Meet the Team

Our Home

The Innovation Centre

Every great team needs a base, and ours is the Innovation Centre at the Bristol & Bath Science Park in Emersons Green. Opened in 2011, the 59-acre campus was built to bring science, engineering and technology businesses together, with the Universities of Bristol, Bath and the West of England as key stakeholders.

We share the park with some serious technical neighbours, including the National Composites Centre, and the M4 on our doorstep keeps Data Centre sites across the UK within easy reach. The park’s Forum building even houses the world’s largest solar-powered chandelier. When we’re not on site, this is where you’ll find us.

Founder

Steve Baker

Steve founded Synergy Mission Critical in 2020, bringing more than twenty years of Data Centre experience with him. He built the business around one idea: a commissioning partner should drive a project forward, not just report on it. Today he leads the team from Bristol, working with Owners and Operators, General Contractors and End-users across Commissioning Management (CxM), Commissioning Authority (CxA) and Client Representation.

Web Developer & Designer

Chris Barnes

Chris has been part of Synergy since the very beginning. A freelance graphic designer and web developer, he first met Steve through triathlons, and when Steve founded the business he asked Chris to create the brand. He has designed the Synergy and DCGS logos, built and looks after both websites, and has a hand in most of the Synergy communications you’ll see. If you can describe it, Chris can visualise it, with a trusted network of suppliers to produce everything from a business card to a full exhibition suite. At the weekend, you’ll usually find him exploring in his van, with the North Coast 500 next on his list.

Sales & Resourcing Lead

Colin Spicer

Colin leads business development, tendering and client engagement at Synergy, and makes sure the right specialists are matched to our Mission Critical projects across the UK and Europe. Before joining, he spent many years working internationally, helping clients find specialist people across a range of sectors. He has helped grow Synergy’s client network and team, and is a familiar face at Data Centre Golf Society events, despite claiming to be a terrible golfer. Away from work, Colin holds a degree in Acting, has worked across TV, film and stage, and now writes plays and teaches for LAMDA exams. He is also the office’s official Home Baking Tester.

Business Operations Manager

Emilia Atkinson

Emilia is Synergy’s Business Operations Manager, bringing 14 years of experience in the property industry. Before joining Synergy, she worked as a Building Surveyor for a property consultancy, delivering a broad range of commercial projects for a wide mix of clients. That background in surveying and project management gives her a strong technical and commercial foundation, which she now brings to running the operational side of the business and supporting its continued growth.

Finance & Accounts

Rachel Baker

Rachel has been part of Synergy since 2024 and is the go-to person for anything finance or payroll related. Day to day, she keeps the business’s finances running smoothly, from processing invoices and reconciling accounts to VAT returns and payroll. She has been a self-employed bookkeeper since 2010, supporting businesses across sectors from property lettings and plumbing to scaffolding, care and motorhome repairs. Having known Steve for a number of years, she was pleased to join the team. Outside work, Rachel enjoys cooking and spending time with family and friends, and as a child dreamed of a career in fashion and textiles.

Marketing & Business Support Manager

Lucy Thomson

Lucy joined Synergy in 2026 as Marketing and Business Support Manager, bringing more than ten years of B2B and B2C marketing experience. She previously led marketing in the fleet management sector and has also worked as a freelance marketer. Today she looks after everything from Synergy’s content, website and LinkedIn presence to the marketing for the Data Centre Golf Society. Relatively new to both the Data Centre industry and golf, she is enjoying getting to grips with both, and holds a Level 5 qualification in Management & Leadership from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) alongside a Diploma in Media Studies.