A South West story.
A shared ambition.
Founded in 2008 and transitioning to business technology support in 2014, Tomlinson Solutions has grown from a local IT provider into one of the South West’s emerging technology and cybersecurity success stories.
Today, the business is led by two complementary entrepreneurs: founder Ian Tomlinson and Managing Director Troy Wheeler. Together they have transformed the company from a small operation into a rapidly growing technology partner trusted by organisations across the region.
Their story is not one of overnight success. It is a story of ambition, partnership and a determination to prove that world-class technology businesses can be built from the South West.
Troy Wheeler, Managing Director, and Ian Tomlinson, Founder.
Built in the South West, for the South West
Too often, he saw organisations being offered transactional IT support rather than strategic guidance. Too often, businesses were expected to wait for the rest of the country to innovate first. Tomlinson Solutions was created with a different vision.
The company’s mission is to ensure South West businesses are not left behind. Rather than viewing technology as a utility, Tomlinson sees it as a growth driver, a competitive advantage and an essential component of modern business strategy.
The Power of Partnership
The partnership between Troy and Ian began with a chance meeting at a business expo in Torbay. Both had experienced the challenges of business ownership. Both had seen partnerships fail. Both shared a belief that relationships matter more than transactions. What started as a conversation quickly became a shared vision. Ian brought deep technical expertise and years of experience supporting organisations through technology.
Troy brought cybersecurity leadership, commercial strategy and a determination to challenge the status quo. They quickly realised their differences were their strength. One looks outward towards growth, innovation and future opportunity.
The other focuses inward, ensuring that customers receive exceptional service and that promises are delivered. Together they have built a business based on trust rather than sales targets. As Troy puts it:
More Than IT Support
At the heart of Tomlinson’s approach is a belief that the traditional managed service provider model is no longer enough. Most businesses have outsourced their IT. Many have outsourced other business functions too. Yet in doing so, many organisations have lost strategic technology leadership around the boardroom table.
Tomlinson Solutions is addressing that gap.
The business structures its support around three connected pillars:
Foundation Services
Technology Alignment
Regular engagement with customers to understand how technology, people and processes interact within the organisation.
Virtual IT Leadership
Strategic support for leadership teams, helping businesses align technology with future growth plans, risk management and innovation opportunities.
It is an approach more commonly associated with large consultancies than traditional IT providers.
The goal is simple:
Help businesses use technology intentionally, not reactively.
Technology is About People
Perhaps the greatest misconception in modern business is that digital transformation is primarily a technology challenge. Tomlinson Solutions takes a different view. Technology is the easy part. People are the hard part. The team spends significant time understanding how organisations operate, how employees work and how technology impacts culture, productivity and wellbeing. That focus on people underpins everything the business does.
Whether it is improving cybersecurity awareness, helping a team adopt new systems or preparing organisations for the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence, Tomlinson believes successful transformation starts with people. This emphasis on education and empowerment has become one of the company’s strongest differentiators. Clients frequently cite increased confidence, improved understanding and stronger internal capability as some of the most valuable outcomes of working with the team.
Quiet Expertise, Ambitious Vision
The leadership team combines entrepreneurial drive with technical excellence. Ian remains deeply involved in emerging technologies and development, constantly exploring new tools, platforms and innovations, while Troy focuses on growth, relationships and future opportunities. Together they are building a challenger brand that is redefining what technology partnership can look like in the South West.
The ambition is not necessarily to become the largest technology provider. Instead, the goal is to become the most trusted. The most respected. The business organisations turn to when technology decisions matter.
Looking Ahead
As Tomlinson Solutions enters its next phase of growth, the vision remains firmly rooted in the South West. The company plans to continue expanding its reach while maintaining the values that have shaped its success: trust, partnership, curiosity and a commitment to helping businesses succeed. For Troy and Ian, success is about more than growth metrics or future acquisitions. It is about proving that world-class technology businesses can be built in the South West and that local organisations deserve access to the same strategic expertise available in any major city.
Above all, it is about ensuring that no business is left behind in a rapidly changing digital world. Tomlinson Solutions is not simply helping organisations manage technology. It is helping them navigate the future.
Our leadership team.
Meet the people responsible for business direction, technical delivery, operations and your digital projects.
Troy Wheeler
Business direction, customer relationships and how the teams work together.
Simon Carpenter
Website projects, digital services and the customers who depend on them.
Mark Butler
Technical delivery and the team supporting your systems.
Hillary Tomlinson
Business operations and the coordination that keeps the service running.
Let’s get to know your business.
Tell us where you’re heading and what you need from a technology partner.