Judges were particularly struck by Elsham's decisive pivot toward artificial intelligence (AI) innovation since joining Ultimo in May 2025, making AI the focus of the company's development investment. Elsham has described the challenge as reimagining the core purpose of a 35-year-old company without losing what made it great. His approach is to anchor every decision in deep customer insight rather than industry convention, and to communicate the stakes with transparency rather than managed messaging.
The judging panel also highlighted Elsham's philosophy that technology should serve people, not the other way around. With more than 150,000 professionals using Ultimo daily to manage critical infrastructure including airports, hospitals, and energy facilities, Elsham has consistently championed software that goes to where the human is, surfacing the right insight at the right moment without disrupting expert workflows. That conviction extends to AI: in his view, the goal is to capture and scale the institutional knowledge of experienced field technicians, not replace their judgment.
Judges commented,
“His commitment to advancing AI driven enterprise solutions has not only elevated Ultimo's position within the global software market, but has also delivered tangible, transformative value to their clients who are navigating an increasingly digital and data led world.”
“Having said that, what truly set Mr Elsham apart in the eyes of the judging panel, is his rare ability to combine strategic clarity with an authentic, people first, inclusive leadership style,” they continued.
“Under his guidance the company has continued to scale internationally, while maintaining a laser like focus on customer success, operational excellence, and continuous innovation,” the judges concluded. “The panel was also particularly struck by the culture of ambition and collaboration he has fostered, one that clearly empowers teams to push boundaries, and consistently deliver best in class solutions.”
Under Elsham's leadership, Ultimo has completed two acquisitions in the United States, achieved a 96 percent customer retention rate, and deployed an agentic AI framework with live customers - all within the space of a year.
"This recognition belongs to the whole Ultimo team," said Elsham. "What we've built here, together, in a short space of time - the product, the culture, the customer outcomes - is down to talented and committed people coming together as a team, all pulling in the same direction. I'm proud of every one of them."
Want to learn more about Ultimo's AI-powered approach to enterprise asset management? Read our latest posts on agentic AI in maintenance operations, how Ultimo is transforming critical infrastructure, and our vision for the future of EAM software.
