Krystal turns 23… and we’ve had a busy year

Today, Krystal turns 23.

If we were a person, we’d probably be finishing university, stepping into our first proper job or heading out to travel. We’d also most likely be figuring out how to make an impact in the world.

This past year has been one of the most transformational in our history. We’ve doubled down on our purpose, invested in our people and infrastructure, and made decisions that will shape our next decade, not just our next quarter.

We’ve laid new foundations, sharpened our focus and started building a stronger, more resilient Krystal. One that can serve clients better, scale sustainably and have a larger, more positive impact.

Here’s what we’ve been up to.

A leadership change and a clear direction

A year ago today, we entered into an exciting new chapter when our Chief Operating Officer, Dave Kimberley, stepped into the role of Krystal CEO. Since then, he’s guided us through a year of purposeful evolution, shaping the business to be more resilient, better prepared for the future and even more closely aligned with its core values.

Reflecting on the past 12 months, Dave says:

“Becoming CEO a year ago was both exciting and humbling. Krystal has always had a reputation for doing things differently, and my focus has been to build on that strength. Growing the company while staying grounded in what matters most.

Over the past year, we’ve reshaped the business, invested heavily in our infrastructure, and made sustainability a core part of every decision we take. None of this would be possible without the people behind it. I’ve been genuinely inspired by how our teams have stepped up, supported one another, and kept clients at the heart of everything we do.

We’ve achieved a considerable amount in our 23 years, but it still feels like we’re only just getting started. That’s what excites me, knowing we can keep growing, serve even more clients, and create positive impact, all while staying true to who we are.”

Infrastructure that’s ready for anything

To support our growth and future-proof the services our clients depend on, we’ve made significant investments in our infrastructure over the past year. One of the most significant changes was the welcoming of Paul Bickerdyke as our new Head of Infrastructure.

Paul quickly made his mark, guiding the team through a period of rapid yet carefully planned expansion. His leadership has been so valuable that he’s since stepped into the role of CTO, now helping shape not just our infrastructure but our entire technology strategy.

Congratulations, Paul, and thank you for the energy, clarity, and vision you’ve brought to Krystal!

We also secured recertification for ISO/IEC 27001, the global gold standard in information security. It’s a rigorous process, but achieving it again shows our commitment to keeping client data secure and our systems resilient. Alongside this, we successfully upgraded our fibre connectivity from multiple 10Gbit to multiple 100Gbit connections, a major upgrade that gives us the speed and capacity to stay ahead of demand as we grow.

And because the best infrastructure is built by people as much as it is by technology, we welcomed six new specialists to the team. Each brings deep expertise in areas that help us design, build and maintain more resilient, scalable services for our clients.

This kind of work often goes unnoticed, running quietly in the background, but it’s absolutely vital. It’s what enables us to deliver the reliability, performance and security our clients expect, while giving us the foundation to keep moving forward.

Stronger services, smarter innovation

We want Krystal to thrive for decades to come. We’re not just upgrading our services; we’re reimagining them.

And that takes talent. Thankfully, we already had plenty of that in-house.

Our very own software lead, Adam Cooke, has stepped into a new role as Head of Product and Innovation. He’s now leading a growing team of experts focused on developing the next generation of Krystal services.

One of the flagship projects already in motion is a completely new backend for our platform, built from the ground up to be faster, more flexible and easier to use. This will unlock new functionality and deliver an even better experience for our customers across the board.

We also created our first Hosting Product Manager role, with Ben Oates, previously our stalwart Head of Support, stepping up. Ben brings years of frontline experience into a new, product-first environment. This move was a natural fit, not just because of Ben’s general awesomeness, but because we believe products should be shaped by the people who know our customers best.

Even better support for every customer

Great tech is only part of the story. The other part is great support, the kind that makes you feel properly understood and properly looked after.

We’ve restructured our support delivery to ensure it’s more consistent and responsive. Steven Sinnott now leads Customer Experience across Hosting, Katapult and Managed Services with a level head and exceptionally high standards. Ste and his expert team make sure that no matter what Krystal services you use, you get the same high quality of care.

And as our Managed Services offering grows, we’ve created a dedicated support team to go with it, backed by new infrastructure hires and led by people who know what great service looks and feels like.

Same purpose, renewed focus

One of the most important changes this year is that sustainability is now formally part of how we operate.

Part of this renewed focus was appointing our very first Sustainability Officer, Polina Kuperman.

Polina has already been working hard to help us take a more strategic, measurable approach to our environmental commitments. From assessing the impact of our internal operations and reviewing what causes we invest in, to reinvigorating how we communicate our purpose, Polina is helping make sure we’re being more deliberate, more transparent and more accountable.

We reaffirmed our 1% for the Planet commitment and made meaningful contributions to conversations that matter, including being actively involved in Anthropy, the UK’s big-picture summit on a sustainable future.

This year, we also joined the Business Declares movement, recognising the climate and nature crisis as urgent and deeply connected to how we live and work. By signing the declaration, we’ve committed to reducing our environmental footprint, supporting projects that restore nature, and speaking up for the systemic changes this moment demands.

Right now, we’re working on our 2024 impact report, which will show in black and white (and low carbon) where we’re making progress, and where we’ve still got work to do.

This isn’t about looking good. It’s about doing better and being honest about where we still need to improve.

A better place to work

A values-led company only works if it takes care of its people. Over the past year, we’ve invested in better benefits, stronger support and more ways for our staff to feel connected to Krystal’s purpose.

Here are just a few of the ways we’ve made Krystal a better place to work:

• Increased annual leave entitlement
• Introduced private dental cover
• Extended private healthcare to dependents
• Launched new policies on menopause and pregnancy loss
• Rolled out paid volunteering and development days
• Offered mental health drop-in sessions for all staff

All of which reflects a simple truth: if you want to support clients well, you have to support your people better.

A growing community and a louder voice

We’ve seen steady growth this year, thanks not only to the quality of our service, but also to our community, reputation and the values we share with our clients.

• We hit a huge milestone: over 100,000 domains are now hosted with us
• We passed 2,000 reviews, with the vast majority being glowing
• Our LinkedIn community grew to over 6,000 followers
• We returned to BlueSky and Mastodon, reconnecting with more open, ethical platforms
• We launched our new Affiliate programme, making it easier for anyone to recommend Krystal and earn extra money

We’ve also been building closer relationships with purpose-led organisations, including our new partnership with the Better Business Network, where we’re offering free hosting to its members.

Every new connection is a chance to grow, not just as a business, but as part of something bigger. Because Krystal isn’t just another hosting company. We’re trying to build something better, something ethical, independent and built to last.

Looking ahead: more progress, less compromise

If the past year has been about building foundations, the year ahead is about putting them to work.

We’ll be launching our new platform, expanding Managed Services, and continuing to refine our product offering, all while keeping sustainability front and centre.

We’re working on our 2024 impact report, which will shine a light on our progress (and our gaps!) across areas like emissions, energy use, staff wellbeing, supplier impact and more.

So, we’re 23. A little older, a little wiser and a lot more focused.

And while we’re proud of how much we’ve accomplished over the last year, there’s lots still to do. And we’re just getting started.