Intelligent Tech Channels Issue 52 | Page 62

I prefer to encourage and inspire people than manage them , so I prefer the term leadership over management . around . This will ultimately determine everything from hiring practices and staff retention , to how much time and effort they spend on upskilling their technical resources . What channel organisations need to look out for is those technologies that offer longevity and the potential of widespread adoption , thereby letting them build a predictable , and sustainable business . Kafka is certainly one of those areas which is why we ’ re seeing it become one of the key areas where IT professionals are upskilling .
What is your management philosophy ?
I prefer to encourage and inspire people than manage them , so I prefer the term leadership over management . I strongly believe that attitude is more important than experience . “ If you ’ re good enough , you ’ re old enough ” is the hiring approach I subscribe to . I believe it really doesn ’ t matter how old you are , if you ’ re smart , motivated , empathetic , and curious , you can go far . My management style therefore is to help my team foster these skills . I also believe that you either win , or you learn . So , I give my team the safety net of knowing that there ’ s room for mistakes if they work to rectify them rapidly and apply these learnings for the future .
With technology advancing at a breakneck pace that ’ s only set to accelerate further , a key factor channel organisations need to take into consideration is which technologies they choose to invest in and build their practices around .
When you look back at your career , what has been the most memorable achievement ?
I ’ m not really someone who reminisces . While I do celebrate the wins as they happen , I then turn my attention to the road ahead and the next set of milestones and targets . That said , if I were hard pressed to recall the most memorable achievement in my professional career , it would have to be building my team as it includes the most passionate and incredible people , and I have the pleasure of working with them all on a daily basis .
What made you think of a career in technology ?
I attended university at the height of the dot . com craze , and it was incredible to see the Internet shaping up , and all the speculation and optimism around what its potential could be . My dad prided himself as an early adopter of every new and interesting piece of consumer tech . As a result , ours was one of the first homes in my little town to have an Internet connection and we were also among the first to get a car phone . I got to see first-hand the potential technology had to improve peoples ’ lives and my desire to be a part of this positive movement led me to pursue a career in technology .
What do you think will be the hot technology talking point of 2022 ?
Undoubtedly real-time data as it underpins the success of every other area of innovation – from Big Data analytics and AI , to IoT and mobility .
What are your personal interests and where do you like to spend most of your time after work ?
I ’ m a very keen sportsman and despite the ever-looming threat of injury ( an unfortunate and almost unavoidable consequence ), I enjoy regularly playing football , tennis , and squash . I also enjoy quality time with my wife and our two little girls , aged 11 and 8 . I ’ m also a voracious reader and especially enjoy self-development books . •
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