Steve Jobs, Jack Dorsey, David Richards. All three are chief executives forced out of tech companies who subsequently returned in triumph. In the case of Mr Jobs at Apple and Mr Dorsey at Twitter, it took years. Mr Richards, of WANdisco, was reinstated within four days.

All fell out with their boards but were restored to power by shareholders. Mr Richards, who co-founded the Aim-listed Big Data business, recalls the day three years ago when chairman Paul Walker turned up unexpectedly at his hotel with a resignation letter. In shock, Mr Richards signed it. When the news was announced, outraged investors called him direct.

Once Mr Walker was told by more than half the shareholders that they wanted Mr Richards back, the chairman quit instead. It helped that Yeturu Aahlad, who invented the technology behind WANdisco, and Mr Richards had 15 per cent of the UK software company.