Where Are They Now: Malcolm Wallis, Founder, C365Cloud

Since its launch in 2018, the LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders programme has celebrated hundreds of exceptional individuals. In this series, we reconnect with some of our alumni to discover where their growth journeys have taken them, the impact of being part of the programme, and what their ambitions look like today.

Malcolm Wallis spotted a gap in the market for a smarter way to manage compliance. He launched C365Cloud in 2010, building a cloud-based platform that helps large organisations oversee everything from statutory obligations to health and safety. “My approach has always been sustainable growth and sensible investment: profitable, debt-free and no jobs at risk.” Since appearing in The LDC Top 50 in 2024, the company has moved to larger premises, expanded into the industrial sector, won its first major international client and strengthened its senior leadership team. “We’re ready to scale up even further.”

Why did you decide to move offices?

We did an employee survey and the biggest bugbear was the office. People wanted better facilities: more parking, showers and proper welfare spaces. There was a three-month gap between leaving our old office and moving into the new one in Wakefield in July 2024, so it was a stressful period of serviced offices and home working. The new site is more than twice the size, with breakout areas, booths, a conference room and even a pool table. It has really brought the culture together. Clients love coming in too. Our old office didn’t reflect who we were as a business.

What are your plans for international expansion?

Winning Bupa New Zealand, our first major international client, about a year ago was a huge milestone. Deploying a system on the other side of the world is difficult, particularly with data sovereignty rules, but they saw our functionality was head and shoulders above the local competition. We’re now working with potential partners and agencies to understand how we can develop in the region.

What do you do outside work?

Along with long family walks with the dog and watching Leeds United, I’ve always played golf badly but over the past two years I’ve become obsessed with improving. I’ve joined the local golf club, got a golf simulator in my garage, a personal trainer once a week and my own metrics: swing speed, ball speed and where I’m striking the club. I’ve applied my business mindset to golf and I love it.