Simon Elliston Ball

About Me

I’m a product leader and coach with over 15 years of experience shipping products through every stage of the lifecycle, from discovery and conception through growth, live services, acquisition, and deprecation.

I’ve worked at every scale of company, from tiny startups to mid-size companies like Red Gate, pre-IPO rocketships like Hortonworks, and hyperscalers like AWS. Through these roles, I’ve worked with hundreds of enterprises on data and development strategy.

I combine deep technical experience, including hands-on AI/ML, data pipeline, 3D simulation, and game development with strategic product thinking. I coach individual leaders and consult with teams to navigate the transitions that don’t come with a playbook.

Background

Product Management

Led product development at multiple companies including statups, mid-caps and hyperscalers, from early-stage product discovery to scaling existing products. Experience across B2B and B2C products.

AI & Machine Learning

Built AI-powered products from strategy through production. Deep experience with ML systems (from before AI!), model deployment, and making AI products that actually work for users.

Strategic Tools

Created tools and frameworks for decision-making, planning, and strategic thinking. Focus on making complex systems understandable and actionable.

Previously With

Companies I’ve worked with throughout my career

Redgate
Developer Tools
Hortonworks
Big Data
Cloudera
Data Platform
AWS
Cloud
Unity
Game Engine