Expert Details
Digital, e-commerce, Publishing nPlatforms, Insurance, FinTech, Software Development, and IT Strategy
ID: 732786
United Kingdom
Throughout his career he has been involved in a large number of significant software development projects, software project management roles and digital strategy development, audit and deployment exercises, as well as M&A technology due diligence and managing change through post-merger integration.
He has worked with start-ups (including his own), large corporates and everything in between and has seen technology from both sides of the table: as a small business owner and as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for a large global business where he was a member of the Executive Board team. His broad all-round technical knowledge of IT infrastructure, software application development and finance give him the ability to communicate to and engage with IT and business stakeholders at all levels.
Expert grew his own digital development agency over a 5-year period, focusing predominantly on the design and delivery of e-commerce web applications for the B2C SME market. During this time, Expert explored and employed a wide variety of e-commerce solutions and payment gateway solutions. Similarly, in his recent corporate role, Expert was instrumental in developing a PLC-wide e-commerce platform and ensuring PCIDSS compliance across the organisation.
He keeps up to date with developments in e-commerce / e-payments technologies and how these interact with some of the new emerging Marketing technologies employed on retail sites.
Expert has spent the last 30 years involved in the development and management of a large number of software projects across a diverse spread of industries.
In his last role as Chief Technology Officer for a large global PLC, Expert was involved in a significant number of buy-side and sell-side acquisitions as part of the deal team -- specifically, leading the technology due diligence for these transactions.
• Successful track record and experience of large-scale systems implementations and change programmes.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret rapidly changing technology and market trends and apply this to wider strategic commercial direction.
Expert's key capabilities include:
• Experience managing senior stakeholders, both internally and externally, and confidence in dealing with, and influencing, senior executive team, and producing clear and non-technical advice on complex issues.
• Experience with innovative approaches to sourcing services, and of contract negotiation and relationship management with large suppliers.
• Understanding and extensive experience of using of agile project management techniques and working practices, open source, cloud platforms and digital services.
His indicative experience inludes:
• Developing a CTO role from scratch at a large global B2B Media plc, leading technical due diligence for 10+ acquisitions, developing and implementing technology roadmaps and managing software development teams across a global footprint.
• Managing large-scale programmes of work, successfully delivering complex strategic initiatives such as group editorial platforms, group e-commerce platform, e-payments gateway selection, procurement and implementation and PCI DSS compliance.
• Managing a portfolio of infrastructure changes focussed on rationalisation, consolidation and virtualization of a fragmented group hosting estate.
• Creating the case for, and leading the implementation of Salesforce as the worldwide sales CRM and sales fulfilment system for the Wilmington PLC.
• Establishing and launching a number of successful technology businesses through which Expert has provided technical strategy consultancy at board level to businesses lacking this expertise.
• Designing and developing an Insurance Premium Tax Compliance platform to enable large global insurers to manage their IPT compliance risk for multi-national programs.
• Leading the transformation of ICT provision and Computer Science education at a large overseas university.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 2016 | Degree: Ph.D | Subject: Engineering: Applied Mathematics and Computing | Institution: Cranfield University (UK) |
| Year: 2016 | Degree: M.Engineering (Honors) | Subject: Mechanical Engineering | Institution: University of Leeds |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2011 to 2015 | Employer: PLC company | Title: Chief Technology Officer (CTO) | Department: |
Responsibilities:Expert shaped and defined all technology-centric strategy for this Group in alignment with overarching fiscal and commercial aspirations. He reported directly to CEO, governed group-wide technology operations and performance including recruitment, selection and assembly of teams. Expert was also instrumental in all pre-acquisition due diligence and post-acquisition integration M&A activity. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2010 to 2011 | Employer: | Title: Founder / Director | Department: |
Responsibilities:Expert established and launched this company to provide strategic IT consultancy at board-level. He provided strategic advice to businesses without full-time director costs. Expert also recruited associates to ensure a variety of experiences and viewpoints available for clients. He also worked as an interim IT Director for a number of businesses. Expert focused on identifying growing IT businesses as future potential clients. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2015 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: President / Founder / Chief Digital Strategist | Department: |
Responsibilities:His company leverages the 25 years' experience of its founder, offering a range of flexible digital consultancy services to B2B industries. Expert's company helps organizations get the most of out of digital technology (specific examples available upon request). |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2011 to 2011 | Employer: VAT Consultancy Services | Title: Head of IT | Department: Accordance |
Responsibilities:Expert temporarily stewarded the IT department. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2004 to 2011 | Employer: | Title: Founding Director / Consultant | Department: |
Responsibilities:Expert established and launched this web development company to provide an ethical, professional, reliable web development service to the SME market. He developed the business through strong client acquisition and engagement skills and tenacity, developing comprehensive project proposals and documentation. He also undertook end-to-end project management and planning to create unique e-commerce and content management solutions ranging from simple brochureware sites to large complex solutions for some relatively large B2B clients. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2010 to 2011 | Employer: | Title: Founder / Director | Department: |
Responsibilities:Expert established, built and subsequently sold his own web hosting company. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2007 to 2010 | Employer: Ltd. Company | Title: IT Director / CTO | Department: |
Responsibilities:Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, Expert provided specialist advice and strategic direction to the insurance premium tax consultancy, on how technology could best be used to support the company’s objectives. He also provided strategic leadership to ensure the successful completion of the tax compliance project and project managed its development and implementation. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2003 to 2004 | Employer: Kaleidoscope Project | Title: Senior ICT Lecturer and ICT Project Coordinator | Department: |
Responsibilities:Expert served the Kaleidoscope Project as Senior ICT Lecturer and ICT Project Coordinator. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2000 to 2002 | Employer: Uganda Christian University | Title: University Computer Services Director | Department: |
Responsibilities:He reported to the Vice Chancellor for developing a new computer service department for the university with c1800 students and for allocation of IT resources/budget. He also developed the ICT policy and associated procedures.Key accomplishments: Key Achievements: > Developed a campus-area network, using wired and wireless technologies. > Introduced the International Computer Driving Licence, leading to the university becoming the first accredited ICDL training and test center in Uganda. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1998 to 2000 | Employer: Awear | Title: Technical Coordinator | Department: |
Responsibilities:Expert served Awear as Technical Coordinator. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1993 to 1997 | Employer: Cranfield University | Title: Research Engineer | Department: |
Responsibilities:Expert was responsible for supervising postgraduate research students while also completing two thirds of the Cranfield MBA (as part of degree) and gained experience in teaching. |
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Fields of Expertise
transaction processing, ecommerce, content management system, software technology transfer, cloud computing, software system development, computer software technology innovation, software valuation, application software design, technology adoption, technology acquisition, mergers and acquisitions, health care, software development methodology, industrial marketing, strategy development, compliance, insurance, pharmaceutical industry