What does your job entail?
Tactical and strategic management of all our airline’s IT delivery and
support. Our team is responsible for all office technology infrastructure, as
well as airport systems in our lounges in Luton, New York and Dubai, and
operational systems such as flight and crew planning. Innovation is critical in
our business and we turn our small size to our advantage.
What was your first job?
Assistant manager in a leisure centre in west London
How did you get into the IT profession?
The company that provided and maintained the booking administration system to
the leisure centre offered me a job. I spent seven years travelling the country
installing and supporting over 40 systems across the country.
If you weren’t in IT, what would you be doing?
I’d be a photographer or a professional golfer
Which qualifications have proved most useful to you?
Real-life business experience has always proved more useful than any training I
have been given. I would argue my business and management training has actually
been more useful than any IT training I have undertaken as it has allowed me to
understand business pressures much better.
Which web sites do you have bookmarked at work?
TED.com, gantthead.com, CIO.com and the sites of our various
competitors.
How often do you check your BlackBerry?
Too often.
Which person do you most admire in the IT industry?
Anyone who challenges the status quo and innovates, while keeping their
head – and their job!
Which recent IT news item do you think will have the biggest impact
on your organisation?
Although the airline industry receives a disproportionate amount of attention
and criticism for the impact it has on the environment, there is no doubt we
have a role to play in reducing overall greenhouse gases. The industry clearly
accepts this responsibility and is investing heavily in researching new fuel and
material technologies that will allow aircraft to fly more efficiently.
