Dean Forbes is a successful business leader who has held executive and senior leadership roles for a number of international software companies.
He is currently the CEO of Forterro, a European leader in mid-market manufacturing ERP solutions backed by Battery Ventures.
Forbes has been named one of the UK’s 50 most ambitious business leaders by Lloyds Banking Group and The Daily Telegraph, and he was also named in the J.P.Morgan sponsored Powerlist 2021, 2022 and 2023 as one of the 100 most influential Black people in the UK.
Forbes has an extensive and successful career in executive and senior leadership roles for a number of international software companies.
He is also the founder of the Forbes Family Group (FFG), where he serves as Chairman – actively coaching and mentoring leaders within the firm’s investment portfolio.
Forbes Dean career
Forbes has had an extensive and successful career in executive and senior leadership roles for a number of international software companies.
He has held various positions, including CEO, Vice President, Associate General Counsel, and Chief Privacy Officer, among others.
Forbes has worked for companies such as CoreHR, KDS, Primavera Systems and Forterro.
He has been instrumental in the growth and expansion of these companies, leading them to successful acquisitions and exits with impressive valuations.
Forbes has been named one of the UK’s 50 most ambitious business leaders by Lloyds Banking Group and The Daily Telegraph, and he was also named in the J.P.Morgan sponsored Powerlist 2021, 2022, and 2023 as one of the 100 most influential Black people in the UK.
His early life was challenging, as he was homeless and struggling with debt while caring for his mother.
Forbes missed out on a career as a professional footballer but went on to become a successful businessman.
He is an unwavering champion of social mobility initiatives, both as part of uncovering new investment opportunities for Forbes Family Group (FFG), and through initiatives sponsored within the local communities.
Forbes is highly passionate about issues around social mobility and philanthropy and actively supports those with similar goals.

Dean Forbes educational background
Forbes has an impressive educational background.
He is a Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Flinders University, where he previously served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International & Communities) and Vice-President from 2000-2013.
Forbes is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Virginia School of Law.
He has also authored and co-authored several publications, including Planning Asian Cities: Risks and Resilience and Sustainable Development in China.
Forbes’ early career began in the IT industry in his early 20s, where he played a major role in the international growth of US software firm Primavera and was instrumental in its sale to Oracle for a reported $550m.
His extensive experience in executive and senior leadership roles for a number of international software companies has contributed to his success as a transformational tech leader.
Dean Forbes net worth
At the time of publishing this article, Forbes had a reported net worth of $40 million.
How does Dean Forbes make money?
Forbes has multiple sources of income, which have contributed to his net worth
He has held various positions, including CEO, Vice President, Associate General Counsel, and Chief Privacy Officer, among others, for a number of international software companies.
Forbes has been instrumental in the growth and expansion of these companies, leading them to successful acquisitions and exits with impressive valuations.
He has made sure to have equity in the companies he has worked for, which has allowed him to earn a percentage of what the companies were sold for.
In 2020, Forbes founded the Forbes Family Group (FFG), where he serves as Chairman – actively coaching and mentoring leader within the firm’s investment portfolio.
Additionally, Forbes is offering mentorship opportunities for future leaders and will take up an advisory role in one small business and also allow one person to shadow him to gain an insight into what it takes to be successful.
He is highly passionate about issues around social mobility and philanthropy and actively supports those with similar goals.
What does Forterro do?
Forterro is a software company that provides specialized software products and services to the industrial market.
They offer highly specialized software products and services designed to help industrial businesses strengthen operations and accelerate growth.
Forterro’s industrial software is designed specifically to help businesses thrive in their highly specialized markets.
Their solutions have been developed for the requirements of a specific set of businesses, whose challenges are often defined by their size, location, and the type of products they make, distribute or sell.
Forterro’s products include a number of different functionalities, such as manufacturing and operations, supply chain management, customer relationship management, financial management systems and human capital management.
They provide ERP software and services to small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses.
Forterro’s ERP solution includes a number of different functionalities, including HCM and FMS, and overlaps on a limited basis with business analytics and content services.
He is committed to the industrial market and helping companies manufacture, distribute and sell the essential products that power our world.
They are always-on research and development, strengthening operations, and accelerating success.
Forterro has grown to become a multi-product pan-European software company focused on the needs of the industrial market.
They have been providing specialized software solutions and services to the industrial market for over 30 years.
