About Me
Architect by day. Sensei, photographer and dad the rest of the time.
Outside work
4th Dan Black Belt in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu
I train and teach at Rushcroft Jiu-Jitsu Club, home of the Independent Jiu-Jitsu Organisation (IJJO), and mentor the senior coloured belts as they work through the grades.
I came back to Jiu-Jitsu after a long break: 1st Dan in 2015, and 4th Dan now. It keeps me fit, focused and calm under pressure, and there's more crossover with software than you'd think.
Snap happy
I always have a camera with me, whether it's a family walk or a new city. Landscapes, portraits and candid moments with friends and family, mostly shot on Nikon kit.
For me it's less about the perfect shot and more about holding on to the moments that matter, and telling the story behind them.
My Wife of a Geek
Married to the pillar of our home. We share the job of raising our family and running the house, and it's a partnership I value hugely.
She keeps our home warm and welcoming, and keeps me balanced. She also runs Wife of a Geek, which I rebuilt for her on Contentful.
Find her at Wife of a Geek.
Thing #1 and Thing #2
Two sons who fill every day with noise, laughter and questions. Seeing the world through their eyes never gets old.
Outdoor adventures, plenty of games, and some Python lessons along the way. They teach me as much as I teach them.
Employment & Education
- Apr 2024 onwards
Technical Architect @ MSQ DX Back to hands-on development for key MSQ DX clients, alongside pitch and strategy work. I also put time into thought leadership, which keeps my OMVP status going.
- 2015 Onwards
Sensei @ Rushcroft Jiu-Jitsu Club (IJJO) Back on the mat after a long break. 1st Dan in 2015, 2nd Dan in 2017, 3rd Dan in 2023 and now 4th Dan.
- 2022-Apr 2024
Head of Backend Development @ DEPT® Led DEPT®'s team of .NET developers building secure, scalable web applications. I owned back-end design, worked with stakeholders and mentored the team.
- 2021-2022
Principal Developer @ DEPT® Pitches, discovery workshops, proofs of concept and initial architecture for new clients. I also led the back-end and front-end teams, with line management, recruitment and mentoring.
- 2016-2021
Senior Developer @ DEPT® Senior developer, mainly on SDL Tridion, plus Umbraco, Contentful and, later, Episerver.
- 2015-2016
Managing Director @ We Do Code Set up my own company, building large bespoke ASP.NET applications for a small group of loyal clients. After 12 months I closed it to get the balance right with family life.
- 2009-2015
Technical Director @ Redstar Creative The most senior technical person at Redstar Creative. I set technical direction, ran projects built by my team and worked closely with the MD, account managers and project managers.
- 2007-2009
C# Web Developer @ Idaho Technology Built database-driven custom controls and, with one other developer, the new .NET version of the CMS. I also set up the company's first version control (SVN).
- 2006-2009
PgDip Database and Web Based Systems @ The University of Salford Modules included networks, advanced databases, research methods and web-based systems development.
- 2005-2007
C# Web Developer @ Visuality Integrated websites with Visuality's CMS in C# and VB6, ported parts of it from classic ASP to .NET and built new features such as PageBuilder. I also managed the support team.
- 2004-2006
BSc(Hons) Internet Computing @ The University of Salford Modules included XML development, parallel programming, artificial intelligence, communication systems and internet security.
- 2003-2005
Freelance Developer @ Elite Edge Marketing Bespoke sites and a couple of early Umbraco builds. My first taste of agency work, and pretty much all I've done since.
- 2002-2004
FdSc Computer Science @ The University of Salford Modules included Java, object-oriented design, computer architecture and human-computer interaction.