Hello, I’m Derek Kilroe, founder and CEO of askelie. I started askelie with a clear vision: to transform the way businesses approach automation and to make advanced technology more practical, affordable, and effective. For me, technology has always been about solving real problems and making life easier, never about adding unnecessary complexity.
From RAF to Enterprise Software
My career began in the Royal Air Force, where I trained and served as a Biomedical Engineer. That experience gave me discipline, precision, and leadership skills that continue to shape everything I do. The RAF instilled a mission-first mindset, where resilience, focus, and teamwork came before everything else. Those values have been invaluable in my business journey.
After leaving the forces, I moved into project management and enterprise software sales. Over the years, I held senior roles at companies such as Infor, Kofax, OpTier, Cast Software, Evident Software, Invention Machine, and Parametric Technology. During this time, I worked closely with government bodies, global enterprises, and major partners like IBM, Fujitsu, Accenture, CGI, and Infosys. Each role deepened my understanding of how organisations use technology, and often, how traditional approaches failed to deliver.
Why I Created askelie
After more than 26 years in the software industry, I noticed the same recurring challenge. Traditional application development was slow, expensive, and prone to failure. Too many projects consumed time and money but missed the mark when it came to delivering what organisations truly needed.
This frustration led me to create ELIE – the Ever Learning Intelligent Engine. ELIE was designed to build and run digital workers and autonomous applications that are practical, affordable, and compliant. What started as an idea scribbled on a napkin has now become askelie: a company delivering intelligent automation solutions for government departments, global enterprises, and industries across multiple continents.
My Role as CEO
As CEO, my role is to set the vision, drive innovation, and make sure askelie builds strong partnerships. I spend my time balancing strategy with execution: listening to clients, guiding our team through new features, and ensuring we remain agile in an industry that changes quickly.
The way I lead has been shaped by both my RAF training and my decades in business. From the RAF I took loyalty, mission clarity, and high standards. From enterprise software, I learned how to scale companies, build commercial strategy, develop products that make a difference, and create long-term partnerships that deliver results.
My Leadership Approach
I believe leadership is about building trust and creating the conditions for people to succeed. At askelie, I want everyone to feel part of the mission, to share in the company’s success, and to know that their work matters.
My leadership priorities include:
Building products that are practical and trusted
Scaling the business without losing agility
Forming partnerships that strengthen what we deliver
Fostering a culture of loyalty, trust, and performance
Looking Ahead
As CEO, Derek Kilroe is committed to guiding AskElie through the next stage of growth with clarity and purpose. His focus is on scaling responsibly, ensuring compliance and security, and delivering measurable outcomes for clients. Derek believes the future of AI automation depends on trust, transparency, and practical delivery.
Looking forward, Derek Kilroe sees AskElie as more than just a technology platform. His goal is to help organisations unlock new value through responsible AI – balancing innovation with compliance, and scaling in ways that strengthen confidence. He is passionate about building partnerships that last and creating solutions that deliver measurable results for governments, enterprises, and communities worldwide. Under his leadership, AskElie will continue to expand its global reach, remain adaptable in a fast-changing landscape, and deliver solutions that combine innovation with lasting value.