I have a background in software development, although nowadays I mainly make powerpoints and talk about enterprise technology strategy for a living. I still get to design systems (sometimes just for fun), and I *think* that makes me a technologist. I’m currently focussed on generative AI, IoT, digital twins and all the data that goes with them.
In the real world, I’m a partner in crime to Chloe, and co-owner of Molly the basset hound. I’m Scottish but somehow ended up living in middle England. I’m a huge lover of sci-fi, and lots of what I do today is inspired by it. Iain M Banks and Douglas Adams are particular favourites. I enjoy seeing different places and cultures, and I’m fortunate that my day job lets me go to interesting places and spend time with people that are way smarter than me.
I’m also a huge live music fan, and I spent my 20’s working in the events industry as a sound engineer, promoter and venue owner, with varying degrees of success and failure.
Work
Today, I work as Director of Emerging Technologies at Balfour Beatty, where I lead on the strategy and implementation of generative AI, data science, IoT and Digital Twins. I’m really lucky to get paid to do things I both enjoy and get a huge amount of personal satisfaction from.
I spent three years as Balfours Head of Data and Software Development, where I led the design and build of our data lake, recruited and formed our data engineering and analytics teams, and worked on some knarly system integration and master data management challenges. I also led the development of custom software in areas that the existing market couldn’t help us. I’m really proud of the work the teams did (and are doing) to help transform and digitise Balfour Beatty, the UK’s largest construction and infrastructure company.
Prior to that I spend two years in the technology strategy team, where I made contributions to our digital and data strategy. We’re still working on delivering that strategy today.
I also got under the covers of how huge construction companies operate, learning about everything from finance to on-site operations to how to do an engineering grade survey in the rain.
Along the way, I’ve learned a huge about myself, what makes me tick, and had the pleasure (and occasional pain) of working with a ton of world class experts. We have some of the best people in the world at Balfours, and we work with some of the biggest technology companies on the planet.
The Future
I’m increasingly aware that generative AI will do parts of my job better than I can, so I’m leaning into public speaking, writing about technology, and generally sharing my thoughts on tech to anyone that’ll listen. I figure there will always be room for people to share their opinions, even if we end up in a place where it’s mostly machines that listen.
We live in really exciting times, and getting to explore how to apply the latest and greatest technology inside one of the biggest construction companies in the world is both fun and (I hope, ultimately) valuable to the wider world.
This website is a place for me to share what I’ve been up to, and act as a personal record for when I’m old, senile, and can’t quite remember what I did while stuck to the side of our big, old, pale blue rock.
I have a background in software development, although nowadays I mainly make powerpoints and talk about enterprise technology strategy for a living. I still get to design systems (sometimes just for fun), and I *think* that makes me a technologist. I’m currently focussed on generative AI, IoT, digital twins and all the data that goes with them.
In the real world, I’m a partner in crime to Chloe, and co-owner of Molly the basset hound. I’m Scottish but somehow ended up living in middle England. I’m a huge lover of sci-fi, and lots of what I do today is inspired by it. Iain M Banks and Douglas Adams are particular favourites. I enjoy seeing different places and cultures, and I’m fortunate that my day job lets me go to interesting places and spend time with people that are way smarter than me.
I’m also a huge live music fan, and I spent my 20’s working in the events industry as a sound engineer, promoter and venue owner, with varying degrees of success and failure.
Work
Today, I work as Director of Emerging Technologies at Balfour Beatty, where I lead on the strategy and implementation of generative AI, data science, IoT and Digital Twins. I’m really lucky to get paid to do things I both enjoy and get a huge amount of personal satisfaction from.
I spent three years as Balfours Head of Data and Software Development, where I led the design and build of our data lake, recruited and formed our data engineering and analytics teams, and worked on some knarly system integration and master data management challenges. I also led the development of custom software in areas that the existing market couldn’t help us. I’m really proud of the work the teams did (and are doing) to help transform and digitise Balfour Beatty, the UK’s largest construction and infrastructure company.
Prior to that I spend two years in the technology strategy team, where I made contributions to our digital and data strategy. We’re still working on delivering that strategy today.
I also got under the covers of how huge construction companies operate, learning about everything from finance to on-site operations to how to do an engineering grade survey in the rain.
Along the way, I’ve learned a huge about myself, what makes me tick, and had the pleasure (and occasional pain) of working with a ton of world class experts. We have some of the best people in the world at Balfours, and we work with some of the biggest technology companies on the planet.
The Future
I’m increasingly aware that generative AI will do parts of my job better than I can, so I’m leaning into public speaking, writing about technology, and generally sharing my thoughts on tech to anyone that’ll listen. I figure there will always be room for people to share their opinions, even if we end up in a place where it’s mostly machines that listen.
We live in really exciting times, and getting to explore how to apply the latest and greatest technology inside one of the biggest construction companies in the world is both fun and (I hope, ultimately) valuable to the wider world.
This website is a place for me to share what I’ve been up to, and act as a personal record for when I’m old, senile, and can’t quite remember what I did while stuck to the side of our big, old, pale blue rock.