Co-founder Sarat Pediredla has stepped down as CEO of hedgehog lab.
Pediredla has served as CEO since the tech consultancy was founded in 2007. He has gradually stepped away from day-to-day operations over the past 12 months.
The company will be led by Malcolm Seagrave, who was appointed UK managing director in September 2024 alongside CTO Joe Thompson.
Pediredla is planning to spend more time with his family after suffering from ‘burnout’ in 2023 and 2024. He will remain involved with the business in an advisory role for the next 12 months.
hedgehog lab, which took investment from BGF in 2023, has operations in London, Leeds, Edinburgh and Sofia. The consultancy counts Deliveroo, Under Armour, Aviva and AJ Bell among its clients.
In December it acquired Edinburgh-based global innovation network Label Sessions.
“After almost 19 years at hedgehog lab, I have reached the moment where it feels right to step aside and make space for the next chapter of leadership,” Pediredla wrote on LinkedIn.
“This company has shaped almost every part of my adult life. It has stretched me, grounded me, humbled me and given me more purpose than I ever expected when we started with two laptops, some broken furniture and a warehouse unit that rattled in the wind.
“The journey has been full of moments I will never forget. The early scrappy wins that convinced us we might actually make it. The years of learning how to lead while building a culture that felt human. The surreal milestones where we found ourselves working with global brands or opening new offices. The tough seasons too, from painful restructures to the burnout I walked through in 2023 and 2024. Each high and low shaped me in ways I am still processing.
“What stands out most as I look back is the people. There are far too many to thank in a single post, and I am not going to spam your feed with a long list, but please know this. I will reach out to each of you, because none of this would have existed without the countless hands, minds and hearts that helped build what started as a twenty five year old’s pipe dream.
“I believe now is the right time to hand over the reins.
“As for what comes next, I am going to slow down. My family has carried the weight of my ambition and identity for many years and they deserve more of me now.”
Pediredla said he is open to advisory and non-executive roles.