Dec 2024 – Present · 1 yr 3 mos · Dubai, United Arab Emirates · Hybrid

• I was promoted to Group CTO after accomplishments at a subsidiary company (Yomly) with a brief to bring the same innovation to other Group companies (Now Money, SVN, Seven Insurance Brokers) and to consolidate the CTO position for major business changes in 2026.
• Highlights include:
• Providing Architecture strategy for all group companies, including Yomly – see major projects in previous position
• Designing and implementing new architectural components - authentication, geolocation and document management
• Heading the development of a wellness application incorporating Augmented Reality, Image Recognition and fitness metrics evaluation aimed at reducing re-insurance costs for customers and their employees
• Designing conversational Data Query services that utilise LLMs to query data across portfolios

Feb 2020 – Feb 2025 · 5 yrs · Dubai, United Arab Emirates · Hybrid

• I was headhunted by this leading HR & Payroll software solution provider to deal with a number of issues around scalability, stability and innovation. In this portfolio I achieved the following:
• Re-architected, developed and rolled out a completely re-engineered product with the fastest and most customisable payroll platform globally. Payroll execution by competitor took 6 hours, we took 4 minutes.
• Conducted development, robust testing and quality assurance assessments with no downtime, deploying modified Scrum, as part of a SAFe DevOps workflow
• Delivered accessible functionality around Performance Management, Applicant Tracking, Community noticeboards, benefits, policy management and document management
• Moved the software user limit from 4000 users to well over a million users across over 80 countries, shifting the typical customer demographic from small businesses to large enterprises
• Shutdown the existing Bristol office and established a new, core team in the UAE, remote teams in Eastern Europe, as well as Product Management, Quality Assurance, Professional Services and Training teams
• Directed the Cybersecurity program to obtain and maintain ISO 27001 certification
• Personally, designed the deployment infrastructure, Software Architecture and Data Management Architectures Products consisting of IOS, Android, Web and desktop components; hands-on approach to DevOps designs, implementation and operation
• Recipients of the HR Software of the Year awards for 2023 and 2024

Aug 2019 – Feb 2020 · 6 mos · United Arab Emirates

• In this role I established all IT Infrastructure across IOS, Android, Web and desktop applications and onboarded outsourced development teams within the first week, as well as leading on the development of the first of 2 products for the organization:
• Delivered initial product from 0 lines of code, within the first 10 weeks, originally estimated as a 9-month project
• Positioned, second product for imminent delivery within 6 months, originally estimated as a 2-year project

Feb 2016 – Aug 2019 · 3 yrs 6 mos · United Arab Emirates

• Providing strategic leadership and technical management for complex deals and large key accounts across the MENA region
• Designing and deploying complex solutions across multiple product portfolios
• Ensuring alignment of all technology-related decisions with organisational goals and objectives
• Working closely with sales teams, providing strategic pre-sales support to facilitate the winning of new business from both existing and new customers
• Minimising input costs to large accounts through reorganising and automating the related support functions
• Developed the business continuity and Disaster Recovery Framework and process for a major regional bank.
• Assisted clients in developing strategy for accomplishing a number of aspects of digital transformation. Including use of Robotic Process Automation, data analytics, visualisation.

Jun 2012 – Jan 2016 · 3 yrs 7 mos · United Arab Emirates, China, Africa

• Created and consolidated the IT Outsourcing business and solutions for key accounts
• Envisioned, sold and delivered the entire ITO stack across 8 countries in Africa for the first major customer, enabling that customer to meet their SLAs within the first 6 weeks of transition
• Provided sales and architecture consulting globally for Huawei DC and Cloud products
• Delivered technical and business model designs for large-scale IT Transformation initiatives
• Managed pre-sales on more than USD1billion of cloud solution deals
• Streamlined design and scheduling of server consolidation activities through developing automated tools
• Designed the ITO appliance to simplify walk-in takeover of existing IT operations

May 2012 – Jan 2016 · 3 yrs 8 mos · China, Hong Kong, Africa

• Built and managed positive, sustainable relationships with clients in a wide range of industry sectors across the region
• Advised, guided and supported clients in establishing, growing, transforming and running their businesses
• Led, managed and delivered complex projects including Huawei Cloud Computing Pre-Sales Consulting, E2E Partnership Development, and Datalynx Asian Partnership Development
• Provided Strategic Planning in utilisation of IT to business needs.

Jul 2011 – May 2012 · 10 mos · Saudi Arabia

• Established the Enterprise Architecture and Strategy consulting practice in Saudi Arabia
• Helped Microsoft Strategic customers align their business and IT strategies, initiates and objectives
• Provided CxO peer-level consulting, advice and coaching to customers, with a strong focus on migration of enterprises to Cloud Platforms, Data Centre Consolidation, and Collaboration Technologies
• Built a pipeline from 0 to 30 clients in the first 6 weeks
• Closed the first ESS deals in the country
• Delivered comprehensive Telecom Strategy Consulting
• Developed private and public cloud offerings for delivery to clients, including conducting market analysis, providing business design, and performing technical architecture work
• Led, motivated and managed a team of Subject Matter Experts
• Designed 3 major new cloud-enabled products

Jan 2008 – May 2011 · 3 yrs 4 mos · The World Bank, Australia, Africa and Asia

• Delivered international consultancy services and global technical assistance
• Established the sales, academic and marketing infrastructure for the consultancy business
• Provided technical assistance and technology roadmap to the Government of Indonesia for the ASEAN Single Window Project
• Redesigned the Microsoft Schools of Government for delivery in Africa, Asia and North America
• Coordinated, ran and managed workshops in Nepal, Tanzania, South Africa and Thailand
• Provided a series of solutions to market

Nov 2006 – Nov 2010 · 4 yrs · China, Hong Kong, Tokyo, SINGAPORE

• Implemented and developed the Sales and Marketing function, embedding the Sales engine that successfully drove services and solutions globally
• Developed the Technology Strategy roadmap for the business
• Designed the Solution Development methodology used worldwide for developing and deploying new solutions to the field
• Instituted a Sales organisation with full metrics, targets and accountability
• Developed a Marketing plan and procedures
• Restructured the HR division
• Provided a series of solutions for the company to market
• Increased customer satisfaction through engaging and working directly with clients to build and maintain positive relationships
• Championed the move to Agile development methodologies

Sep 2003 – Oct 2006 · 3 yrs 1 mo · Singapore

• Established the Solution business across 13 countries in Asia
• Grew the business a hundredfold, from USD2million to USD200million, in just 2 years
• Oversaw Security, Data Centres, IP Telephony, Microsoft, Contact Centres and Systems & Network Management in each of the 13 countries
• Managed solutions development, sales, marketing, vendor management and press relations
• Exercised full accountability for strategy development and execution, and P&L
• Ensured products met the compliance and regulatory policies of the organisation

Jan 2000 – Sep 2003 · 3 yrs 8 mos · Indonesia

• Established the IT Consulting business in Indonesia
• Led and managed all aspects of marketing, business development, and delivery of IT consulting projects
• Secured IT consulting engagements worth USD2.3million in the first year
• Instituted a Software Development Centre to provide offshore development for western markets
• Established EDC International as a Software Development entity
• Sold and developed the Indonesian Hospitals Management System

Jan 1996 – Jan 1997 · 1 yr

• • Reviewed the architecture and strategies associated with Operating System, Facilities Management and the Network for Thailand Taxation Departments computerisation project.
• The project was 5 years late, had cost $100m and had not delivered. My role was to help bring about the project deliverables.
• • Developed a robust network management environment, improved network throughput and design and developed remote operations facilities for distributed Unix processors.
• • Introduced and implemented a comprehensive network simulation process allowing facilities management and applications teams to trial new simulation software designs instead of adopting a “trial and error” approach using real components. This work has identified large potential savings in time, money and effort and potential network performance, availability and management issues which need to be resolved

Jan 1995 – Jan 2000 · 5 yrs · Singapore

• Established the consulting and professional services practice across 9 countries in the region
• Formulated and implemented the sales and business development strategy for the practice
• Delivered USD100million in sales, including over USD3million in individual sales
• Served diverse clients including most major financial institutions, telecommunications companies, manufacturers, government agencies, shipping companies and cable infrastructure providers
• Managed performance of professional service teams at country and regional levels

Jan 1992 – Jan 1995 · 3 yrs

• Engaged to undertake a wide range IT projects ranging from enhancing the Bank’s Communications network to developing I.T Strategies and Technical Architectures.
• Evaluated the Bank’s MIS policies and procedures.
• Planned and managed a Systems Software Audit
• Resolved problems with and optimised the performance of the bank’s SNA Network
• Devised Network Management methodologies and strategies for PC network with over 1200 separate LANs.
• Designed Network Management components for OS/2 and Token Ring LAN technologies.
• Implemented major Systems Management processes to include integration of Problem Management, Change Management, Service Level Management, Configuration and Capacity Management.
• Developed the bank’s Operations Architecture to enable the development of a consistent and integrated set of services, reduce costs by providing a standardised environment, procurement guidelines and development framework
• Developed an Environment Management Architecture, a major Automation Architecture integrated into the bank’s different Systems Management disciplines.
• Developed major Net/Master NCL based systems

Jan 1984 – Jan 1990 · 6 yrs

• Senior Systems Engineer
• Fujitsu Australia
• (1986 – 1989) Accountabilities
• Managing staff in diagnosing and resolving of customer problems FNA/SNA networks and communications products and Fujitsu software
• Coordinating and managing Field Support Group projects.
• Designing and developing communications systems for clients
• Consulting to client MIS management on information systems management, organisation design, change management, problem management, diagnosis and resolution, operations management, capacity planning and management and applications development issues
• Establishing and maintaining a Help Desk.
• Key Projects and Achievements
• Developed and conducted Systems Management Workshops in Australia and New Zealand, training client MIS management on MIS planning and management topics.
• Designed and managed the development of a product that automated the collection of software failure diagnostic information
• Chaired a client task force to assist MIS management with the internal marketing of MIS services and improving the MIS image
• Reduced the number of outstanding software and hardware problems from 42 to 2 within 8 weeks.

Jan 1984 – Jan 1987 · 3 yrs

Jan 1980 – Dec 1984 · 4 yrs 11 mos · Sydney, Australia

• Managed the migration of Mainframe from DOS to MVS.
• Establish IT Management Disciplines across South-East Asia

Jan 1979 – Jan 1996 · 17 yrs · Sydney, Australia

• Retained in an ongoing capacity to provide solutions to various types of Information Systems issues. The roles has ranged from presenting methodologies for developing IS architectures, to developing designs for a replacement Data Network to systems and network security reviews.
• Reduced the number of staff required to manage and operate the organisation’s SNA Data Network from 12 to 4 by automating all areas of the Network operation.
• Providing skills transfer, trouble-shooting expertise and management expertise to staff managing the Sydney Water Data Network.
• Reduced Network Tariff costs from $1.6m to $800,000 by rationalising the network infrastructure and analysing service requirements to become the lowest cost provider of Data Network services in organisations of compatable size with a superior standard of service.
• Designed and managed the implementation of System Automation Architecture, reducing operations staff requirements from 27 to 5 and completing the project in nine months, over four years ahead of schedule. The resulting architecture has been widely acclaimed as providing more functionality and robustness than most commercially available offerings. Received the NSW Government Gold Medal for IT in Government for this project.
• Achieved such a dramatic reduction in the time required by developing the first of a number of innovations in the process of automating large scale systems.
• Prepared Strategic Documents and undertook industry analysis for the replacement of the organisation’s SNA Network.
• Technical Manager and principal designer of a new Strategic Network Infrastructure based on ATM, Frame-Relay and RFC1490, integrating SNA, IPX and TCP/IP networks into a single internetwork.