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WANdisco

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FY2021 Annual Report · WANdisco
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WANdisco plc
Annual Report and Accounts 2021

 
 
 
 
 
 
WANdisco is the data 
activation company

Learn more about our solutions from page 8

WANdisco is the first and only data activation platform for accelerating digital transformation at scale. WANdisco makes infinite data actionable across clouds and enterprises in real time. WANdisco customers unleash the business value of the cloud with zero downtime, data loss, or disruption. WANdisco activates data to power Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) and machine learning, create new services, and transform businesses.WANdisco data activation solutions enable enterprises to activate petabyte and exabyte-scale data trapped in their internal systems, making it immediately available in the cloud to leverage the latest advancements in machine learning and AI-based cloud analytics. Underpinning digital transformation, WANdisco’s data activation platform ensures that a company’s data estate is always available, accurate and protected, creating a strong backbone for their IT infrastructure and a bedrock for running consistent, accurate machine learning applications. With the fastest time to business value and outcomes, zero downtime and zero data loss, WANdisco’s products keep geographically dispersed data at any scale consistent between on-premises and cloud environments, allowing businesses to operate seamlessly in a hybrid or multi-cloud environment.WANdisco has more than a hundred customers and significant go-to-market partnerships with Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Oracle, Databricks, Snowflake and others, as well as OEM relationships with IBM and Alibaba.Contents

Overview

02  Our year in review

04  WANdisco at a glance

Strategic report

06  Chairman and Chief Executive’s report

08  Our markets

11  Case study

12  Our business model

14  Our stakeholders

16  Our partnerships and technology 

18  Our strategy

22  Key performance indicators (“KPIs”)

23  Case study

24  Sustainability

27  Case study

28  Risks

32  Case study

33  Financial review

Corporate governance

Financial statements

36  Vice Chairman’s introduction 

to governance 

38  Board of Directors 

40  Executive team 

42  Corporate governance report 

47  Nomination Committee report 

48  Audit Committee report 

50  Remuneration Committee and 

remuneration report 

53  Directors’ report 

55  Statement of Directors’ responsibilities

56   Independent auditor’s report to 
the members of WANdisco plc

61   Consolidated statement of profit or 

loss and other comprehensive income

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62  Consolidated statement 
of financial position

63   Consolidated statement 
of changes in equity

64  Consolidated statement of cash flows

65   Notes to the consolidated 
financial statements

91  Five-year record

92  Notice of Annual General Meeting

96   Secretary, advisers and share 

capital information

Reasons to invest in WANdisco

Innovative technology 

Our technology is based on a patented, high-performance 
coordination engine

$11.4m

development spend

Significant opportunity

Our addressable market is expanding

Internet of Things (“IoT”) data market expected to reach 

73.1 zettabytes 

by 2025

Learn more about our innovative technology from page 8

Learn more about our significant opportunity from page 8

Talented people

Strong partnerships

We have an exceptional pool of talent and we are committed 
to excellence 

We have significant go-to-market partnerships with Microsoft Azure, 
Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Oracle, Databricks and top 
Systems Integrators (“Sls”) as well as OEM relationships with IBM 
and Alibaba

159

21

employees at 31 December 2021

strategic partner relationships

Learn more about our talented people from page 24

Learn more about our strong partnerships from page 16

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

01

 
Our year in review

2021 highlights

Financial highlights

Revenue ($m)

$7.3m

7.3

10.5

21

20

19

18

17

16.2

17.0

19.6

Cash ($m)

$27.8m

21

20

19

18

17

27.8

21.0

23.4

27.4

10.8

Cash overheads ($m)¹

Adjusted EBITDA ($m)²

$41.5m

$(29.5)m

21

20

19

18

17

41.5

(29.5)

36.9

(22.2)

31.7

29.8

24.5

21

20

19

18

17

(11.7)

(9.4)

(0.6)

Statutory loss for the 
year ($m)

$(37.6)m

(37.6)

(34.3)

(28.3)

21

20

19

18

17

(19.7)

(13.5)

  Stay up to date with the latest news and investor information at: wandisco.com

Our highlights

Note: Throughout this document, alternative 
performance measures have been used 
which are non-GAAP measures that are 
presented to provide readers with additional 
financial information that is regularly 
reviewed by management and should not 
be viewed in isolation or as an alternative to 
the equivalent GAAP measure. See Note 5 
for details.

1   Operating expenses adjusted for: 

depreciation, amortisation, capitalisation 
of development expenditure and 
equity-settled share-based payment. 
See Note 9 for a reconciliation. 

2   Operating loss adjusted for: impairment 

loss, depreciation, amortisation and equity-
settled share-based payment. See Note 9 
for a reconciliation.

Successful share placing raising gross 
proceeds of $43m

Secured new partnership with Snowflake, 
the data cloud company

March 2021

September 2021

New contract with the analytics division of one 
of the largest telecommunications companies 
to migrate analytical data to the Microsoft Azure 
cloud, worth a minimum of $1m over five years

02

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Operational and strategic highlights

 5 Announced LiveData 

 » Secured the Company’s largest Commit to 

 5 Key investments made in channel 

Migrator for Azure (“LDMA”) 
general availability, critical to 
pipeline conversion

 5  “Commit to Consume” contract 

structure to be widely utilised across 
all future clients, where a customer 
is contracted to move a minimum 
amount of data over a given time:

 » Customers continue to benefit 

from the flexibility of our scalable 

cloud-based solutions

 » Provides WANdisco with a stream of 

committed revenues that have the 

potential to increase as customers’ data 

needs expand, increasing revenue visibility

 » Signed the first Commit to Consume 

contract in 2021 with an existing US 

Telecom customer, worth $1.0m over 

five years, with a significant opportunity 

for further consumption growth

Consume contract valued at a minimum 

of $6m over five years, to replicate over 

and direct sales capacity to further 
establish product availability

 5 Meaningful commercial momentum 

with blue chip customers 
and partners:

 » Initial contract won with a top-five UK bank 

to migrate to Amazon Web Services 

an exabyte of automobile IoT sensor 

data to the Google Cloud. Revenues will 

be realised in FY22 and in later years 

 5 Channel partner ecosystem 
continues to offer exciting 
revenue opportunities; through our 
partnership with IBM, we secured a 
3 year $3.3m contract with a large 
North American investment bank for 
the use of LiveData Migrator (“LDM”), 
with a 50% revenue share

 5 Snowflake partnership continues 

to complement WANdisco’s 
existing Databricks relationship, 
consolidating the Company’s market 
position in supporting machine 
learning applications 

General availability of the 
LiveData Platform for Azure

October 2021

Won a Commit to Consume contract with a large European automotive 
components supplier, valued at a minimum of $6m for five years

New contract with a top five UK bank to migrate an initial 500 TB to 
AWS using LiveData Migrator platform

December 2021

Secured a contract through IBM channel with a large North American multinational 
investment bank for LiveData Migrator, worth $1.7m over three years

Deepened strategic partnership with Oracle to provide LiveData Migrator to both 
Oracle and its customers

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

03

OverviewWANdisco at a glance

Transform your digital 
transformation journey with A2O

Enterprises need to Automate, Optimise, and Activate (“A2O”) to modernise their data 
architecture and complete their digital transformation journey. Only WANdisco can help 
enterprises do all three.

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Digital transfor m ation

Automate

Optimise

Activate

Time

A2O for your digital transformation journey

Automate

WANdisco automates the movement of unstructured data to make it 
available wherever it is needed (from and to on-premises data centres, 
edge platforms, and the cloud) and does so without disrupting current 
business operations even as the data is actively changing.

Optimise

WANdisco helps optimise data architectures by supporting the “last mile” 
transformation to formats utilised by some of the leading cloud analytics 
platforms such as Databricks and Snowflake. WANdisco also enables 
enterprises to optimise workloads to leverage advanced capabilities of 
the new environment and avoid lift and shift strategies that don’t take 
advantage of the benefits available in those environments.

Activate

WANdisco enables enterprises to automate, optimise, and activate all 
of their unstructured data, not letting the data go dark or remain siloed. 
WANdisco activates data to enable better business decisions, improve 
customer experiences, and generate new revenue streams.

Solution Naming Evolution

As WANdisco expands into the IoT data market, 
we are evolving our solution naming strategy. 
We launched WANdisco Edge to Cloud, and 
we are in the process of changing LiveData 
Migrator to Data Migrator, and LiveData 
Migrator for Azure to Data Migrator for Azure.  
This document uses the previous naming 
convention when referencing 2021, and the new 
solution names when discussing current or 
future strategy.

04

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

 
Consumption-based model driving predictable 
Remaining Performance Obligations (“RPO”)

As outlined in our half-year report for FY21, WANdisco is pivoting toward a consumption-
based or “Commit to Consume” business model. In this modern go-to-market and pricing 
model, customers are charged based on their usage (for example, what they consume). 
For WANdisco, consumption is based on the amount of data moved via one of our products. 

Benefits of a consumption model include:

 5 Increasingly reliable and predictable RPO and revenue streams

 5 Empowering customers to increase consumption at will to drive higher lifetime value

 5 Aligning our service to the standard cloud industry model

 5 Significantly lowering the level of price discounting versus subscription

Pivoting to “Commit to Consume” model

An evolution, not revolution

Consumption is the true SaaS:

All services in the cloud fabric are used on a consumption basis

Product evolution:

Driven by data from consumption. A more agile model

Product and pricing are key:

Cloud integration with metering creates the basis for pivoting to a consumption model

Customer lifecycle management:

Data-driven customer interaction and success

Culture focused on driving lifetime value:

Sales compensation model aligned with consumption

Learn more about our Business model on pages 12-13

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

05

OverviewChairman and Chief Executive’s report
David Richards, Chairman and CEO

Significant strategic progress a 
springboard for future growth

2021 highlights

 5 Commit to Consume contract structure 
to drive greater adoption of WANdisco 
solutions in future periods

 5 General availability of LiveData Migrator for 
Microsoft Azure (“LDMA”) critical to driving 
pipeline conversion 

 5  Largest ever multi-year contract win with 

large global automotive supplier

In 2021, we announced LDMA general 
availability, a critical step in converting 
pipeline. A new Azure service, the LiveData 
Platform for Azure, allows customers to 
use our software as if it were a native Azure 
offering. As an Azure service, customers 
can deploy WANdisco’s LiveData products 
by selecting it from the same Azure menu 
used for native Microsoft services such as 
compute and storage, with metered billing 
added on their existing monthly Azure 
payments. No software to install, no new 
contracts to sign, no barrier to entry. 

The general availability of LiveData Migrator 
(“LDM”) and LDMA was essential to the 
acceleration of business in the second half 
of 2021. Achieving the general availability 
milestone provided potential customers 
with greater assurance about their ability to 
embark on petabyte-scale data migration 
projects with WANdisco and, as such, is 
steadily unlocking a pipeline of growth 
opportunities – especially in IoT. Key to 
these wins was the Company’s cloud 
agnostic solution that moves large amounts 
of data from on-premise Hadoop to multiple 
different clouds. A strategic selling point 
to customers is that LDM can move data 
to any of the cloud providers and provides 
ultimate ownership of data to the customer, 
allowing them to avoid vendor lock-in and 

arbitrage cloud pricing and functionality. 
Additionally, the Company’s ability to 
migrate data at scale without requiring any 
system downtime, along with its capacity to 
automatically migrate data changes as they 
occur – ensuring data consistency – were 
key factors in securing new business.

In 2021, the business made steady 
progress in its transition to a cloud-centric, 
consumption-based model, resulting in 
more predictable revenues (unbilled backlog, 
or RPO), reduced discounting (metered 
pricing) and increased upsell opportunities. 
The cloud platform model of the “Commit 
to Consume” contract structure, where a 
customer is obligated to move a minimum 
amount of data over a given time, is now 
the standard for WANdisco. This helped 
drive strong bookings and RPO growth in 
H2 2021 as WANdisco benefittted from a 
stream of committed revenues that have 
the potential to increase as customers’ 
data needs expand.

In Q3 2021 we signed our first Commit to 
Consume contract, a $1.0m, 5-year deal 
with an existing US telecoms customer 
with a significant opportunity for further 
consumption growth. Following this win, 
in Q4 2021 the Company secured a Commit 
to Consume contract valued at a minimum 
of $6m over five years, to replicate over an 

exabyte of automobile sensor data (IoT data) 
to the Google cloud. Additionally, through its 
channel partner IBM, the Company secured a 
$3.3m contract with a large North American 
investment bank for the use of LDM, with 
a 50% revenue share.

The new contract wins achieved in Q4 2021 
directly and through key industry partners 
are testament to the strategic progress 
achieved across the business this year, 
while the general availability of the LiveData 
Platform for Azure was a critical step in 
converting WANdisco’s new business 
pipeline. The Company is excited by the 
opportunities in the market to enter new 
verticals and is well placed to capitalise on 
an expected increase in IoT-driven deals in 
2022. Q4 2021 saw a significant increase 
in bookings and RPO and this momentum, 
combined with high near-term visibility, 
gives confidence in the Company’s ability 
to execute on our 2022 pipeline.

COVID-19 update

The global nature of the COVID-19 
virus has resulted in macroeconomic 
uncertainty, which appears to be receding 
in the geographies we operate in. We are 
constantly monitoring the impact that 
COVID-19 may have in current and future 
periods but historically we have experienced 

06

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

We made significant strategic 
progress in FY21 reorganising 
our go-to-market operation 
and cost structure. This has 
provided us greater revenue 
visibility, accountability and 
efficiencies to drive our 
business forward, and I am 
confident that we will continue 
to convert on our strong 
pipeline of cloud migration 
opportunities in FY22.

minimal effects on our customer base and 
order flow, and are well positioned to operate 
should COVID-19 restrictions return. 

Conflict in Ukraine and Russia

As an organisation we want to express 
how shocked and saddened we are by 
the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and are 
constantly monitoring the situation. We will 
continue to seek advice as the situation 
evolves and hope that the conflict can be 
resolved as soon and humanely as possible.

Historically, we only had some customers 
in Russia who were not significant relative 
to our operations. We have kept apprised of 
the latest sanctions, and upon the advice 
of legal counsel have recently announced 
internally that we cannot provide any of our 
products or services in Russia, nor can we 
continue to provide products or services 
with current Russian customers. 

KPIs to map shift to consumption-
based revenue model

Group revenues have historically 
been characterised by subscription contracts 
in which the licence component of revenues 
is recognised upfront. As paying for 
consumption is the primary way cloud 
services are bought. WANdisco has begun 
a shift to a consumption-based model. We 
believe that a consumption model is the 
true Software as a Service (“SaaS”) model, 
with customers expecting to purchase 
on a consumption basis within the cloud 
ecosystem through Commit to Consume 
contracts and metered billing. 

As our business continues to evolve, the 
metrics we use to measure our success also 
need to change. To aid in mapping pipeline 
progress against this changing revenue 
model, we will provide quarterly business 
updates providing new KPIs including:

 5 Current and YTD Bookings

 5 Period ending RPO (“Remaining 

Performance Obligations”) 

The objective of these KPIs is to provide 
an indication of business closed in the 
period and YTD, and RPO as a measure of 
the future revenues to flow through as our 
customers consume data. 

Outlook

In 2021, the business has made steady 
progress in its transition to a cloud-centric, 
consumption-based model, resulting in 
more predictable revenues (unbilled backlog, 
or RPO), reduced discounting (metered 
pricing) and increased upsell opportunities. 
This helped drive strong bookings and RPO 
growth in H2 2021 as WANdisco benefitted 
from a stream of committed revenues that 
have the potential to increase as customers’ 
data needs expand. 

The general availability of the LiveData 
Platform for Azure was successfully 
launched in H2 2021. The announcement 
signified the completion of a multi-year 
joint project with Microsoft to integrate 
WANdisco’s technology into its cloud fabric 
and unlock the Azure ecosystem for global 
blue-chips – one of the most important 
initiatives in WANdisco’s history to date. 

To effectively build consumption revenue 
streams, sales compensation must also 
be changed to incentivise the activation of 
customers and the early commitment of 
customers to build consumption through the 
year, as opposed to a single point of sale. 

Following the major reorganisation of 
the Company’s sales and go-to-market 
functions, we have seen the foundations 
of this begin to bear fruit with improved H2 
2021 results, greater pipeline visibility for 
FY22 and lower operating costs.

A consumption-based model provides 
greater agility and the ability to scale as 
required and provides valuable data to 
evolve our product and offering. Data on 
how customers are using the product drives 
interaction with customer success much 
of which is automated.

Looking ahead, the high visibility of 
WANdisco’s near term business pipeline 
underpins our confidence in strong trading 
in 2022. The Company is well placed to 
capture significant market opportunities 
in IoT-driven deals and expansion into new 
verticals in the coming year.

This shift to a consumption model, where 
revenue is recognised over time rather than 
upfront, will lead to revenues scaling over the 
year, with revenue recognised further into 
the sales cycle.

David Richards
Chairman and CEO
23 June 2022

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

07

Strategic reportOur markets

Enterprise data activation 
requires WANdisco

Organisations today understand 
the importance of data and 
leveraging data for better 
decision-making to improve 
customer experiences and 
to identify and develop new 
revenue opportunities.

And yet, multiple surveys still find CEOs 
saying they want their organisation to be more 
data driven. It is estimated that over 80% 
(Source: Xebia - Dark Data Analytics article) of 
data that organisations collect, process, and 
store during regular business activities is never 
further utilised. This finding represents a huge 
lost opportunity.

Many organisations have initiatives underway 
to modernise their data architectures and bring 
critical business data to the cloud so they can 
leverage advanced AI and machine learning 
capabilities offered by cloud service providers 
and independent software vendors, such as 
Databricks and Snowflake.

Market trends

The vast majority of enterprise data today is unstructured. While structured 
data growth, such as that stored in relational databases, has been relatively 
unchanged since 2000, unstructured data has been growing at a rate of 55% 
to 65% per year.

Other key analyst findings and predictions include:

 5  Global cloud storage market (Source: Gartner - Enterprise Storage as a 

Service Is Transforming IT Operating Models article)

 »  22.3% – projected CAGR (from $50B in 2020 to $137B by 2025)

 »  11.5% – percentage of IT budget spent on cloud storage by 2023

 5  Internet of Things (“IoT”) data is the fastest-growing data segment

 »  50% – percentage of enterprise data expected to be created on edge 

platforms (Source: Gartner - 2022 Planning Guide for Cloud and 
Edge Computing)

 »  73.1 zettabytes – data generated from connected IoT devices by 2025 
(Source: IDC - Worldwide Global DataSphere Forecast, 2021–2025)

2021 Hadoop-to-Cloud Migration Benchmark Report

In June 2021, WANdisco commissioned Radiant Advisors and Database 
Trends and Applications to survey the industry to better understand 
organisations plans, priorities, and challenges with Hadoop data migration 
to the cloud. Key takeaways from over 200 cloud architects include:

 5  Most IT leaders are pursuing cloud migration to lay the foundation for 

future business value creation, including cloud-scale analytics and data 
modernisation strategies

 »  78% – data modernisation initiatives

 »  61% – cloud-scale analytics

 »  49% – scalable cloud storage

 5  Many organisations are relying on “old-school” approaches and manual 

tools not designed for modern migration requirements

 »  56% – used or plan to use bulk transfer devices

 »  48% – planned or leveraged DistCp

 5  Legacy approaches result in 54% of projects running over time and/or 

budget, while other projects are never fully completed

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WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Uniquely positioned

WANdisco is ideally positioned to take advantage of this large and growing market opportunity. For the majority of FY21, WANdisco 
has focused on helping enterprises migrate their on-premises Hadoop data sets to take advantage of the advanced analytics, AI, and 
machine-learning capabilities available in the cloud.

In Q4 FY21, WANdisco expanded into the IoT market and won its inaugural contract with a large European automotive components supplier 
valued at a minimum of $6m over five years. Further details are on page 11.

WANdisco’s data activation platform is the only solution capable of handling two key dimensions (any data volume and any amount of data 
change) without introducing any business disruption or system downtime. As a result, data migrations are automated and projects are 
completed on time, within budget, and with reduced business risks.

Data-first strategy

WANdisco promotes a data-first approach 
for enterprise cloud adoption and data 
activation. Traditional approaches take 
an application-first mindset, where all the 
applications and workloads are migrated at 
the same time. These “big bang” approaches 
take much longer to complete and introduce 
significant operational and business risk. 
A data-first approach focuses on getting 
the data moved first, making it immediately 
available to data scientists and other business 
users. In this way, data is activated much 
faster, enabling quicker time to new insights, 
new AI and machine-learning models, and 
greater ROI on cloud adoption.

WANdisco Data Migrator

Data Migrator automates the migration 
of Hadoop data and Hive metadata to the 

cloud. Data Migrator is fully self-service; 
deployment is performed in minutes and 
requires no changes to applications or 
business operations. Migrations of any scale 
can begin immediately and be performed 
while the source data is under active change 
without requiring any production system 
downtime or business disruption.

Data Migrator for Azure

Data Migrator for Azure is a native Microsoft 
Azure service that enables users to migrate 
petabyte-scale Hadoop data and Hive 
metadata to the Azure cloud with zero 
application downtime and zero risk of data 
loss, even while the source data is under 
active change. Data Migrator for Azure 
is deeply integrated with native Azure 
resources such as Azure Portal, CLI, role-
based access control, Active Directory, 

Azure Policy enforcement, and Activity log 
integration. This tight integration provides 
customers with a turnkey user experience 
similar to other native Azure services.

WANdisco Edge to Cloud

Launched in public preview, Edge to Cloud 
is designed to move large IoT data sets 
at massive scale to enable organisations 
to activate all of their data for AI, machine 
learning, and analytics on modern cloud 
data platforms. Unlike other solutions, Edge 
to Cloud can scale to handle the largest 
IoT data sets and has been proven to move 
multi-petabytes of data per day, which will 
exceed an exabyte of data per year.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

09

Strategic reportOur markets continued

New use cases and market expansion

Hadoop to cloud 

Edge to cloud

Multi-cloud and intercloud

According to the 2021 Database Trends and 
Applications Hadoop-to-Cloud Migration 
Benchmark Report

73% 

of respondents indicated they have either 
migrated, are in the process of migrating, or 
intend to migrate their on-premises Hadoop 
data to the cloud. More than half of the 
companies that intend to migrate haven’t 
yet begun, and most companies expect their 
total volume of data to increase. Therefore, 
one of the key report findings predicts that 
the next wave of Hadoop migration will 
be larger – both in terms of numbers and 
data volume.

According to Gartner Research 

A recent Gartner survey found that 

50% 

of enterprise-generated data will be created 
and processed outside the traditional data 
centre or cloud. This means that more than 
half of the data an organisation generates will 
originate at edge locations and/or IoT devices. 
Processing of this data will be performed at 
the edge; to further activate the data it will 
need to be moved to the cloud for advanced 
analytics, AI, and machine learning.

76% 

of respondents using the public cloud 
are using more than one cloud service 
provider. Gartner also makes the distinction 
between “multi-cloud” (the use of multiple 
cloud environments) and “intercloud” 
(which involves active data management, 
live data access, metadata access, and 
data transfer between clouds). Gartner 
recommends deploying multi-cloud and 
intercloud architectures deliberately, based 
on the specific optimisation needs of the 
use case. Gartner also identifies WANdisco 
as a vendor that can assist with the data 
replication requirements for this area.

Enabling a data-first approach for enterprise cloud adoption

Successful organisations follow three stages in their big data cloud adoption. Successful digital transformations take a data-first approach to 
migration which aligns with the strategy Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (“AWS”), Google Cloud Platform (“GCP”) and others are recommending 
as a best practice. Without the data, the application migration becomes a pointless exercise. In fact, customers that migrate their data first 
innovate new cloud applications and glean powerful new business insights and ROI. They find they can decommission legacy on premises 
applications and on premises disaster recovery infrastructure, saving millions of dollars.

Hadoop to cloud

Edge to cloud

Multi-cloud and intercloud

WANdisco is the only automated 
on-premises to cloud data migration 
platform and managed service, 
accelerating data modernisation by 10X 
and with zero business disruption, zero 
risk and best time to business outcomes 
and ROI. Guaranteed.

Only WANdisco moves exabyte scale 
IoT and file system data across edge 
systems, data centres and public 
clouds continuously and at high velocity 
enabling organisations to activate 
the data for AI, machine learning, and 
advanced analytics on modern cloud 
data platforms. The result is the fastest 
path to digital monetisation and new 
revenue streams for customers.

Although many companies are 
already using more than one CSP, 
most are currently using them for 
different applications and have not 
truly integrated the data across those 
environments. Gartner has pointed out 
that integration of data across clouds 
is a “deep challenge”, but that data and 
analytics leaders must prepare for 
the complexities. This is a significant 
long-term opportunity, and WANdisco 
solutions are ideally suited to enable 
organisations to address this challenge.

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WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

 
 
 
 
 
Case study 

WANdisco makes inroads into 
largest and fastest-growing 
IoT market segment

Largest ever multi-million, multi-year contract with leading global automotive 
components supplier.

In Q4 FY21 WANdisco won an inaugural IoT 
contract with a large European automotive 
components supplier (“the Client”). The Client has 
entered into a Commit to Consume contract, valued 
at a minimum of $6m over five years, to replicate 
more than one exabyte of automobile sensor data 
to the Google cloud.

The Client is deploying WANdisco Edge to Cloud to 
support its edge computing platform to replicate 
sensor data from automotive components in an 
on-premises data centre to the Google cloud for 
use in multiple analytics platforms. The Client’s 
objective is to create multiple services in the cloud 
to be consumed by automotive manufacturers and 
insurance companies.

WANdisco’s unique technology was the only 
solution capable of moving the sensor data to the 
cloud within Google’s ecosystem effectively and 
without disruption. This relationship represents 
the first contract win for WANdisco in the IoT 
space, and opens up a new and significant market 
opportunity for us.

Our contract with the customer marks another 
Commit to Consume win as described in WANdisco’s 
half-year report and aligns revenue to the consumption 
of services, as is the standard in the cloud, while 
enhancing the predictability of future revenues. 
The Client committed a minimum of $100,000 

Strategy link:

1

2

Monetise strategic partner GTM relationships

Align roadmap to market opportunities and 
customer requirements

Learn more about our strategy on 
pages 18-21

of revenue per month for five years. Additionally, 
the Client expects significant data growth over the 
life of the contract, representing a potentially large 
expansion opportunity for WANdisco.

i

S
t
r
a
t
e
g
c
r
e
p
o
r
t

This contract win marks a significant moment 
for WANdisco and represents what is believed 
to be the largest ever data movement to the 
cloud. It is the largest Commit to Consume 
contract to date that we have signed and 
illustrates how we are aligning our business 
to the consumption models of our cloud and 
analytics partners. Our Commit to Consume 
model will also offer the business improved 
revenue predictability and easier upsell 
potential. Additionally, this is the first IoT use 
case served by our Edge to Cloud solution, 
opening up another significant market 
opportunity outside of the Hadoop market.

The use case of moving sensor data to the 
cloud and the Client creating its own cloud 
service is a prime example of how customers 
can use WANdisco technology on an ongoing 
basis, with the potential to expand and 
increase the amount of data being consumed 
over time.

David Richards 
Chairman, President, CEO and Co-founder

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

11

Strategic report 
Our business model

Modern platform and GTM 
model to accelerate growth

Our data activation platform, new go-to-market (“GTM”) model, and team will accelerate 
new customer acquisition and growth globally. 

Inputs

Our value creation process

Y
G
E
T
A
R
T
S

R
U
O

Talented people
Strategic new hires in sales and 
operations bring years of experience 
from blue chip companies across cloud 
infrastructure and software-as-a-service. 

Strategic GTM partnerships
We have developed a strong network 
of partnerships—from cloud service 
providers to cloud analytics leaders 
and global systems integrators—to 
accelerate customer engagement and 
revenue growth.

Product roadmap to accelerate 
RPO and revenue
With our data activation platform, 
including Data Migrator and Edge to Cloud, 
we have achieved product and market 
fit, reducing sales cycles and delivering 
dramatic customer business value by 
accelerating digital transformations and 
business outcomes. 

Identifying new market 
opportunities for growth
We have dramatically increased our total 
addressable market with WANdisco Edge 
to Cloud, addressing IoT data activation 
use cases. 

Read about our partnerships 
from page 16

Read more about our 
markets from page 8

12

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

T M E N T

S

E

V

R EI N

E

MER P R
ASE A P

O
T
S
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C

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C
R
U
P

R

E

D

U

C

E

D

D

I

S

C

OUR PATENTE

D T

E

C

H

N

O

L

O

G

Y

E D
A C H

R
O

R

R

F

E

P

IM
 P

P

R

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V

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D
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Customers

T

R

A

E

V

B

I

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L

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T

U

Y

E

L
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N
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S E LL P

W
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T
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TING

P

R   U

E

E A S I

P

R

O

VID

E INSIGHT

B L E

A

N

D   E

N

D   A

E M B E

Customers

With our customers at the heart of our business model 
and go-to-market activities, we will align all other motions 
to expand our customer relationships offering new product 
and accelerate adding new customer logos, accelerated 
by expanding and adding new strategic partnerships with 
cloud service providers, ISVs, Systems Integrators and 
Value Added Resellers. 

 
 
 
 
Our value creation process

Our competitive advantage

Improved revenue predictability

Easier upsell potential with cloud solutions

Reduced discounting for our premium brand

Customer preferred purchase approach moving 
to consumption-based pricing

How we create value

Our patented technology
Our game-changing DConE technology uses consensus 
to keep unstructured data accessible, accurate and 
consistent in different locations.

WANdisco Data Activation Platform
We enable organisations to activate their data, and ensure 
the data stays accurate and consistent across all business 
application environments, regardless of geographic location, 
data platform architecture or cloud storage provider.

Embed and enable
We embed WANdisco data activation technology into cloud 
fabric to become de-facto standard. 

Provide insight
We create solutions and partnerships that facilitate the use 
of data AI and machine learning to allow customers to get 
deeper insight into their data and to monetise it.

Our strategy
We are accelerating the speed to market of our solutions 
co-developed with our customers and partners and are 
exploring how our technology can accelerate time to 
customer business insights and new sources of revenue. 

Reinvestment
We reinvest back into our business; during 2021 the 
areas of investment included sales, channel strategy 
and product development.

The value we create

For customers

The ability to put all of their data to work for their 
business all the time, at any scale.

$11.4m

investment in new technology 

For colleagues

The growth of the business has provided many 
opportunities for existing and new colleagues, 
and we continue to invest in developing and 
retaining our people and strengthening the team.

159

colleagues

For partners

We have an expanding network of partners and 
systems integrators, all of which are dedicated to 
meeting the needs of our customers.

21

strategic partners and systems integrators

Read more about our KPIs 
on page 22

Read more about our 
strategy from page 18

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

13

Strategic reportOur stakeholders

Engaging with  
our stakeholders

WANdisco is driven by its purpose and its success depends on its ability to engage 
effectively and work constructively with all our stakeholders, and to take their views into 
account. Their interests are important to us, and we are committed to maintaining strong, 
positive and trusted relationships and to listening to and understanding the needs of all 
our stakeholders, so we can continue to deliver value and build a sustainable business.

Customers

Why we engage
 5 Understanding the needs of our customers 
in order to build enduring and profitable 
relationships is central to our strategy.

Read more about sustainability from page 24

How we engage
 5 Customer feedback is regularly 
sought and collected by the 
business through a wide range 
of channels. This important 
feedback loop is utilised in future 
product development and across 
the business to the benefit of 
all parties. 

 5 In normal times we regularly 
participate in a wide range of 
trade and partner events. They 
play an important role in our 
business development planning 
and showcasing our offerings. 
COVID-19 prevented normal 
attendance at most events 
during the year, although we 
did compensate with a growing 
number of virtual events 
and gatherings. 

 5 We utilise our trading company 
website and digital channels, 
including leverage from partner 
channels, to showcase our 
products to our customers, 
prospects and broader 
partner ecosystem. 

Outcomes
 5 Increased level of engagement 
with customers, prospects and 
partners at a strategic level. 

 5 A greater understanding of 

both customer and market trend 
requirements better informs the 
development and refinement of 
our own strategy.

 5 Broader marketplace awareness 
and strong pipeline heading 
into 2022.

14

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Employees

Why we engage
 5 Our employees are at the heart of our business 

and help to drive our continued success.

Read more about corporate governance from page 36

Partners

Why we engage
 5 The WANdisco partner ecosystem is at 

the heart of our strategy and partners are 

Read more about our partners on page 16 

How we engage
 5 The CEO communicates with 
employees directly through 
various channels.

 5 During 2021 there were a number 
of virtual all-hands meetings to 
update employees on the business, 
including product, sales, marketing 
and partnership strategy. 

 5  Directors consult and seek opinion 
from managers and employees on 
a variety of different matters. 

 5 The Executive Team are required 

to be actively visible in the business 
and offer an open-door policy to 
employees who would like to ask 
a question or offer a view. 

 5 Employee wellness is an ongoing 
focus, led by our Head of HR, and 
we have put several new policies 
in place to support our employees 

in these challenging times. 

Outcomes
 5 Wider and deeper communication 
leads to greater transparency 
throughout the business and 
facilitates a more engaged, 
motivated and effective team. 

 5 The Group aims to provide a 

rewarding long-term personal 
development opportunity 
environment for its employees. 

 5 A better informed and consulted 
workforce is more likely to have 
increased motivation and be 
more effective. 

 5 Management has prepared plans 
following the easing of COVID-19 
restrictions, which includes 
a more flexible approach to 
hybrid working.

 5 Launch of an innovative four-day 
working week for all employees.

effectively an extension of our 
commercial team. We work 
with our strategic partners, who 
contribute to our ability to secure 
new customers and our ambition 
to enable customer success. Our 
community of strategic partners 
includes the top cloud service 
providers, ISVs, SIs and Value 
Added Resellers, including several 
OEM relationships. 

How we engage
 5 Direct engagements between 

Board members and our Executive 
Team with key partners.

 5 Go-to-market plans with our most 

strategic partners.

 5  Regular partner business reviews. 

 5 New specialist sales teams 

assigned to engage strategic 
partners and to align with our direct 
sales efforts and go-to-market.

Outcomes
 5 Sales pipeline acceleration with 
Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web 
Services, Google Cloud Platform, 
Databricks, Snowflake, IBM, Oracle 
and several SIs.

 5  Joint marketing programs, 

extending budget and accelerating 
qualified lead velocity.

 5  Increase in WANdisco brand 

reputation by way of association 
with top partner brands.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

15

Strategic reportOur partnerships and technology

Monetising strategic 
partnerships

Together with our partners we are growing, innovating, and investing to help customers 
transform their businesses with WANdisco data activation solutions. In 2021, we were  
laser-focused on monetising our strategic partnerships with Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web 
Services (“AWS”), Google Cloud Platform, Databricks, Oracle, IBM, and a select few strategic 
systems integrators to capture the multi-billion dollar data modernisation initiatives in the 
marketplace. As a result, we are in a position to generate more customers and revenue 
through our partners than ever before. 

Four key focus areas in 2021

1

Strengthening engineering collaborations

3

Building new partnerships with high-growth leaders 

 5 General availability of LiveData Migrator for Azure. LiveData 
Migrator for Azure is a first of its kind native Azure service, 
co-developed with Microsoft, that can be deployed simultaneously 
with other Azure services with an equivalent user experience. 

 5 Google Cloud Platform (“GCP”). GCP became WANdisco’s 
newest cloud partner, as in 2021 we signed our biggest 
multi-million dollar, multi-year deal in history with a global 
manufacturing and IoT company. 

 5 LiveData Migrator integration to AWS Glue Data Catalog. 

Customers can now directly migrate Apache Hive metastore 
residing on-premises (self-managed on AWS or other cloud 
providers) to AWS Glue Data Catalog, allowing them to assess 
their data seamlessly.

 5 LiveData Migrator integration to Databricks. We deepened our 

data activation platform integration with Databricks across clouds 
to automate the “last mile” migration of Apache Hive metadata 
directly into Databricks to enable customers to accelerate time 
to business outcomes with AI and machine learning powered 
cloud-scale analytics. 

2

Strengthening alignment with strategic partners
 5 Sales alignment. We built two specialist overlay sales teams to 
align with our top cloud platform partners, AWS and Microsoft. 
The specialist teams focused on building joint pipelines and 
sales plans with our partners. By working closely with our partner 
teams, we aligned the sales, enablement, and marketing teams to 
accelerate sales pipeline and revenue growth.

 5 Oracle Cloud. We announced a new Oracle Cloud partnership 
and licensing deal, with a robust joint GTM plan and execution. 

 5 Consulting firms and systems integrators. WANdisco works with 
consulting firms and SIs to align our GTM motions and integrate 
our technology into their data migration factory initiatives. Our 
partners provide expertise, global reach, and customer knowledge 
to accelerate WANdisco’s growth. In 2021, we made further 
inroads into this sector:

 » Accenture and Avanade. The world’s two-largest systems 

integrators signed a global agreement to resell WANdisco solutions 
as part of their data migration factory initiatives. This agreement 
embeds WANdisco into Accenture and Avanade’s data migration 
factory initiative to provide a seamless data and application 
modernisation offering to expedite customers’ migration of 
Hadoop-based data and applications to the cloud at scale.

 » New SI partnerships. In addition to signing agreements 

with Accenture and Avanade, we also partnered with new and 
strategic SIs to leverage their expertise, scale, and customer 
reach: Infosys, Wipro, Insight, Neudesic, Appsbroker, and 3Cloud.

The native integration with Azure simplifies 
deployment and makes LiveData Migrator for Azure 
the primary choice in live data migration scenarios.

Satish HC
Executive Vice President, Data & Analytics, Infosys

16

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

 
 
 
4

Growing existing strategic partner relationships

Amazon Web Services

Databricks

About the partnership

WANdisco helps customers quickly leverage the benefits and 
capabilities of AWS, with proven and scalable data activation 
capabilities for AWS, Amazon S3, Amazon EMR, AWS Glue 
Data Catalog, Amazon Athena, Snowflake, and Databricks.

AWS recognises WANdisco – 2021 update
 5 Awarded as one of eight launch partners at re:Invent 2021  

(Data Mobility category)

 5 Designated as Advanced Tier Migration and Modernisation 

ISV Competency Partner

 5 Realised several new global WANdisco customers

 5 Became advanced technology partner:

 » Migration Acceleration Program (“MAP”) for Storage

 » EMR Migration Program (“EMAP”)

 » Migration Acceleration Program

About the partnership

The combination of WANdisco LiveData Migrator and 
Databricks Delta Lake accelerates cloud adoption and 
modernises big data analytics, driving next-level business 
outcomes and performance. 

Partnership achievements – 2021 update
 5 Enabled Delta Lake for Databricks across multiple cloud 

environments and general availability of Delta Lake 
integration in July 2021

 5 Created joint GTM, field enablement, and account 

mapping with Databricks business development, sales, 
and marketing teams, building a strong sales pipeline 
ahead of 2022

Microsoft 

Snowflake

About the partnership

About the partnership

WANdisco’s unique partnership with Microsoft spans 
engineering, customer success, sales, and marketing. 
LiveData Platform for Azure is natively integrated into 
the Azure portal, leveraging Microsoft services including 
security, ease of use, and metered billing. LiveData Platform 
for Azure enables customers to migrate data to Microsoft 
Azure rapidly and easily, allowing customers to fully utilise 
the power and capabilities of the Microsoft Azure platform.

Microsoft Gold Partner – 2021 update
 5 Launched general availability of LiveData Platform 
for Azure, a core Azure service that leverages the 
same security, billing, and experience as other native 
Azure services

 5 Named by Microsoft as the preferred solution for 

large-scale Hadoop migrations to Azure

 5 Gained significant large customers in various sectors – 
including telecommunications, advertising (Xandr, Inc.), 
and financial services – driving 20+ petabytes of 
data to Azure

WANdisco LiveData Migrator enables customers 
to move data to the Snowflake Cloud Data Platform, 
enabling big data analytics and more use cases in 
data modernisation initiatives. 

Partnership achievements – 2021 update
 5 Launched private preview Snowflake integration with 
LiveData Migrator, enabling last mile data migration 
to Snowflake

 5 Landed first joint customer with Snowflake in 

December 2021 

 5 Created joint GTM, field enablement, and account 
mapping with Snowflake’s business development, 
sales, and marketing teams, building significant 
pipeline going into 2022

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

17

Strategic report 
Our strategy

Focusing and delivering 
on our strategic initiatives

Strategic initiative

Importance

2021 achievements

1

Monetise 
strategic 
partner GTM 
relationships

The channel partnerships we have established have 
expanded our reach and are accelerating revenue growth by:

 5 Providing WANdisco with access to vast sales teams, 
adding significant global and horizontal market reach

 5 Enabling us to drive more revenue at lower cost

 5 Supporting WANdisco in the areas of endorsement 
and marketing, accelerating brand awareness, and 
strengthening our brand reputation

The WANdisco data activation platform continues to 
address critical digital transformation challenges across 
cloud computing and big data for enterprise customers 
and their service providers.

WANdisco is the first and only data activation platform 
for accelerating digital transformation at scale. We make 
exabyte-scale data actionable across clouds and enterprises 
in real time. Our customers unleash the business value of 
the cloud with zero downtime, data loss, or disruption and 
activate their business-critical data to power AI and machine 
learning, create new services, and transform businesses.

We identify innovative technology solutions that will enhance 
the customer experience, and develop new functionality 
for customers that address key use cases that accelerate 
their digital transformation, enable new customer revenue 
streams, and enhance their end customers’ brand loyalty. 

We want to provide an environment where we attract, retain, 
develop, and enable all our colleagues to demonstrate, 
grow, and apply their capabilities – offering opportunities 
for everyone to reach their potential.

2

Align product 
roadmap 
to market 
opportunities 
and customer 
requirements

3

WANdisco 
colleagues

 5 New partnership with Snowflake, the data 

cloud company

 5 Enhanced partnership with Microsoft 

following the announcement of the general 
availability of the LiveData Platform for Azure

 5 Some significant contract wins towards 
the end of the year with IBM, AWS and 
Google Cloud customers

 5 Deepening of our strategic partnership 

with Oracle to provide WANdisco LiveData 
Migrator to both Oracle and its customers

 5 General availability of WANdisco LiveData 

Platform for Azure

 5 LiveData Migrator support for Delta Lake 

format on Databricks

 5 LiveData Migrator support for Hive 

metadata migration (including support 
for AWS Glue Data Catalog, Azure SQL, 
DB, Google Dataproc, Apache Hive, 
and Databricks)

 5 Public preview of Snowflake support 
in LiveData Migrator (renamed Data 
Migrator in 2022)

 5 Public preview of Edge to Cloud

 5 Built on the strength of our management 
team with leadership positions in sales, 
marketing, and operations

 5 Built out the sales and business 

development teams with strategic hires 
to accelerate growth in our consumption-
based business model

 5 Early adopters of the virtual working 

model and today we offer colleagues a 
choice of virtual or hybrid working models

 5 Launch of four-day working week 

18

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

   
KPI link:

A

B

Revenue

Cash overheads

C

D

RPO

Bookings

Priorities for 2022

Link to KPIs

Summary of 2021 achievements

In 2021, WANdisco pivoted to a consumption-
based business model with LiveData Migrator and 
the general availability announcement of LiveData 
Migrator for Azure. We also dramatically expanded 
our total addressable market with new customers 
in the IoT market. With this expansion, WANdisco 
is moving and activating more than 1 exabyte of 
data, which is the equivalent of storing 14 million 
feature-length movies. 

WANdisco’s LiveData Migrator and LiveData 
Migrator for Azure became the only hands-off, 
automated data lake migration service that 
enables on-premises applications to continue to 
operate while migrating data under active change. 
Our customer wins and expansion into the IoT 
data market, expected to reach 73.1 zettabytes 
by 2025, dramatically broadens our market 
opportunity, giving us the ability to migrate large-
scale exabyte sensor data from the edge to the 
cloud. This ability enables customers to activate 
that data in the cloud for transformative business 
insights and new revenue streams. 

2021 demonstrated that cloud plays a vital role 
in business, and we look forward to continuing to 
give customers the complete freedom to choose 
where their data lives within their enterprise IT 
infrastructure, free from technological or cost 
constraints. As we move into 2022 with a solid 
foundation and expanded sources of revenue, 
WANdisco seeks to extend its lead within the 
data management market with new market 
opportunities, an exciting product roadmap, a 
world-class team, and strategic partnerships.

A

B

C

D

A

C

D

A

B

C

D

We continue to seek opportunities to expand 
GTM and sources of revenue. Our 2022 
priorities are to:

 5 Activate Google Cloud Platform and 

Oracle partnership

 5 Expand partner networks to scale 

resale channels

 5 Accelerate the OEM sales channel 

 5 General availability of Edge to Cloud

 5 General availability of Snowflake target in 

Data Migrator

 5 Databricks support with Data 

Migrator for Azure

 5 Data Hub – driving towards a fully 

cloud-native platform for data modernisation 
and activation. Supporting a serverless 
multi-tenant implementation and a single 
hub for coordinating all data movement, 
transformation, and activation across 
multiple cloud platforms, on-premises 
implementations, and specific 
analytics targets

 5 Continue to develop our team with training 
and other programs for career growth and 
development, with a focus on promoting 
from within

 5 Support our hybrid working structure 

and double down on colleague 
wellness programs

 5 Continually improve our colleague 

benefits packages

Read about how we manage  
risk from page 28

Find our KPIs on page 22

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

19

Strategic reportOur strategy continued

Evolving with 
the market

Activating new customers, expansions,  
and partner relationships

Product innovation

New deals

2021 saw substantial customer and partner growth for 
WANdisco with the signing of multiple, million-dollar deals that 
have expanded customer reach into new industries. Recent 
wins include a $6m, 5-year deal with a global manufacturer of 
sensors found in most of the world’s automobiles, one of the 
largest mobile communications providers, and several top-10 
global financial institutions. 

Data-first approach

A global telecommunications giant adopted a data-first 
approach and used WANdisco LiveData Migrator to initially 
move 13 petabytes of data without requiring any business 
disruption. The data was immediately available for data 
scientists to use Azure services for AI and machine learning. 
Data teams went from blocking nearly 138 million robocalls 
per month to blocking over 1 billion robocalls per month 
as a result of using cloud-scale analytics.

The company has since migrated over 30 petabytes in less 
than one year and continues to use LiveData Migrator in a 
hybrid environment to transfer ongoing data changes from 
on-premises to the cloud. 

We cut our entire cloud data migration timeline 
for moving 13 petabytes in half.

Vice President of Data and Analytics
Global telecommunications company

Product protection: safeguarding our IP

WANdisco’s technology continues to be unrivalled in the 
marketplace. Before WANdisco, companies did not have a 
practical or affordable way to consistently and continuously 
replicate real-time data at scale. 

Our IP – as embodied in WANdisco Distributed Coordination 
Engine (“DConE”) technology and the resulting products we 
have built – is well-protected. To date, we have filed more 
than 80 patents, and 38 have already been granted. We also 
have a head start of more than 15 years over any potential 
competition; this early foothold and the ongoing improvements 
we are making from experience with real-world applications 
of our technology at massive scale continue to ensure our 
market advantage.

Product innovation awards

WANdisco’s technological accomplishments were recognised 
with three awards in 2021:

 5 Finalist, “Best Cloud Automation Solution”, Cloud Excellence 

Awards 2021

 5 Finalist, “Cloud Innovation Provider of the Year”, UK IT 

Industry Awards

 5 Finalist, “Best Enterprise Level SaaS”, Software as a Service 

Awards 2021

Product plans for 2022 and beyond

Our product strategy will continue to evolve in line with our 
partner sales strategy, with further enhancements designed 
to capitalise on cross-industry opportunities and high-growth 
use cases that we have identified. Our main focus for 2022 is 
on accelerating the speed to market of solutions co-developed 
with or optimised for our strategic partners.

20

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Successful partnerships with leading cloud providers

LiveData Platform for Azure general availability 

LiveData Migrator and Databricks

In 2021, WANdisco strengthened its partnership with Databricks 
with deep product integration and the ability for customers 
to migrate Apache Hive metadata directly into Databricks to 
help save time, reduce costs, and quickly enable new AI and 
machine-learning capabilities. For the first time, enterprises that 
want to migrate on-premises Hadoop and Spark content from 
Hive to Databricks can do so at scale and with high efficiency, 
while mitigating the many risks associated with large-scale 
cloud migrations.

WANdisco Edge to Cloud

In 2021, WANdisco launched the public preview of its Edge to 
Cloud solution, purpose-built for the large-scale migration of IoT 
and sensor data from the edge to the cloud. We conducted proof-
of-concept demonstrations and closed deals with three large 
enterprise lighthouse customers in Europe (two post year end), 
proving out the solution. Together these customers have signed 
multi-year consumption-based contracts to migrate exabytes 
of sensor and smart metre data to Azure, AWS, and the Google 
Cloud Platform. 

In 2021, WANdisco deepened and monetised its relationship 
with Microsoft, as its LiveData Platform became the first natively 
integrated service in the Azure Customer Portal. Since this 
innovative new service became generally available in October 
2021, the collaboration between Microsoft and WANdisco has 
drawn a number of brand name customers migrating petabytes 
of Hadoop, and IoT and file system data to the Azure cloud. As 
part of the Microsoft Hadoop Migration Accelerator program 
with Databricks, LiveData Migrator for Azure is a fully operational 
Azure-native service and is Microsoft’s and Databrick’s 
recommended Hadoop to Azure migration platform. 

Strategic relationship with Oracle Corporation

In late 2021, WANdisco strengthened its partnership with Oracle 
to provide WANdisco LiveData Migrator to both Oracle and its 
customers. With this agreement, Oracle will provide customers 
and partners access to WANdisco LiveData Migrator at no 
additional cost to accelerate their massive data lake migrations 
to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (“OCI”).

For enterprise organisations, migrations remain a major barrier 
to cloud adoption, largely due to the cost and effort required to 
capture, secure, and move petabytes of very active, business-
critical data from various sources to the cloud. Oracle Cloud Lift 
Services provide customers with expanded access to technical 
tools – now including LiveData Migrator – and cloud engineering 
resources to accelerate migrations to OCI. Oracle offers these 
resources and services at no additional cost to all existing and 
new Oracle Cloud customers worldwide, saving customers 
time, money, and internal resources in their migrations to the 
cloud. Our new strategic relationship with Oracle opens up their 
customer base to WANdisco. 

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

21

Strategic reportKey performance indicators (“KPIs”)

Monitoring our 
financial performance 

Commentary on the actual performance of the Group against each of these KPIs is set out in the Chairman and Chief Executive’s report 
and the Financial review.

Strategy link:

1

Monetise strategic partner 
GTM relationships

2

Align product roadmap to market 
opportunities and customer requirements

3 WANdisco colleagues

Revenue ($m) 

Cash overheads ($m) 

Remaining Performance 
Obligations (“RPO”) ($m)

Bookings ($m) 

$7.3m

$41.5m

$9.4m

$11.9m

21

20

19

18

17

7.3

10.5

21

20

19

18

17

16.2

17.0

19.6

41.5

36.9

21

20

4.9

9.4

21

20

11.9

10.2

31.7

29.8

24.5

Link to strategy 

Link to strategy 

Link to strategy 

Link to strategy 

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

Definition and calculation

Definition and calculation

Definition and calculation

Definition and calculation

Total of all revenue streams 
generated by the Group. 

Why each KPI is important 
for measuring progress

Measures the Group’s revenue, 
which is an indicator of the 
Group’s overall size and 
complexity and progress 
of strategic initiatives.

Performance in 2021

Revenue was lower in 2021, 
reflecting an increased shift 
to cloud-based revenues 
with the Commit to Consume 
contract basis.

Operating expenses adjusted 
for: depreciation, amortisation, 
capitalisation of development 
expenditure and equity-settled 
share-based payment. 

Why each KPI is important 
for measuring progress

Key measure of the Group’s cost 
base, excluding the effects of 
certain non-operational/non-
cash items.

Performance in 2021

Cash overheads increased in the 
year as we continued to make 
investments in go-to-market 
resources and engineering.

In addition, we continued 
to invest further in our 
strategic partnerships. 

Deferred income and unbilled 
Commit to Consume contracts.

Total contract value of new 
contracts signed during the year.

Why each KPI is important 
for measuring progress

Why each KPI is important 
for measuring progress

This KPI is new and is 
provided to measure the shift 
to cloud-based Commit to 
Consume contracts.

Performance in 2021

The increase in the year reflects 
the new Commit to Consume 
contracts which were closed 
during 2021.

This KPI is new and is 
included to provide the 
value of deals agreed in the 
year including Commit to 
Consume arrangements. 

Performance in 2021

The increase in the year reflects 
the new Commit to Consume 
contracts which were closed 
during 2021.

22

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Case study 

Smart data activation  
of smart meter data

Objective

Solution

One of the world’s largest suppliers of IoT 
services is pioneering new approaches to energy 
supply and delivery. Their smart meters and grids 
service improves the efficiency of supply with an 
on-demand system that meets the exact demands 
of customers at any given moment. 

Challenge

This global Telco provides enterprise customers 
with access to IoT data and analytics. They collect 
massive amounts of sensor data from smart 
meters and load it to on-premises storage. Their 
challenge was to migrate over 20 PB of data for two 
of their energy provider customers to multiple cloud 
providers quickly, and more on an ongoing basis. 

Today the customer collects data from smart 
meters and loads the data to an on-premises 
Hadoop cluster running Cloudera. They want to 
migrate the data to multiple cloud providers. 

In the future, the customer plans to change 
the architecture so that the smart meter data 
is transferred directly from the smart hubs 
(edge platforms) to the cloud and eliminate use 
of Hadoop. The customer is already considered 
a leader in the IoT space, and they expect to 
achieve 50% revenue growth from IoT. Continued 
data replication of IoT data from the customer’s 
smart hubs to the cloud introduces the potential 
for ongoing value to the customer and additional 
revenue for WANdisco.

Strategy link:

2

Align product roadmap to market opportunities 
and customer requirements

Learn more about our strategy on page 18

The customer needed a cloud agnostic platform 
to quickly and continuously move large amounts 
of data from on-premises storage to multiple 
cloud service providers for machine learning and AI 
use cases. The alternative products they considered 
were not cloud agnostic and did not offer the scale 
or performance that only WANdisco could deliver. 

The global telco customer selected WANdisco to 
automate the large-scale continuous migration of 
20PB of on-premises IoT/Sensor data to multiple 
cloud providers. 

Results

Only WANdisco can move even exabyte scale 
IoT data across edge systems to public clouds 
continuously and at high velocity, enabling 
organisations to activate their data for AI, machine 
learning, and advanced cloud analytics. The result 
is the fastest path to digital monetisation and new 
revenue streams for customers.

We are excited to see another major 
telecommunications company 
choosing to use our solutions under 
our Commit to Consume model. 
The IoT use case of edge platforms to 
the cloud is something we expect to 
grow over time, with the challenge of 
moving edge data to the cloud becoming 
an increasingly significant impediment 
to our customers’ success. In fact, we 
already expanded our initial engagement 
with this major telco, whilst helping them 
realise the full capabilities of the cloud.

David Richards
WANdisco Chairman and CEO

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

23

Strategic reportSustainability

We are proud of 
our wealth of talent

WANdisco prides itself on its wealth of talent and its retention record. 
This is important given the competition for good software engineers. 
We have a strong track record of keeping people challenged, motivated 
and enthused by the complex scenarios our technology addresses.

Our priorities

The Group recognises that, although its primary responsibility is to its shareholders, it also has responsibilities towards its employees, 
customers, partners, suppliers and also, ultimately, those consumers who benefit from its products, the broader public and the environment.

Our people

Environment

We want to provide an environment 
where we attract, retain, develop and 
enable all our people to demonstrate, 
grow and apply their capabilities, 
offering opportunities for everyone 
to reach their potential.

Priorities
 5 Attract, retain and develop 

our people.

Outcomes
 5 A number of successful new hires 
in the year in key strategic roles.

 5 Successful hire, onboarding and 
development of people during 
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, 
during which our offices were 
closed for a large part of the year. 

 5 Internal promotions within 

the business.

 5 Management has prepared plans 
following the easing of COVID-19 
restrictions, which includes a more 
flexible approach to hybrid working.

 5 Launch of an innovative four-day 
working week for all employees.

WANdisco’s overriding purpose is 
to enable organisations to activate 
all their data in a responsible and 
efficient manner. We aspire to apply 
sustainability management standards 
equal to our business ambitions, 
and every day we strive to make a 
difference in the communities in 
which we operate.

Priorities
 5 Ensure low impact of our business 

on the environment.

Outcomes
 5 Further investment in technology 
to collaborate and reduce physical 
travel to reduce the Group’s 
environmental footprint.

 5 The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in 
our offices closing in March 2020, 
with our employees working 
remotely thereafter, with a move to 
flexible hybrid working practices 
once restrictions began to ease, 
along with a reduction in 
business travel.

24

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Social and 
community

As a company we have a strong ethos 
of giving back to the community. This 
includes fostering the next generation 
of data scientists.

Priorities
 5 Development of engineering 

skills in local schools, university 
and colleges.

Outcomes
 5 Work placement students and 
WANdisco Data Academy.

 5 Platform for employees to promote 
and raise awareness of charities 
important to them.

 5 Support of the Laptops for 
Kids initiative during the 
COVID-19 pandemic.

 5 Sponsorship of the EyUp Skills 

Coding Academy.

Our people

Delivering relevant talent

WANdisco prides itself on its wealth of 
talent and its retention record. This is 
important given the competition for good 
software engineers. We have a strong 
track record of keeping people challenged, 
motivated and enthused by the complex 
scenarios our technology addresses.

In addition to providing work that stretches 
our people, we operate a mentoring scheme 
for those joining us fresh from university or 
early in their careers. Our young engineers 
are given the chance to shadow and work 
alongside data scientists with PhDs, many 
of whom have 30 or more years’ real-world 
experience. Our Chief Scientist, Inventor 
and Co-founder, Dr Yeturu Aahlad, who 
developed the complex mathematical 
algorithm that forms the basis of WANdisco’s 
patented DConE technology, is well known 
for being highly approachable. Our younger 
employees say that their day-to-day 
contact with Dr Aahlad and other senior 
engineers is more inspiring and useful than 
weeks of classroom training. Dr Aahlad 
is recognised as a global authority on 
distributed computing. He has a PhD 
in the subject from the University of 
Texas, Austin, as well as a BSc in 
Electrical Engineering from the Indian 
Institute of Technology (“IIT”), Madras. 

California: Silicon Valley 

Silicon Valley is a recognised centre of 
excellence for open-source development. 
In San Ramon, California, our engineering 
heritage goes back to our roots in the 
Hadoop open-source community and 
is the base for our Executive team 
members our Chief Scientist, Inventor 

and Co-founder, Dr Yeturu Aahlad, and 
Dr Konstantin Boudnik our VP and 
Chief Architect.

UK 

Our employees in the UK come from 
all over the world and include graduates 
and PhD students from Queen’s University, 
Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is globally 
acclaimed for its IT credentials. Sheffield 
is our European base and home to both 
our core technology development and 
customer support teams. In Belfast we also 
have part of our software development 
team, including the core of the WANdisco 
development team.

Diversity and inclusion 

We continue to look for opportunities 
to achieve gender balance in our hiring 
policies, in addition to seeking the best 
professionals across the age and 
experience spectrum.

Our approach continues to be to match 
the most appropriate person to the 
role, but in light of findings that female 
representation in technology companies is 
still below 20% in some Western markets, 
we have taken proactive steps, such as 
improving our maternity provision, to 
ensure that our Company policies are 
not a barrier to women considering IT as 
a long-term career. In addition, we have 
continued to take proactive steps during 
the year to attend local events which aim 
to encourage more women into careers 
in engineering. At a grass-roots level, we 
are also committed to attracting talented 
new generations to data science and are 
working with Sheffield Hallam University 
to support and nurture talent.

New four-day working week initiative

In February 2022 we became one of 
the first UK-listed companies to adopt 
a permanent four-day week for our 
people, in the latest sign of the upheaval 
in traditional working patterns caused 
by the pandemic.

We are offering our employees the 
ability to take Friday off as part of a 
longer weekend.

The pandemic had already allowed much 
higher productivity across our team, who 
were largely working from home. This 
meant that the work that was once being 
done in five days was now easily covered. 
We are predicting even greater levels of 
productivity and a boost to staff wellbeing.

Employees’ salaries will not be affected 
by the changes. While Friday will be the 
default day off, workers will have the 
flexibility to choose an alternative day.

Headcount split

 65+

65%  EMEA

30%  North America 

5% 

APAC

Environment

Reduction in our environmental impact

We are committed to managing our use 
of resources and proactively managing 
our environmental impact. We continue 
to focus our commitment on areas that 

are most relevant to WANdisco, our 
people and our customers. We have 
included a global warming policy in our 
employee handbook.

We have invested in technology to try 
and encourage collaboration across our 
business and also with customers and 
partners to reduce business travel.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

25

Strategic report30
+
5
+
K
Sustainability continued

Environment 
continued

Global warming code of conduct

During 2021 we adopted the 
Betterworld Solutions policy to 
prevent global warming.

The code of conduct, which was 
developed and launched by fellow 
South Yorkshire business AESSEAL, 
prompts the Board to prioritise 
sustainable projects over other 
capital programmes with a similar 
return on investment. 

It invites staff, suppliers and other 
stakeholders to submit proposals for 
sustainable projects for consideration 
by directors and aims to show how 
climate-friendly projects can also be 
business-friendly.

The policy includes:

 5 Any sustainability project will be 

given priority over any other capital 
investment with a similar return 
on investment.

 5 Any sustainability project with a 
reasonable chance of getting a 
return on investment within four 
years or less should be brought to 
the attention of the Board.

 5 Current or potential supplier input 

is also welcomed.

Social and community

Delivering on corporate 
social responsibility

WANdisco’s overriding purpose is to 
enable organisations to activate all 
their data in a responsible and efficient 
manner. We aspire to apply sustainability 
management standards equal to our 
business ambitions, and every day 
we strive to make a difference in the 
communities in which we operate.

As a company we have a strong ethos 
of giving back to the community. This 
includes fostering the next generation of 
data scientists. This commitment spans 
both sides of the Atlantic, from Sheffield 
in the UK, where the Company’s British 
operations are based (and where CEO 
David Richards originates from), and the 
Belfast operation, to Silicon Valley, where 
WANdisco’s North American operations 
are headquartered.

In 2021, the Company and its employees 
supported the following charitable and 
community causes:

Sheffield Hallam University 
interaction

During 2021 we have continued our 
practice of taking Sheffield Hallam 
University placement students for twelve-
month placements. We have seen great 
success with this with students leaving 
at the end of their twelve months with the 
necessary skills to obtain employment 
within WANdisco. We have engaged 
with Sheffield Hallam via their Preferred 
Placement scheme and secured further 
placement students for 2022.

School placements

We have provided work experience 
placements for secondary school 
children (Tapton Secondary School 
and Yewlands Academy) in Sheffield.

The Sheffield College 
WANdisco Data Academy

The WANdisco Data Academy was the 
first academy launched in 2019 and 
exposes students to all areas of the 
IT business. Students who are part 
of the WANdisco Data Academy will 
gain experience of the global company 
by taking part in masterclasses and 

workshops run by various members 
of WANdisco staff. 

The WANdisco Data Academy provides 
the opportunity for its students to take 
part in WANdisco led masterclasses 
from various members of the team, 
including those who are based in 
offices worldwide.

As part of the programme, there is an 
opportunity for two academy students 
to take part in an industry placement. 
This provides students with 315 hours 
of industry experience, in various aspects 
of the business, that they can then use 
for future applications. The students 
are selected on merit and will undergo 
further interviews in order to take part 
in this opportunity.

Students in the WANdisco Data 
Academy also take part in projects set 
by the employer, including recently, 
the Laptops for Kids campaign. By 
providing projects, this allows all of the 
WANdisco Data Academy students to 
gain hands-on experience and learn from 
industry experts.

Upon completion of the course, the 
WANdisco Data Academy students will 
receive a reference from WANdisco, as 
well as a mock interview.

Charitable donations

WANdisco believes in the importance 
of giving employees the opportunity 
to support charities and causes that 
are important to them and to raise 
awareness. To enable this, we have 
a platform for employees to post 
information on, and which allows other 
employees to donate to these charities 
if they wish.

In the UK, the Sheffield office donated 
£2,500 to the Sheffield Children’s 
Hospital Charity for the “Snowflake 
Switch On” in December 2021. The 
initiative raised more than £332,000 
towards a new on-site helipad and 
redeveloped Emergency Department.

In addition, during the ongoing COVID-19 
pandemic the Group donated £44,000 
in the UK towards food banks in the 
cities in which it has offices (Sheffield 
and Belfast) and $22,000 in San Ramon 
in the US.

26

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Case study 

David & Jane Richards Family 
Foundation, djrff.org

EyUp 

WANdisco is a sponsor of EyUp Skills Coding 
Academy based in Sheffield, contributing 
£55,000 in 2021.

EyUp partners with a leading provider, iO Academy, 
to bring its award winning Full Stack Track coding 
course to the North of England. The course teaches 
all that is needed to land a first job as a software 
developer – in just 16 weeks. 

Learning from professional developers with real-life 
experience, students gain practical knowledge 
in an environment as close to a real tech team 
as possible, and they come away with a wealth 
of skills and experience they can use to hit the 
ground running in their new career.

WANdisco has already hired a number of the 
successful graduates from the Academy. 

2

recruited from the EyUp Academy

David set up the foundation with wife Jane to 
educate, empower and improve the lives of 
children. The Richards are keen to ensure that 
the study of computers and technology in schools 
is fun and engaging, with a focus on creativity 
and the practical applications of data science. 
They are also passionate about ecology and 
the environment, and are working to promote 
beekeeping as a valuable way to help young 
people become advocates for a greener society.

Laptops for Kids

During 2021 the Laptops for Kids initiative was 
originally set up, which facilitated the donation, 
secure erasure and distribution of used digital 
devices, enabling children from disadvantaged 
backgrounds to have access to the technology 
they need to participate in remote learning. 
The non-profit campaign sourced donations 
of 15,000 new and used devices, carried out 
secure erasure and distributed to schools 
according to need across the North of England.

Students at the WANdisco Data Academy at 
The Sheffield College securely erased the devices 
using licences and certification donated by global 
data security firm Blancco. 

After COVID-19 restrictions started to ease, 
the initiative was renamed Laptops for All and 
it aims to increase access to learning, enterprise 
and communication for people of all ages and 
is focused on addressing the wider digital divide 
in society.

Strategy link:

3 WANdisco colleagues

Learn more about our strategy on page 18

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

27

Strategic reportRisks

Assessing and actively 
managing our risks

The Group’s operations 
expose it to a variety of risks.

Effective risk management aids decision 
making, underpins the delivery of the 
Group’s strategy and objectives, and helps 
to ensure that the risks the Group takes are 
adequately assessed and actively managed.

The Group regularly monitors its key risks 
and reviews its management processes and 
systems to ensure that they are effective 
and consistent with good practice. The 
Board is ultimately responsible for the 
Group’s risk management.

The risk management process involves the 
identification and prioritisation of key risks, 
together with appropriate controls and plans 
for mitigation, which are then reported to the 
Board. As with all businesses, the Group is 
affected by a number of risks and uncertainties, 
some of which are beyond our control.

The table opposite shows the principal 
risks and uncertainties which could have 
a material adverse impact on the Group.

This is not an exhaustive list and there 
may be risks and uncertainties of which the 
Board is not aware, or which are believed to 
be immaterial, which could have an adverse 
effect on the Group. 

Risk management framework

Board

Leadership of risk management, sets strategic objectives 
and risk appetite and monitors performance

Accountable for the effectiveness of the Group’s internal 
control and risk management processes

Read about corporate governance from page 36

Audit Committee

Delegated responsibility from the Board to oversee risk 
management and internal controls

Oversees the effectiveness of the Group’s internal control 
and risk management processes

Monitors the independence and expertise of the external auditor

Find the Audit Committee report from page 48

Executive Directors

Communicate and disseminate risk policies

Support and help management to assess risk

Encourage open communication on risk matters

Assess materiality of risks in the context of the whole Group 
and monitor mitigation and controls

Find the Board of Directors from page 38

28

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Strategy link:

1

2

Monetise strategic partner 
GTM relationships

Align product roadmap to market 
opportunities and customer requirements

3 WANdisco colleagues

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

People 

Financing 

Competition

Risk description

Risk description

Risk description

Our future success depends on retention 
of senior management and key technical 
personnel. Whilst much of our proprietary 
knowledge is documented, our technical 
experts contribute valuable skills and 
knowledge and, despite contractual 
confidentiality agreements, there can 
be no guarantee that those individuals 
will not in the future join competitors or 
establish themselves in competition.

During the year the headcount reduced 
from 180 to 159. This movement was due 
to a targeted increase in the R&D, sales, 
marketing and customer support teams 
to provide investment in our product and 
sales channel strategy net of reductions 
in other areas. It is essential that we 
retain and motivate our workforce and 
attract the right talent in the case of any 
replacement and new hires in the future.

Potential impact

This may impact our ability to attract 
and retain key talent, affecting our 
achievement of strategic objectives 
and performance milestones.

Risk mitigation

Our human resources function oversees 
employee communications to ensure, 
given our rapidly developing markets, 
employees understanding of our 
strategic direction enables them to 
make meaningful contributions to the 
achievement of our goals.

Stock-based compensation has 
continued to be an important component 
of retaining, motivating and attracting 
key talent.

Our products Data Migrator, Edge to Cloud 
and Data Migrator for Azure address a 
still-emerging market in which we have 
limited forward visibility, and we continued 
to be a loss-making business in 2021. 

Potential impact

This could adversely impact our ability 
to fund investment in our business to 
achieve our strategic goals.

Risk mitigation

Our own and partner sales pipelines 
continue to grow, and we have continued 
to build on the OEM relationship established 
with IBM during 2016 and expanded other 
partnerships, including Microsoft and 
Oracle during 2021. Operating costs 
increased during the year due to some 
targeted investment in R&D, sales, 
marketing and customer support teams.

We have prepared a detailed budget 
and forecasts of the Group’s expected 
performance over a period covering at 
least the next twelve months from the 
date of the approval of these financial 
statements. As well as modelling the 
realisation of the sales pipeline, these 
forecasts also cover several scenarios.

During the year there was a share 
subscription for $42.5m of gross 
proceeds. Also, following the end of 
the year there was a share raise for 
$19.8m of gross proceeds. We maintain 
close relationships with our principal 
and potential providers of finance and 
continue to review the need for additional 
or alternative funding. See also Note 2(b). 

There can be no guarantee that 
competitors will not develop superior 
products. Competitors may have or 
develop greater financial, marketing 
or technical resources, enabling them 
to successfully develop and market 
competing products. As the open-source 
software on which we depend is licensed 
for free, our ability to sell value added 
products may be limited by potential 
customers opting to rely purely on 
the underlying open-source software, 
together with any free extensions that 
might be developed to address the same 
challenges that our software resolves. 

Potential impact

This could adversely impact market 
share, growth, revenue, margin and 
overall profitability. 

Risk mitigation

We protect our intellectual property 
by securing patents whenever possible. 
To date, we have filed more than 80 
patents, 38 of which have been granted. 
We continue to dedicate significant 
resource to the constant enhancement 
of our core intellectual property. 

Senior management devotes considerable 
time and resource to monitoring product 
releases by potential competitors in the 
data replication software market. During 
the year, we have continued to invest in 
our technologies and there were further 
new releases of our products.

Risk change

No change 

Risk change

No change 

Risk change

No change 

Find the Board of Directors from page 38

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

29

Strategic reportRisks continued

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

Channel partner 
engagement

Resource allocation and 
operational execution

Products

Risk description

Risk description

Risk description

We are in partnership with an array of 
vendors that offer on-premises and cloud 
solutions. 

Some of these partnerships are relatively 
new business relationships. There is a risk 
that we mismanage these relationships 
or that partners decide not to devote 
significant sales or product integration 
resource to our offerings. 

We have continued to further develop 
these partnerships during 2021.

Potential impact

This could adversely impact our partner 
relationships and the success of these 
relationships. 

Risk mitigation

We have a business development 
and customer success team who are 
focused on supporting our customers 
and partners, developing new partner 
relationships and creating new commercial 
propositions that derive long-term value 
from these relationships. 

We address a significant and rapidly 
growing market, but, as a small company, 
we have limited people and capital 
resources. Over time it will be essential 
to keep adding to and refreshing this 
resource, but always it will remain 
essential that we ensure that resource 
is effectively directed to addressing and 
delivering on our strategic goals. 

Potential impact

This could result in the balance of 
resources not being focused on the 
right strategic goals. 

Risk mitigation

We have a business planning process 
which aims to ensure the investments 
we make and the allocation of existing 
resource are aligned with our strategic 
goals, which in turn are responsive to the 
evolution of our marketplace. 

We continued to improve internal financial 
reporting and cost control processes. 
These financial reports are regularly 
monitored by senior management and 
the Board.

The software on which our products is 
based is complex and the products may 
contain undetected defects which may 
be discovered after first introduction. 
Such defects could damage the Group’s 
reputation and reduce revenue from 
subscription renewals and extensions. 
Many of our products are designed for 
use with open-source software, whose 
development, by the open-source 
community, we do not solely control. 
Changes to its structure and development 
path may impair the effectiveness of our 
products. Regulation of data transfer is 
rapidly evolving and additional regulations 
concerning user privacy, content liability, 
data encryption and copyright protection 
may reduce the value added by our products. 

Potential impact

If we fail to develop and manage a 
prioritised strategy for our products that 
delivers against customer and partner 
needs, there is a financial risk that 
customers will go elsewhere. 

Risk mitigation

We have invested in quality control 
processes and training within our 
engineering team. We have a dedicated 
team committing code to relevant 
open-source tools to ensure our products 
interact well with open-source components 
and to monitor evolving open-source 
projects to which we could potentially add 
commercial value. Our product roadmap 
is based on requirements expressed by 
customers and partners with whom 
we are pursuing sales opportunities. 
Our product managers are mandated to 
propose roadmap alterations if regulations 
render our intended features either more 
or less relevant. 

Risk change

No change 

Risk change

No change 

Risk change

No change 

30

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Strategy link:

1

2

Monetise strategic partner 
GTM relationships

Align product roadmap to market 
opportunities and customer requirements

3 WANdisco colleagues

1

2

3

1

2

3

Sales

COVID-19

Risk description

Risk description

Any economic downturn may have an 
adverse effect on the funds available 
for customers to invest in our products. 
Increasing budget scrutiny may periodically 
extend sales cycles, from customers’ 
evaluations through to commencement 
of subscription contracts. Variability of 
sales cycles across different sizes and 
types of customer may bring volatility 
to our quarterly results. Any new sales 
executives joining the business, in a rapidly 
changing marketplace, may take longer 
than expected to reach full productivity 
in concluding sales transactions. 

The COVID-19 pandemic was declared 
a global health emergency by the World 
Health Organization on 31 January 2020. 
The worldwide spread of COVID-19 has 
resulted in public health responses in 
affected regions, including travel bans and 
restrictions, social distancing requirements 
and shelter-in-place orders. 

Potential impact

Global slowdown of economic activity 
could negatively impact our business, 
operations and financial performance. 

Potential impact

Risk mitigation

This could adversely impact our 
achievement of our revenue goals and 
expansion of our customer base and 
use cases. 

Risk mitigation

Our products enable significant savings 
on data storage and processing and, 
therefore, demand should be relatively 
insensitive to economic conditions. 
Our strategy is oriented to generating a 
broad-based set of sales opportunities, 
across regions, industries, sizes of 
customer and technology use cases. 
We have invested in senior management 
and systems to manage the completion 
of sales engagement in an efficient and 
commercially beneficial manner. 

Employees have been working remotely, 
cancelling all non-essential employee 
travel, and cancelling, postponing or 
holding virtually events and meetings. 
Strict review of non-essential expenses 
and cash flow. During the year there was a 
share raise for $42.5m of gross proceeds 
as referred to in the Financing risk on 
page 29. Also, following the end of the 
year there was a share raise for $19.8m of 
gross proceeds. 

During 2021 employees have continued to 
successfully operate remotely with some 
limited and focused return to offices. 

The severity, magnitude and duration 
of the COVID-19 pandemic, the public 
health responses and the economic 
consequences are uncertain, rapidly 
changing and difficult to predict, and the 
pandemic’s impact on our operations 
and financial performance, as well as 
its impact on our ability to successfully 
execute our business strategies and 
initiatives, remains uncertain and 
difficult to predict. 

Risk change

No change 

Risk change

Reduced 

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

31

Strategic report 
 
Case study 

Global telco giant accelerates 
time to business outcomes and ROI

Objective

A global telecommunications leader started their 
journey to cloud computing by adopting Microsoft 
Azure. The company wanted to move away from 
costly on-premises data centres and into the cloud, 
while at the same time taking advantage of cloud 
elasticity and advanced cloud-scale analytics, AI, 
and machine learning.

Challenge

The company’s cloud program was initially 
application focused, and the data science team 
quickly realised that the cloud migration needed 
to account for—and leverage—the value of their 
data being available in the cloud as quickly as 
possible. The challenge centred around migrating 
tens of petabytes of live production data without 
disrupting mission-critical business applications 
and operations. 

Solution

The company adopted a data-first approach and 
used WANdisco LiveData Migrator to move more 
than 30 petabytes of data without requiring any 
business disruption. The data was immediately 
available for data scientists to use Azure services 
for AI and machine learning. Data teams went from 
blocking nearly 138 million robocalls per month to 
blocking over 1 billion robocalls per month, as a 
result of using cloud-scale analytics. 

Business impacts included:
 5  Cutting the original data migration timeline 

objective by over 50% 

 5  Quickly developing high-value AI models, 

enabling enhanced fraud detection: 

 »  Able to identify robocalls in seconds 

instead of days 

 »  A 7x increase in blocked robocalls per year 

 5  Keeping the existing production environment in use 
during the entire process (no business disruption) 

 5  Optimising existing workloads for the new cloud 
environment and avoiding big bang adoption 
cutover (no transition period between the old 
and new systems) 

 5  Saving millions of dollars by decommissioning 
the on-premises disaster recovery data centre 

 5  Achieving fast ROI on the project by leveraging 

a data-first approach 

We cut our entire cloud data migration timeline 
for moving 13 petabytes in half.

Vice President of Data and Analytics
Global telecommunications company

32

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Financial review
Erik Miller, Chief Financial Officer

Positioned  
for growth

2021 highlights

 5 Key investments made in channel and 

direct sales capacity to further establish 
product availability

 5 Announced LiveData Migrator for Azure 
(“LDMA”) general availability, critical to 
pipeline conversion

Revenue for the year ended 31 December 2021 
was $7.3m (2020: $10.5m). 

Deferred revenue from sales booked 
during 2021 and in previous years, and 
not yet recognised as revenue, is $1.8m at 
31 December 2021, at 31 December 2020 
this stood at $3.8m. Our deferred revenue 
represents future revenue from new and 
renewed contracts, many of them spanning 
multiple years.

Adjusted EBITDA loss2 was $29.5m (2020: 
$22.2m), due primarily to the reduction 
in revenue and continued investments in 
the business.

Revenue

Revenue was $7.3m (2020: $10.5m), 
reflecting the emphasis on signing Commit 
to Consume contracts that are recognised 
rateably over the term of the contract rather 
than substantially upfront with subscription 
type arrangements. Commit to Consume 
arrangements allow for revenues to increase 
in proportion to the amount of data migrated 
whereas subscription contracts are for 
a fixed amount regardless of the amount of 
data migrated over the contractual term. 

The move to Commit to Consume contracts 
resulted in increased bookings in 2021 
of $11.9m (2020: $10.2m) and RPO 
increased to $9.4m at 31 December 2021 
(31 December 2020 $4.9m).

18% of revenues in 2021 came from a 
multi-period subscription agreement with 
a new customer through a partner, which 
contributed to the total largest customer 
representing 22% of revenues.

Contract wins continue to exhibit variability 
in the timing of their completion. 

Operating costs 
Cash overheads1 increased in the year as 
we made investments in go-to-market 
resources and engineering, rising to $41.5m 
from $36.9m in 2020. In November 2021, 
recognising that our cloud products are easier 
for customers to install and use, we optimised 
our cost structure, trimming an estimated 
$6m in annual costs from the business on a 
forward looking basis.

Capitalised product development expenditure 
was $5.3m in the year (2020: $5.2m). All of 
this expenditure was associated with new 
product features.

Our headcount was 159 as at 31 December 
2021 (31 December 2020: 180). The reduction 
in headcount was primarily due to our cost 
reduction efforts as discussed above.

Profit and loss
Adjusted EBITDA2 loss for the year was 
$29.5m (2020: $22.2m).

The loss after tax for the year increased to 
$37.6m (2020: $34.3m), as a result of the 
lower revenue and increased overheads 
and partially offset by a lower share-based 
payment charge. The finance gain of $1.1m 
(2020: $1.8m loss), reported within finance 
income/(costs), arose from the retranslation 
of intercompany balances at 31 December 
2021, reflecting the decrease in sterling 
against the US dollar. The impact of FX 
rates changes on the financial statements 
should be restricted to the retranslation 
of US dollar denominated intercompany 
loans, as opposed to the operating activities 
of the business. A translation loss (2020: 
gain) arising on the net assets of overseas 
subsidiaries reported in reserves results in a 
minimal impact on the Group net assets.

1   Operating expenses adjusted for: depreciation, 
amortisation, capitalisation of development 
expenditure and equity-settled share-based 
payment. See Note 9 for a reconciliation. 

2   Operating loss adjusted for: impairment loss, 
depreciation, amortisation and equity-settled 
share-based payment. See Note 9 for a 
reconciliation.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

33

Strategic reportFinancial review continued

The major reorganisation of the Company’s sales and go-to-market 
functions has begun to bear fruit with improved H2 2021 results, greater 
pipeline visibility, lower operating costs and expansion into new verticals 
and use cases for our products.

Balance sheet and cash flow

Trade and other receivables at 31 December 
2021 were $5.7m (31 December 2020: 
$10.1m). This includes $1.2m of trade 
receivables (31 December 2020: $5.3m) and 
$4.5m related to non-trade receivables (31 
December 2020: $4.8m). The reduction in 
trade receivables was due primarily to the 
timing of revenues during the year.

Trade and other payables reduced to $4.2m 
(31 December 2020: $5.5m), mainly due to 
reduced commissions to the sales team due 
to the lower revenue in 2021.

Net consumption of cash was $34.0m 
before financing (2020: $24.2m), resulting 
in a closing cash balance of $27.8m at 
31 December 2021. The consumption of 
cash was due primarily to lower revenues 
and a modest increase in cash overheads. 
At 31 December 2021, we had drawings 
under our revolving credit facility with 
Silicon Valley Bank of $nil (2020: $0.6m).

On 10 March 2021 the Group announced 
the subscription of 6,885,572 new ordinary 
shares of 10 pence each in the Company 
by existing shareholders at a price of 446 
pence (a discount of 0.4% on the closing 
share price on 9 March 2021), raising gross 
proceeds of $42.5m.

Subsequent events

On 15 June 2022 the Group announced a new 
subscription of shares to new and existing 
shareholders for 5,857,862 new ordinary shares 
of 10 pence each in the Company at a price of 
270 pence (a premium of 5.5% on the closing 
share price on 14 June 2022) raising gross 
proceeds of $19.8m.

Erik Miller
Chief Financial Officer
23 June 2022

34

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Revenue ($m)

$7.3m

7.3

10.5

21

20

19

18

17

16.2

17.0

19.6

Cash overheads ($m)¹

$41.5m

21

20

19

18

17

41.5

36.9

31.7

29.8

24.5

Adjusted EBITDA ($m)²

$(29.5)m

(29.5)

(22.2)

21

20

19

18

17

(11.7)

(9.4)

(0.6)

Statutory loss for the year ($m)

$(37.6)m

(37.6)

(34.3)

(28.3)

21

20

19

18

17

(19.7)

(13.5)

Cash ($m)

$27.8m

21

20

19

18

17

27.8

21.0

23.4

27.4

10.8

WANdisco’s ability to move petabytes or 
even exabytes of data without interrupting 
production and without risk of losing the data 
midflight is something no other vendor does.

Merv Adrian
Gartner, Vice President of Data and Analytics

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

35

Strategic reportVice Chairman’s introduction to governance
Bob Corey, Vice Chairman and Senior Non-executive Director

Effective governance 
and leadership 

As an AIM-listed company the 
Board has adopted the Quoted 
Companies Alliance (“QCA”) 
Corporate Governance Code.

Bob Corey 
Vice Chairman and  
Senior Non-executive Director

The Corporate governance statement, 
together with the information provided below 
and in the Audit Committee report, explains 
how WANdisco’s governance framework 
works. As a Board, we recognise that we 
are accountable to shareholders for good 
corporate governance, and we seek to 
promote consistently high standards of 
governance throughout the Group. 
The Group promotes this culture within 
its strategy and management of risks 
and is continually analysing this, from 
information provided by the Executive 
team, to ensure compliance.

During the year, we have complied with the 
QCA Code with the following exception:

 5 David Richards fulfils the role of Chairman 
and CEO of the Company. David took on 
both roles following the resignation of the 
prior Chairman. Bob Corey was appointed 
in November 2018 as Senior Non-executive 
Director and Vice Chairman to better 
balance the roles of CEO and Chairman.

During the year under review, we have 
continued to evaluate the composition 
of our Board, but no further appointments 
have been made.

In considering refreshment of the Board 
and succession planning, the Board will 
have regard to ongoing developments and 
trends including in relation to matters such 
as diversity in its broadest sense. Whilst the 
Company pursues diversity, including gender 
diversity, throughout the business, the Board 
is not committed to any specific targets. 
Instead, the Board will continue to pursue a 
policy of appointing talented people at every 
level to deliver high performance.

The Board holds all its strategic decision-
making meetings at the Group’s US offices 
and, as a result, takes the opportunity 
to meet with members of the Executive 
Team and to build on its knowledge of the 
business. There are regular interactive 
presentations from, and discussions with, 
the Executive Team and, in 2021, these have 
included the topics of product strategy, 
partnerships and engineering progress.

Finally, the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) 
will be held at the UK Company’s offices 
on 22 July 2022; my fellow Directors and I 
look forward to seeing you. It is an excellent 
opportunity to meet the Board and to 
raise questions on the matters in hand at 
the meeting. 

Bob Corey

Vice Chairman and 
Senior Non-executive Director
23 June 2022

Learn more about our 
governance from page 42

36

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Board effectiveness

The Board does not have a formal Board effectiveness process but the Chairman believes the 
Board has performed effectively over the year. 

The key strategic issues and risks have been discussed in an open and honest forum with decisions 
being made based on the factual data presented. 

Each Board member has a particular area of expertise and has utilised this to provide insightful 
comment and contribution to the business demands of the Group. 

The Group is mindful of succession planning and has discussions on this matter. The Board feels 
it has a good balance of skills and expertise; however, all members are regularly challenged and 
assessed at the Board meetings.

3  Non-executive Directors

3  Executive Directors

Board composition

 50+
 100+

6  3–5 years

Tenure

Strategic decisions taken within the  
year and stakeholder consideration

Stakeholders

Considerations

Partners

 5 Go-to-market plans with our key strategic partners

 5 New partner relationships and key external announcements

 5 Establishment and hire of new specialist sales teams assigned to engage with strategic partners

 5 Prioritisation of feedback into future product development from customers

Customers

 5 Resource planning to support new and potential customer priorities

 5 Positioning of Company product offering and use cases for our products

 5 New policies to support employee wellness

Employees

 5 Plans established for flexible and hybrid working arrangements

 5 Launch of new four-day working week for employees

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

37

Corporate governance50
+
K
K
Board of Directors

Committee membership key

A

R

N

Audit Committee

N

Nomination Committee

Remuneration Committee

Committee Chairman

A

N

R

N

David Richards
Chairman, President, CEO 
and Co-founder

Bob Corey
Vice Chairman and 
Senior Non-executive Director

Erik Miller
Chief Financial Officer 

Age 51

Age 70

Age 62

Length of tenure
Appointed 11 May 2012  
(Chairman from 6 October 2016)

Skills and experience
Since co-founding the Company in Silicon Valley in 
2005, David has led WANdisco on a course for rapid 
international expansion, opening offices in the UK, 
Japan and China. David spearheaded WANdisco 
to a hugely successful listing on the London 
Stock Exchange (WAND:LSE) and, shortly after, 
the acquisition of AltoStor, which accelerated the 
development of WANdisco’s first products for the 
Big Data market.

A passionate advocate of entrepreneurship, David has 
established and successfully exited several highly 
successful Silicon Valley technology companies. 
David was the founder and CEO of Librados, an 
application integration software provider, and 
led the company’s acquisition by NASDAQ-listed 
NetManage, Inc. in 2005. David is a frequent 
commentator on a range of business and technology 
issues, appearing regularly on Bloomberg and CNBC. 
David holds a BSc in Computer Science from the 
University of Huddersfield.

After Paul Walker, the former Chairman, stepped 
down from the Board in October 2016, David took 
the role of Chairman. In 2017 David was awarded an 
Honorary Doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University 
in recognition of him being a champion of British 
technology and a passionate advocate 
of entrepreneurship.

David and his wife Jane founded the David & Jane 
Richards Family Foundation with the purpose to 
educate, empower and improve the lives of children 
through hands-on programmes and targeted 
assistance. They aim to encourage children to 
fulfil their potential and make a positive impact 
on the world around them. The first programmes 
commenced in 2018 in some state schools in the 
UK, where they will use new methods to teach 
computing skills and install beehives as part 
of a wider teaching curriculum.

In the 2022 Queen’s New Year Honours List, 
David was awarded an MBE for his services 
to the Information Technology Sector and to 
Young People, particularly during COVID-19.

External appointments
With over 20 years of executive experience in 
the software industry, David sits on a number of 
advisory and executive boards of Silicon Valley 
start-up ventures.

Length of tenure
Appointed 19 November 2018 

Length of tenure
Appointed 5 December 2016 

Skills and experience
Erik was the Chief Financial Officer of Envivio, Inc., 
a NASDAQ-listed provider of video transcoding 
software, from February 2010 to January 2016, 
following its acquisition by Ericsson AB. From 
January 2008 to July 2009, Erik served as 
Chief Financial Officer at SigNav Pty. Ltd., a 
component supplier to the wireless industry, 
where he was responsible for finance and 
administration functions. From March 2006 to 
January 2008, he served as Chief Financial Officer 
at Tangler Pty. Ltd., a social networking company, 
where he was responsible for finance and 
administrative functions. Erik received a 
BS degree in Business Administration from 
the University of California, Berkeley.

Skills and experience
Bob brings more than 30 years of executive and 
financial management experience in public and 
private companies in Silicon Valley with software 
and hardware companies. 

Bob is highly experienced in managing the 
financial aspects of public companies; he has 
a strong history with Wall Street, and extensive 
mergers and acquisitions experience. He also has 
deep corporate governance acumen and has served 
on numerous boards in Silicon Valley as Chairman 
of the Board, Chairman of the Audit Committee, and 
a member on Compensation and Nomination and 
Governance Committees. 

Formerly, Bob was Chief Financial Officer of Callidus 
Software, a $2.4bn acquisition by SAP in April 2018. 
Until September 2017, he sat on the board and 
chaired the audit committee for Apigee, a $625m 
acquisition by Google. He has also served as the 
Chief Financial Officer of FrontRange Solutions 
USA Inc., an enterprise software company. Prior 
to FrontRange, Bob was a member of the board of 
directors at Extreme Networks, Inc., an ethernet 
solutions company, ultimately serving as Interim 
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President 
and Chief Financial Officer. Bob has also served as 
a member of the board of directors for AmberPoint, 
Interwoven, Live Ops and Veraz Networks. 

Bob began his career at Arthur Andersen, is a 
California CPA (not current), and has a Bachelor of 
Business Administration, Accounting from California 
State University at Fullerton. Bob is a Veteran of 
the United States Air Force, where he served as an 
Air Traffic Controller.

External appointments
None.

External appointments
None.

38

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

 
 
 
 
A

N

R

A

N

R

Dr Yeturu Aahlad
Chief Scientist, Inventor 
and Co-founder

Grant Dollens
Non-executive Director 

Karl Monaghan
Non-executive Director 

Age 64 

Age 43 

Age 59 

Length of tenure
Appointed 23 February 2017 

Length of tenure
Appointed 9 October 2016 

Length of tenure
Appointed 5 December 2016 

Skills and experience
Dr Aahlad is a recognised worldwide authority on 
distributed computing. He is named in 73 WANdisco 
patents, including US and international patents, 
continuations and divisionals. It was Dr Aahlad’s 
vision and years of persistence that led to the 
invention of technology that many thought was 
impossible – that of Active-Active replication 
(WANdisco’s patented DConE technology). Prior 
to WANdisco, Dr Aahlad served as the distributed 
systems architect for iPlanet (Sun/Netscape 
Alliance) Application Server. At Netscape, Dr Aahlad 
joined the elite team in charge of creating a new 
server platform based on the CORBA distributed 
object framework.

Prior to Sun/Netscape Dr Aahlad worked on 
incorporating the CORBA security service into 
Fujitsu’s Object Request Broker. Dr Aahlad designed 
and implemented the CORBA event services while 
working on Sun’s first CORBA initiative. Earlier 
in his career, Dr Aahlad worked on a distributed 
programming language at IBM’s Palo Alto 
Scientific Center.

Dr Aahlad has a PhD in Distributed Computing 
from the University of Texas, Austin, and a BSc in 
Electrical Engineering from IIT Madras.

External appointments
None.

Skills and experience
Karl brings a wealth of capital markets and board 
experience. Prior to founding Ashling Capital, Karl 
has worked in corporate finance for Robert W. Baird, 
Credit Lyonnais Securities, Bank of Ireland, Johnson 
Fry and BDO Stoy Hayward. Additionally, he trained 
as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in Dublin 
and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from 
University College Dublin.

Skills and experience
Prior to founding Global Frontier Investments, LLC, 
Grant was an Investment Analyst and member 
of the investment committee for Ayer Capital, a 
long/short equity healthcare fund, where he was 
focused on medical devices, diagnostics, healthcare 
services, biotechnology and pharmaceutical 
investments. Prior to Ayer, Grant was an Associate 
in the healthcare group at BA Venture Partners (now 
Scale Ventures), where he sourced, evaluated and 
invested in private medical device, biotechnology, 
specialty pharmaceutical and healthcare service 
companies. Before BA Venture Partners, Grant was 
an Investment Banking Analyst in corporate finance 
at Deutsche Bank Alex. Brown focused on the 
technology sector. 

Grant received his MBA from the Kellogg School 
of Management at Northwestern University, with 
majors in Analytical Finance, Management and 
Strategy, and Accounting. He received his BSc in 
Biomedical Engineering from Duke University.

External appointments
Grant founded Global Frontier Investments, LLC, 
a long-term oriented global equities fund, in 2010 
and serves as its Portfolio Manager. Grant is also 
a member of the board of ColdQuanta, Inc.

External appointments
Karl is currently Managing Partner at Ashling 
Capital LLP, which he founded in December 2002, 
to provide consultancy services to both quoted 
and private companies.

Karl is also currently a Non-executive Director of 
AIM company CareTech Holdings plc.

Sector experience

David Richards

Bob Corey

Erik Miller

Dr Yeturu Aahlad

Grant Dollens

Karl Monaghan

Technology

Financial management

Strategy development

Corporate governance

Corporate finance

Healthcare

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

39

Corporate governanceExecutive team

Strong and experienced 
leadership team

Paul Scott-Murphy
Chief Technology Officer

Length of tenure
Seven years

Keith Graham
Chief Product Officer

Length of tenure
Seven years

Skills and experience
Paul has overall responsibility for WANdisco’s 
product and technology, including customer 
engagement, technical innovation, new market 
and product initiation and creation. This includes 
direct interaction with the majority of WANdisco’s 
significant customers, partners and prospects. 
He was previously VP of product management for 
WANdisco and Regional Chief Technology Officer 
for TIBCO Software in Asia Pacific and Japan. Paul 
has a Bachelor of Science with first class honours 
and a Bachelor of Engineering with first class 
honours from the University of Western Australia.

Skills and experience
Keith previously spent nine years with TIBCO 
Software in Asia Pacific including serving for 
over five years as Regional Vice President and 
Managing Director of Australia and New Zealand. 
Keith worked at Librados as Vice President EMEA, 
where he was part of the founding team from 
start-up until the acquisition by NetManage. 
He was a Regional Director at Reuters Plc, 
where he was responsible for Reuters’ $100m+ 
software solutions business. Keith holds an MA in 
Management Science and Information Systems 
Studies from Trinity College, Dublin.

Peter Scott
SVP Business Development 

Length of tenure
Thirteen years

Skills and experience
Peter was a member of the sales management 
team at Empirix’s Web Business Unit, which was 
acquired by Oracle. He was also part of the sales 
management team at Vecta Software, a CRM and 
business intelligence software vendor. He began 
his career with Sales Dynamics, helping early 
stage venture-backed technology companies 
establish sales processes that enabled them to 
achieve aggressive revenue targets. Prior to his 
career in technology sales, Peter spent six years 
in the British Army with the Royal Engineers.

Chris Pemberton
VP Marketing

Length of tenure
One year

Skills and experience
Chris has deep experience in modern B2B technology 
marketing and connecting brands with buyers through 
powerful messaging, content, demand gen, and digital 
experiences. He led content and digital marketing 
programmes for Persado, SANS Institute, and 
NextHealth Technologies and has led content strategy 
with Gartner and Charles Schwab. He delivered 
double-digit traffic, lead, and revenue growth for GU 
Energy Labs and Ghirardelli Chocolate Company.

Chris spent years advising C-level technology 
executives while at the Corporate Executive Board 
(now Gartner) and holds an MBA from the Middlebury 
Institute of International Studies as well as certificates 
in advanced digital marketing analytics.

Anne Lynch
SVP Human Resources

Length of tenure
Five years

Skills and experience
Anne was the VP HR of Envivio, Inc. She was 
also the VP HR for Harmonic, Inc. as well as the 
Director General of Harmonic Europe. She has also 
held senior level positions at Quantum (Seagate), 
Schlumberger Limited and Computer Sciences 
Corporation (“CSC”). Anne earned her BA at Clarke 
University and completed graduate studies in 
Linguistics at Emory University and postgraduate 
studies at L’université Paris-Sorbonne. She has a 
Master of Arts degree in Business Leadership and 
Ethics from St. Mary’s College of California.

Justin Holtzinger
SVP Product and Engineering

Length of tenure
Four years

Skills and experience
Justin is a customer-focused leader with 
more than 20 years of experience and a 
proven track record of successfully building 
high-performance technology teams capable 
of delivering unmatched customer experiences 
during his seven-year career at EMC, where he 
held leadership roles in professional services, 
led their Global Data Migration Practice, and 
later led the global services product launch for 
EMC’s high-performance Big Data compute 
appliance. Justin obtained his Master of Business 
Administration from St. Mary’s of California.

40

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Read about our Board from page 38

David Richards
Chairman, President, 
CEO and Co-founder 

Erik Miller
Chief Financial Officer 

Dr Yeturu Aahlad
Chief Scientist, Inventor 
and Co-founder 

Ian Wild
VP Customer Experience

Length of tenure
Thirteen years

Skills and experience
Ian joined WANdisco in 2009, having spent the 
previous ten years as part of the management 
team of a UK based telecoms company, supporting 
the company from startup through IPO and 
acquisition. While there, Ian operated in various 
technical and customer leadership roles. Upon 
joining WANdisco, Ian oversaw the growth of 
their UK-based engineering operation before 
relocating to California in 2014 where he now 
owns Customer Experience as part of the 
Product Management group.

Larry Webster
General Counsel and 
Company Secretary

Length of tenure
Eight years

Skills and experience
Larry previously worked at Wilson Sonsini 
Goodrich & Rosati, a large California-based law 
firm, where he provided advice and services 
both to large corporations and emerging growth 
technology companies. He also had roles in 
Gunderson Dettmer, another Silicon Valley firm, 
and Hughes & Luce, a Dallas law firm. He started 
his legal career at telecommunications giant 
Northern Telecom in Texas. Larry holds a JD 
from Brigham Young University, a BSc in Business 
Management and a BA in Asian Studies, also 
from Brigham Young University.

Dr Konstantin Boudnik
VP and Chief Architect

Length of tenure
Two years

Rich Baker
SVP Global Sales

Length of tenure
One year

Skills and experience
Dr Konstantin Boudnik is one of the veteran 
developers of Apache Hadoop, co-author of 
Apache BigTop, the open-source framework 
for creation of software stacks and operation of 
data processing projects used by all commercial 
vendors of Hadoop-based platforms. With more 
than 20 years of experience in software development, 
Dr Boudnik was awarded with 16 US patents in 
distributed computing. Over the years, Dr Boudnik 
has founded a number of technological start-ups, 
and his consulting business delivers solutions 
for companies.

Skills and experience
Rich has worked in IT for 20+ years. His experience 
spans business operations, pricing, partner 
alliances, business development, and sales (SMB, 
Enterprise, & Global Key Accounts). He has held 
leadership positions across the UK, Ireland and 
EMEA. Product sets include hardware, technology, 
big data, middleware, applications (CRM, ERP & 
CX), analytics, and mobile across on-prem, hybrid, 
public and private clouds. He has worked for both 
corporate and partner organisations globally.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

41

Corporate governanceCorporate governance report

Ensuring the long-term 
success of the Group

Board effectiveness

Meeting attendance

Board composition and responsibilities

The Board comprises three Executive 
Directors (including the Chairman) and 
three Non-executive Directors, two of 
which are independent (Bob Corey and 
Karl Monaghan). 

The Board is responsible for the long-term 
success of the Group. It has established a 
strategy and business model which promote 
long-term value for shareholders as outlined 
in the Strategic report on pages 6 to 35. 
It sets the Group’s values, standards and 
strategic aims and oversees implementation 
within a framework of prudent and effective 
controls, ensuring only acceptable risks are 
taken. It provides leadership and direction 
and is also responsible for corporate 
governance and the overall financial 
performance of the Group. In addition, it 
promotes a corporate culture that is based 
on ethical values and behaviours; these 
corporate values guide the objectives and 
strategy of the Company. 

The corporate values are reflected 
in everything that the Company does, 
beginning with the selection criteria used 
in the employee recruitment process and 
continuing throughout all elements of the 
Company’s business. The Board ensures 
that ethical behaviours are expected, and 
followed, by approving a set of internal 
policies on matters such as whistleblowing. 
The Board also ensures that appropriate 
systems and controls are in place to 
ensure compliance with those policies 
as part of its efforts to promote a healthy 
corporate culture, which is for the benefit 
of all stakeholders.

David Richards

Bob Corey

Erik Miller

Dr Yeturu Aahlad

Grant Dollens

Karl Monaghan

Attended

Did not attend

Not required to attend

The Board has agreed the schedule of matters reserved for its decision, which includes 
ensuring that the necessary financial and human resources are in place to meet its obligations 
to its shareholders and others. It also approves acquisitions and disposals of businesses, 
major capital expenditure and annual financial budgets, and sets dividend policy. 

An Executive Committee supports the Board in implementing strategy and reports relevant 
matters to the Board for its consideration and approval. This Executive Committee 
comprises three Executive Directors and ten members of senior management. 

All the Directors have access to the advice and services of the Company Secretary, 
who is responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable rules, regulations and 
Board procedures.

Directors have the right to request that any concerns they have are recorded in the 
appropriate Committee or Board minutes. 

Board and Committee meetings

The table above shows the number of Board meetings held during the year, and the 
attendance of each Director. See our Committee reports for Audit, Remuneration and 
Nomination Committee meetings.

Board Committees

To assist the Board in carrying out its functions and to ensure that there is independent 
oversight of internal controls and risk management, the Board delegates certain 
responsibilities to its three principal Committees as shown in the governance 
framework diagram opposite.

More detail on each of the Committees can be found on pages 47 to 52.

42

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Board independence, appointment and re-election

Terms of appointment and time commitment 

All Non-executive Directors are appointed for an initial term of three 
years subject to satisfactory performance. After this time, they may 
serve additional three-year terms following review by the Board. 
All Non-executive Directors are expected to devote such time as is 
necessary for the proper performance of their duties. Directors are 
expected to attend all Board meetings and Committee meetings of 
which they are members and any additional meetings as required. 
Further details of their terms and conditions are summarised in 
the Remuneration report on pages 50 to 52 and the terms and 
conditions of appointment of the Non-executive Directors are 
available at the Company’s registered office.

There are two Non-executive Directors, who are considered by the 
Board to be independent of the management and are free to exercise 
independence of judgement. They have never been employees 
of the Group and they do not participate in the Group’s bonus 
arrangements. They receive no other remuneration from the Group 
other than their Directors’ fees.

Each new Director, on appointment, is briefed on the activities of the 
Group. Professional induction training is also given as appropriate. 
The Chairman briefs Non-executive Directors on issues arising at 
Board meetings if required and Non-executive Directors have access 
to the Chairman at any time. Ongoing training is provided as needed. 
Directors were updated on a frequent and regular basis on the 
Group’s business.

Directors are subject to re-election at the Annual General Meeting 
(“AGM”) following their appointment. In addition, at each AGM 
one-third (or the whole number nearest to one-third) of the 
Directors retire by rotation.

Governance framework

Board

Executive Team

Chaired by the Chief Executive Officer, it comprises the three Executive Directors and senior management representation from 
product, marketing, engineering, business development, finance, legal, HR, sales and support. It assists the Executive Directors 
in implementing the business plan and policies and managing the operational and financial performance of the Company.

Nomination Committee

Audit Committee

Remuneration 
Committee

Learn more on page 47

Learn more from page 48

Learn more from page 50

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

43

Corporate governanceCorporate governance report continued

Ensuring Board 
effectiveness

Board effectiveness continued

Development, information and support

All Board Directors have access to the 
Company Secretary, who advises them on 
governance matters. The Chairman and 
the Company Secretary work together 
to ensure that Board papers are clear, 
accurate, delivered in a timely manner 
to Directors and of sufficient quality to 
enable the Board to discharge its duties. 
Specific business-related presentations are 
given by members of the Executive Team 
when appropriate and external speakers 
also attend Board meetings to present on 
relevant topics. As well as the support of the 
Company Secretary, there is a procedure in 
place for any Director to take independent 
professional advice at the Company’s 
expense in the furtherance of their duties, 
where considered necessary. As part of 
the Board evaluation process, training 
and development needs are considered 
and training courses are arranged, 
where appropriate.

In line with the Code, we ensure that any 
new Directors joining the Board receive 
appropriate support and are given a tailored 
induction programme organised through the 
Company Secretary, including the provision 
of background material on the Company and 
briefings with management as appropriate. 
Each Director’s individual experience and 
background are considered in developing 
a programme tailored to his or her own 
requirements. Any new Director will also be 
expected to meet with major shareholders 
if required.

Succession planning

The Nomination Committee focuses on 
Board succession and composition and 
succession planning. 

Board evaluation

The performance of the Board was 
evaluated informally on an ongoing 
basis with reference to all aspects of its 
operation including, but not limited to: the 
appropriateness of its skill level; the way its 
meetings were conducted and administered 
(including the content of those meetings); 

the effectiveness of the various Committees; 
whether corporate governance issues were 
handled in a satisfactory manner; and 
whether there was a clear strategy and 
objectives. The conclusion was that the 
Board was performing as expected. 

The Board evaluation was internally facilitated 
and aligned with the ten principles of the 
QCA Code. All members of the Board fully 
engaged with the Board evaluation, which has 
produced a consistent set of results in terms 
of both the participants’ assessment of the 
strengths and current state of the Board, and 
also the priorities for further development. 
The feedback from the evaluation exercise 
has been very useful, and will guide further 
actions and decisions taken because of it. 
Each Director’s performance is appraised 
through the normal appraisal process. Save 
for the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, 
who was appraised by the Non-executive 
Directors, the Executive Board members 
were appraised by the Chairman and Chief 
Executive Officer. The Non-executive 
Directors were appraised by the Chairman 
and Chief Executive Officer.

Board activities throughout the year

At each scheduled meeting

Discuss:
 5 Strategic and operational matters 

 5 Trading results 

 5 Management accounts and financial commentary 

 5 Treasury matters 

 5 Legal, Company Secretarial and regulatory matters 

 5 Investor relations 

 5 Corporate affairs 

Review:
 5 Minutes of previous meetings 

 5 The implementation of actions agreed at previous meetings 

 5 The rolling annual agenda items

44

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

April
Update on product 
strategy and partnerships

Approval of 2021 
budget and proposed 
share placing

Approval of 2020 Annual 
Report and Accounts

December
Business review, including 
reviews of CEO, CFO, Sales, 
Business Development, 
Engineering and Product, 
Marketing and strategy

The Audit Committee, on behalf of the Board, 
reviewed reports from the external auditor 
together with management’s response 
regarding proposed actions. In this manner, 
it has reviewed the effectiveness of the 
system of internal controls for the year 
under review.

The Group considers information security 
to be of utmost importance, demonstrated 
by our ISO 27001 certification, the globally 
recognised standard for information security. 
To achieve and maintain our certification 
we have developed a number of processes 
that allow us to more fully understand the 
information we process and the security 
threats we face, which has led to us adopting 
policies and systematically implementing 
controls to manage and mitigate these 
threats. Our Information Security Group, 
made up of senior employees in multiple 
departments, oversees the creation, 
execution and continual improvement 
of our Information Security Management 
System. Our core security-related values 
are clearly understood and articulated 
in our information security policies, 
and staff awareness of risks, and their 
obligations to identify and manage them 
has continued to improve. Our adopted 
approach affords better protection of all 
our stakeholders’ information and allows 
the Group to continually improve and 
adapt its information security controls 
as new threats emerge and our business 
undergoes change and expansion in our 
turbulent world.

Internal controls and risk management

The Board is responsible for the Group’s 
system of internal controls and for reviewing 
its effectiveness. Such a system is designed 
to mitigate against and manage, rather 
than eliminate, the risk of failure to achieve 
business objectives and can only provide 
reasonable and not absolute assurance 
against material misstatement or loss. 
Executive management considered the 
potential financial and non-financial risks 
which may impact on the business as part 
of the quarterly management reporting 
procedures. The Board received the principal 
risk outputs of these quarterly management 
reports and monitored the position at Board 
meetings. The principal risks are set out on 
pages 29 to 31.

The Board confirms that there are ongoing 
processes for identifying, evaluating and 
mitigating the significant risks faced by the 
Group. The processes, which have been 
in place throughout the year and up to 
the date of approval of the Annual Report 
and Accounts, are consistent, so far as is 
appropriate for the nature and size of the 
Group’s business, with the guidance issued 
by the Financial Reporting Council.

The Group’s internal financial control and 
monitoring procedures include:

 5 clear responsibility on the part of 

line and financial management for the 
maintenance of good financial controls 
and the production of accurate and timely 
financial management information;

 5 the control of key financial risks through 
appropriate authorisation levels and 
segregation of accounting duties;

 5 detailed monthly budgeting and reporting 
of trading results, balance sheets and 
cash flows, with regular review by 
management of variances from budget;

 5 reporting on any non-compliance 
with internal financial controls and 
procedures; and 

 5 review of reports issued by the 

external auditor.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

45

Corporate governanceCorporate governance report continued

Communicating 
to our shareholders

Relations with shareholders

WANdisco is committed to communicating 
openly with its shareholders to ensure that 
its strategy and performance are clearly 
understood. During the year, numerous 
activities were undertaken to engage 
with shareholders.

Results announcements

We communicate with shareholders through 
our full-year and half-year announcements 
and trading updates. We invite institutional 
shareholders and analysts to view our 
full-year and half-year announcements. 
The presentation slides and a webcast of 
the presentations are made available at 
www.wandisco.com/investors/reports-and- 
presentations on the day of announcement.

Shareholder meetings

The AGM is the principal forum for dialogue 
with private shareholders, and we encourage 
shareholders to attend and participate. 
The AGM was held on Wednesday 16 June 
2021 at our office in Sheffield, with the 
results being published on our website, 
www.wandisco.com/investors. 

This year’s AGM will be held at 10am on 
Friday 22 July 2022 at our office in Sheffield. 
Full details are included in the Notice of 
Meeting, which is sent to shareholders at 
least 21 days before the meeting. 

Website and shareholder 
communications

Our website, www.wandisco.com/investors, 
provides a range of corporate information 
on our business, results and financial 
performance, including copies of 
our Annual Report and Accounts, 

announcements and presentations. 

Meetings, roadshows and conferences

The Directors actively seek to build a 
mutual understanding of objectives with 
institutional shareholders. Shareholder 
relations are managed primarily by the 
Chief Executive Officer and the Chief 
Financial Officer. A calendar of events 
is set out below.

The Chief Executive Officer and the 
Chief Financial Officer regularly meet 
with institutional shareholders to foster 
a mutual understanding of objectives. In 
particular, an extensive programme of 
meetings with analysts and institutional 
shareholders is held following the interim 
and preliminary results announcements. 
Feedback from these meetings and market 
updates prepared by the Company’s Nomad 
are presented to the Board to ensure it 
understands shareholders’ views. The 
other Non-executive Directors are available 
to shareholders to discuss strategy and 
governance issues.

2021 key shareholder engagements

Month

January 2021

February 2021

May 2021

May 2021

June 2021

September 2021

November 2021

Meeting

RNS

Report

Conference

46

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Communication

Type

Needham Investor Conference

KeyBanc Capital Markets 2021

Needham Investor Conference

Annual Report published

AGM

Result of AGM

Interim results

Needham Investor Conference

 
 
Nomination Committee report
David Richards, Chairman, President, CEO and Co-founder

Monitoring 
succession planning 

The Nomination Committee assists the 
Board in determining Board appointments 
and succession planning for Directors.

David Richards
Chairman, President, CEO and Co-founder

Committee composition

Committee meetings

Committee meeting attendance

The Nomination Committee is chaired by 
David Richards and the other members of 
the Committee are Bob Corey, Grant Dollens, 
Karl Monaghan and Erik Miller. 

Committee responsibilities

The Nomination Committee has 
responsibility for: reviewing the structure, 
size and composition of the Board and 
recommending to the Board any changes 
required; succession planning; and 
identifying and nominating for approval 
Board candidates to fill vacancies as and 
when they arise. The Committee is also 
responsible for reviewing the results of 
any Board performance evaluation process 
and making recommendations to the 
Board concerning the Board’s Committees 
and the re-election of Directors at the AGM. 

The membership of the Nomination 
Committee comprises the three 
Non-executive Directors, David Richards 
and Erik Miller.

The Nomination Committee is required to 
meet not less than once a year and at such 
other times as required.

It has written terms of reference, which are 
available for review at www.wandisco.com.

The Nomination Committee met once during 
the year, with the Chief Executive Officer and 
Chief Financial Officer in attendance. 

The Board has considered diversity in broader 
terms than just gender and believes it is also 
important to have the correct balance of skills, 
experience, independence and knowledge 
on the Board. All Board appointments will be 
made on merit and with the aim of achieving 
a correct balance. The Group has formal 
policies in place to promote equality of 
opportunity across the whole organisation 
and training is provided to assist this. 

Currently, there are no women on the 
Board. As opportunities arise, the Board 
will seek to increase the presence of women 
on the Board consistent with the above 
policy and the terms of reference of the 
Nomination Committee.

David Richards
Chairman, President, 
CEO and Co-founder
23 June 2022

David Richards

Bob Corey

Erik Miller

Grant Dollens

Karl Monaghan

Attended

Did not attend

Not required to attend

Estimated allocation of time

 5+

5%  

Performance evaluation

80% 

Succession planning

15% 

Structure review

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

47

Corporate governance80
+
15
+
K
Audit Committee report
Bob Corey, Vice Chairman and Senior Non-executive Director

Ensuring compliance 
and effectiveness

I am pleased to present the Report of 
the Audit Committee, which provides 
a summary of the Committee’s role and 
activities during the 2021 financial year.

Bob Corey
Vice Chairman and Senior Non-executive Director

Committee composition

Bob Corey is the Chairman of the Committee 
and the other members of the Committee 
are Karl Monaghan and Grant Dollens. The 
Board considers Bob Corey to have relevant 
and recent financial experience, given his 
biography set out on page 38.

Committee responsibilities

The Audit Committee (“the Committee”) 
is established by and is responsible to the 
Board. It has written terms of reference, 
which are available for review at 
www.wandisco.com. Its main 
responsibilities are:

 5 to monitor and be satisfied that the 

Group’s financial statements are fair, 
balanced and understandable before 
submission to the Board for approval, 
ensuring their compliance with the 
appropriate accounting standards, 
the law and the AIM Rules;

 5 to monitor and review the effectiveness 
of the Group’s system of internal control;

 5 to make recommendations to the Board in 
relation to the appointment of the external 
auditor and its remuneration, following 
appointment by the shareholders in 
general meeting, and to review and be 

satisfied with the auditor’s independence, 
objectivity and effectiveness on an 
ongoing basis; and

 5 to implement the policy relating to any 
non-audit services performed by the 
external auditor.

The Committee is authorised by the 
Board to seek and obtain any information 
it requires from any officer or employee 
of the Group and to obtain external legal 
or other independent professional advice 
as is deemed necessary by it.

Committee meetings

There were two meetings of the Committee 
during the year scheduled to coincide with 
the review of the scope of the external audit 
and observations arising from its work in 
relation to internal control, and to review the 
financial statements. The external auditor 
attended one of these meetings. Since the 
end of the financial year, the Committee 
has met twice (in February 2022 and June 
2022) to consider, amongst other matters, 
this Annual Report, with the external 
auditor being present at these meetings. 
The Committee also met with the external 
auditor, without the Executive Directors 
being present, once during the year.

48

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Committee meeting attendance

Bob Corey

Grant Dollens

Karl Monaghan

Attended

Did not attend

Not required to attend

Estimated allocation of time

 5+

5%  

Performance evaluation

25% 

10% 

20% 

Accounting matters

Risk management

Internal controls

40% 

Financial reporting

25
+
10
+
20
+
40
+
K
Significant work undertaken by 
the Committee during the year

Review of the 2021 financial 
statements

The Audit Committee reviewed and 
endorsed, prior to submission to the Board, 
the full-year financial statements and the 
preliminary, interim results and trading 
update announcements. The Committee 
considered risk management updates, 
agreed external audit plans, approved 
accounting policies and ensured appropriate 
whistleblowing arrangements and 
associated policies were in place.

In reviewing the financial statements 
with management and the auditor, the 
Committee has discussed and debated 
the critical accounting judgements and key 
sources of estimation uncertainty as set 
out in Note 4 to the financial statements. 
As a result of our review, the Committee 
has identified the following issues that 
require a high level of judgement or have a 
significant impact on the interpretation of 
this Annual Report.

COVID-19 and the conflict in Ukraine 
and Russia

Management reviewed the potential impacts 
that COVID-19 and the conflict in Ukraine 
and Russia could have on the business.

The Committee is satisfied with the findings 
identified and that appropriate disclosures 
have been made in the Annual Report 
and Accounts.

Going concern

The consolidated financial statements have 
been prepared on a going concern basis.

The detailed budget and forecasts formed 
the basis of the going concern review and 
management also prepared a sensitised 
version, which considered a delay in 
revenue growth and included actions, 
under the control of the Group, that they 
could take to further significantly reduce 
the cost base in the coming year in the 

event that longer-term revenue is set to 
remain consistent with the level reported 
in 2021. The cash flow model includes the 
injection of $19.8m cash, which was raised 
following the year end and announced on 
15 June 2022. Further details are included in 
Note 2(b).

The Committee is satisfied with the 
findings of the going concern review and 
that appropriate disclosures have been 
made in the Annual Report and Accounts.

Revenue recognition

Under IFRS 15 the Group is required to 
de-bundle subscription arrangements into 
the separate licence and maintenance and 
support performance obligations. The 
method of allocation requires judgement 
and is based on prior experience of separate 
arrangements (e.g. when maintenance and 
support is sold separately on a perpetual 
licence) along with market practice.

The Committee is satisfied that the 
judgements made by management are 
reasonable and that appropriate disclosures 
have been made in the Annual Report 
and Accounts.

Capitalisation and carrying value 
of development costs

The Group capitalises development costs 
which meet the criteria required under IAS 
38. The carrying amount of the intangible 
assets is allocated to CGUs. The recoverable 
amount was calculated using a value in use 
basis based on financial forecasts.

The Committee is satisfied that the 
judgements made by management in the 
value in use calculation are reasonable and 
that appropriate disclosures have been 
made in the Annual Report and Accounts.

In reaching this conclusion the Committee 
has considered the reports and analysis 
prepared by management and has also 
constructively challenged assumptions. 
The Committee has also considered 
detailed reporting from and discussions 
with the external auditor.

Committee performance

The Committee carried out an annual 
assessment of its own performance during 
the year and the conclusion was that the 
Committee was performing as expected.

External auditor

As required, the external auditor provided the 
Committee with information for review about 
policies and processes for maintaining its 
independence and compliance regarding 
the rotation of audit partners and staff. 
The Committee considered all relationships 
between the external auditor and the 
Group and was satisfied that they did not 
compromise the auditor’s judgement or 
independence, particularly with the provision 
of non-audit services. 

An internal review of the effectiveness of 
the external audit process was carried out 
during the year and no deficiencies were 
found. Management was satisfied with 
the external audit team’s knowledge of the 
business and that the scope of the audit 
was appropriate, all significant accounting 
judgements had been challenged robustly 
and the audit had been effective.

All of the above was considered before 
a recommendation was made by the 
Committee to the Board to propose BDO 
for re-election at the AGM.

Internal audit function

Given the Group’s size and development, 
the Board did not consider it necessary to 
have an internal audit function during the 
year. The Board will continue to monitor 
this requirement annually.

Bob Corey
Vice Chairman and 
Senior Non-executive Director
23 June 2022

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

49

Corporate governanceRemuneration Committee and remuneration report
Karl Monaghan, Chairman of the Remuneration Committee

Determining 
remuneration policies

This report sets out information 
about the remuneration of the 
Directors of the Company for the 
year ended 31 December 2021.

Karl Monaghan
Chairman of the Remuneration Committee

Remuneration Committee report

Committee meeting attendance

The content of this report is unaudited 
unless stated.

Remuneration policy

The objective of the remuneration policy 
is to ensure that the overall remuneration 
of Executive Directors is aligned with the 
performance of the Group and preserves 
an appropriate balance of income and 
shareholder value.

Non-executive Directors

Remuneration of the Non-executive 
Directors is determined by the Executive 
Directors. Non-executive Directors are 
not entitled to pensions, annual bonuses 
or employee benefits. They are entitled to 
participate in share option arrangements 
relating to the Company’s shares. Each of 
the Non-executive Directors has a letter of 
appointment stating his annual fee and that 
his appointment is initially for a term of three 
years, subject to re-appointment at the AGM, 
renewable for further periods of three years. 
Their appointment may be terminated with 
three months’ written notice at any time.

Karl Monaghan

Bob Corey

Grant Dollens

Attended

Did not attend

Not required to attend

Estimated allocation of time

 5+

5%  

Performance evaluation

25% 

70% 

Remuneration policy

 Share option grant review

The Board, as required by the QCA Code, 
supports the principle of transparency and 
has prepared this report in order to provide 
information to shareholders on executive 
remuneration arrangements. 

The Remuneration Committee

Committee composition

The Remuneration Committee is chaired 
by Karl Monaghan and the other members 
of the Committee are Bob Corey and 
Grant Dollens.

Committee responsibilities

The Remuneration Committee’s primary 
purposes are to assist the Board in determining 
the Company’s remuneration policies, review 
the performance of the Executive Directors 
and make recommendations to the Board 
on matters relating to their remuneration 
and terms of service, the granting of share 
options, and other equity incentives.

Committee meetings

The Remuneration Committee met two 
times in the year, with the other Board 
members in attendance as appropriate.

50

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

 
 
 
 
 
 
25
+
70
+
K
Directors’ remuneration

The normal remuneration arrangements for Executive Directors consist of basic salary and annual performance-related bonuses. In addition, 
they receive private healthcare. 

The Committee intends to make further awards under the Long-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”) during 2022. Details of any awards will be 
disclosed in next year’s Remuneration Committee report.

2021 annual bonus

The 2021 Bonus Plan comprised a target bonus based on a % of base salary. The Bonus Plan is based on the achievement of corporate 
financial performance measures, including revenue and overheads targets. Having regard to the performance of the business, the 
Remuneration Committee resolved to pay bonuses as set out on page 52.

Similar bonus principles will be adopted for 2022. Performance targets and weightings were set by the Remuneration Committee at the start 
of the year.

Directors’ interests

Details of the Directors’ shareholdings are included in the Directors’ report on page 54.

Directors’ share options 

Aggregate emoluments disclosed below do not include any amounts for the value of options to acquire ordinary shares in the Company 
granted to or held by the Directors. Details of options for Directors who served during the year are as follows:

Executive Directors

David Richards

Dr Yeturu Aahlad

Erik Miller

Non-executive Directors

Grant Dollens

Karl Monaghan

Bob Corey

Number of

options at

1 January

2021

92,771

12,687

23,764

12,687

23,764

410,789

423,707

12,687

23,764

Exercise

price

£1.90

£0.10

£0.10

£0.10

£0.10

£1.90

£8.39

£0.10

£0.10

— 

— 

— 

—

—

—

Number of

Number of

Number of

options at

options 

granted

options 

exercised

options  31 December

lapsed

2021

Number of

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

92,771

12,687

23,764

12,687

23,764

410,789

423,707

12,687

23,764

—

—

—

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

51

Corporate governance 
 
 
 
 
Remuneration Committee and remuneration report continued
Karl Monaghan, Chairman of the Remuneration Committee

Remuneration Committee report continued

Directors’ remuneration (audited)

Executive Directors

David Richards

Erik Miller

Dr Yeturu Aahlad

Non-executive Directors

Grant Dollens

Karl Monaghan

Bob Corey

Payment 

Salary/fees

currency

’000

Bonus 

’000

Benefits ¹

’000

£

$

$

£

£

£

£388

$250

$150

£40

£40

£50

£146

$63

—

—

—

—

£2

$31

$22

—

—

—

31 December

31 December

2021

Total

’000

£536

$344

$172

£40

£40

£50

2020

Total

’000

$910

$405

$171

£40

£40

£50

1  Benefits include the provision of private health insurance for Executive Directors and their immediate families. 

The total Directors’ remuneration for the period ended 31 December 2021, in US dollars, was $1,438,000 (2020: $5,433,000) including gains 
on share options exercised in the prior year. 

Approval

This report was approved by the Directors and signed by order of the Board.

Karl Monaghan 
Chairman of the Remuneration Committee
23 June 2022

52

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ report
Erik Miller, Chief Financial Officer

The Directors present their report and the 
audited financial statements for the year 
ended 31 December 2021 in accordance 
with the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991. 
Particulars of important events affecting 
the Group, together with the factors 
likely to affect its future development, 
performance and position, are set out in the 
Strategic report on pages 6 to 35, which is 
incorporated into this report by reference 
together with the Corporate governance 
report on pages 42 to 46. In addition, 
this report should be read in conjunction 
with information concerning employee 
share schemes, which can be found in the 
Remuneration Committee report on pages 
50 to 52 and in Note 13 to the financial 
statements, and which is incorporated 
by way of cross-reference into the 
Directors’ report. 

Principal activity

The principal activity of the Group 
is the development and provision of 
global collaboration software.

Business review and future 
developments

A review of the Group’s operations and 
future developments is covered in the 
Strategic report section of the Annual 
Report and Accounts on pages 6 to 35. This 
report includes sections on strategy and 
markets and considers key risks and key 
performance indicators.

Financial results

Details of the Group’s financial results are 
set out in the consolidated statement of 
profit or loss and other comprehensive 
income and other components on 
pages 61 to 90.

Going concern

The Company’s business activities, together 
with risk factors which potentially affect 
its future development, performance or 
position, can be found in the Strategic report 
on pages 6 to 35. Details of the Company’s 
financial position and its cash flows are 
outlined in the Financial review on pages 
33 and 34. 

After making reasonable enquiries and 
following a share subscription during the 
year which raised $42.5m of gross proceeds, 
with another share subscription after the 
end of the year for total proceeds of $19.8m, 
the Board has an expectation that the Group 
and the Company have adequate financial 
resources together with a strong business 
model to ensure they continue to operate 
for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the 
Directors have adopted the going concern 
basis in preparing the financial statements. 
This is described in more detail in Note 2(b).

Annual General Meeting (“AGM”)

On pages 92 to 95 is the Notice of the 
Company’s tenth AGM to be held at 10am 
on 22 July 2022 at the UK Company’s 
offices, Castle House, 1–13 Angel Street, 
Sheffield S3 8LN. 

Directors

The Directors who served on the Board and 
on Board Committees during the year are 
set out on pages 38 and 39. One-third of the 
Directors are required to retire at the AGM 
and can offer themselves for re-election. 

Information on Directors’ remuneration 
and share option rights is given in the 
Remuneration Committee report on 
pages 50 to 52.

Directors’ indemnity arrangements

The Directors benefited from qualifying 
third party indemnity provisions in place 
during the financial year and at the date 
of this report. Other than this, and with the 
exception of employment contracts between 
each Executive Director and the Group, at 
no time during the year did any Director 
hold a material interest in any contract of 
significance with the Group or any of its 
subsidiary undertakings. The Group has 
purchased and maintained throughout 
the year Directors’ and officers’ liability 
insurance in respect of all Group companies. 

None of the Directors had any interest in the 
share capital of any subsidiary company. 
Further details of options held by the 
Directors are set out in the Remuneration 
Committee report on pages 50 to 52.

The middle market price of the Company’s 
ordinary shares on 31 December 2021 was 
412.50 pence and the range during the year 
was 260.00 pence to 540.00 pence, with an 
average price of 393.27 pence.

Significant shareholders

The Company is informed that, at 9 June 2022 (the latest practicable date prior to 
publication), individual registered shareholdings of more than 3% of the Company’s issued 
share capital were as follows:

Dividends

Lombard Odier Asset Management (Europe) Limited

The Directors do not recommend the 
payment of a dividend (2020: $nil).

Invesco Ltd. 

Conifer Capital Management

Grant Dollens1

Davis Capital Partners, LLC

Dr Yeturu Aahlad

Richard Griffiths

Ross Creek Capital Management, LLC

David Richards

% of issued

ordinary

share

capital

Number

of shares

7,226,219

12.08%

5,873,268

5,525,943

5,085,131

3,297,915

2,477,016

2,420,130

2,025,000

1,807,264

9.82%

9.24%

8.50%

5.51%

4.14%

4.05%

3.39%

3.02%

1   Of which 526,384 shares (0.88%) are held by Grant Dollens personally and 1,921,988 shares (3.21%) 

are held by Global Frontier Partners, LP and 4,777,847 (7.99%) are held by Global Frontier Technology 
Opportunity Fund, LP, in which Grant Dollens is interested (Grant Dollens is currently Managing 
Member at Global Frontier Investments, LLC, a US-based investment manager, and Portfolio Manager 
for Global Frontier Partners, LP, a shareholder in WANdisco).

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

53

Corporate governanceAuditor

As recommended by the Audit Committee, 
a resolution for the re-appointment of BDO 
LLP as auditor of the Company is to be 
proposed at the forthcoming AGM.

Audit information 

Each of the Directors at the date of the 
Directors’ report confirms that, so far 
as he is aware, there is no relevant audit 
information of which the Company’s 
auditor is unaware and he has taken all the 
reasonable steps that he ought to have taken 
as a Director to make himself aware of any 
relevant audit information and to establish 
that the Company’s auditor is aware of 
the information. 

Subsequent events

On 15 June 2022 the Group announced 
a new subscription of shares to new 
and existing shareholders for 5,857,862 
new ordinary shares of 10 pence each in 
the Company at a price of 270 pence (a 
premium of 5.5% on the closing share price 
on 14 June 2022) raising gross proceeds 
of $19.8m.

The Directors’ report has been approved by 
the Board of Directors on 23 June 2022. 

Signed on behalf of the Board.

Erik Miller
Chief Financial Officer
23 June 2022

Directors’ report continued
Erik Miller, Chief Financial Officer

Directors’ shareholdings

The beneficial interests of the Directors in the share capital of the Company at 31 December 2021 
and 9 June 2022 (the latest practicable date prior to publication) were as follows:

At 31 December 2021

At 9 June 2022

% of issued

ordinary

share

capital

Number

of shares

% of issued

ordinary

share

capital

Number

of shares

1,807,264

2,477,016

3.03%

1,807,264

4.16%   2,477,016

1,820

0.00%  

1,820

3.02%

4.14%

0.00%

7,226,219

12.12%   7,226,219

12.08%

64,629

22,170

0.11%  

0.04%  

64,629

22,170

0.11%

0.04%

Executive

David Richards

Dr Yeturu Aahlad

Erik Miller

Non-executive

Grant Dollens1

Karl Monaghan

Bob Corey

1   Of which 526,384 shares (0.88%) are held by Grant Dollens personally and 1,921,988 shares (3.21%) 

are held by Global Frontier Partners, LP and 4,777,847 (7.99%) are held by Global Frontier Technology 
Opportunity Fund, LP, in which Grant Dollens is interested (Grant Dollens is currently Managing 
Member at Global Frontier Investments, LLC, a US-based investment manager, and Portfolio Manager 
for Global Frontier Partners, LP, a shareholder in WANdisco).

Articles of Association

Any amendments to the Articles of 
Association of the Company may be made 
by special resolution of the shareholders. 

Research and development

The Group expended $11,380,000 during 
the year (2020: $8,991,000) on research 
and development, of which $5,340,000 
(2020: $5,220,000) was capitalised within 
intangible assets and $6,040,000 (2020: 
$3,771,000) was charged to the income 
statement. In addition, an amortisation 
charge of $5,115,000 (2020: $5,070,000) 
has been recognised against previously 
capitalised costs.

Derivatives and financial instruments

The Group’s policy and exposure to derivatives 
and financial instruments is set out in Note 23.

Employee involvement

It is the Group’s policy to involve employees in 
its progress, development and performance. 
Applications for employment by disabled 
persons are fully considered, bearing in 
mind the respective aptitudes and abilities 
of the applicants concerned. The Group is 
a committed equal opportunities employer 
and has engaged employees with broad 
backgrounds and skills.

It is the policy of the Group that the training, 
career development and promotion of a 
disabled person should, as far as possible, 
be identical to that of a person who does not 
have a disability. In the event of members 
of staff becoming disabled, every effort is 
made to ensure that their employment with 
the Group continues.

Health and safety

The Group is committed to providing a 
safe and healthy working environment for 
all staff and contractors. The Group’s health 
and safety standard sets out the range of 
policies, procedures and systems required 
to manage risks and promote wellbeing. 

Political and charitable donations

During the year ended 31 December 2021 
the Group made political donations of $nil 
(2020: $nil) and charitable donations of 
$97,911 (2020: $82,578).

Supplier payment policy and practice

The Group does not operate a standard 
code in respect of payments to suppliers. 
The Group agrees terms of payment with 
suppliers at the start of business and 
then makes payments in accordance with 
contractual and other legal obligations.

The number of creditor days outstanding 
at 31 December 2021 was 14 days 
(2020: 17 days).

54

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Statement of Directors’ responsibilities
In respect of the Annual Report and the financial statements

Directors’ 
responsibilities

The Directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report 
and the Group financial statements in accordance with 
applicable law and regulations. 

The Directors are responsible for keeping 
adequate accounting records that disclose 
with reasonable accuracy at any time the 
financial position of the Company and to 
enable them to ensure that the financial 
statements comply with the Companies 
(Jersey) Law 1991. They are responsible 
for such internal control as they determine 
is necessary to enable the preparation of 
financial statements that are free from 
material misstatement, whether due to fraud 
or error, and have general responsibility for 
taking such steps as are reasonably open 
to them to safeguard the assets of the 
Company and to prevent and detect fraud 
and other irregularities. 

The Directors are responsible for the 
maintenance and integrity of the corporate 
and financial information included on the 
Company’s website. Legislation in Jersey 
governing the preparation and dissemination 
of financial statements may differ from 
legislation in other jurisdictions.

Companies (Jersey) Law requires the 
Directors to prepare Group financial 
statements for each financial year. As 
required by the AIM Rules of the London 
Stock Exchange they are required to 
prepare the Group financial statements in 
accordance with International Financial 
Reporting Standards as adopted by the 
UK (“UK adopted international accounting 
standards”) and applicable law.

Under Companies (Jersey) Law the Directors 
must not approve the financial statements 
unless they are satisfied that they give a true 
and fair view of the state of affairs of the 
Group and of its profit or loss for that period. 
In preparing the Group financial statements, 
the Directors are required to: 

 5 select suitable accounting policies and 

then apply them consistently; 

 5 make judgements and estimates that 
are reasonable, relevant and reliable; 

 5 state whether they have been prepared 
in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by 
the UK; and

 5 assess the Group’s ability to continue as 

a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, 
matters related to going concern and use 
the going concern basis of accounting 
unless they either intend to liquidate the 
Group or to cease operations, or have 
no realistic alternative but to do so. 

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

55

Corporate governanceIndependent auditor’s report
to the members of WANdisco plc

Opinion on the financial statements

In our opinion the financial statements:

 5 give a true and fair view of the state of the Group’s affairs as at 31 

December 2021 and of its loss for the year then ended;

 5 have been properly prepared in accordance with UK adopted 

international accounting standards; and

 5 have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of 

Companies (Jersey) Law 1991.

We have audited the financial statements of WANdisco plc (the 
‘Parent Company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘Group’) for the year 
ended 31 December 2021 which comprise the Consolidated 
statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, the 
Consolidated statement of financial position, the Consolidated 
statement of changes in equity, the Consolidated statement of cash 
flows and notes to the Consolidated financial statements, including a 
summary of significant accounting policies. 

The financial reporting framework that has been applied in the 
preparation of the financial statements is applicable law and UK 
adopted international accounting standards.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards 
on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities 
under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s 

Overview

Coverage

Key audit matters

100% (2020: 100%) of Group loss before tax
100% (2020: 100%) of Group revenue
100% (2020: 98%) of Group total assets

Revenue recognition
Capitalisation of internal development costs
Carrying value of development costs
Going concern

responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of 
our report. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is 
sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. 

Independence

We remain independent of the Group and the Parent Company in 
accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our 
audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s 
Ethical Standard as applied to listed entities, and we have fulfilled our 
other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. 

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the 
Directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the 
preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Our evaluation 
of the Directors’ assessment of the Group and the Parent Company’s 
ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting 
has been included in the key audit matters section below.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified 
any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, 
individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Group’s 
ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve 
months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue. 

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Directors with 
respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of 
this report.

2021

2020






 
 
 
 

Materiality

Group financial statements as a whole
$430k (2020: $350k) based on 1.25% (2020: 1.25%) of the three-year average of loss before tax.

An overview of the scope of our audit

Our Group audit was scoped by obtaining an understanding of the 
Group and its environment, including the Group’s system of internal 
control, and assessing the risks of material misstatement in the 
financial statements. We also addressed the risk of management 
override of internal controls, including assessing whether there was 
evidence of bias by the Directors that may have represented a risk of 
material misstatement.

In determining the scope of our audit, we considered the level 
of work to be performed at each component in order to ensure 
sufficient assurance was gained to allow us to express an opinion on 
the financial statements of the Group as a whole. 

The Group audit engagement team performed a full scope audit of 
three significant components. At the Group level, we also tested the 
consolidation process. 

For the remaining two non-significant components the Group 
audit engagement team performed other procedures, including 
analytical reviews, audit procedures on specific balances and direct 
confirmation of cash balances to respond to any potential risks of 
material misstatement to the Group financial statements.

Key audit matters

Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional 
judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the financial 
statements of the current period and include the most significant 
assessed risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to 
fraud) that we identified, including those which had the greatest 
effect on: the overall audit strategy, the allocation of resources in 
the audit, and directing the efforts of the engagement team. These 
matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial 
statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we 
do not provide a separate opinion on these matters. 

56

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

An overview of the scope of our audit continued

Key audit matters continued
Key audit matter

How the scope of our audit addressed the key audit matter

Going concern
See Note 2(b).

The Group’s continuing losses, along 
with other factors, including cash burn 
rate, decreasing revenue year on year 
and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, 
are indicators that the risk associated 
with the Group’s going concern status is 
greater than normal. The considerations 
supporting the going concern assessment 
require the Directors to make highly 
subjective judgements. 

 5 Obtaining an understanding of the business model, objectives, strategies and 
related business risk, the measurement and review of the Group’s financial 
performance including forecasting and budgeting processes and the Group’s 
risk assessment process;

 5 Evaluating the Directors’ cash flow forecast model including the relevance 
and reliability of underlying data used to make the assessment by agreeing 
to supporting documentation, including management accounts, whether 
assumptions and changes to assumptions from prior years are appropriate and 
consistent with each other;

 5 Assessing the Group’s historical budgeting accuracy, via a retrospective 

We have therefore spent significant audit 
effort in assessing the appropriateness of 
the assumptions involved, and as such this 
has been identified as a Key Audit Matter.

review of actual performance against budget and understanding the changes 
in circumstances by reviewing the pipeline of customers leading to the 
forecast revenue;

 5 Analysing changes in key assumptions including a reasonably possible (but not 
unrealistic) reduction in forecast revenue to understand the sensitivity in the 
cash flow forecasts for a period of twelve months from the date of approval of 
the financial statements;

 5 We evaluated the Directors’ plans for future actions such as revenue growth 

and gross profit margins in relation to the going concern assessment including 
whether such plans are feasible in the circumstances, with reference to 
management accounts and other supporting documentation; 

 5 Reviewing post-balance sheet events, specifically the funding received as a 
result of the equity issued in June 2022 and the actual post year end results 
against budgeted performance of the Group in January, to May 2022; and

 5 We evaluated the adequacy and appropriateness of disclosures in the financial 

statements regarding the going concern assessment and any material 
uncertainties that may exist in accordance with IAS 1. 

Our audit work included the following procedures on the revenue recognition:

 5 We evaluated management’s determination of whether the nature of the Group’s 
products results in the provision of a deliverable at a point in time or over a contractual 
term. This included the assessment of a sample of new or one-off transactions.

 5 For a sample of customers, we tested all revenue transactions in FY2021 with 

the customers to (1) ensure a proper identification of deliverables; (2) proper and 
consistent allocation of the contract price to the performance obligations satisfied 
over time and at a point in time; (3) for deliverables, for which revenue is earned over 
time, accurate calculation of the revenue and deferred revenue based on the progress 
of the contract, (4) consistent application of the revenue recognition policy, and (5) 
appropriate period of revenue recognition with reference to contractual documents;

 5 We performed cut-off testing, testing a sample of revenue transactions either 

side of the period end to underlying support to confirm that revenue was 
appropriately recognised in the correct period.

 5 We performed a search for revenue recorded through journal entries and 

tested for any unusual entries such as unexpected double entry combinations, 
or entries that were posted outside of normal business processes. We 
investigated any unusual items to establish whether the sale had occurred in 
the financial year to support the revenue recognised;

 5 We performed certain specific procedures to address the risk of management 
override, which included testing of unusual, new or significant transactions or 
contractual terms as contracts usually have standard terms; and

 5 For a sample of contracts we obtained management’s analysis of their estimate 
of the fair value attributed to each identified performance obligation within each 
sampled contract and the timing of revenue recognition for each deliverable. The 
allocation of fair value is typically 20% to licenses and 80% to maintenance and 
support. We audited this by looking at the allocations used by comparable public 
companies and through reviewing the underlying contracts for non-standard 
terms and conditions that might indicate that this allocation should be different.

Revenue 
recognition
See Note 7  
and relevant 
accounting 
policies  
in Note 28.

The Group’s contracts with customers 
involve multiple performance obligations. 
Therefore, revenue recognition related 
to each performance obligation requires 
judgement over the assessment of the 
separate contract performance obligations.

We assessed revenue recognition as a 
fraud risk as revenue forms the basis for 
certain of the Group’s key performance 
indicators, both in external communications 
and for management incentives. 

We identified specific risks of fraud and 
error in respect of inappropriate revenue 
recognition given the nature of the Group’s 
contracts with customers as follows:

 5 The recognition of revenue in the 

appropriate period, including the deferral, 
or accrual of revenue, i.e., cut-off; 

 5 The completeness of deferred revenue; 

 5 The measurement of revenue attributed 
to each deliverable within a contract  
with a customer; and

 5 Risk of manipulation of revenue  
through manual journal entries.

We therefore considered revenue 
recognition to be a key audit matter.

Key observations 
Based on procedures performed, we consider that revenue has been recognised appropriately and in accordance with accounting standards.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

57

Financial statementsIndependent auditor’s report continued
to the members of WANdisco plc

An overview of the scope of our audit continued

Key audit matters continued

Key audit matter

Capitalisation 
of internal 
development 
costs
See Note 15  
and relevant 
accounting
policies in  
Note 28.

How the scope of our audit addressed the key audit matter

The Directors apply judgement in the 
classification of expenditure as capital in 
nature rather than ongoing operational 
expenditure. The significant judgement 
and related risk is that internal costs 
are capitalised that should be expensed 
under the requirements of IAS 38 – 
Intangible assets.

Due to the judgements involved on this area 
we considered it to be a key audit matter.

 5 For a sample of items capitalised during the year we assessed the nature 
cost and evaluated the appropriateness of its classification as capitalised 
costs, having regard to IAS 38 requirements. This included assessing whether 
major projects are technically feasible and commercially viable by reference to 
existing orders and future forecasts given the core technology; and

 5 We agreed the existence of a sample of employees to contracts including 

verifying their salary costs. Through challenging management’s judgements 
and assumptions, we were able to gain comfort that the costs capitalised as 
development expenditure were appropriate based on the efforts and work 
involved on the systems.

Key observations 
Based on procedures performed, we consider the judgements made by management in capitalising development costs were reasonable and 
the development costs capitalised were in line with the requirements of IAS 38.

Carrying value 
of development 
costs
See Note 15  
and relevant
accounting 
policies in  
Note 28.

The Group continues to be loss making 
and as result, the Group has tested 
previously capitalised development 
costs for impairment. There remains a 
degree of uncertainty around whether 
expected revenues and profits will be 
realised and be sufficient to ensure 
recoverability of the assets recognised 
on the balance sheet.

Due to the judgements involved on 
this area we considered it to be a key 
audit matter.

Our audit work included the following procedures on carrying value of 
development costs:

 5 We performed audit procedures on the reasonableness of the growth rates, 
margin and the discount rate applied including comparison to economic  
and industry forecasts where appropriate with assistance from BDO  
valuation specialists;

 5 We assessed the appropriateness of the key assumptions used in the FY22 

forecast including new customer acquisition (pipeline) to supporting evidence, 
upsell/add-ons and level of loss of customers by assessing these against the 
results achieved in FY21; and

 5 We performed sensitivity analysis of management’s model in respect of the 
key assumptions such as discount rate and growth rates to ensure there was 
sufficient headroom in their calculation.

Key observations 
Based on procedures performed, we considered that management’s judgements and disclosures were appropriate.

Our application of materiality

We apply the concept of materiality both in planning and performing our audit, and in evaluating the effect of misstatements. We consider 
materiality to be the magnitude by which misstatements, including omissions, could influence the economic decisions of reasonable users 
that are taken on the basis of the financial statements. 

In order to reduce to an appropriately low level the probability that any misstatements exceed materiality, we use a lower materiality level, 
performance materiality, to determine the extent of testing needed. Importantly, misstatements below these levels will not necessarily 
be evaluated as immaterial as we also take account of the nature of identified misstatements, and the particular circumstances of their 
occurrence, when evaluating their effect on the financial statements as a whole. 

58

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Our application of materiality continued

Based on our professional judgement, we determined materiality for the financial statements as a whole and performance materiality 
as follows:

Materiality

2021
$k

430

2020
$k

350

Basis for determining 
materiality

1.25% of three-year average loss before tax. Provides a more stable measure year on year of performance from 
a financial and operational perspective for the Group.

Rationale for the 
benchmark applied

Suitable benchmark to address the performance of a non-profitable business.

Performance materiality 280

227

Basis for determining 
performance materiality

65% of materiality. The level of performance materiality 
to be applied was based on our assessment of the 
Group’s internal controls and the impact of these on  
our proposed audit strategy. We have considered the 
level of expected errors and managements attitude to 
correcting proposed audit adjustments when reaching 
our conclusion of the level of performance materiality  
to be applied.

65% of materiality. The level of performance materiality 
to be applied was based on our assessment of the 
Group’s internal controls and the impact of these on our 
proposed audit strategy. We have considered the level  
of expected errors and managements attitude to 
correcting proposed audit adjustments when reaching 
our conclusion of the level of performance materiality  
to be applied.

Component materiality

Other information

We set materiality for each significant component of the Group 
based on a percentage of between 45% and 65% of Group materiality 
dependent on the size and our assessment of the risk of material 
misstatement of the significant components. Component materiality 
ranged from $189k to $280k. In the audit of each component, 
we further applied performance materiality levels of 65% of the 
component materiality to our testing to ensure that the risk of errors 
exceeding component materiality was appropriately mitigated.

Reporting threshold 

We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report to them 
all individual audit differences in excess of $21,500 (2020: $17,000). 
We also agreed to report differences below this threshold that, in our 
view, warranted reporting on qualitative grounds.

The directors are responsible for the other information. The other 
information comprises the information included in the annual report 
and financial statements other than the financial statements and 
our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements 
does not cover the other information and, except to the extent 
otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any 
form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read 
the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other 
information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements 
or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise 
appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material 
inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required 
to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in 
the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have 
performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this 
other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Other Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 reporting

Based on the responsibilities described below and our work performed during the course of the audit, we are required by the Companies 
(Jersey) Law 1991 and ISAs (UK) to report on certain opinions and matters as described below.

Matters on which we 
are required to report 
by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 
requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

 5 proper accounting records have not been kept by the Parent Company or returns adequate for our audit have not 

been received from branches not visited by us; or

 5 the Parent Company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or 

 5 we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

59

Financial statementsIndependent auditor’s report continued
to the members of WANdisco plc

Responsibilities of Directors

As explained more fully in the Statement of Directors’ responsibilities 
in respect of the annual report and the financial statements, 
the Directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial 
statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, 
and for such internal control as the Directors determine is necessary 
to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from 
material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Directors are responsible 
for assessing the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern, 
disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using 
the going concern basis of accounting unless the Directors either 
intend to liquidate the Group or to cease operations, or have no 
realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the 
financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether 
the financial statements as a whole are free from material 
misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an 
auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance 
is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit 
conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material 
misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or 
error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, 
they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic 
decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Extent to which the audit was capable of detecting 
irregularities, including fraud

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance 
with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our 
responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements 
in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our 
procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is 
detailed below:

 5 We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory 

frameworks that are applicable to the Group and the components 
and the relevant tax compliance regulations in the jurisdictions 
in which the Group operates, of which the key ones relate to the 
reporting framework (IFRS and the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991), 
AIM rules, labour law, health and safety and taxation. We obtained 
an understanding legal and regulatory frameworks that are 
applicable to the Group by making enquiries of management and 
corroborated our enquiries through our review of board minutes 
and papers provided to the Audit Committee and attendance at all 
meetings of the Audit Committee, as well as consideration of the 
results of our audit procedures across the Group.

 5 We enquired of management and obtained and reviewed 

supporting documentation, concerning the Group’s policies and 
procedures relating to:

 5 identifying, evaluating and complying with laws and regulations 
and whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance;

 5 detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they 
had knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud; and

 5 the internal controls established to mitigate risks related to fraud 

or non-compliance with laws and regulations.

60

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

The engagement partner has assessed and confirmed that the 
engagement team collectively had the appropriate competence 
and capabilities to identify or recognise non-compliance with laws 
and regulations.

 5 We evaluated management’s incentives and opportunities for 

fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including the 
risk of override of controls) and determined that the principal risks 
were related to posting inappropriate journal entries to manipulate 
financial results and management bias in accounting estimates.

Based on our understanding of the environment and assessment 
of the incentive and opportunity for fraud we carried out the 
following procedures:

 5 Journal entry testing, with a focus on journals indicating large or 

unusual transactions based on our understanding of the business 
and manual consolidation entries; 

 5 Challenging the assumptions and judgements made by 

management in respect of significant accounting estimates;

 5 In areas impacting Group key performance indicators or 

management remuneration, we performed audit procedures to 
address each identified fraud risk, as described in the revenue 
recognition. capitalisation of develop costs and carrying value of 
development costs key audit matter section above; and

 5 We communicated relevant identified laws and regulations and 
potential fraud risks to all engagement team members and 
component auditors and remained alert to any indications of fraud 
or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.

Our audit procedures were designed to respond to risks of material 
misstatement in the financial statements, recognising that the risk of 
not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the 
risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve 
deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery, misrepresentations 
or through collusion. There are inherent limitations in the audit 
procedures performed and the further removed non-compliance 
with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions 
reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we are to become 
aware of it.

A further description of our responsibilities is available 
on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: 
www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part 
of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the Parent Company’s members, as 
a body, in accordance with Article 113A of the Companies (Jersey) 
Law 1991. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might 
state to the Parent Company’s members those matters we are 
required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other 
purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or 
assume responsibility to anyone other than the Parent Company and 
the Parent Company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for 
this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

David Butcher 
For and on behalf of BDO LLP, Chartered Accountants
London, UK 
23 June 2022

BDO LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and 
Wales (with registered number OC315127).

Consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income
For the year ended 31 December 2021

Revenue
Cost of sales

Gross profit
Operating expenses
Impairment loss

Operating loss

Finance income
Finance costs

Net finance income/(costs)

Loss before tax
Income tax 

Loss for the year

Other comprehensive (loss)/income
Items that are or may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss:
Foreign operations – foreign currency translation differences

Other comprehensive (loss)/income for the year, net of tax

Total comprehensive loss for the year attributable to owners of the parent

Loss per share
Basic and diluted loss per share

The notes on pages 65 to 90 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

31 December 31 December

Note

6,7
8

2021

$’000

7,306
(659)

8,9

23(a)(ii)

6,647
(44,350)
(2,131)

2020

$’000

10,532 
(1,066)

9,466 
(43,373)
—

9

10
10

10

11

(39,834)

(33,907)

1,175
(172)

305 
(2,183)

1,003

(1,878)

(38,831)
1,236

(35,785)
1,453 

(37,595)

(34,332)

(1,041)

3,872

(1,041)

3,872

(38,636)

(30,460)

12

($0.65)

($0.68)

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

61

Financial statementsConsolidated statement of financial position 
At 31 December 2021

Assets
Property, plant and equipment
Intangible assets
Other non-current assets

Non-current assets

Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents

Current assets

Total assets

Equity
Share capital
Share premium
Translation reserve
Merger reserve
Retained earnings

Total equity

Liabilities
Loans and borrowings
Deferred income
Deferred tax liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Current tax liabilities
Loans and borrowings
Trade and other payables
Deferred income

Current liabilities

Total liabilities

Total equity and liabilities

31 December 31 December

Note

2021

$’000

2020

$’000

14
15
16

17
18

2,244
5,252
1,201

2,895
5,027
2,215

8,697

10,137

5,731
27,759

10,142
21,039

33,490

31,181

42,187

41,318

19(a)
19(c) 
19(c)
19(c)

8,608
213,762
(2,752)
1,247
(186,442)

7,641
172,868
(1,711)
1,247
(150,851)

34,423

29,194

20
21
11(d)

1,230
334
4

1,778
659
4

20
22
21

1,568

2,441

29
586
4,156
1,425

12
1,115
5,462
3,094

6,196

9,683

7,764

12,124

42,187

41,318

The notes on pages 65 to 90 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

The financial statements on pages 61 to 90 were approved by the Board of Directors on 23 June 2022 and signed on its behalf by:

David Richards  
Chairman and CEO 

Erik Miller

  Chief Financial Officer

Company registered number: 110497

62

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

 
 
Consolidated statement of changes in equity
For the year ended 31 December 2021

Attributable to owners of the Company

Share

capital

$’000

Share

Translation

premium

$’000

reserve

$’000

Merger

reserve

$’000

Retained

earnings

$’000

Total

equity

$’000

Note

Balance at 31 December 2019

7,097

149,336

(5,583)

1,247

(121,922)

30,175

Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the year 
Loss for the year 
Other comprehensive income for the year

Total comprehensive income/(loss) for the year

Transactions with owners of the Company
Contributions and distributions
Equity-settled share-based payment
Share options exercised 
Proceeds from share placing

Total transactions with owners of the Company

—
—

—

—
—

—

—
3,872

3,872

13(d)

—
162
382

—
106
23,426

544

23,532

—
—
—

—

—
—

—

—
—
—

—

(34,332)
—

(34,332)
3,872

(34,332)

(30,460)

5,403
—
—

5,403
268
23,808

5,403

29,479

Balance at 31 December 2020

7,641

172,868

(1,711)

1,247

(150,851)

29,194

Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the year 
Loss for the year 
Other comprehensive loss for the year

Total comprehensive loss for the year

Transactions with owners of the Company
Contributions and distributions
Equity-settled share-based payment
Share options exercised
Proceeds from share placing

Total transactions with owners of the Company

—
—

—

—
15
952

967

—
—

—

—
(1,041)

(1,041)

—
21
40,873

40,894

—
—
—

—

—
—

—

—
—
—

—

(37,595)
—

(37,595)
(1,041)

(37,595)

(38,636)

2,004
—
—

2,004
36
41,825

2,004

43,865

13(d)

Balance at 31 December 2021

8,608

213,762

(2,752)

1,247

(186,442)

34,423

The notes on pages 65 to 90 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

63

Financial statementsConsolidated statement of cash flows
For the year ended 31 December 2021

Cash flows from operating activities
Loss for the year
Adjustments for:
– Depreciation of property, plant and equipment
– Amortisation of intangible assets
– Net finance costs
– Income tax
– Foreign exchange
– Equity-settled share-based payment 

Changes in:
– Trade and other receivables 
– Trade and other payables
– Deferred income

Net working capital change

Cash used in operating activities
Interest paid
Income tax received

Net cash used in operating activities

Cash flows from investing activities
Interest received
Acquisition of property, plant and equipment
Development expenditure 

Net cash used in investing activities

Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from issue of share capital net of transaction costs of $0.6m (2020: $1.1m)
Repayment of bank loan
Payment of lease liabilities 

Net cash from financing activities

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January
Effect of movements in exchange rates on cash held

Note

2021

$’000

 2020

$’000

14
15

11

13(d)

(37,595)

(34,332)

1,077
5,115
116
(1,236)
(992)
2,004

1,203
5,070
69
(1,453)
3,773
5,403

(31,511)

(20,267)

5,728
(1,280)
(1,994)

339
910
(57)

2,454

1,192

(29,057)
(170)
998

(19,075)
(294)
662

(28,229)

(18,707)

10

15

5
(427)
(5,340)

21
(307)
(5,220)

(5,762)

(5,506)

20(c)
20(c)

41,861
(556)
(517)

24,076
(1,666)
(595)

40,788

21,815

6,797
21,039
(77)

(2,398)
23,354
83

Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December

18

27,759

21,039

The notes on pages 65 to 90 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

64

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Notes to the consolidated financial statements
For the year ended 31 December 2021

1. Reporting entity

WANdisco plc (“the Company”) is a public limited company incorporated and domiciled in Jersey. The Company’s ordinary shares are traded 
on AIM. The Company’s registered office is 47 Esplanade, St. Helier, Jersey JE1 0BD. These consolidated financial statements comprise the 
Company and its subsidiaries (together referred to as the “Group”). The Group is primarily involved in the development and provision of global 
collaboration software.

2. Basis of accounting

These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRSs”) - UK 
adopted international accounting standards. They were authorised for issue by the Company’s Board of Directors on 23 June 2022. 

Under Article 105(11) of the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991, a parent company preparing consolidated financial statements need not present 
solus (parent company only) financial information, unless required to do so by an ordinary resolution of the Company’s members. 

(a) Accounting policies

Details of the Group’s accounting policies are included in Note 28. The policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, 
unless otherwise stated.

The following new standards and amendments to standards that are effective for the first time for the financial year beginning 1 January 2021 
have been adopted:

 5 Interest Rate Benchmark Reform — Phase 2 (Amendments to IFRS 9, IAS 39, IFRS 7, IFRS 4 and IFRS 16); and

 5 COVID-19-Related Rent Concessions beyond 30 June 2021 (Amendment to IFRS 16).

These amendments to standards have not had a material impact on these financial statements.

(b) Going concern basis of accounting

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which assumes that the Group will be able to meet 
the mandatory repayment terms of the banking facilities as disclosed in Note 20.

As at 31 December 2021 the Group had net assets of $34.4m (31 December 2020: $29.2m), including cash of $27.8m (2020: $21.0m) as 
set out in the consolidated statement of financial position, with no debt facility outstanding (2020: debt facility fully drawn of $0.6m). In the 
year ended 31 December 2021, the Group incurred a loss before tax of $38.8m (2020: $35.8m) and net cash outflows before financing of 
$34.0m (2020: $24.2m).

During 2021, the performance of the Group declined, with revenue reducing by 31% to $7.3m (2020: $10.5m) and operating loss increasing 
to $39.8m (2020: $33.9m).

The Directors have prepared a detailed budget and forecast of the Group’s expected performance over a period covering at least the next 
twelve months from the date of the approval of these financial statements. As well as modelling the realisation of the sales pipeline, these 
forecasts also cover a number of scenarios and sensitivities in order for the Board to satisfy itself that the Group remains within its current 
cash facilities, details of which are included in Note 20. The cash flow model includes the injection of $19.8m of cash which was announced 
following the year end on 15 June 2022.

Whilst the Directors are confident in the Group’s ability to grow revenue, the Board’s sensitivity modelling (which considered the impact of 
Brexit, COVID-19, recession risks and the conflict in Ukraine) shows that the Group can remain within its facilities in the event that revenue 
growth is delayed (i.e. revenue does not increase from the level reported in 2021) for a period in excess of twelve months. The Directors’ 
financial forecasts and operational planning and modelling also include the actions, under the control of the Group, that they could take to 
further significantly reduce the cost base during the coming year in the event that longer-term revenues were set to remain consistent with 
the level reported in 2021. On the basis of this financial and operational modelling, the Directors believe that the Group has the capability and 
the operational agility to react quickly, cut further costs from the business and ensure that the cost base of the business is aligned with its 
revenue and funding scale.

As a consequence, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Group can continue to operate within its existing facilities and be 
able to meet its commitments and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business for a period not less than twelve months from 
the date of approval of these financial statements. Accordingly, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the Group 
financial statements.

3. Functional and presentational currency

See accounting policy in Note 28(b).

The consolidated financial statements are presented in US dollars, as the revenue for the Group is predominantly derived in this currency. 
Billings to the Group’s customers during the year by WANdisco, Inc. were all in US dollars with certain costs being incurred by WANdisco 
International Limited in sterling and WANdisco, Pty Ltd in Australian dollars. All financial information has been rounded to the nearest 
thousand US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

65

Financial statements4. Use of judgements and estimates

See accounting policy in Note 28(c).

In preparing these consolidated financial statements, management has made judgements and estimates that affect the application of the 
Group’s accounting policies and the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, income and expenses. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to estimates are recognised prospectively. 

(a) Judgements

Information about judgements made in applying accounting policies, which are included in note 28 (c), that have the most significant effect 
on the amounts recognised in the financial statements is included in the following notes: 

 5 Note 7 – revenue recognition (note 28 (d)).

 5 Note 15 – development costs (note 28 (m)).

(b) Assumptions and estimation uncertainties

Information about assumptions and estimation uncertainties at 31 December 2021 that have a significant risk of resulting in a material 
adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities in the next financial year is included in the following notes:

 5 Note 28 (d) – revenue recognition: allocation of value to maintenance and support element of subscription arrangements.

 5 Note 15 – impairment test of intangible assets: key assumptions underlying recoverable amounts, including the recoverability 

of development costs.

(c) Measurement of fair values 

A number of the Group’s accounting policies and disclosures require the measurement of fair values, for both financial and non-financial 
assets and liabilities. Further information about the assumptions made in measuring fair values is included in the following note:

 5 Note 13 – share-based payment.

5. Alternative performance measures

The Group uses a number of alternative performance measures (“APMs”) which are non-IFRS measures to monitor the performance of its 
operations. The Group believes these APMs provide useful historical financial information to help investors and other stakeholders evaluate 
the performance of the business and are measures commonly used by certain investors for evaluating the performance of the Group. In 
particular, the Group uses APMs which reflect the underlying performance on the basis that this provides a more relevant focus on the core 
business performance of the Group and aligns with our KPIs. Adjusted results exclude certain items because if included, these items could 
distort the understanding of our performance for the year and the comparability between periods. The Group has been using the following 
APMs on a consistent basis and they are defined and reconciled as follows:

 5 Cash overheads: Operating expenses adjusted for: depreciation, amortisation, capitalisation of development expenditure and equity-

settled share-based payment. See Note 9 for a reconciliation.

 5 Adjusted EBITDA: Operating loss adjusted for: impairment loss, depreciation, amortisation and equity-settled share-based payment. See Note 9 

for a reconciliation.

6. Operating segments

See accounting policy in Note 28(e).

The Directors consider there to be one operating segment, being that of development and sale of licences for software and related 
maintenance and support.

(a) Geographical segments

The Group recognises revenue in three geographical regions based on the location of customers, as set out in the following table:

Revenue

North America – USA
North America – Other
Europe
Rest of the world – China
Rest of the world – Other

2021

$’000 

4,992
32
1,218
643
421

2020

$’000 

8,635
34
1,096
412
355

7,306

10,532

Management makes no allocation of costs, assets or liabilities between these segments since all trading activities are operated as a single 
business unit.

66

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 20216. Operating segments continued

(b) Major products

The Group’s core patented technology, DConE, enables the replication of data. This core technology is contained in all the Group’s products. 

(c) Major customers

Customer 1
Customer 2
Customer 3

2021

% of

2021

$’000

2020

% of

2020

$’000

revenue

revenue

revenue

revenue

22%
4%
2%

1,572
286
176

5%
10%
24%

522
1,070
2,515

No other single customers contributed 10% or more to the Group’s revenue (2020: nil).

7. Revenue

See accounting policy in Note 28(d).

The Group generates revenue primarily from the sale of global collaboration software to its customers; see Note 6.

(a) Split of revenue by timing of revenue recognition

Revenue

Licences and services transferred at a point in time
Maintenance and support services transferred over time

(b) Contract balances

The following table provides information about receivables, contract assets and liabilities from contracts with customers.

Receivables, which are included in “Other non-current assets – accrued income”
Receivables, which are included in “Trade and other receivables – accrued income”
Contract liabilities, which are included in “Deferred income – non-current”
Contract liabilities, which are included in “Deferred income – current”

Total contract assets

At 1 January
Excess of revenue recognised over rights to cash being recognised in the year
Impairment of contract assets
Interest on contract assets
Transfers in the year from contract assets to trade receivables 

At 31 December

Total contract liabilities

At 1 January 
Amount invoiced in advance of performance and not recognised as revenue during the year
Amount previously included in contract liabilities that was recognised as revenue during the year

At 31 December

2021

$’000 

4,666
2,640

2020

$’000 

7,607
2,925

7,306

10,532

2021

$’000 

1,161
1,059
(334)
(1,425)

2021

$’000 

3,604
1,459
(1,951)
51
(943)

2020

$’000 

2,124
1,480
(659)
(3,094)

2020

$’000 

5,790
758
(368)
284
(2,860)

2,220

3,604

2021

$’000 

3,753
1,100
(3,094)

2020

$’000 

3,810
2,565
(2,622)

1,759

3,753

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

67

Financial statements7. Revenue continued

(c) Performance obligations and revenue recognition policies

Revenue is measured based on the consideration specified in a contract with a customer. The Group recognises revenue when it transfers 
control over a good or service to a customer.

Revenue is recognised either when the performance obligation in the contract has been performed (so “point in time” recognition) 
or “over time” as control of the performance obligation is transferred to the customer.

8. Expenses

(a) Expenses by nature

Cost of sales

Staff costs
Development costs capitalised
Amortisation of development costs
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment
Auditor’s remuneration
Other expenses

Operating expenses

Total cost of sales and operating expenses 
Impairment loss

Total items included in arriving at operating loss

Note

15
15
14
8(b)

2021

$’000 

659

27,329
(5,340)
5,115
1,077
224
15,945

2020

$’000 

1,066

27,570
(5,220)
5,070
1,203
193
14,557

44,350

43,373

45,009
2,131

44,439
—

47,140

44,439

Included in staff costs above are $377,000 (2020: $326,000) relating to payments made to defined contribution plans.

The other expenses disclosed above primarily relate to other employee related costs, travel, 3rd party marketing spend, premises and 
technology costs and legal and professional costs.

(b) Auditor’s remuneration

Audit of these financial statements
Amounts receivable by auditor in respect of:
Audit of financial statements of subsidiaries pursuant to legislation

2021

$’000 

157

67

224

2020

$’000 

135

58

193

9. Adjusted EBITDA and cash overheads

Management has presented the performance measures “Adjusted EBITDA” and “Cash overheads” because it monitors these performance 
measures at a consolidated level and it believes that these measures are relevant to an understanding of the Group’s financial performance. 
Adjusted EBITDA and cash overheads are not defined performance measures in IFRS. The Group’s definition of adjusted EBITDA and cash 
overheads may not be comparable with similarly titled performance measures and disclosures by other entities. 

(a) Reconciliation of operating loss to “Adjusted EBITDA”

Operating loss
Adjusted for:
Impairment loss
Amortisation and depreciation
Equity-settled share-based payment

Adjusted EBITDA
Development expenditure capitalised

Adjusted EBITDA including development expenditure

68

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Note

2021

$’000 

 2020

$’000 

(39,834)

(33,907)

2,131
6,192
2,004

—
6,273
5,403

13(d)

(29,507)
(5,340)

(22,231)
(5,220)

15

(34,847)

(27,451)

Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 20219. Adjusted EBITDA and cash overheads continued

(b) Reconciliation of operating expenses to “Cash overheads”

Operating expenses
Adjusted for:
Amortisation and depreciation
Equity-settled share-based payment
Development expenditure capitalised

Cash overheads

10. Net finance income/(costs)

See accounting policy in Note 28(j).

Interest income on cash and cash equivalents
Interest income on non-current assets
Net foreign exchange gain

Finance income

Net foreign exchange loss
Interest payable on bank borrowings
Finance charges
Leases (interest portion)
Loan amortisation costs

Finance costs

Net finance income/(costs)

Note

2021

$’000 

 2020

$’000 

8(a)

(44,350)

(43,373)

13(d)
15

6,192
2,004
(5,340)

6,273
5,403
(5,220)

(41,494)

(36,917)

2021

$’000 

5
51
1,119

1,175

—
(3)
(7)
(160)
(2)

2020

$’000 

21
284
—

305

(1,809)
(71)
(65)
(202)
(36)

(172)

(2,183)

1,003

(1,878)

The net foreign exchange gain (2020: loss) arose on sterling-denominated intercompany balances. These balances were retranslated at 
the closing exchange rate at 31 December 2021, which was 1.35, a 0.5% reduction compared to the rate of 1.36 at 31 December 2020. The 
loss on intercompany balances in the Consolidated statement of profit or loss is offset by an equivalent exchange loss (2020: gain) on the 
retranslation of the intercompany balances, which is included in the retranslation of net assets of foreign operations, included in the other 
comprehensive income.

11. Income tax

See accounting policy in Note 28(k).

(a) Amounts recognised in profit or loss

Current tax credit
Current year
Changes in estimates related to prior year

Income tax

2021

$’000 

2020

$’000 

1,305
(69)

1,194
259

1,236

1,453

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

69

Financial statements11. Income tax continued

(b) Reconciliation of effective tax rate

Loss before tax from continuing operations

Tax using the Company’s domestic tax rate
Effect of tax rates in foreign jurisdictions
Tax effect of:
Non-deductible expenses
Tax exempt expenses
R&D tax credits
Losses not recognised for current or deferred tax
Changes in estimates related to prior year

2021

%

21%
(0%)

(0%)
(0%)
1%
(19%)
(0%)

2021

$’000

38,831

8,155
(84)

(108)
(14)
568
(7,212)
(69)

2020

%

21%
0%

(2%)
(1%)
1%
(16%)
1%

2020

$’000

35,785

7,515
(76)

(832)
(311)
523
(5,625)
259

3%

1,236

4%

1,453

The changes in estimates related to prior year of $69k (2020: $259k) includes an additional amount now recognised in respect of research 
and development tax credits relating to prior year of $32k (2020: $235k).

(c) Factors affecting the current and future tax charges

During 2021 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the corporate tax rate would increase from 19% to 25% from 1 April 2023. The 
changes announced during the Budget on 3 March 2021 were substantively enacted as at the 2021 balance sheet date, therefore, all opening 
deferred taxation balances have been remeasured at 25%.

In December 2017, numerous changes to the tax laws were enacted in the US, including a decrease in the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. 
The deferred tax balance for US tax resident members of the Group at 31 December 2021 has been calculated based on the rate of 21% (2020: 21%).

The parent company WANdisco plc files tax returns in the US due to the presence of US trade.

(d) Deferred tax assets and liabilities

Deferred tax liabilities are attributable to the following temporary differences in respect of property, plant and equipment:

Deferred tax liabilities

2021

$’000 

(4)

2020

$’000 

(4)

The Group has unrecognised deferred tax assets of $33,479,000 (2020: $27,289,000) in respect of tax losses arising in the Group, for which 
there is no expiry date.

The Directors consider that there is not enough certainty over the availability of future taxable profits against which these losses may 
be offset and no asset has therefore been recognised. 

12. Loss per share

(a) Basic loss per share

The calculation of basic loss per share has been based on the following loss attributable to ordinary shareholders and weighted average 
number of ordinary shares outstanding:

Loss for the year attributable to ordinary shareholders

Weighted average number of ordinary shares

Issued ordinary shares at 1 January
Effect of shares issued in the year

Weighted average number of ordinary shares at 31 December

70

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

2021

$’000 

 2020

$’000 

37,595

34,332

2021

2020

Number of

Number of

shares

’000

52,613
5,186

shares

’000

48,241
2,251

57,799

50,492

Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 202112. Loss per share continued

(a) Basic loss per share continued

Basic loss per share

(b) Adjusted loss per share

2021

$

0.65

2020

$

0.68

Adjusted loss per share is calculated based on the loss attributable to ordinary shareholders before net foreign exchange gain/(loss), 
acquisition-related items and the cost of equity-settled share-based payment, and the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding:

Loss for the year attributable to ordinary shareholders
Adjusted for:
Impairment loss
Net foreign exchange gain/(loss)
Equity-settled share-based payment

Adjusted loss for the year

Adjusted loss per share

(c) Diluted loss per share

Note

2021

$’000 

 2020

$’000 

37,595

34,332

10
13(d)

(2,131)
1,119
(2,004)

—
(1,809)
(5,403)

34,579

27,120

2021

$

0.60

2020

$

0.54

Due to the Group having losses in all years presented, the fully diluted loss per share for disclosure purposes, as shown in the consolidated 
statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, is the same as for the basic loss per share.

13. Share-based payment

See accounting policy in Note 28(g)(ii).

(a) Description of share-based payment arrangements

The Group operates share option plans for employees of the Group. Options in the plans are settled in equity in the Company and are 
normally subject to a vesting schedule but not conditional on any performance criteria being achieved.

The terms and conditions of the share option grants between 14 September 2011 (the date WANdisco plc acquired WANdisco, Inc.) and 
31 December 2021 are as follows:

2021

2020

Number

Weighted

average

remaining

Number

Weighted

average

remaining

Year of grant

Range of exercise prices 

Vesting schedule

 outstanding

contractual life 

 outstanding 

contractual life 

Prior to 2017
Prior to 2017
2017
2017
2018
2018
2019
2019
2020
2020

£0.10
£0.23–£4.55
£0.10
£3.90–£8.39
£0.10
£3.60–£8.34
£0.10
£5.10–£5.95
£0.10
£4.70–£5.10

3,4
1,2,3,4
4
3
4,6,7
3
4,6
3
4,5,8,9
3

75,455
1,171,591
66,667
1,161,733
310,752
70,831
520,742
59,108
251,156
146,365

3,834,400

3.7
3.0
5.7
5.5
6.7
6.7
7.3
7.4
8.6
8.6

5.4

75,455 
1,285,276 
66,667 
1,161,733 
315,827 
71,915 
588,436 
66,110 
434,660 
205,605 

4,271,684

4.7
3.7
6.7
6.5
7.7
7.7
8.3
8.4
9.7
9.7

6.5

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

71

Financial statements13. Share-based payment continued

(a) Description of share-based payment arrangements continued

The following vesting schedule applies:

1.  25% of option vests on exercisable commencement date; 1/48th of granted option shares vest monthly thereafter.

2.  Option vests on third anniversary of the date of grant.

3.  Option vests 33% on first anniversary of vesting commencement date, with the balance vesting monthly thereafter until final vesting date.

4. 

 Option vests in three instalments: 1/3rd on first anniversary of vesting commencement date, 1/3rd on second anniversary and 1/3rd on 
third anniversary.

5.  Option vests 100% on first anniversary of vesting commencement date.

6.  Option vests in two instalments: 30% on the second anniversary of vesting commencement date and 70% on the third anniversary.

7.  Option vests 1/3rd on first anniversary and then quarterly thereafter (8.33% per quarter).

8.   Option vests 1/6th of the shares granted every six months.

9.   Option vests 1/6th after six months, 1/3rd after 18 and 30 months and 1/6th after 36 months.

(b) Measurement of fair values

The fair value of the employee share purchase plan has been measured using a Black-Scholes option pricing model.

The inputs used in the measurement of fair values at grant date of the equity-settled share-based payment plans granted during the prior 
year were as follows (there were no grants made in 2021, so no fair value measurements have been disclosed):

Weighted average share price
Exercise price
Dividend yield
Risk-free interest rate
Expected volatility
Expected life (years)
Weighted average fair value of options granted during the year

2021

2020

$7.05
N/a
$2.19
N/a
0%
N/a
0.07%
N/a
N/a
30%
N/a 1–5 years
$4.85
N/a

 5 The dividend yield is based on the Company’s forecast dividend.

 5 The risk-free interest rate is based on the treasury bond rates for the expected life of the option.

 5 Expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of shares of listed companies with a similar profile to the Company.

 5 Expected life in years is determined from the average expected period to exercise.

(c) Reconciliation of outstanding share options

The number and weighted average exercise prices of share options (including previous options in WANdisco, Inc.) under the share option 
plans were as follows:

Weighted

average

exercise

Number of

options

2021

4,271,684
(323,599)
(113,685)
—

price

2021

$

Number of

options

2020

3.47 5,028,157
(159,190)
1.49
0.31 (1,272,143)
674,860

—

3,834,400

3.71 4,271,684

3,165,769

4.10 2,784,861

3,165,769

4.10 2,784,861

Weighted

average

exercise

price

2020

$

2.57
1.21
0.22
2.19

3.47

4.72

4.72

Outstanding at 1 January
Forfeited during the year
Exercised during the year
Granted during the year

Outstanding at 31 December 

Exercisable at 31 December 

Vested at the end of the year 

72

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 202113. Share-based payment continued

(c) Reconciliation of outstanding share options continued

Exercise price in the range:

From
To

Weighted average contractual life remaining

(d) Expense recognised in profit or loss

Total equity-settled share-based payment charge

14. Property, plant and equipment

See accounting policy in Notes 28(l) and (q).

(a) Reconciliation of carrying amount

Cost
Balance at 1 January 2020
Additions
Effect of movements in exchange rates

Balance at 31 December 2020

Balance at 1 January 2021
Additions
Disposals
Effect of movements in exchange rates

Balance at 31 December 2021

Accumulated depreciation
Balance at 1 January 2020
Depreciation 
Effect of movements in exchange rates

Balance at 31 December 2020

Balance at 1 January 2021
Depreciation 
Disposals
Effect of movements in exchange rates

2021

$

2020

$

0.14
11.34

0.14
11.39

2021

Years

5.4

2020

Years

6.5

2021

$’000 

 2020

$’000 

2,004

5,403

Right of use

Leasehold

Fixtures and 

assets improvements

fittings

Computers

$’000

$’000

$’000

$’000

Total

$’000

6,282
321
100

2,139
293
27

2,459

6,703

2,459
407
(362)
(4)

6,703
427
(507)
(15)

349
6
6

361

361
6
(126)
(1)

240

2,500

6,608

(305)
(23)
(5)

(1,466)
(504)
(28)

(2,547)
(1,203)
(58)

(333)

(1,998)

(3,808)

(333)
(21)
126
1

(1,998)
(372)
362
7

(3,808)
(1,077)
507
14

3,169
14
50

3,233

3,233
—
—
(7)

3,226

(578)
(566)
(18)

(1,162)

(1,162)
(577)
—
4

625
8
17

650

650
14
(19)
(3)

642

(198)
(110)
(7)

(315)

(315)
(107)
19
2

Balance at 31 December 2021

(1,735)

(401)

(227)

(2,001)

(4,364)

Carrying amounts
At 31 December 2020

At 31 December 2021

2,071

1,491

335

241

28

13

461

499

2,895

2,244

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

73

Financial statements14. Property, plant and equipment continued

(b) Right of use assets

Balance at 1 January 2020
Additions
Depreciation 
Effect of movements in exchange rates

Balance at 1 January 2021
Additions
Depreciation 
Effect of movements in exchange rates

Balance at 31 December 2021

Property leases

Property

Computers

$’000

$’000

2,576
13
(560)
32

2,061
—
(571)
(2)

1,488

15
1
(6)
—

10
—
(6)
(1)

3

Total

$’000

2,591
14
(566)
32

2,071
—
(577)
(3)

1,491

The Group leases land and buildings for its office space. These leases run between three and ten years. Some leases include the option to 
renew the lease for an additional period of the same duration after the end of the contract term. Options to renew are only included in the 
term if it is reasonably certain that the option will be exercised. Some leases provide for additional rent payments based on local price indices. 

Other leases

The Group leases computer equipment, with lease terms of three to five years. For the low-value items, the Group has elected not 
to recognise right of use assets and lease liabilities for these leases.

15. Intangible assets

See accounting policy in Notes 28(m) and (p).

(a) Reconciliation of carrying amount

Cost
Balance at 1 January 2020
Acquisitions – internally developed

Balance at 31 December 2020

Balance at 1 January 2021
Disposals
Acquisitions – internally developed

Balance at 31 December 2021

Accumulated amortisation
Balance at 1 January 2020
Amortisation 

Balance at 31 December 2020

Balance at 1 January 2021
Disposals
Amortisation 

Balance at 31 December 2021

Carrying amounts 
At 31 December 2020

At 31 December 2021

74

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Goodwill on

business  Development

Computer

combinations

$’000

costs

$’000

software

$’000

Total

$’000

3,154
—

53,291
5,220

1,689
—

58,134
5,220

3,154

58,511

1,689

63,354

3,154
—
—

58,511
—
5,340

1,689
(1,689)
—

63,354
(1,689)
5,340

3,154

63,851

—

67,005

(3,154)
—

(48,414)
(5,070)

(1,689)
—

(53,257)
(5,070)

(3,154)

(53,484)

(1,689)

(58,327)

(3,154)
—
—

(53,484)
—
(5,115)

(1,689)
1,689
—

(58,327)
1,689
(5,115)

(3,154)

(58,599)

—

(61,753)

—

—

5,027

5,252

—

—

5,027

5,252

Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 202115. Intangible assets continued

(b) Amortisation

The amortisation charge on intangible assets is included in operating expenses in the consolidated statement of profit or loss and other 
comprehensive income.

(c) Impairment test

The carrying amount of the property, plant and equipment and intangible assets $7,496k (2020: $7,922k) are allocated across cash-generating 
units (“CGUs”). A CGU is defined as the smallest group of assets that generate cash inflows from continuing use that are largely independent of the 
cash inflows of other assets or groups thereof. The recoverable amount of the CGUs is determined using value in use (“VIU”) calculations. As at 31 
December 2021 and 2020, the Group had one CGU, the DConE CGU, which represents the Group’s patented DConE replication technology, forming 
the basis for all products sold by the Group.

Goodwill on business combinations arose as part of the acquisitions of OhmData, Inc. in June 2014 and AltoStor, Inc. in November 2012. 
The intangibles arising as part of these acquisitions are allocated to the DConE CGU. The recoverable amount of the DConE CGU has been 
calculated on a VIU basis at both 31 December 2021 and 31 December 2020. These calculations use cash flow projections based on Board 
approved budget and financial forecasts, which anticipate growth in the Group’s installed base along with new customer growth, resulting 
in an average revenue growth of 78% over the five-year period with a 7% increase in cost base over the five-year period, and appropriate long-
term growth rates. To prepare VIU calculations, the cash flow forecasts are discounted back to present value using a pre-tax discount rate of 
10% (2020: 10%) which reflects the Group’s assessment of the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (“WACC”). This rate is derived using market 
data such as risk free rates and Group specific risk factor adjustments.  A terminal value growth rate of 2% (2020: 2%) is applied from 2026. 
The Directors have reviewed the recoverable amount of the CGU and do not consider there to be any indication of impairment.

A sensitivity analysis was performed for the DConE CGU and management concluded that no reasonably possible change in any of 
the key assumptions would cause for the carrying value of the DConE CGU to exceed its recoverable amount. The revenue growth rate 
assumption is considered to be the variable with the most sensitivity. However, varying this by 18% would still allow the recoverable amount 
to exceed the carrying value. Therefore management is confident in the assumptions used. 

(d) Development costs

Development costs are predominantly capitalised staff costs associated with new products and services. Development costs are allocated 
to the DConE CGU, the recoverable amount of which has been determined on a VIU basis as described above. 

16. Other non-current assets 

Due in more than a year

Other receivables
Accrued income

17. Trade and other receivables

See accounting policy in Note 28(n). 

Due within a year

Trade receivables 
Other receivables
Accrued income
Corporation tax
Prepayments

Total trade and other receivables

2021

$’000 

40
1,161

2020

$’000 

91
2,124

1,201

2,215

2021

$’000 

1,182
278
1,059
2,532
680

2020

$’000 

5,319
411
1,480
2,277
655

5,731

10,142

Information about the Group’s exposure to credit and market risks, and impairment losses for trade receivables is included in Note 23(a)
(ii) and (iv).

18. Cash and cash equivalents

Bank balances

2021

$’000 

2020

$’000 

27,759

21,039

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

75

Financial statements19. Equity

See accounting policy in Note 28(o).

(a) Share capital 

Share capital
Allotted and fully paid – par value 10 pence
Authorised – par value 10 pence

2021

Number

2021

$’000

2020

Number

59,612,280
100,000,000

8,608

52,613,023
100,000,000

2020

$’000

7,641

The ordinary share capital of WANdisco plc is designated in sterling.

(b) Ordinary shares

During the year, 113,685 ordinary shares were issued at 10 pence nominal value relating to employees exercising share options, leading to 
$15k additional share capital. The average exercise price of the share options was $0.31 per share (with a range of $0.31 - $0.36) resulting in 
additional share premium of $21k. 

On 9 March 2021 the Group announced a new subscription of shares to an existing shareholder for 4,864,480 new ordinary shares of 
10 pence each in the Company at a price of 446 pence raising gross proceeds of $30.0m. 

In addition, on 10 March 2021 the Group announced the placing (which was approved by General Meeting on 29 March 2021) for 804,972 
new ordinary shares of 10 pence each in the Company together with the subscription of 1,216,120 new ordinary shares of 10 pence each 
at a price of 446 pence (a discount of 0.4% on the closing share price on 9 March 2021), raising gross proceeds of $12.5m.

Total transaction costs were $0.6m.

(c) Nature and purpose of reserves

Share premium

Amount subscribed for share capital in excess of nominal value.

Translation reserve

The translation reserve comprises all foreign exchange differences arising from the translation of the financial statements of foreign operations.

Merger reserve

The acquisition by WANdisco plc of the entire share capital of WANdisco, Inc. in 2012 was accounted for as a reverse acquisition. Consequently, 
the previously recognised book values and assets and liabilities were retained and the consolidated financial information for the period to 
16 May 2012 has been presented as a continuation of the WANdisco business, which was previously wholly owned by the WANdisco, Inc. Group. 

The share capital for the period covered by these consolidated financial statements and the comparative periods is stated at the nominal 
value of the shares issued pursuant to the above share arrangement. The difference between the nominal value of these shares and the 
nominal value of WANdisco, Inc. shares at the time of the acquisition has been transferred to the merger reserve.

20. Loans and borrowings

See accounting policy in Notes 28(n) and (q).

Non-current liabilities
Secured bank loan
Lease liabilities

Current liabilities
Current portion of secured bank loan
Current portion of lease liabilities

Total loans and borrowings

Information about the Group’s exposure to interest rate, foreign currency and liquidity risks is included in Note 23.

76

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

2021

$’000 

2020

$’000 

—
1,230

—
1,778

1,230

1,778

—
586

586

556
559

1,115

1,816

2,893

Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 202120. Loans and borrowings continued

(a) Terms and repayment schedule

The terms and conditions of outstanding loans are as follows:

Borrowing

Currency

Nominal interest rate

maturity

$’000

Year of

Face value

Secured bank loan
Lease liabilities

US dollars
US dollars and sterling

US prime rate + 1.5%
8%

2021
3–10 years

—
2,162

Carrying

amount

$’000

—
1,816

Face value

$’000

556
2,843

Carrying

amount

$’000

556
2,337

Total interest bearing

2,162

1,816

3,399

2,893

31 December 2021

31 December 2020

At 31 December 2021, there was no bank loan debt. In 2020 there was $0.6m term debt drawn down with Silicon Valley Bank. The facility 
comprises $nil (2020: $0.6m) term debt, with an interest-only period to 31 May 2018, followed by a three-year maturity at a floating 
interest rate charged at 1.5% above the US prime rate. The bank loan was secured over the assets of WANdisco, Inc.

(b) Lease liabilities

Maturity analysis – contractual undiscounted cash flows

Less than one year
Between one and five years
More than five years

Expenses relating to short-term leases recognised in profit or loss were $13,000 (2020: $7,000).

(c) Reconciliation of movements in liabilities to cash flows arising from financing activities

Balance at 1 January 2021
Non-cash movements
Effect of movements in exchange rates
Cash movements
Repayment of borrowings
Payment of lease liabilities

Total changes from financing cash flows

Balance at 31 December 2021

21. Deferred income

See accounting policy in Note 28(d).

Deferred income which falls due:

Within a year
In more than a year

Total deferred income

2021
$’000

698
1,007
457

2020
$’000

718
1,482
643

2,162

2,843

Lease

liabilities

$’000 

2,337

Bank

loan

$’000 

556

(4)

—

—
(517)

(517)

(556)
—

(556)

1,816

—

2021

$’000

1,425
334

2020

$’000

3,094
659

1,759

3,753

Deferred income represents contracted sales for which services to customers will be provided in future years.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

77

Financial statements 
22. Trade and other payables

Trade payables
Accrued expenses

23. Financial instruments – fair values and risk management

See accounting policy in Notes 28(n) and (s).

(a) Financial risk management

The Group has exposure to the following risks arising from financial instruments:

 5 credit risk (see (a)(ii));

 5 liquidity risk (see (a)(iii));

 5 market risk (see (a)(iv));

 5 currency risk (see (a)(v)); and

 5 interest rate risk (see (a)(vi)).

(i) Risk management framework

2021

$’000 

770
3,386

2020

$’000 

786
4,676

4,156

5,462

The Group’s risk management policies are established to identify and analyse risks faced by the Group, to set appropriate risk limits and 
controls and to monitor risks and adherence to limits. Risk management policies and systems are reviewed regularly to reflect changes in 
market conditions and the Group’s activities.

The Group Audit Committee oversees how management monitors compliance with the Group’s risk management policies and procedures 
and reviews the adequacy of the risk management framework in relation to the risks faced by the Group.

(ii) Credit risk

Credit risk is the risk of financial loss to the Group if a customer fails to meet its contractual obligations and arises principally from the 
Group’s receivables from customers.

Trade receivables

The carrying amounts of financial assets represent the maximum credit exposure and approximate to their fair value.

Ageing of trade receivables

Neither past due nor impaired
Past due but not impaired
Past due 1–30 days
Past due 31–90 days

Total not impaired trade receivables

2021

$’000 

855

327
—

2020

$’000 

4,650

663
6

1,182

5,319

Credit losses of $180,000 were applied to trade receivables in the year ended 31 December 2021 (2020: $100,000) . Other than this, there 
were no other credit losses applied in 2021 or 2020 as they were assessed as low risk. The Group assesses expected credit loss for each 
individual customer considering their financial position, experience and other factors.

All trade receivables are denominated in US dollars.

Contract assets

Credit losses of $1,951,000 were applied to contract assets in the year ended 31 December 2021 (2020: $367,500). Other than this, there 
were no other credit losses applied to contract assets in 2021 or 2020 as they were assessed as low risk. This assessment is made for each 
individual customer considering their financial position, experience and other factors.

Cash and cash equivalents

The Group held cash and cash equivalents of $27.8m at 31 December 2021 (2020: $21.0m). The cash and cash equivalents are held 
with banks which are rated P-1 for short-term obligations, based on Moody’s ratings.

78

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 202123. Financial instruments – fair values and risk management continued

(a) Financial risk management continued

(iii) Liquidity risk

Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group will encounter difficulty in meeting the obligations associated with its financial liabilities that are 
settled by delivering cash or another financial asset. The Group’s approach to managing liquidity is to ensure, as far as possible, that it will 
have enough liquidity to meet its liabilities when they are due, under both normal and stressed conditions, without incurring unacceptable 
losses or risking damage to the Group’s reputation.

The Board monitors rolling cash flow projections on a monthly basis as well as information regarding cash balances. At the end of the 
financial year, these projections, which included the equity raise post-year end for gross proceeds of $19.8m, indicated that the Group 
expected to have sufficient liquid resources to meet its obligations under all reasonably expected circumstances for at least 12 months from 
the date of signing these financial statements.

Exposure to liquidity risk

The following are the remaining contractual maturities of financial liabilities at the reporting date. The amounts are gross and undiscounted 
and include contractual interest payments. 

Non-derivative financial liabilities

At 31 December 2021

Lease liabilities
Trade payables

Non-derivative financial liabilities

At 31 December 2020

Secured bank loan
Lease liabilities
Trade payables

Carrying

amount

$’000 

1,816
4,156

Total

$’000

2,162
4,156

Contractual cash flows

Less than

12 months

1–2 years

2–5 years

>5 years

$’000

$’000

$’000

$’000

698
4,156

463
—

463

544
—

544

457
—

457

5,972

6,318

4,854

Carrying

amount

$’000 

556
2,337
5,462

Total

$’000

556
2,843
5,462

Contractual cash flows

Less than

12 months

1–2 years

2–5 years

$’000

$’000

$’000

>5 years

$’000

556
718
5,462

—
655
—

655

—
827
—

827

—
643
—

643

8,355

8,861

6,736

The interest payments on variable interest rate loans in the table above reflect market forward interest rates at the reporting date and these 
amounts may change as market interest rates change.

(iv) Market risk

Market risk is the risk that changes in market prices – e.g. foreign exchange rates and interest rates – will affect the Group’s income or the 
value of its holdings of financial instruments. The objective of market risk management is to manage and control market risk exposures 
within acceptable parameters, whilst optimising the return.

The Group may be affected by general market trends, which are unrelated to the performance of the Group itself. The Group’s success 
will depend on market acceptance of the Group’s products and there can be no guarantee that this acceptance will be forthcoming. 
Market opportunities targeted by the Group may change and this could lead to an adverse effect upon its revenue and earnings.

(v) Currency risk

The Group is exposed to transactional foreign currency risk to the extent that there is a mismatch between the currencies in which sales, 
purchases, receivables and borrowings are denominated and the respective functional currencies of Group companies. The functional 
currencies of Group companies are primarily US dollars, sterling and Australian dollars. The following table shows the denomination of the 
year-end cash and cash equivalents balance:

2021 cash and cash equivalents

2020 cash and cash equivalents

Sterling

$’000

4,408

14,703

Australian

dollar

 $’000

66

165

Euro

$’000

110

220

US dollar

$’000

Total

$’000

23,175

27,759

5,951

21,039

Had the foreign exchange rate between the US dollar and sterling changed by 5%, this would have affected the loss for the year and the net 
assets of the Group by $937,000 (2020: $796,000). 

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

79

Financial statements23. Financial instruments – fair values and risk management continued

(a) Financial risk management continued

(vi) Interest rate risk

The Group is no longer exposed to interest rate risk, as the debt drawing was repaid during the year (2020: $0.6m). Interest was charged at 
1.5% above the US prime rate. The interest was sensitive to movements in the US prime rate. 

(vii) Capital management 

The Group defines the capital that it manages as its total equity, as disclosed in the consolidated statement of financial position on page 62. 
The Group’s objectives when managing capital are to safeguard the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern and support the growth of 
the business. During the year, the Group raised $42.5m gross proceeds from an equity raise and $19.8m following the end of the year.

24. List of subsidiaries

See accounting policy in Note 28(a).

Set out below is a list of the subsidiaries of the Group:

Company name

WANdisco International Limited
WANdisco, Inc.
OhmData, Inc.
AltoStor, Inc.
WANdisco, Pty Ltd
WANdisco Software (Chengdu) Ltd

Country of

incorporation

UK
US
US
US
Australia
China

Proportion

of shares

Holding

held Nature of business

Ordinary shares
Ordinary shares
Ordinary shares
Ordinary shares
Ordinary shares 
Ordinary shares

100% Development and provision of global collaboration software
100% Development and provision of global collaboration software
100% Dormant
100% Dormant
100% Development and provision of global collaboration software
100% Development and provision of global collaboration software

All of the above entities are included in the consolidated financial statements.

25. Commitments and contingencies

At 31 December 2021 the Group had no capital commitments (31 December 2020: $nil). The Group had no contingent liabilities at 
31 December 2021 (31 December 2020: none).

26. Related parties

(a) Transactions with key management personnel

Key management personnel compensation comprised the following:

Short-term employee benefits
Equity-settled share-based payment

2021

$’000

4,653
754

2020

$’000

4,801
2,825

5,407

7,626

Further details on the remuneration, share options and pension entitlements of the Directors are included in the Directors’ share options 
and the Directors’ remuneration tables included in the Remuneration Committee report on pages 50 to 52, which form part of these audited 
financial statements.

27. Subsequent events

On 15 June 2022 the Group announced a new subscription of shares to new and existing shareholders for 5,857,862 new ordinary shares 
of 10 pence each in the Company at a price of 270 pence (a premium of 5.5% on the closing share price on 14 June 2022) raising gross 
proceeds of $19.8m. 

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Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 202128. Significant accounting policies

The Group has consistently applied the following accounting policies to all periods presented in these consolidated financial statements, 
except if mentioned otherwise.

(a) Basis of consolidation

(i) Business combinations

The Group accounts for business combinations using the acquisition method when control is transferred to the Group. The consideration 
transferred in the acquisition is generally measured at fair value, as are the identifiable net assets acquired. Any goodwill that arises is tested 
annually for impairment. Any gain on a bargain purchase is recognised in profit or loss immediately. Transaction costs are expensed as incurred, 
except if related to the issue of debt or equity securities. Any contingent consideration is measured at fair value at the date of acquisition. 

(ii) Subsidiaries

Subsidiaries are entities controlled by the Group. The Group “controls” an entity when it is exposed to, or has rights to, variable returns from its 
involvement with the entity and has the ability to affect those returns through its power over the entity. The financial statements of subsidiaries 
are included in the consolidated financial statements from the date on which control commences until the date on which control ceases.

(iii) Transactions eliminated on consolidation

Intra-Group balances and transactions, and any unrealised income and expenses arising from intra-Group transactions, are eliminated. 

(b) Foreign currency

(i) Foreign currency transactions

Transactions in foreign currencies are translated into the respective functional currencies of Group companies at the exchange rates 
at the dates of the transactions.

Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into the functional currency at the exchange rate at the 
reporting date. Non-monetary assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value in foreign currency are translated into the functional 
currency at the exchange rate when the fair value was determined. Non-monetary items that are measured based on historical cost in a 
foreign currency are translated at the exchange rate at the date of the transaction. Foreign currency differences are generally recognised 
in profit or loss and presented within finance costs.

(ii) Foreign operations

The assets and liabilities of foreign operations, including goodwill and fair value adjustments arising on acquisition, are translated into 
US dollars at the exchange rates at the reporting date. The income and expenses of foreign operations are translated into US dollars 
at an average rate for the year, where this approximates to the foreign exchange rates ruling at the dates the fair value was determined. 
The functional currency of the parent company WANdisco plc is sterling.

Foreign currency differences are recognised in other comprehensive income (“OCI”) and accumulated in the translation reserve.

(c) Use of estimates and judgements

The preparation of financial information in conformity with adopted IFRS requires management to make judgements, estimates and 
assumptions that affect the application of accounting policies and the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, income and expenses. 
Actual results may differ from these estimates.

Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period 
in which the estimates are revised and in any future periods affected.

(i) Accounting estimates 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with adopted IFRSs requires the use of estimates and assumptions that affect the 
reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during 
the reporting year. Although these estimates are based on management’s best knowledge of the amount, events or actions, actual results 
ultimately may differ from those estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. The estimates and associated assumptions are based 
on historical experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or 
in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods. The Directors consider the following 
to be the estimates applicable to the financial statements, which have a significant risk of resulting in a material adjustment to the carrying 
amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year or in the long term:

Revenue

Key assumption: When allocating revenue between different performance obligations, the fair value of the various components is required, 
which involves the use of estimates to establish the relative fair values. See Note 7.

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Financial statements28. Significant accounting policies continued

(c) Use of estimates and judgements continued

(ii) Judgements

The Group applies judgement in how it applies its accounting policies, which do not involve estimation, but could materially affect the 
numbers disclosed in these financial statements. The key accounting judgements, without estimation, that have been applied in these 
financial statements are as follows:

Development costs

Capitalisation of development expenditure is completed only if development costs meet certain criteria. Full detail of the criteria is in Note 28(m)(i).

 5 Alternative accounting judgement that could have been applied – not capitalising development costs.

 5 Effect of that alternative accounting judgement – reduction of $5,252,000 of assets’ carrying value.

Revenue

An additional area of judgement is the recognition and deferral of revenue in the situation when different performance obligations are bundled 
together in one sales contract. For example, the carve-out of the term licence in a subscription arrangement from the maintenance and 
support element. When products are bundled together for the purpose of sale, the associated revenue, net of all applicable discounts, is 
allocated between the constituent parts of the bundle on a relative fair value basis. The Group has a systematic basis for allocating relative 
fair values in these situations based on all information (including market conditions, entity-specific factors, and information about the 
customer or class of customer) that is reasonably available, which is normally a rate of 20% of the licence value.

 5 Alternative accounting judgement that could have been applied – alternative methodology to allocate the fair values.

 5 Effect of that alternative accounting judgement – change in revenue figure and deferred income by the same amount.

(d) Revenue from contracts with customers

The following table provides information about the nature and timing of the satisfaction of performance obligations in contracts 
with customers, including significant payment terms and the related revenue recognition policies.

The details of the accounting policies in relation to the Group’s various products and services are set out below:

Type of product/service

IFRS 15 treatment

Software licences – 
perpetual licences

Under IFRS 15, revenue on perpetual licences is recognised in full once the licence has been granted and the 
customer has been provided with access to the software as it is considered that control has been passed at that 
point in time.

Software subscriptions 
(which include both  
a term software licence 
and a maintenance and 
support contract)

Under IFRS 15 subscription arrangements have been split into two performance obligations which are 
both considered as distinct:

 5 term software licence; and

 5 maintenance and support.

The allocation of transaction price between the two performance obligations is based on an adjusted market 
assessment approach.

Term software licences are treated like perpetual licences with revenue being recognised in full once the licence 
has been granted and the customer has been provided with access to the software as it is considered that control 
has been passed at that point in time.

The maintenance and support component is spread over the life of the contract as the performance obligation is 
satisfied over time matching the period of the contract as the requirements of IFRS 15.35(a) are met, and the customer 
simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits provided by the Group’s performance as the Group performs.

Maintenance and 
support contracts

Maintenance and support revenue is spread over the life of the contract as the performance obligation is satisfied 
over time, matching the period of the contract as the requirements of IFRS 15.35(a) are met, and the customer 
simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits provided by the Group’s performance as the Group performs.

Training, implementation 
and professional services

Sales of training, implementation and professional services are recognised on delivery of the services at a point  
in time.

Royalties

Royalties are accounted for on an accruals basis. Under IFRS 15 the recognition of royalties is prohibited until the 
sale or usage occurs, even if the sale or usage is probable.

Sales commissions

Under IFRS 15, the costs of obtaining a contract should be recognised as an asset and subsequently amortised if 
they are incremental and are expected to be recovered.

Amortisation is charged on a basis consistent with the transfer to the customer of the licence or services to which 
the capitalised costs relate.

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Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 202128. Significant accounting policies continued

(d) Revenue from contracts with customers continued

The Group recognises revenue on a gross basis (as the principal), in line with IFRS 15 requirements, when selling through online 
marketplaces as it has the primary responsibility for fulfilling the promise to provide the specified goods or service and has the discretion 
to establish prices.

The Group determines the transaction price it is entitled to in return for providing the promised obligations to the customer based on the 
committed contractual amounts. Customers either pay up-front or in payment instalments over the term of the related service agreement.

Contract assets relate to: 

 5 accrued income – licence revenue which has been recognised but has not yet been billed to the customer (as it is being billed in instalments 
over the term of the related service agreement) at the reporting date. The contract asset is transferred to receivables when the Group 
issues an invoice to the customer.

Contract liabilities relate to deferred income and include maintenance and support contracts which are either billed separately or allocated 
from a subscription contract, along with licence or services which have not been delivered to the customer, which is recognised as revenue 
when the performance obligations are satisfied.

(e) Segmental reporting

The Directors consider there to be one operating segment, being that of development and sale of licences for software and related 
maintenance and support.

The Group has adopted IFRS 8 “Operating Segments” from the date of transition to IFRS. IFRS 8 requires the Group to determine and 
present its operating segments based on information which is provided internally to the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”). 
The CODM, who is responsible for allocating resources and assessing the performance of the operating segment, has been identified 
as the Chief Executive Officer.

(f) Cost of sales

Cost of sales includes commissions earned by our salesforce on sales and direct costs relating to software supply.

(g) Employee benefits

(i) Short-term employee benefits

Short-term employee benefits are expensed as the related service is provided. A liability is recognised for the amount expected to be paid 
if the Group has a present legal or constructive obligation to pay this amount because of past services provided by the employee and the 
obligation can be estimated reliably.

(ii) Share-based payment arrangements

The grant date fair value of equity-settled share-based payment arrangements granted to employees is recognised as an expense, with 
a corresponding increase in equity, over the vesting period of the awards. The amount recognised as an expense is adjusted to reflect the 
number of awards for which the related service and non-market performance conditions are expected to be met, such that the amount 
ultimately recognised is based on the number of awards that meet the related service and non-market-based performance conditions 
at the vesting date. For share-based payment awards with non-vesting conditions, the grant date fair value of the share-based payment 
is measured to reflect such conditions and there is no true-up for differences between expected and actual outcomes.

(iii) Defined contribution plans

Obligations for contributions to defined contribution plans are expensed as the related service is provided. Prepaid contributions are 
recognised as an asset to the extent that a cash refund or a reduction in future payments is available.

(iv) Termination benefits

Termination benefits are expensed at the earlier of when the Group can no longer withdraw the offer of those benefits and when the Group 
recognises costs for a restructuring. If benefits are not expected to be settled wholly within twelve months of the reporting date, then they 
are discounted.

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83

Financial statements28. Significant accounting policies continued

(h) Government grants

The Group recognises an unconditional government grant related to development costs as deferred income at fair value if there is reasonable 
assurance that they will be received, and the Group will comply with the conditions associated with the grant; they are then recognised in 
profit or loss as other income on a systematic basis over the useful life of the asset.

Grants that compensate the Group for expenses incurred are recognised in profit or loss on a systematic basis in the periods in which the 
expenses are recognised. 

(i) Exceptional items

Exceptional items comprise items of income and expense that are material in amount and that merit separate disclosure in order to provide 
an understanding of the Group’s underlying financial performance.

(j) Finance income and finance costs

The Group’s finance income and finance costs include:

 5 interest income;

 5 interest expense; and

 5 the foreign currency gain or loss on financial assets and financial liabilities.

Interest income or expense is recognised using the effective interest method. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts 
estimated future cash payments or receipts through the expected life of the financial instrument to: 

 5 the gross carrying amount of the financial asset; or

 5 the amortised cost of the financial liability.

In calculating interest income and expense, the effective interest rate is applied to the gross carrying amount of the asset (when the asset 
is not credit-impaired) or to the amortised cost of the liability. However, for financial assets that have become credit-impaired subsequent to 
initial recognition, interest income is calculated by applying the effective interest rate to the amortised cost of the financial asset. If the asset 
is no longer credit-impaired, then the calculation of interest income reverts to the gross basis.

(k) Income tax

Income tax comprises current and deferred tax. It is recognised in profit or loss except to the extent that it relates to a business combination, 
or items recognised directly in equity or in OCI.

(i) Current tax

Current tax comprises the expected tax payable or receivable on the taxable income or loss for the year (including R&D tax credits) and 
any adjustments to the tax payable or receivable in respect of previous years. The amount of current tax payable or receivable is the best 
estimate of the tax amount expected to be paid or received that reflects uncertainty related to income taxes, if any. It is measured using 
tax rates enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date. 

Current tax assets and liabilities are offset only if certain criteria are met.

(ii) Deferred tax

Deferred tax is recognised in respect of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting 
purposes and the amounts used for taxation purposes.

Deferred tax is not recognised for:

 5 temporary differences on the initial recognition of assets or liabilities in a transaction that is not a business combination and that affects 

neither accounting nor taxable profit or loss;

 5 temporary differences related to investments in subsidiaries, associates and joint arrangements to the extent that the Group is able to 
control the timing of the reversal of the temporary differences and it is probable that they will not reverse in the foreseeable future; and

 5 taxable temporary differences arising on the initial recognition of goodwill.

Deferred tax assets are recognised for unused tax losses, unused tax credits and deductible temporary differences to the extent that 
it is probable that future taxable profits will be available against which they can be used. Future taxable profits are determined based on the 
reversal of relevant taxable temporary differences. If the amount of taxable temporary differences is insufficient to recognise a deferred tax 
asset in full, then future taxable profits, adjusted for reversals of existing temporary differences, are considered, based on business plans for 
individual subsidiaries in the Group. Deferred tax assets are reviewed at each reporting date and are reduced to the extent that it is no longer 
probable that the related tax benefit will be realised; such reductions are reversed when the probability of future taxable profits improves.

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Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 202128. Significant accounting policies continued

(k) Income tax continued

(ii) Deferred tax continued

Unrecognised deferred tax assets are reassessed at each reporting date and recognised to the extent that it has become probable that future 
taxable profits will be available against which they can be used.

Deferred tax is measured at the tax rates that are expected to be applied to temporary differences when they reverse, using tax rates enacted 
or substantively enacted at the reporting date.

The measurement of deferred tax reflects the tax consequences that would follow from the manner in which the Group expects, at the 
reporting date, to recover or settle the carrying amount of its assets and liabilities. 

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset only if certain criteria are met.

(l) Property, plant and equipment

(i) Recognition and measurement

Items of property, plant and equipment are measured at cost, which includes capitalised borrowing costs, less accumulated depreciation 
and any accumulated impairment losses. 

If significant parts of an item of property, plant and equipment have different useful lives, then they are accounted for as separate items 
(major components) of property, plant and equipment.

Any gain or loss on disposal of an item of property, plant and equipment is recognised in profit or loss.

(ii) Depreciation

Depreciation is calculated to write off the cost of items of property, plant and equipment less their estimated residual values using the 
straight-line method over their estimated useful lives and is generally recognised in profit or loss. Leased assets are depreciated over 
the shorter of the lease term and their useful lives unless it is reasonably certain that the Group will obtain ownership by the end of the 
lease term. 

The estimated useful lives of property, plant and equipment for current and comparative periods are as follows:

 5 Computer equipment 

 5 Fixtures and fittings 

Three years

Three years

 5 Leasehold improvements 

Three to five years

 5 Right of use assets 

Life of lease

Depreciation methods, useful lives and residual values are reviewed at each reporting date and adjusted if appropriate.

(m) Intangible assets and goodwill

(i) Recognition and measurement

Goodwill

Goodwill arising on the acquisition of subsidiaries is measured at cost less accumulated impairment losses.

Other intangible assets 
(including computer software)

Other intangible assets, including those acquired on acquisition of subsidiaries, have finite useful lives and 
are measured at cost less accumulated amortisation and any accumulated impairment losses.

Development costs

Expenditure on research activities is recognised in profit or loss as incurred.

Development activities relate to software development and involve a plan or design for the production 
of new or substantially improved products and processes. Development expenditure is capitalised only if:

 5 development costs can be measured reliably;

 5 the product or process is technically and commercially feasible;

 5 future economic benefits are probable; and

 5 the Group intends to, and has sufficient resources to, complete development and to use or sell the asset.

The expenditure capitalised includes direct labour and overhead costs that are directly attributable to 
preparing the asset for its intended use.

Otherwise, development costs are recognised in profit or loss as incurred.

Subsequent to initial recognition, development expenditure is measured at cost less accumulated 
amortisation and any accumulated impairment losses.

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85

Financial statements 
 
 
 
28. Significant accounting policies continued

(m) Intangible assets and goodwill continued

(ii) Amortisation

Amortisation is calculated to write off the cost of intangible assets less their estimated residual values using the straight-line method over 
their estimated useful lives and is generally recognised in profit or loss. Goodwill is not amortised.

The estimated useful lives for current and comparative periods are as follows:

 5 Other intangible assets  

Two years

 5 Development costs  

Two years

 5 Computer software 

Over the life of the software licence

Amortisation methods, useful lives and residual values are reviewed at each reporting date and adjusted if appropriate.

(n) Financial instruments

(i) Recognition and initial measurement

Trade receivables are initially recognised when they are originated. All other financial assets and liabilities are initially recognised when the 
Group becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

A financial asset (unless it is a trade receivable without a significant financing component) or financial liability is initially measured at fair 
value plus, for an item not at fair value through profit or loss (“FVTPL”), transaction costs that are directly attributable to its acquisition 
or issue. A trade receivable without a significant financing component is initially measured at the transaction price.

(ii) Classification and subsequent measurement

Financial assets 

On initial recognition, a financial asset is classified as measured at amortised cost.

Financial assets are not reclassified after their initial recognition unless the Group changes its business model for managing financial 
assets, in which case all affected financial assets are reclassified on the first day of the first reporting period following the change in the 
business model.

A financial asset is measured at amortised cost if it meets both of the following conditions and is not designated as at FVTPL:

 5 it is held within a business model whose objective is to hold assets to collect contractual cash flows; and

 5 its contractual terms give rise on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest on the principal 

amount outstanding.

Financial assets – business model assessment

The Group assesses the objective of the business model in which a financial asset is held at a portfolio level because this best reflects the 
way the business is managed, and information is provided to management. 

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Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 202128. Significant accounting policies continued

(n) Financial instruments continued

(ii) Classification and subsequent measurement continued

Financial assets – assessment whether contractual cash flows are solely payments of principal and interest

For the purpose of this assessment, “principal” is defined as the fair value of the financial asset on initial recognition. “Interest” is defined as 
consideration for the time value of money and for the credit risk associated with the principal amount outstanding during a particular period 
of time and for other basic lending risks and costs (e.g. liquidity risk and administrative costs), as well as a profit margin.

In assessing whether the contractual cash flows are solely payments of principal and interest, the Group considers the contractual terms 
of the instrument. This includes assessing whether the financial asset contains a contractual term that could change the timing or amount 
of contractual cash flows such that it would not meet this condition. In making this assessment, the Group considers:

 5 contingent events that would change the amount or timing of cash flows;

 5 terms that may adjust the contractual coupon rate, including variable rate features;

 5 prepayment and extension features; and

 5 terms that limit the Group’s claim to cash flows from specified assets (e.g. non-recourse features).

A prepayment feature is consistent with the sole payments of principal and interest criterion if the prepayment amount substantially represents 
unpaid amounts of principal and interest on the principal amount outstanding, which may include reasonable additional compensation for early 
termination of the contract. Additionally, for a financial asset acquired at a discount or premium to its contractual par amount, a feature that 
permits or requires prepayment at an amount that substantially represents the contractual par amount plus accrued (but unpaid) contractual 
interest (which may also include reasonable additional compensation for early termination) is treated as consistent with this criterion if the 
fair value of the prepayment feature is insignificant at initial recognition.

Financial assets – subsequent measurement and gains and losses

Financial assets at FVTPL

These assets are subsequently measured at fair value. Net gains and losses, including any 
interest, are recognised in profit or loss. 

Financial assets at amortised cost

These assets are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. 
The amortised cost is reduced by impairment losses. Interest income, foreign exchange gains 
and losses and impairment are recognised in profit or loss.

Financial liabilities – classification, subsequent measurement and gains and losses

Financial liabilities are classified as measured at amortised cost or FVTPL. A financial liability is classified as at FVTPL if it is classified as 
held for trading, is a derivative or is designated as such on initial recognition. Financial liabilities at FVTPL are measured at fair value and 
net gains and losses, including any interest expense, are recorded in profit or loss. Other financial liabilities are subsequently measured at 
amortised cost using the effective interest method. Interest expense and foreign exchange gains and losses are measured in profit or loss. 
Any gain or loss on derecognition is also recognised in profit or loss.

(iii) Derecognition

Financial assets

The Group derecognises a financial asset when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the financial asset expire, or it transfers the 
rights to receive the contractual cash flows in a transaction in which substantially all of the risk and rewards of ownership of the financial 
asset are transferred or in which the Group neither transfers nor retains substantially all of the risks and rewards of ownership and it does 
not retain control of the financial asset.

Financial liabilities

The Group derecognises a financial liability when its contractual obligations are discharged or cancelled or expire. The Group also derecognises 
a financial liability when its terms are modified, and the cash flows of the modified liability are substantially different, in which case a new 
financial liability based on the modified terms is recognised at fair value.

On derecognition of a financial liability, the difference between the carrying amount extinguished and the consideration paid (including any 
non-cash assets transferred or liabilities assumed) is recognised in profit or loss.

(iv) Offsetting

Financial assets and financial liabilities are offset and the net amount presented in the statement of financial position when, and only when, 
the Group has a legally enforceable right to set off the amounts and it intends either to settle them on a net basis to realise the asset and 
settle the liability simultaneously.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

87

Financial statements28. Significant accounting policies continued

(o) Share capital

Share capital is denominated in sterling and is translated into US dollars on issue with no subsequent retranslation. Incremental costs directly 
attributable to the issue of ordinary shares are recognised as a deduction from equity. Income tax relating to transaction costs of an equity 
transaction is accounted for in accordance with IAS 12.

(p) Impairment

(i) Non-derivative financial assets

Financial instruments and contract assets

The Group recognises loss allowances for estimate credit losses (“ECL”) on:

 5 financial assets measured at amortised cost; and

 5 contract assets.

Loss allowances for trade receivables and contract assets are always measured at an amount equal to lifetime ECLs.

For other financial assets, when determining whether the credit risk of a financial asset has increased significantly since initial recognition 
and when estimating ECLs, the Group considers reasonable and supportable information that is relevant and available without undue cost 
or effort. This includes both quantitative and qualitative information and analysis, based on the Group’s historical experience and informed 
credit assessment and including forward-looking information.

Measurement of ECLs

ECLs are a probability-weighted estimate of credit losses. Credit losses are measured as the present value of all cash shortfalls (i.e. the 
difference between cash flows due to the entity in accordance with the contract and the cash flows that the Group expects to receive).

ECLs are discounted at the effective interest rate of the financial asset.

Credit-impaired financial assets

At each reporting date, the Group assesses whether financial assets carried at amortised cost are credit-impaired. A financial asset is “credit-
impaired” when one or more events that have a detrimental impact on the estimated future cash flows of the financial asset have occurred.

Evidence that a financial asset is credit-impaired includes the following observable data:

 5 significant financial difficulty of the customer;

 5 a breach of contract, such as a default; or

 5 it is probable that the customer will enter bankruptcy or other financial reorganisation.

Presentation of allowance for ECL in the statement of financial position

Loss allowances for financial assets measured at amortised cost are deducted from the gross carrying amount of the assets.

The gross carrying amount of a financial asset is written off when the Group has no reasonable expectations of recovering a financial asset 
in its entirety or a portion thereof. The Group individually makes an assessment with respect to the timing and amount of write-off based 
on whether there is a reasonable expectation of recovery. The Group expects no significant recovery from the amount written off. 

(ii) Non-financial assets

At each reporting date, the Group reviews the carrying amounts of its non-financial assets (other than deferred tax assets) to determine 
whether there is any indication of impairment. If any such indication exists, then the asset’s recoverable amount is estimated. Goodwill 
is tested annually for impairment.

For impairment testing, assets are grouped together into the smallest group of assets that generates cash inflows from continuing use that 
is largely independent of the cash inflows of other assets or CGUs. Goodwill arising from a business combination is allocated to CGUs or 
groups of CGUs that are expected to benefit from the synergies of the combination.

The recoverable amount of an asset or CGU is the greater of its value in use and its fair value less costs to sell. Value in use is based on the 
estimated future cash flows, discounted to their present value using a pre-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the 
time value of money and the risks specific to the asset or CGU.

An impairment loss is recognised if the carrying amount of an asset or CGU exceeds its recoverable amount.

Impairment losses are recognised in profit or loss. They are allocated first to reduce the carrying amount of any goodwill allocated to the 
CGU, and then to reduce the carrying amount of the other assets in the CGU on a pro rata basis.

An impairment loss in respect of goodwill is not reversed. For other assets, an impairment loss is reversed only to the extent that the 
asset’s carrying amount does not exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined, net of depreciation or amortisation, 
if no impairment had been recognised.

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Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 202128. Significant accounting policies continued

(q) Leases

(i) Policy

At inception of a contract, the Group assesses whether a contract is, or contains, a lease. A contract is, or contains, a lease if the contract 
conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset for a period of time in exchange for consideration. To assess whether a contract 
conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset, the Group assesses whether:

 5 the contract involves the use of an identified asset – this may be specified explicitly or implicitly and should be physically distinct or 

represent substantially all of the capacity of a physically distinct asset. If the supplier has a substantive substitution right, then the asset 
is not identified;

 5 the Group has the right to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits from use of the asset throughout the period of use; and

 5 the Group has the right to direct the use of the asset. The Group has this right when it has the decision-making rights that are mostly 

relevant to changing how and for what purpose the asset is used. The Group has the right to direct the use of the asset if either: 

 5 the Group has the right to operate the asset; or

 5 the Group designed the asset in a way that predetermines how and for what purpose it will be used.

This policy is applied to contracts entered into, or changed, on or after 1 January 2019.

At inception or on reassessment of a contract that contains a lease component, the Group allocates the consideration in the contract to each 
lease component on the basis of their relative stand-alone prices.

(ii) As a lessee

The Group recognises a right of use asset and a lease liability at the lease commencement date. The right of use asset is initially measured 
at cost, which compromises the initial amount of the lease liability adjusted for any lease payments made on or before the commencement 
date, plus any initial direct costs incurred and an estimate of costs to dismantle and remove the underlying asset or to restore the underlying 
asset or the site on which it is located, less any lease incentives received.

The right of use asset is subsequently depreciated using the straight-line method from the commencement date to the earlier of the end 
of the useful life of the right of use asset or the end of the lease term. The estimated useful lives of right of use assets are determined on the 
same basis as those of property and equipment. In addition, the right of use asset is periodically reduced by impairment losses, if any, and 
adjusted for certain remeasurements of the lease liability.

The lease liability is initially measured at the present value of the lease payments that are not paid at the commencement date, discounted 
using the interest rate implicit in the lease, or if that rate cannot be readily determined, the Group’s incremental borrowing rate. Generally, the 
Group uses its incremental borrowing rate as the discount rate.

Lease payments included in the measurement of the lease liability comprise the following:

 5 fixed payments, including in-substance fixed payments;

 5 variable lease payments that depend on an index or a rate, initially measured using the index or rate as at the commencement date;

 5 amounts expected to be payable under a residual value guarantee; and

 5 the exercise price under a purchase option that the Group is reasonably certain to exercise, lease payments in an optional renewal period 

if the Group is reasonably certain to exercise an extension option, and penalties for early termination of a lease unless the Group is 
reasonably certain not to terminate early.

The lease liability is measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. It is remeasured when there is a change in future lease 
payments arising from a change in an index or rate, if there is a change in the Group’s estimate of the amount expected to be payable under 
a residual value guarantee, or if the Group changes its assessment of whether it will exercise a purchase, extension or termination option.

When the lease liability is remeasured in this way, a corresponding adjustment is made to the carrying amount of the right of use asset 
or is recorded in profit or loss if the carrying amount of the right of use asset has been reduced to zero.

The Group presents right of use assets that do not meet the definition of investment property in “property, plant and equipment” and lease 
liabilities in “loans and borrowings” in the statement of financial position.

(iii) Short-term leases and leases of low-value assets

The Group has elected not to recognise right of use assets and lease liabilities for short-term leases that have a lease term of twelve months 
or less and leases of low-value assets, including IT equipment. The Group recognises the lease payments associated with these leases as 
an expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

89

Financial statements28. Significant accounting policies continued

(r) Operating loss

Operating loss is the result generated from the continuing principal revenue-producing activities of the Group as well as other income 
and expenses related to operating activities. Operating loss excludes net finance costs and income taxes.

(s) Fair value measurement

“Fair value” is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market 
participants at the measurement date in the principal or, in its absence, the most advantageous market to which the Group has access 
at that date. The fair value of a liability reflects its non-performance risk.

A number of the Group’s accounting policies and disclosures require the measurement of fair values, for both financial and non-financial 
assets and liabilities (see Note 23).

When one is available, the Group measures the fair value of an instrument using the quoted price in an active market for that instrument. 
A market is regarded as “active” if transactions for the asset or liability take place with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing 
information on an ongoing basis.

If there is no quoted price in an active market, then the Group uses valuation techniques that maximise the use of relevant observable inputs 
and minimise the use of unobservable inputs. The chosen valuation technique incorporates all of the factors that market participants would 
consider in pricing a transaction.

If an asset or a liability measured at fair value has a bid price and an ask price, then the Group measures assets and long positions at a bid 
price and liabilities and short positions at an ask price.

The best evidence of the fair value of a financial instrument on initial recognition is normally the transaction price – i.e. the fair value of the 
consideration given or received. If the Group determines that the fair value on initial recognition differs from the transaction price and the fair 
value is evidenced neither by a quoted price in an active market for an identical asset or liability nor based on a valuation technique for which 
any unobservable inputs are judged to be insignificant in relation to the measurement, then the financial instrument is initially measured at 
fair value, adjusted to defer the difference between the fair value on initial recognition and the transaction price. Subsequently, that difference 
is recognised in profit or loss on an appropriate basis over the life of the instrument but no later than when the valuation is wholly supported 
by observable market data or the transaction is closed out.

29. Standards issued but not yet effective

Several new standards are effective for annual periods beginning after 1 January 2022 and earlier application is permitted; however, 
the Group has not early adopted the new or amended standards in preparing these consolidated financial statements.

The following amended standards and interpretations are not expected to have a significant impact on the Group’s consolidated 
financial statements:

 5 IFRS 17 “Insurance Contracts” (effective date 1 January 2023);

 5 Classification of Liabilities as Current or Non-Current (Amendments to IAS 1) (effective date 1 January 2023);

 5 Property, Plant and Equipment — Proceeds before Intended Use (Amendments to IAS 16) (effective date 1 January 2022);

 5 Annual Improvements 2018-2020 Cycle (effective date 1 January 2022);

 5 Reference to the Conceptual Framework (Amendments to IFRS 3) (effective date 1 January 2022);

 5 Onerous Contracts — Cost of Fulfilling a Contract (Amendments to IAS 37) (effective date 1 January 2022);

 5 Amendments to IFRS 17 (effective date 1 January 2023);

 5 Extension of the Temporary Exemption from Applying IFRS 9 (Amendments to IFRS 4) (effective date 1 January 2023); 

 5 Disclosure of Accounting Policies (Amendments to IAS 1 and IFRS Practice Statement 2) (effective date 1 January 2023);

 5 Deferred Tax related to Assets and Liabilities arising from a Single Transaction (Amendments to IAS 12) (effective date 1 January 

2023); and

 5 Definition of Accounting Estimates (Amendments to IAS 8) (effective date 1 January 2023).

90

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Notes to the consolidated financial statements continuedFor the year ended 31 December 2021Five-year record

31 December

Revenue
Revenue growth

Deferred revenue
Deferred revenue growth

Cash

Operating loss
Impairment loss
Amortisation of intangible assets
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

EBITDA before exceptional items
Add back equity-settled share-based payment

Adjusted EBITDA before exceptional items
Development expenditure capitalised

2017

$’000

19,637
73%

14,160
13%

2018

$’000

17,019
(13%)

4,318
(70%)

 2019

$’000

2020

$’000

16,155
(5%)

10,532
(35%)

3,810
(12%)

3,753
(1%)

2021

$’000

7,306
(31%)

1,759
(53%)

27,396

10,757

23,354

21,039

27,759

(10,603)
—
6,699
215

(3,689)
3,109

(580)
(6,303)

(23,237)
—
6,475
388

(27,179)
—
5,701
1,101

(33,907)
—
5,070
1,203

(39,834)
2,131
5,115
1,077

(16,374)
6,977

(20,377)
8,707

(27,634)
5,403

(31,511)
2,004

(9,397)
(4,910)

(11,670)
(5,062)

(22,231)
(5,220)

(29,507)
(5,340)

Adjusted EBITDA before exceptional items including development expenditure

(6,883)

(14,307)

(16,732)

(27,451)

(34,847)

Note: 

 5 The 2018 figures include the adoption of IFRS 15 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” and the prior years have not been restated and are 

prepared on an IAS 18 basis.

 5 The 2019 figures include the adoption of IFRS 16 “Leases” and the prior years have not been restated and are presented on an IAS 17 basis.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

91

Financial statementsNotice of Annual General Meeting

Notice is given that the tenth Annual General Meeting of WANdisco plc (“the Company”) will be held at the UK Company’s offices, 
Castle House, 1–13 Angel Street, Sheffield S3 8LN, on 22 July 2022 at 10am for the following purposes:

To consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following resolutions as ordinary resolutions:

1. 

 That the Company’s financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2021, the Strategic report and the reports of the Directors 
and auditor thereon be received and considered.

2.   That Erik Miller be re-elected as a Director of the Company.

3.  That Grant Dollens be re-elected as a Director of the Company.

4.  That BDO LLP be re-appointed as auditor of the Company.

5.  That the Directors be authorised to determine the remuneration of the auditor.

6. 

 That, in substitution for all existing authorities but without prejudice to any allotment, offer or agreement already made pursuant thereto, 
the Directors be and are hereby generally and unconditionally authorised pursuant to Article 2.3 of the Company’s Articles of Association 
(“the Articles”) to exercise all powers of the Company to allot, grant options over or otherwise dispose of relevant securities (as that 
term is defined in the Articles) in respect of up to an aggregate nominal amount of £1,993,404, provided that (unless previously revoked, 
varied or renewed) this authority shall expire on the earlier of the date which is 15 months after the date the resolution was passed and 
the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company, save that the Company may before such expiry make an offer or 
agreement which would or might require relevant securities to be allotted after such expiry and the Directors may allot equity securities 
in pursuance of such an offer or agreement as if the power had not expired.

7. 

 That, pursuant to Article 58A(1)(b) of the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 (“the Law”) and Article 13 of the Articles, an ordinary share 
purchased pursuant to resolution 9 below may be held by the Company as treasury shares in accordance with Articles 58A and 58B 
of the Law.

To consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following resolutions as special resolutions:

8. 

 That, subject to the passing of resolution 6 and pursuant to Article 2.10 of the Articles, the Directors be and are hereby generally 
empowered to allot, grant options over or otherwise dispose of equity securities (within the meaning of the Articles) wholly for cash, 
pursuant to the general authority described in resolution 6 above, as if pre-emption rights did not apply to any such allotment, such 
power being limited to:

8.1 

 the allotment of equity securities in connection with a rights issue, open offer or pre-emptive offer to holders on the register of 
the ordinary shares in the capital of the Company (“ordinary shares”) on a date fixed by the Directors where the equity securities 
respectively attributable to the interests of all those shareholders are proportionate (as nearly as practicable) to their respective 
holdings on that date subject to any exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may consider necessary or expedient in 
relation to fractional entitlements, legal or practical problems under the law of any territory or the regulations or requirements 
of any relevant regulatory authority or stock exchange in any territory; and

8.2 

 the allotment (other than pursuant to resolution 8.1 above) wholly for cash of ordinary shares up to an aggregate nominal amount 
of £598,021,

 provided that (unless previously revoked, varied or renewed), such authorities shall expire on the earlier of the date which is 15 months 
after the date the resolution was passed and the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company, save that the Company 
may before such expiry make an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted after such expiry and 
the Directors may allot equity securities in pursuance of such an offer or agreement as if the power had not expired.

92

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

 
 
 
9. 

 That the Directors be and are hereby authorised pursuant to Article 13 of the Articles and Article 57 of the Law as amended to make 
market purchases of ordinary shares, subject to the following conditions:

9.1 

 the maximum number of ordinary shares authorised to be purchased may not be more than 15% of the issued share capital of the 
Company as at the date of this Notice;

9.2  the minimum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for an ordinary share is £0.001; and

9.3  the maximum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for an ordinary share shall not exceed:

9.3.1 

 an amount equal to 105% of the average middle market quotation for ordinary shares taken from the London Stock Exchange 
plc Daily Official List for the five business days immediately preceding the date on which such shares are to be contracted to 
be purchased; and

9.3.2 

 the higher of the price of the last independent trade and the highest current independent bid on the London Stock Exchange 
plc Daily Official List at the time, 

 such authority to expire on the earlier of the date which is 15 months after the date the resolution was passed and the conclusion of the 
next Annual General Meeting of the Company, unless such authority is varied, revoked or renewed prior to such date.

By order of the Board

Larry Webster
Company Secretary
23 June 2022

Registered in Jersey under the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 with company number 110497. 

Registered office

47 Esplanade 
St. Helier 
Jersey 
JE1 0BD

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

93

Financial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notice of Annual General Meeting continued

Notes

The following notes explain your general rights as a shareholder and your right to attend and vote at this Meeting or to appoint someone else 
to vote on your behalf.

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

 To be entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting (and for the purpose of the determination by the Company of the number of votes they 
may cast), shareholders must be registered in the Register of Members of the Company at close of trading on 20 July 2022. Changes 
to the Register of Members after the relevant deadline shall be disregarded in determining the rights of any person to attend and vote 
at the Meeting. 

 Shareholders, or their proxies, intending to attend the Meeting in person are requested, if possible, to arrive at the Meeting venue at least 
20 minutes prior to the commencement of the Meeting at 10am (UK time) on 22 July 2022 so that their shareholding may be checked 
against the Company’s Register of Members and attendances recorded.

 Shareholders are entitled to appoint another person as a proxy to exercise all or part of their rights to attend and to speak and vote 
on their behalf at the Meeting. A shareholder may appoint more than one proxy in relation to the Meeting provided that each proxy 
is appointed to exercise the rights attached to a different ordinary share or ordinary shares held by that shareholder. A proxy need not 
be a shareholder of the Company. 

 In the case of joint holders, where more than one of the joint holders purports to appoint a proxy, only the appointment submitted by the 
most senior holder will be accepted. Seniority is determined by the order in which the names of the joint holders appear in the Company’s 
Register of Members in respect of the joint holding (the first named being the most senior).

 A vote withheld is not a vote in law, which means that the vote will not be counted in the calculation of votes for or against the resolution. 
If no voting indication is given, your proxy will vote or abstain from voting at his or her discretion. Your proxy will vote (or abstain from 
voting) as he or she thinks fit in relation to any other matter which is put before the Meeting.

6.  You can vote either:

 5  by logging on to www.signalshares.com and following the instructions;

 5  by requesting a hard-copy form of proxy directly from the registrars, Link Group (previously called Capita), on Tel: 0371 664 0300. Calls are 
charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the United Kingdom will be charged at the applicable 
international rate. We are open between 9am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday excluding public holidays in England and Wales; or

 5  in the case of CREST members, by utilising the CREST electronic proxy appointment service in accordance with the procedures set out below.

7. 

8. 

9. 

 In order for a proxy appointment to be valid a form of proxy must be completed. In each case the form of proxy must be received by 
Link Group at PXS 1, Central Square, 29 Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 4DL, by 10am on 20 July 2022.

 If you return more than one proxy appointment, either by paper or electronic communication, the appointment received last by 
the registrars before the latest time for the receipt of proxies will take precedence. You are advised to read the terms and conditions 
of use carefully. Electronic communication facilities are open to all shareholders and those who use them will not be disadvantaged.

 The return of a completed form of proxy, electronic filing or any CREST Proxy Instruction (as described in Note 11 below) will not prevent 
a shareholder from attending the Meeting and voting in person if he/she wishes to do so.

 CREST members who wish to appoint a proxy or proxies through the CREST electronic proxy appointment service may do so 
for the Meeting (and any adjournment of the Meeting) by using the procedures described in the CREST Manual (available from 
www.euroclear.com/site/public/EUI). CREST personal members or other CREST sponsored members, and those CREST members 
who have appointed a service provider(s), should refer to their CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s), who will be able to take the 
appropriate action on their behalf.

10.  In order for a proxy appointment or instruction made by means of CREST to be valid, the appropriate CREST message (“a CREST Proxy 
Instruction”) must be properly authenticated in accordance with Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited’s specifications and must contain the 
information required for such instructions, as described in the CREST Manual. The message must be transmitted so as to be received by 
the issuer’s agent (ID RA10) by 10am on 20 July 2022. For this purpose, the time of receipt will be taken to mean the time (as determined 
by the timestamp applied to the message by the CREST application host) from which the issuer’s agent is able to retrieve the message 
by enquiry to CREST in the manner prescribed by CREST. After this time, any change of instructions to proxies appointed through CREST 
should be communicated to the appointee through other means.

11.   CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers should note that Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited 
does not make available special procedures in CREST for any particular message. Normal system timings and limitations will, therefore, 
apply in relation to the input of CREST Proxy Instructions. It is the responsibility of the CREST member concerned to take (or, if the CREST 
member is a CREST personal member, or sponsored member, or has appointed a voting service provider(s), to procure that his CREST 
sponsor or voting service provider(s) take(s)) such action as shall be necessary to ensure that a message is transmitted by means of 
the CREST system by any particular time. In this connection, CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting 
system providers are referred, in particular, to those sections of the CREST Manual concerning practical limitations of the CREST system 
and timings. The Company may treat as invalid a CREST Proxy Instruction in the circumstances set out in Article 34(1) of the Companies 
(Uncertificated Securities) (Jersey) Order 1999.

94

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

 
Notes continued

12.  Any corporation which is a shareholder can appoint one or more corporate representatives who may exercise on its behalf all of its 
powers as a shareholder provided that no more than one corporate representative exercises powers in relation to the same shares.

13.  As at 9 June 2022 (being the latest practicable business day prior to the publication of this Notice), the Company’s ordinary issued 
share capital consists of 59,802,130 ordinary shares, carrying one vote each. Therefore, the total voting rights in the Company as at 
9 June 2022 are 59,802,130.

14.  In the Company’s Articles of Association, Article 22.25 says: Where so requested in the manner set out in section 527(4) of the UK 

Companies Act 2006 by members who hold shares representing at least 10% of the paid up share capital of the Company (excluding 
treasury shares) and who have a right to vote at the general meeting at which the Company’s annual accounts are laid, the Company 
shall without prejudice to its obligations under the Companies Law publish on its website a statement setting out any matter relating 
to the audit of the Company’s accounts or any circumstances connected with an auditor of the Company ceasing to hold office, and the 
Company shall comply with all the obligations relating to the publication of such statement contained in the provisions of sections 527 
to 529 (other than sections 527(5) and 527(6)) of the UK Companies Act 2006, provided always that the Company shall not be required 
to comply with the obligation set out in section 527(1) of the UK Companies Act 2006 where the Board believes in good faith that the 
rights conferred by this Article 22 are being abused.

15.  Any shareholder attending the Meeting has the right to ask questions. The Company must cause to be answered any such question 

relating to the business being dealt with at the Meeting but no such answer need be given if: (a) to do so would interfere unduly with the 
preparation for the Meeting or involve the disclosure of confidential information; (b) the answer has already been given on a website in the 
form of an answer to a question; or (c) it is undesirable in the interests of the Company or the good order of the Meeting that the question 
be answered.

16.  The following documents are available for inspection during normal business hours at the registered office of the Company on any 

business day from the date of this Notice until the time of the Meeting and may also be inspected at the Meeting venue, as specified 
in this Notice, from 9.45am on the day of the Meeting until the conclusion of the Meeting:

 5 copies of the Directors’ letters of appointment or service contracts.

A copy of this Notice can be found on the Company’s website at www.wandisco.com.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

95

Financial statementsBankers 

Silicon Valley Bank 

Alphabeta 
14–18 Finsbury Square  
London EC2A 1BR

HSBC Bank plc 

Carmel House 
49-63 Fargate 
Sheffield S1 2HD

Registrars 

Link Group 

10th Floor 
Central Square 
29 Wellington Street 
Leeds LS1 4DL 

Share capital 

The ordinary share capital of WANdisco plc is listed on AIM, a market 
operated by London Stock Exchange Group plc. The shares are listed 
under the trading ticker WAND. The ISIN number is JE00B6Y3DV84.

LinkVote+

Link Group, the Company’s registrar, has launched a shareholder 
app: LinkVote+. 

It’s free to download and use and gives shareholders the ability to 
access their records at any time. 

The app also allows users to submit a proxy appointment quickly 
and easily online rather than through the post. 

The app is available to download on the Apple App Store and 
Google Play.

Secretary, advisers and share capital information

Secretary 

Larry Webster 

Offices 

UK office 

Castle House 
1–13 Angel Street 
Sheffield S3 8LN

US office 

5000 Executive Parkway  
Suite 270  
San Ramon  
CA 94583 

Registered office 

47 Esplanade  
St. Helier  
Jersey JE1 0BD 

Company registered number 

110497 

Brokers 

Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited 

150 Cheapside  
London EC2V 6ET 

Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited 

One New Change 
London EC4M 9AF

Auditor 

BDO LLP 

55 Baker St  
Marylebone  
London W1U 7EU

Legal advisers 

Brown Rudnick LLP 

8 Clifford Street  
London W1S 2LQ 

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP 

2550 Hanover Street 
Palo Alto 
CA 94304-1114 

Carey Olsen (Jersey) LLP 

47 Esplanade  
St. Helier  
Jersey JE1 0BD 

96

WANdisco plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

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CBP012420

WANdisco plc’s commitment to environmental issues is reflected in this 
Annual Report, which has been printed on Premier Elements Fire, an 
FSC® certified material. This document was printed by Opal X using its 
environmental print technology, which minimises the impact of printing 
on the environment, with 99% of dry waste diverted from landfill. Both the 
printer and the paper mill are registered to ISO 14001.

Annual Report and Accounts 2021 WANdisco plc 

97

 
WANdisco plc  
47 Esplanade 
St. Helier 
Jersey JE1 OBD

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