Christian Nellemann

The Founder and Group CEO of XLN Telecom

Christian Nellemann is a successful, serial entrepreneur with a track record of success from an early age in b2b and b2c sales driven organisations. Qualifying with an honours degree in Economics, Christian set up a direct sales operation straight from university selling direct to consumers. This direct sales experience later became the platform that launched XLN Telecom.

A few years later Christian was on the board of Officepoint Ltd and directing the UK’s largest office products dealer group. Launched from a standing start, Officepoint reached end user sales volumes of £250 million in the UK market driven by a blend of direct marketing and direct b2b sales.

With experience in the b2b office supplies market and servicing SMEs Christian developed an online vision of the future and in 1999 launched Euroffice. He quickly became the leading e-tailer of office products to small and medium UK businesses and No.3 in Europe – adding online skills to his direct marketing and direct sales expertise.

Impending deregulation in the UK telcom market created a window of opportunity and Christian launched XLN Telecom in 2002 with a vision of providing small businesses with corporate style prices and exceptional service. By 2009 XLN had over 125,000 customers, had become the leading supplier of telecom products and services to UK SMEs and today is continuing to grow rapidly. Christian now focuses most of his attention on growth strategies – taking increasing market share and bringing new products and services to the small business sector, which XLN now dominates.

Christian’s experience in building a number of successful entrepreneurial ventures in the b2b arena was recognised in 2006 when he was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. XLN was named in the Times Tech Track 100 for 2 consecutive years and as a finalist in the National Business Awards for 4 years. Euroffice has been listed in the Times Tech Track for 4 years and won 3 market awards.

A typical day will include arriving at the office early for pre-business meetings with his direct reports and gaining updates on the KPIs that impact XLN customers. Lunch is invariably taken at his desk as meetings, updates, new product plans, etc run through the afternoon. By 7pm Christian can sometimes be found on his way home, a short commute from the central London office – though often he is on duty entertaining investors, socialising with his team or networking with his extensive contacts before his day ends.

With XLN recognised as a successful company – though Christian insists that it has just started its journey and has yet to fulfil its true capability – Christian is determined that XLN should also meet its corporate responsibility goals. In 2009 XLN became a CarbonNeutral® company and began a policy of charitable giving, engaging his staff on both a personal and corporate mission to become a ‘good neighbour’ both locally and globally.

Christian lives in London and is married with 2 young children. His interests include XLN, golf (he plays off 5), travel – and his family.