Profile
Highly driven IT professional possessing 20 years of management experience within the banking, finance and professional services sector. A commercially astute leader with sound business acumen able to provide IT solutions that contributes towards corporate goals and business objectives.
Skills And Experience
• Proven track record of managing multiple IT disciplines across multiple jurisdictions
• Experienced project management using industry standard methodologies and principals
• Confident management style providing the skills and gravitas to operate at all levels from end-user to stakeholder
• Skilled in financial management, able to administer and optimise substantial investment and expenditure budgets
• Working with executive management to contribute and make recommendation in regards to all facets of business progression from an IT perspective
• Ensuring operational excellence through the mentoring, motivation and management of IT staff
• Broad experience in leading innovation and continuous improvement in practices, processes and systems through the use of next generation trends, technologies and solutions
• Strong planning, business analysis and commercial acumen to define and implement IT strategies that provide stability and allow growth in order to increase business productivity
• Manage the integrity and continual operation of the IT infrastructure to provide maximum availability of IT systems and services
• Providing the focus and discipline to balance long-term strategic goals against effective day-to-day implementation of IT strategy
• Monitor and regularly analysis business processes to create and implement change management strategies that maximises productivity and workflow with minimal disruption
• Direct and control all aspects of the IT lifecycle including analysis, development, implementation and operational support
• Excellent inter-personal, written and verbal skills with the ability to communicate technical ideas to non-technical peers
• To act as the business relationship manager with third-party vendors to ensure the cost effective delivery of IT services and solutions
• Define and implement detailed Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity plans
Career Summary
Head of IT – Europe (Contract)
April 2014 – May 2015
Maitland Central Services Limited Douglas, Isle of Man
Reporting to the CIO in South Africa and responsible for a team of 15 staff in four locations, my responsibility was to manage both local and remote IT teams within the European operation (300 users – 8 offices).
My key deliverable was to define and oversee the delivery of an IT strategy and architecture to establish vision and direction for all IT operations within Europe to provide economics transformation and consolidate of IT services. Close working relationships with vendors linked to technology and services acquisitions including contract management were key to its success.
The position is responsible for establishing and monitoring project work plans, implementing effective workflows, process and procedures and assist in the evaluation of applications and technical solutions, including implementation and testing of pilot projects.
I provided leadership and direction in order to deliver implementation of a private global network. This consolidated platform between the various divisions (Europe, Africa and North America), has prepared for the implementation of private cloud services across the group as a whole.
The role challenges me to draw on my strong business acumen in order to facilitate and drive business change within a close working relationship with various management committees and stakeholders, as well as the continued mentoring and coaching of the IT teams to ensure systems are secure, robust and reliable.
Responsible for developing and monitoring of departmental budgets, capital planning to ensure the function provides cost-effective, quality service to internal and external customers.
Contract Consultant
January 2014 – April 2014
BDO (Isle of Man) LLC / Grant Thornton Limited Douglas, Isle of Man
Group IT / Operations Director
February 2006 to January 2014
West Holdings / West Corporation Limited / BDO (Isle of Man) LLC Douglas, Isle of Man
West Ship Management / AirWave
Reporting to the Group Finance Director I was responsible for leading and managing the IT and Operational functions. By putting together Infrastructure, Systems Development and Admin Support teams, my department was able to meet the needs of the business as well as streamlining the many facets of the diverse group entities.
This allowed me to provide a truly integrated service with business solutions and strategies that significantly improved client services and economic efficiencies.
Senior Manager – Group IT / Operations
July 2008 to December 2010
LEGIS (Isle of Man) Limited – part of West Group Douglas, Isle of Man / Guernsey
Following negotiations LEGIS and West created a start-up fund management business. I took responsibility for the inception of this new entity in terms of overall project management, systems, operational and budgetary aspects.
Senior Manager – IT November
2001 to February 2006
PKF (Isle of Man) Limited Douglas, Isle of Man
IT / Operations Manager
April 1994 to November 2001
Britannia International Limited Douglas, Isle of Man
Senior Technical Consultant
May 1993 to April 1994
Britannia (Isle of Man) Limited / Britannia International Limited Douglas, Isle of Man
Systems Engineer July 1991 to May 1993
Britannia Building Society Leek, Staffordshire
Education
Staffordshire University Stafford, Staffordshire
BSc (Hons) in Computer Science – 2:1
1987 to 1991
• Four-year sandwich course including industrial placement year (Britannia Building Society)
Cauldon College of Higher and Further Education Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
BTEC National Diploma in Computer Studies 1985 to 1987
• Distinction in all 12 units
‘A’ Level
• Computer Science – Grade C
Blythe Bridge High School Blythe Bridge, Staffordshire
GCSE ‘O’ Level 1985
• 8 subjects including English and Mathematics – Grade A to C
Professional Development
• Fellow of the British Computer Society (FBCS)
• Chartered IT Professional (CITP)
• Chartered Engineer (CEng)
• ITIL Foundation Level
• Project Management
