed by incentivising?), unforgivable grammatical errors (such as confusing “there”, “they’re” and “their”), rap ‘music’.
Hypercritical of even his own grammar, Dave’s fastidious and meticulous editing habits stem from studying Latin & Greek from an early age, leading to a joint honours degree in Classics from Nottingham University in 2006. Unfortunately, the ability to unleash ‘hilarious’ Latin quips at will isn’t actually as impressive as he originally thought it would be; but sound knowledge of linguistic roots has afforded him a keen eye for writing and re-writing texts for SEO purposes.
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