DarrenRidge
AaronBrown
Founders
Darren Ridge brought the high street: one of Britain's first mobile phone shops, in 1987. Aaron Brown brought the internet: selling phones online at sixteen. In 2013 they put their businesses together as Onecom, scaled it into the UK's largest independent business communications provider, and built Ridown to do it again across new sectors.
Darren
Ridge
A Leigh Park lad who was selling mobile phones on the high street before most people had seen one. Nearly four decades on, he gives strategic direction to every business in the Ridown Group.
Where it started
Darren grew up on a council estate in Leigh Park, Havant, and went to Wakeford Comprehensive, now Havant Academy. That upbringing still shapes the businesses he builds and the causes he backs.
Mobile phones on the high street
He co-founded KJC with Joe Case, opening in Lee-on-the-Solent years ahead of the household names. KJC grew to around 60 stores, the largest chain of its kind in the south, and became Vodafone's first strategic partner.
Any organisation is only as good as the people in it.Darren Ridge · Comms Dealer, 2017
The first exit
KJC was sold to PNC Telecom for a reported £30m in cash and shares. In 2002 Darren started again with Premier Telecom, which by 2012 was Vodafone's Platinum Partner of the Year and ranked in the Sunday Times Tech Track 100.
Creating Onecom
Premier Telecom merged with Business Phones Direct to form Onecom, a £40m business with nearly 300 people. As CEO, Darren led the acquisition programme and signed a record Vodafone contract worth up to £500m in 2015.
We are in the throes of a communications revolution.Darren Ridge, on launching Onecom · Mobile News, 2013
Institutional backing
Onecom secured a £100m funding package from LDC and Ares, then the largest partner deal in Vodafone's history, worth up to £600m. Darren returned as CEO in 2020 and again in 2025, before handing the reins to Aaron in 2026.
Giving back
Through The Ridge Foundation, Darren has returned to his old school with a minibus, a learning centre, laptops and connectivity, and in 2025 opened the Foundation's first international project in Delhi. That year he was named Solent 250 Executive of the Year and Central South Businessperson of the Year.
With hard work, dedication and a plan, you really can achieve anything.Darren Ridge · Comms Dealer, 2017
Aaron
Brown
A serial operator who started his first business at sixteen. Today he is Group CEO of Onecom and leads Ridown businesses hands-on, from WeBuyAnyPhone.com to Onestream.
An early start online
Aaron founded his first business as a teenager, selling mobile phones online, then built Business Phones Direct, serving SMEs from Fareham.
Co-founding Onecom
Business Phones Direct merged with Premier Telecom to form Onecom. As Chief Operating Officer, and later Group COO, Aaron ran the engine room through years of acquisitions and growth.
Device recycling really is a win-win for consumers and for the environment.Aaron Brown · PR Newswire, 2024
One van to 110
With Darren, he backed WeFix through Ridown, then led it as COO and CEO. It became Samsung UK's exclusive repair partner, and in 2020 Brightstar, part of SoftBank, bought a majority stake.
Building the portfolio
Hands-on at WeBuyAnyPhone.com, which by 2024 had paid customers £75m and saved over a million devices from landfill, plus Onestream, CyberSentry and Hosted, which was later sold into Onecom. In 2025 he led Ridown's £2m seed investment in OneHive and Echo.
Onecom is in a strong position, with real momentum behind us.Aaron Brown · Onecom, 2026
Group CEO
After rejoining Onecom as COO in 2025, Aaron was appointed Group Chief Executive on 1 May 2026, leading a business of around £220m revenue, 900+ people and 65,000+ business customers.
Chair of The Ridge Foundation
Aaron chairs the Foundation's trustees and fundraises for children with serious health conditions, local projects and schools. Through WeBuyAnyPhone.com he also launched a partnership with Kidney Research UK.
I am excited about building on everything Darren and I have achieved together.Aaron Brown, on becoming Group CEO · Onecom, 2026
The people running the portfolio.
Darren Ridge
Co-founder · Non-executive director, OnecomFounder, The Ridge Foundation.
Aaron Brown
Co-founder · Group CEO, OnecomChair of trustees, The Ridge Foundation.
Jenna Sharpe
Head of People & Culture, Ridown GroupTrustee, The Ridge Foundation.
Steve Evans
Managing Director, OnestreamCharlie Nicholas
Managing Director, WeBuyAnyPhone.comOver a decade in tech resale. Leads the UK device-recycling brand that has paid customers £75m.
Ben O'Nion
Head of Growth, Ridown GroupCo-founder of OneHive and Echo, backed by a £2m Ridown seed investment in 2025.