About
Highly accomplished C-Level Enterprise Consultant with over 30 years of extensive experience in Digital IT and Investment Banking, specializing in large-scale Digital Transformations and Architecture Governance. Proven leader in delivering complex infrastructure migrations, strategic roadmaps, and technical due diligence for global organizations, consistently driving significant business value and operational efficiencies. Adept at guiding C-Level stakeholders, managing diverse vendor ecosystems, and mentoring high-performing IT teams to achieve strategic objectives.
Work
Al Tayer Group
|Head of Enterprise Architecture and Data - Group Enterprise and Data Architect, Technical Architect
Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Summary
Led enterprise architecture and data strategy for a leading luxury retailer, overseeing technical transformation and governance across a vast portfolio of brands and markets.
Highlights
Directed technical transformation due diligence for a $130M regional Omnichannel and cross-enterprise program, ensuring strategic alignment and technical feasibility.
Governed technical delivery of advanced Digital Commerce, CRM, and Retail System capabilities, impacting over 80 retail, hospitality, and automotive brands across 220 stores and 6 markets.
Owned the Technical Transformation Roadmap, overseeing multiple technical systems, including loyalty, e-commerce, contact center, and enterprise architecture, serving as the primary contact for KPMG and other auditing activities.
Drove the Gartner Training Programme for IT Professionals, mentoring the IT department and uplifting skillsets in Cloud, IoT, SD-WAN, and AI, adding substantial future business value.
Managed a large matrix of vendor management teams, subject matter experts, and technology specialists, collaborating with systems integration partners to achieve project goals.
Royal Bank of Scotland Group divested to Direct Line Group
|Design Manager / Infrastructure Migration Manager / Infrastructure Delivery Manager - Head of Platform Services
London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Managed large-scale infrastructure migration and delivery programs, providing critical oversight and governance for the divestiture of RBS's insurance arm to Direct Line Group.
Highlights
Provided critical oversight and governance for the Data Centre acquisition and application migration program, supporting RBS's divestiture of its insurance arm.
Delivered comprehensive results for a core team, impacting 12,000 users, 300 applications, 6 core business areas, 41 regional sites, and 1,500+ production and non-production servers.
Led Data Centre migration efforts, converting 80% physical estate to 80% virtual, significantly reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and physical footprint.
Co-Chaired the Technical Design Authority, securing buy-in from all CIO stakeholders and achieving successful external audit review by KPMG for governance and stakeholder management.
Won an internal bid against major external vendors (Capgemini, IBM) as part of a 3-person team, demonstrating a competitive and workable solution for data center migration.
Lloyds Banking Group (HBOS+Lloyds TSB Integration Transformational Merger)
|Lead Solutions Architect (Enterprise Architecture & Design)
England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Spearheaded enterprise architecture and design initiatives for the HBOS+Lloyds TSB integration, optimizing payment systems and infrastructure performance.
Highlights
Acted as Lead Infrastructure Architect for Stelink/Swift integration of LTSB+HBOS payment systems, overseeing a complete overhaul and re-deployment of environments handling ~£50 Million daily.
Achieved a 100% uplift in Straight Through Processing (STP) and redeployed multiple environments, migrating from POWER4 to POWER5/6, enhancing system performance and scalability.
Established benchmarks for Infrastructure End-to-End deployment, coordinating across Group IT and Business Stakeholders to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery.
Managed IT Operations (ITOM) resources, profiling and vetting project teams of 5-20+ across high-level projects, accelerating integration and delivery.
Led the deployment of the Falcon Debit Card Fraud System overhaul, saving the bank and customer base significant money while pushing mutual takeover capability.
JP Morgan Chase Investment Bank
|AIX/BCP Consultant / Technical Architect (Investment Banking)
England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Provided specialized AIX and Business Continuity Planning (BCP) consultancy, ensuring resilient and high-performing technical architectures for investment banking.
Highlights
Architected and implemented robust AIX-based solutions, optimizing performance and stability for critical investment banking platforms.
Developed and managed comprehensive Business Continuity Plans (BCP), ensuring 99.9% system availability and rapid recovery capabilities.
Provided expert technical guidance on AIX infrastructure, resolving complex issues and enhancing system security posture.
Collaborated with IT and business units to integrate BCP strategies into overall disaster recovery frameworks, minimizing potential financial losses.
Led technical reviews and audits of existing AIX and BCP systems, identifying vulnerabilities and recommending improvements that enhanced operational resilience.
Lloyds TSB Bank
|Lead Designer / Technical Architect (Infrastructure Design)
England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Led infrastructure design initiatives, driving the architecture and implementation of critical banking systems to support strategic business growth.
Highlights
Directed the design and implementation of core banking infrastructure, improving system scalability and supporting a 20% increase in transaction volume.
Developed comprehensive architectural blueprints for new IT projects, ensuring alignment with enterprise standards and future technological trends.
Managed technical design reviews, collaborating with engineering teams to optimize system performance and reduce latency by 10%.
Evaluated and integrated cutting-edge infrastructure technologies, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing hardware costs by 18%.
Provided expert guidance on complex infrastructure challenges, ensuring robust and secure solutions for mission-critical banking applications.
Standard Chartered Bank
|Technical Architect
England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Designed and optimized technical architectures for banking systems, ensuring high performance, security, and reliability.
Highlights
Architected scalable and resilient technical solutions for critical banking applications, supporting global operations and regulatory compliance.
Collaborated with development and operations teams to implement architectural standards, improving system integration and deployment efficiency by 15%.
Conducted performance tuning and capacity planning for key systems, ensuring optimal resource utilization and preventing bottlenecks.
Evaluated and recommended new technologies, contributing to the modernization of the bank's IT infrastructure and reducing technical debt.
Provided technical leadership in troubleshooting complex system issues, minimizing downtime and ensuring continuous service delivery.
British Airways
|AIX SA / Project Manager / Disaster Recovery Consultant
England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Managed AIX systems, led critical IT projects, and designed robust disaster recovery strategies for a major airline.
Highlights
Managed complex AIX systems, ensuring 99.9% uptime for critical airline operations and reducing system-related incidents by 20%.
Led multiple IT projects from inception to completion, delivering solutions ahead of schedule and within budget, enhancing operational efficiency.
Designed and implemented comprehensive disaster recovery plans, reducing potential data loss and ensuring business continuity during outages.
Provided expert consultancy on AIX infrastructure, optimizing system performance and enhancing security protocols.
Coordinated cross-functional teams, fostering effective communication and collaboration to achieve project milestones and strategic objectives.
Deutsche Bank
|AIX Specialist
Germany
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Summary
Specialized in AIX system administration and support, ensuring high availability and optimal performance for critical banking applications.
Highlights
Administered and maintained AIX servers, ensuring 99.9% availability for critical banking applications and services.
Performed system diagnostics and troubleshooting, resolving complex issues efficiently to minimize operational disruption.
Implemented AIX security patches and updates, enhancing system integrity and compliance with financial regulations.
Managed system backups and recovery procedures, safeguarding critical data and ensuring business continuity.
Collaborated with infrastructure teams to optimize AIX environments, improving system performance and resource utilization.
Unilink Computers Ltd.
|AIX Technical Consultant
England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Provided specialized AIX technical consultancy, delivering expert solutions and support to diverse client environments.
Highlights
Provided expert AIX technical consultancy to clients, designing and implementing tailored solutions that met specific business needs.
Conducted system performance analysis and tuning for AIX environments, improving operational efficiency by up to 25%.
Managed complex AIX installations, upgrades, and migrations, ensuring seamless transitions and minimal client impact.
Troubleshot and resolved critical AIX system issues, maintaining high availability and reliability for client infrastructures.
Developed and delivered comprehensive training to client IT staff on AIX administration and best practices, enhancing internal capabilities.
Spargo Consulting Ltd.
|SP2 Consultant
England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Consulted on SP2 systems, providing specialized expertise for complex technical challenges and infrastructure optimizations.
Highlights
Provided specialized consultancy for SP2 systems, optimizing configurations and performance for high-demand client environments.
Designed and implemented SP2-based solutions, enhancing system scalability and supporting critical business operations.
Conducted in-depth analysis of SP2 infrastructure, identifying bottlenecks and implementing improvements that increased throughput by 15%.
Collaborated with client teams to integrate SP2 systems with existing IT landscapes, ensuring seamless functionality and data flow.
Delivered technical documentation and support, empowering client staff to effectively manage and maintain SP2 environments.
IBM UK (Havant)
|RAIDiant Array Product Co-ordinator & Test Team Leader
Havant, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Coordinated RAIDiant Array product development and led test teams, ensuring high-quality storage solutions for IBM.
Highlights
Coordinated the development and release of RAIDiant Array products, ensuring alignment with product roadmaps and market demands.
Led a dedicated test team, overseeing comprehensive testing cycles to guarantee product quality, reliability, and performance.
Managed defect tracking and resolution processes, reducing critical bugs by 25% before product launch.
Collaborated with engineering and marketing teams to define product specifications and ensure successful product integration.
Streamlined testing methodologies, improving efficiency and reducing time-to-market for new RAIDiant Array features by 10%.
JP Morgan Chase Investment Bank
|Consultant Trade Floor Migration (Murex on AIX/HACMP)
England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Provided expert consultancy for critical trade floor migrations, specializing in Murex on AIX/HACMP environments for investment banking operations.
Highlights
Successfully migrated complex Murex systems on AIX/HACMP, ensuring seamless transition and minimal downtime for critical trade floor operations.
Optimized high-availability cluster configurations, enhancing system resilience and performance for investment banking applications.
Collaborated with cross-functional teams to define migration strategies, adhering to strict financial industry compliance and security standards.
Resolved intricate technical challenges during migration phases, ensuring data integrity and operational continuity for high-volume trading platforms.
Delivered comprehensive documentation and knowledge transfer, empowering internal teams to manage and support new infrastructure effectively.
British Aerospace SEMA - Ministry of Defence
|System Manager, Interface Support Analyst
England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Managed complex systems and provided interface support for defense projects, ensuring operational efficiency and data integrity.
Highlights
Managed critical defense systems, ensuring 99.9% operational uptime and adherence to stringent security protocols.
Provided expert interface support, resolving complex technical issues and ensuring seamless data exchange between systems.
Collaborated with military personnel and technical teams to define system requirements and optimize performance for defense applications.
Implemented system upgrades and maintenance procedures, enhancing system reliability and extending hardware lifespan.
Contributed to the development of new system functionalities, supporting strategic defense initiatives and improving operational capabilities.
Lloyds TSB Bank
|Solution Architect
England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Summary
Designed and implemented robust technical solutions for banking systems, ensuring scalability, security, and alignment with business objectives.
Highlights
Developed scalable and secure architectural solutions for critical banking applications, enhancing system reliability and performance.
Translated complex business requirements into detailed technical specifications, guiding development teams through the solution lifecycle.
Conducted thorough technical evaluations of new technologies, recommending optimal solutions that reduced operational costs by 15%.
Collaborated with stakeholders across departments to ensure architectural designs met both current and future business needs.
Provided technical leadership and mentorship to junior architects, fostering a culture of innovation and best practices in solution design.
Education
City University
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MSc
Information Systems and Technology
City of London Polytechnic
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BSc (Hons)
Computing and Information Systems
Grade: 2i
Courses
Desktop Video (Final Year First Class Dissertation)
Awards
Financial Services Outsourcing Project of the Year
Awarded By
Capgemini & Direct Line Group
Awarded for the successful outsourcing project. (Referenced: http://www.noa.co.uk/files/827.pdf, http://awards.insurancetimes.co.uk/ita-15/2015-categories/)
Financial Services Outsourcing Project of the Year
Awarded By
The Insurance Times Tech Awards
Winner for Major Migration Project (Direct Line Group & Capgemini) to separate all technology from Royal Bank of Scotland Group, establishing DLG's data centre capability, migrating over 300 applications and 3000 interfaces, mainframe, WAN/LAN, and building a private cloud infrastructure.
Chief Executive Awards
Awarded By
Direct Line Group CIO
Recognized for contributions to the Separation Programme - Site Winning Team.
Languages
English
Certificates
RHCE Red Hat Certified Engineer
Issued By
Red Hat
AIX Installation and Recovery Exams
Issued By
IBM
FULL IBM HACMP Accreditation Exams
Issued By
IBM
IBM ASP (AIX SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL) Exams
Issued By
IBM
AWS Training and Certification: SAP on AWS Business Skill
Issued By
AWS
AWS Training and Certification: Business Accredited
Issued By
AWS
AWS Training and Certification: Technical Accredited
Issued By
AWS
AWS Training and Certification: Cloud Economics Accredited
Issued By
AWS
API Security Architect
Issued By
API Academy
API Product Manager
Issued By
API Academy
IBM Modernization Practitioner
Issued By
IBM
IBM Cloud Core
Issued By
IBM
IBM Blockchain Essentials V2
Issued By
IBM
Humio and Design
Issued By
Humio
cPanel University Yellow Belt
Issued By
cPanel University
cPanel University White Belt
Issued By
cPanel University
Silver Peak Certified SD-WAN Professional
Issued By
Silver Peak
CXO Transform Certified Engineer
Issued By
CXO Transform
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Issued By
AWS
Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
Issued By
Microsoft
Aviatrix Certified Engineer
Issued By
Aviatrix
NSE 1 Network Security Associate
Issued By
Fortinet
NSE 2 Network Security Associate
Issued By
Fortinet
ddls SASE Expert
Issued By
ddls
CATO 1
Issued By
Cato Networks
IBM Certified Specialist
Issued By
IBM
Red Hat Certified Engineer
Issued By
Red Hat
Skills
Enterprise Architecture
Technical Transformation, Architecture Governance, Infrastructure Architecture, Solution Architecture, Technical Design Authority, Reference Model, Roadmap Development, Enterprise Architecture & Design.
Cloud Technologies
Cloud Migration, Cloud, IoT, SD-WAN, AI, AWS, Azure, Virtualization, Hybrid Cloud, Cloud Economics.
Project & Program Management
Due Diligence, Technical Delivery Governance, Program Management, Stakeholder Management, Vendor Management, Resource Profiling, IT Operations Management (ITOM), RFP Management, Application Migration, Data Centre Migration, Technology Refresh, Route to Live (RTL), High-Level Design (HLD), Detailed-Level Design (DLD), Testing, Cutover Planning.
Systems & Infrastructure
Mainframe, Wintel, AIX, Solaris, LINUX, HP-UX, AS/400, Networking, Disaster Recovery, Payment Systems (Stelink/Swift), Murex, HACMP, IBM Technologies, RAIDiant Array.
Retail & E-commerce
Digital Commerce, CRM (Salesforce Cloud), Retail (Oracle) System, Omnichannel, Luxury Retail, Brand Management.
Security & Compliance
API Security, Network Security, Auditing (KPMG), Governance, Compliance.
Leadership & Strategy
C-Level Advisory, Mentoring, Team Leadership, Strategic Vision, Business Value Creation, Cross-functional Collaboration.