Biography

I began my career as a draughtsman/architectural technician, working for Macintosh, Haines & Kennedy in Croydon. I used to work on all aspects of building projects from planning & detailed drawings, to tendering and running the building sites.

In 1984 Computer Aided Design (CAD) came along and I discovered a natural talent for computers. CAD helped considerably with multi million pound contracts in Docklands, specifically Greenland Passage, Nelson Dock, Lawrence Wharf & Columbia Wharf.

I then worked for Vistec Business Systems who supplied and supported CAD systems. It was here that I learnt about peripherals and networks.

I then moved on to work for the property department at the London Stock Exchange. I helped combine different CAD systems and different drawing styles into a single system and a single professional drawing style. The Exchange's LAN couldn't cope with the huge file sizes that CAD creates, so I helped the property department build it's own LAN. As the property department also had natural links with the engineering department, the LAN soon turned onto a WAN covering several buildings in the City. The LAN was then connected to the Exchange's main network via bridges so as e-mail could be exchanged with other departments.

Whilst at the Exchange I gained my Novell qualifications - Certified Novell Engineer (CNE) & Certified Novell Administrator (CNA).

In 1998 I joined the newly created IT department at the Exchange. Together with IBM and Andersons, we replaced the existing Novell network with Windows NT 4.0 and Lotus Notes. This involved changes to the network, installation of new Compaq servers and rolling out over 600 new PC's.

I then moved to a firm of City solicitors as the IT manager. My role covered all aspects of computers, networks, telephones & photocopiers. In £125,000.00 project, I upgraded all the PC's, upgraded the cabling to CAT5 and installed NT 4.0 and MS Office 2000, along with Lotus Notes for e-mail and internal databases. I also installed an Internet connection via Star Internet. Older photocopiers where replaced with Xerox digital copiers that were connected to the network.