Alexis Richardson, Director, CohesiveFT
Alexis Richardson is a co-founder of CohesiveFT, maker of "plug-and-run" virtual appliances for financial industry data standards, and sponsor of Rabbit AMQP. Previously he was CEO and co-founder of MetaLogic, a middleware company specialising in high throughput caching and transaction management products. A past consultant for Fortune 1000 corporations, Alexis most recently worked on various high performance front office trading solutions.
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Andrew Bennett, Architect Evangelist, Microsoft
Andrew has worked for 16 years in the IT industry with experience across a broad range of activities including Application Design, Infrastructure Design, IT Management and Strategy Consulting with customers in the financial, public and telecommunication sectors. Andrew has worked as a Strategy Consultant within Microsoft across the UK telecoms sector delivering business value through Microsoft technologies, via infrastructure transformation.
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Andrew Fryer, IT Pro Evangelist, Microsoft UK
Andrew is an IT Pro Evangelist specialising in business intelligence and data management. He started his DBA career on Ingres as it was a government standard, but switched to SQL Server over 10 years ago starting with version 6.5. Andrew Joined Microsoft in July 2007 from a Gold Partner specialising in Business Intelligence, specialising in solutions for the finance and retail sector.
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Andrew James, CTO, Solidsoft
Andy, after a long and distinguished career in Her Majesty’s Royal Navy turned his passion into his work - the delivery of IT solutions to help businesses succeed. Andy has, over the last five or six years been focused on the delivery of solutions built around .Net, Microsoft BizTalk Server and SQL Server providing architectures for both blue chip and government agencies alike. Most recently Andy has been working with the Office of the Prime Minister in delivering of a need 'Life Change' web application for the public.
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Bob Walker, Techincal Solutions Professional, Microsoft UK
Bob Walker is a Technical Solutions Professional working in the Microsoft Ltd Enterprise and Partner Group specialising in Enterprise Project Management (EPM). He is a regular speaker on EPM at: TechEd, IT Forum, Project Management Events (Including Gartner and PMI) and the Project Conference over the years. As a Chartered Engineer Aerospace (CEng RAeS), he is strong believer in identifying correct process and procedures will allow the successful delivery of any Project or Programme.
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Charles Young, Principal Consultant, Solidsoft
Charles has 20 years’ experience across the full software development lifecycle, and has worked across numerous projects and industries as a developer and consultant. He specialises in enterprise architectures using the Microsoft Platform, and has extensive experience of workflow and business process development using tools such as BizTalk and WF. As a principal consultant, Charles provides services as a technical integration specialist, technology consultant and technical architect.
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Chris Lowndes, Solutions Architect, Avanade
Chris has over 15 years’ experience architecting and delivering enterprise projects on the Microsoft platform. He specialises in custom solutions, especially in the financial sector. Although he has a strong belief in technology enabling business evolution, he has a pragmatic approach towards emerging trends.
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Darren Hallett, Technical Design Authority, Sungard Vivista
Darren has worked in IT for 17 years, beginning as a C/C++ developer, and surviving a spell in a .com start-up before moving through various projects in Criminal Justice to his present position reporting to the Chief Technical Officer. In this role he has focused on strategy in key areas including mobile services and SOA as well responsibility for monitoring emerging technologies and the technology adoption process
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Dave Barker, Architect Evangelist, Microsoft UK
Dave has worked for Microsoft since 2001 specialising in enterprise architecture and the deployment of Microsoft’s embedded operating systems, predominant in Retail and Manufacturing environments. Prior to joining Microsoft, Dave kept himself occupied designing and deploying control systems for nuclear reactors, oil installations and surface mount electronics equipment, but still has difficulty using all the features on his Smartphone.
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Dave Coplin, Enterprise Strategy Consultant, Microsoft UK
Dave Coplin is currently engaged as an Enterprise Strategy Consultant working within Microsoft’s Strategy Consulting Practice, helping their largest customers plan and deliver their IT strategies in response to their business visions. Dave has significant experience in helping global organisations to leverage information technology assets to deliver innovative and cost effective solutions.
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David Jobling, Chief Technology Officer, UK, Avanade
David Jobling joined Avanade from Accenture in 2001 where he worked as an architect in their Business Solutions Centre in Dublin focused on net-centric technologies. David has worked with many blue-chip clients where he developed expertise in enterprise architecture and service orientated development. His career as a consultant with Avanade has been customer facing and spanned many industries, most recently focusing on integration and SOA solutions for financial services institutions. David is a published thought leader in the field and has presented at numerous industry events including the international SIBOS conference for Financial Services in Sydney. David is now the Director for Enterprise Applications with Avanade’s global organisation looking after the evolution of their award winning asset base and defining the vision for the future of Application Development for the global organisation. David has an MEng degree from the Queen’s University of Belfast where he read Civil Engineering at the School of the Built Environment.
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David Sprott, CEO, Everware-CBDI International Limited
Co-founder of Everware-CBDI with over 37 years of experience in IT roles including systems analyst, project manager, consultant, services manager, development manager, product manager and industry analyst. Founded CBDI Forum in 1997 and led the research and practice development company in guiding and advising many large enterprises worldwide on Service Oriented Architecture. Well known as an authority, speaker, writer and advisor and has led the development of structured methods for SOA.
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Iain Mortimer, Chief Architect, Merrill Lynch
Iain Mortimer is Chief Architect for Merrill Lynch Global Business Technology with responsibility for application architecture, strategy and governance. In addition he manages the architecture function for a global transformation initiative focused on application availability. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch Iain held senior architecture positions at Microsoft and for a very long time at Barclays. He specialises in transforming highly distributed enterprise wide architectures.
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Ian Race, Technical Architect, Merrill Lynch
Ian started his career at Royal Life Insurance, Barclays Bank, Dell, HML and finally Merrill Lynch. Ian has been a member of the Microsoft Architects Council since its foundation in 2000. He has worked on many operating systems and other technologies including IBM mainframes using VM, MVS, IMS DB/DC, DB2; various flavours of Unix, Tandems, Telephony switches, IVRs, ATMs, networking, application architectures, databases and programming languages; not forgetting many Windows based technologies.
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Ian Robinson, Thoughtworks
Ian Robinson is a Principal Technology Consultant with ThoughtWorks, where he specializes in the design and delivery of distributed systems solutions. He has written guidance for Microsoft on implementing integration patterns with Microsoft technologies, and has published articles on business-oriented systems delivery methodologies and distributed systems design – most recently in the ThoughtWorks Anthology (Pragmatic Programmers, 2008). He is currently co-authoring a book on web-friendly enterprise integration.
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Ian Worley, Director of User Experience, Flow Interactive
Ian has over 15 years experience in design and design management with a focus on user-centred design strategy, customer experience strategy and the creation of technology-driven businesses.
Ian has advised major corporations and technology ventures on the design of integrated, multi-channel customer relationships, enterprise IT systems and e-commerce websites as well as wireless and mobile services.
Before joining Flow, Ian was a founder and Director of User Experience for Inspired Broadcast Networks and prior to this founder and Creative Director of the London office for leading global IT consultancy Viant, which he helped grow to a staff of over 75 consultants with over £12m in annual revenue and a diverse portfolio of new venture and Global 1000 clients.
Ian has worked with leading companies in the telecoms, travel, media and entertainment, financial services, publishing and retail sectors.
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James O’Neill, IT Pro Evangelist, Microsoft UK
James O'Neill has been using Microsoft products since 1979 but it wasn’t until 2000 that he decided to join Microsoft. Most of his career has concentrated on gaining first-hand experience of operating systems and messaging technologies; however, he spent five years running a consulting and training company where he shared his knowledge with individuals and companies alike.
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Jeff Johnson, TSP Architect, Microsoft UK
Jeff Johnson is an Application Platform specialist working for the Microsoft Enterprise and Partner Group in the UK. Prior to joining Microsoft Jeff worked for the Advanced Architecture consulting practice at BEA Systems implementing enterprise architecture platforms and solutions across EMEA.
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Joel Jeffery, Technical Director, Valtech
Joel Jeffery is Technical Director at Valtech UK, a Microsoft Gold Partner. He has over 20 years' experience in IT and Communications and over a decade in industry. His favourite toys are the .NET Framework and Microsoft BizTalk.
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John Plummer, TSP Architect, Microsoft UK
John Plummer has worked in the Application Platform team in Microsoft UK for the last seven years as a TSP Architect, primarily focusing on large and complex integration projects with customers and partners.
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Jon Collins, Service Director, Freeform Dynamics
As Service Director, Jon is a member of the Freeform Dynamics management team and is responsible for looking after the company’s portfolio of services and alliances strategy, which are intimately linked given the open collaborative culture of the organisation. Also an active industry analyst, Jon has an end-user background, having worked as an IT consultant, network manager and software engineer for companies such as Admiral Management Services Ltd, Alcatel and Philips Electronics.
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Jonathan German-Morris, IT Management Consultant
Jonathan has worked in IT for 20 years. He started out writing software in the public sector, before working in the legal sector and data-comms and then joining SunGard Public Sector in 2004. Jonathan has been a successful consultant since the late ‘90s and now works in the SunGard Public Sector Consultancy as a senior IT consultant focussing on Enterprise Strategy and Architecture.
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Jonathan Woodward, CTO, Sungard
Jonathan Woodward has been with Sungard Vivista for the last 10 years, most recently operating as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In this role his (and his team’s) key activities include managing the technology strategy and direction for the company, infusing technology innovation as well as thought leadership for several strategic accounts. Jonathan is an active member of the Microsoft UK Architects Council, as well as member of the Microsoft Connected System Advisor group which most recently was involved with Oslo.
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Marc Holmes, Architect Evangelist, Microsoft UK
Marc Holmes is an Architect Evangelist at Thames Valley Park in the UK, where he specialises in architecture, design and proof of concept work with a variety of customers, partners and ISVs. Prior to Microsoft, Marc most recently led a significant development team as Head of Applications and Web at BBC Worldwide. Marc is the author of “Expert .Net Delivery with NAnt and CruiseControl.Net” (APress).
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Mark Bloodworth, Architect, Microsoft UK
Mark Bloodworth is an Architect Evangelist in the Development and Platform Evangelism Team at Microsoft. Prior to joining Microsoft, Mark was the Chief Solutions Architect at BBC Worldwide, where he led a team responsible for architecture and systems analysis. This role encompassed technical strategy, architecture and team management. Mark's background is in software development and design, specialising in web applications and integration. Most of his career has been focussed on using Microsoft technologies, especially .NET, with a little Java thrown in for good measure. Mark keeps a blog at remark.wordpress.com.
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Martin Sykes, Senior Program Manager, Microsoft Corp.
Over the last 20 years Martin has worked for organisations in the public and private sector providing leading edge solutions and thought leadership in a variety of roles, including Enterprise Architect, Head of IT Strategy, Director Global Applications Architecture and Chief Technology Officer. What is common across these different engagements is a passion for the application of technology to solve problems and the delivery of value from investment in IT.
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Matt Deacon, Chief Architectural Advisor, Microsoft UK
Matt Deacon is the Chief Architectural Advisor for the Developer and Platform Group at Microsoft Ltd in the UK. His primary role is to serve as an advisor to Microsoft’s customers, and the public, on all matters relating to the field and profession of IT Architecture. He chairs the Microsoft UK Architect Council, a body of 30 senior industry architects who provide feedback and advice to Microsoft on matters of product direction and strategy and is the owner of the Microsoft Architect Forums and Architect Insight, Microsoft UK’s premier two-day architectural conference.
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Michael Barker, Senior Consultant, Valtech
Michael Barker is a Senior Consultant at Valtech UK. He has delivered a number of enterprise applications across a variety industry sectors including Government, Finance and Telecoms. A specialist in Java and JavaEE technology, he nonetheless tries to remain technology-agnostic and has worked on a couple of successful .NET-based projects. Most of Michael's time is spent battling unnecessary complexity.
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Mike Lloyd, Managing Director, Carbonflame
Mike Lloyd is a regular speaker at the AIC and brings huge experience and original thinking to each topic he tackles. With a professional interest spanning financial services, engineering, energy, charities, publishing and, of course, IT, Mike illustrates his presentations with examples drawn from a broad range of domains. A constantly recurring theme, though, is to increase the business benefits of IT investments.
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Neil Kidd, Technical Specialist
Neil joined Microsoft towards the end of 2000, and has been in the Developer and Platform Group since July 2006, having moved over from Microsoft Consulting Services. For the previous 2 1/2 years he was an Application Development Consultant, working with a variety of customer and partners assisting them across the whole of the development lifecycle. During this time he tended to specialise in performance and scalability work. Before that he worked in the C++ team in PSS for just over three years.
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Paul Bishop, Managing Director, Splendid
Paul has over 15 years experience in experience design starting in film and theatre and moving to the digital realm in 1995. Paul’s role at Splendid is to set the future direction with a focus on User Centred Design and to this end he has developed close relationships with Microsoft both in the UK and the US. Paul sits on the Windows Live Special Interest Group and has recently signed a deal with Microsoft Surface to be the only agency in the world to be allowed access to the technology. http://www.microsoft.com/surface/
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Richard Erwin, Technical Specialist, Microsoft UK
Richard has been with Microsoft for 8 years starting as a Developer Support Engineer troubleshooting and debugging complex customer development issues. For the past 2 ½ years Richard has specialised in Visual Studio Team System and Application Lifecycle Management. Prior to joining Microsoft he gained a first class degree in Computer Science and worked as a Software Engineer.
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Richard Steel, CIO, Newham City Council
Richard started his IT career in Merchant Banking, and became an Assistant Director of Morgan Grenfell (now Deutsch Bank). He moved to Newham Council, in 1989, where he has undertaken a number of ICT management roles before becoming the CIO responsible for ICT and Information Governance strategy, infrastructure and systems. He won the ‘Public Sector CIO of the Year’ award at the 2005 UK Technology, Innovation and Growth awards. Richard is a member of Newham’s Strategic Management Board.
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Roy Sharples, Enterprise Strategy Consultant, Microsoft UK
Roy Sharples specialises in CIO services and technology enabled business transformation throughout multiple sectors. Roy is currently a senior member of Microsoft’s strategy and architecture consulting team, where he operates at the corporate cutting edge by directing, managing and maintaining the strategic and architecture directions of Microsoft’s larger clientele. Previous to this, Roy held leadership and management positions at Deloitte and Ford.
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Rupert Brown, Principal Architect, Merrill Lynch
Rupert Brown is Principal Architect for Merrill Lynch EMEA with responsibility for the company's application technology strategy, architectural coherence and governance. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch he spent over 20 years after graduating from Imperial College in a variety of front office development and architecture roles for Midland Montagu, Morgan Stanley, Paribas and Reuters.
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Simon Thurman, Architect, Microsoft UK
Simon is an Architect in the Developer Group. Over the past 17 years he has architected and developed software on mainframes, client server architectures and the Internet. Such memorable software includes: ensuring that you have the correct address, routing algorithms, and streamlining the house moving process. Today at Microsoft he helps customers do innovative things with new technology to deliver business value. The rest of his time is spent with his wife and daughters and mountain biking.
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Simon Davies, Application Architect, Microsoft UK
Simon began his computing career as a PC developer then moved onto work on Mainframe and UNIX systems before returning to the PC world with the advent of Windows NT. For the last 10 years Simon has worked with organisations to help them understand how to create new applications using new platforms and technology from Microsoft.
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Stef Shoffren, Senior Principal Consultant, Avande
Stef is a senior technical consultant with Avanade. He has a wide set of experience architecting and delivering Information Management solutions encompassing Business Intelligence and Electronic Collaboration solutions to Global Enterprise companies.
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Stephen Lamb, IT Pro Evangelist, Microsoft UK
Steve has been a technical security specialist for over 10 years. He’s passionate about using technology to free people to get on with their work confident that their information is secure. Special interests include secure wireless, Rights Management, Application Layer Firewalling, Next Generation Secure Computing Base, client and server security. Steve also enjoys White Water Kayaking, Snowboarding, Windsurfing, Kite Surfing and relaxing with friends and family.
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Steve Butcher, Senior Architect, Avanade
Steve Butcher is a senior consultant in the Avanade Enterprise Architecture group and has been with the organisation for over 7 years. As a senior consultant, his main role is the design, development and delivery of Enterprise .NET and Mobile solutions to customers. In addition to this he works alongside the Avanade Business Development community, providing pre-sales technical support as well as presenting at numerous IT conferences, exhibitions and events.
He is the mobile solutions delivery lead for the UK which means he is proactively is involved in all Avanade UK Mobile opportunities and has deep technical and extensive experience of mobile technologies and solutions as well as device platforms, security and management. Steve has a strong background in the IT industry, with experience in developing Microsoft based solutions for the over 18 years, and specifically mobile solutions for the last 9 years
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Steve Plank, Identity Architect, Microsoft UK
Steve is an Identity Architect working in the Developer and Platform Group in Microsoft UK. He is involved in all the latest advances in digital identity across both enterprise-class systems and internet scale systems such as the Identity Metasystem and Microsoft CardSpace. He is a regular speaker at conferences such as TechEd, IT Forum, RSA and Catalyst.
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Ulrich Homann, Partner Solutions Architect, Microsoft Corp.
Ulrich Homann is the lead solutions architect in the strategic projects group of Microsoft worldwide services. Formerly Homann played a key role in the newly formed Platforms, Technology and Strategy Group at Microsoft. As solutions architect, Homann was responsible for the development and strategy for Microsoft in the area of business architecture and its relationship to solution architecture, software tools and infrastructure.
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