If you are reading this, you are probably curious about me?

As I say in my blog, we buy experiences and how we make people feel. So it would probably help you to know a bit about me.

My approach to design and innovation is multi disciplinary, So I use the whole gamut of tools from Service Design, Design Thinking, Patterns, Triz, Debono, BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits, Jacob Neilsen on UX etc. To me the trick is to use the right tools at the right moment.  This allows one to use both process and intuition.

However the most important thing is that as an experience it is immersive, fun and you and your team, customers are in the flow.

I hope if there is such a thing as the Zen or Tao of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Design, then this is it.

Chances are if you enjoyed making it happen, people will enjoy using your product, service or engaging with your business.

We all make a narrative and a story about who we think we are.

I could say the usual things like I am a graduate in economics and engineering from Trinity College, or an accountant by training, but that would not really give you a real sense about me or tell you what it would be like to work with me.

I’d like to think that I am innovative, creative and I make a difference.

I enjoy learning new things and I am curious about many things.

I’d like to think that this broad range of interests helps me gain a broad perspective and come up with novel solutions.

I get a buzz from using my mind and solving problems and live for that “aha” or eureka moment. The bigger the challenge, the more I enjoy it. More often the challenges are not just technical but in bringing people with you and getting them to align with your vision.  Often the harder part of a problem is the buy-in.

I enjoy engaging with customers and teams and in working with them to generate new “things” be it products or businesses.

I’d like to think that the people I work with also enjoy and get a buzz from the project and the whole creative process.

I see all this as part of the journey and part of my on-going growth.

For me “Change is the essential process of all existence” though at times it can be personally difficult and fearful.

a little bit of my background…

I’d like to think that I have learnt a lot and gained a lot of experience in the last three decades and been fortunate to learn from the best and I would like to share this with others. I’ve made my fair share of mistakes and been lucky enough to have made an impact on the projects and people I’ve worked with.

As James Joyce says “Mistakes are the portals of discovery” Along the way I’ve made many good friends and had fun and tears in my journey to date. For favourite story about mistakes relates to Colombus.

After all Christoper Colombus may have found America  and it may have been from his insight about the fact that the world was round but his success was based on three major flaws….

I have learned the importance of drive and enthusiasm, building good teams, a strong network and support systems.

We all need to know how to deal with adversity and develop resilience. As the saying goes fall down seven times, get up eight.

Experience comes from working in as many different projects, companies and situations, we learn both how to do things, how not to do things and most of all about ourselves. Growth comes from challenge.  You can’t build muscle or strength without resistance.

I have been lucky enough to have worked across a variety of roles, in a diverse range of world class companies such as ICI, Diageo, Price Waterhouse Management Consultants, BT, Accenture, and worked for Blue Chip clients such as GE, British Gas, Marks & Spencer etc.

I worked in a wide range of functions from Change Management, Consultancy, Strategy, Finance, IT, Sales and held a variety of roles such as General Manager Business Transformation & Innovation, Business Development Director Partnerships & Technology Foresight, Chief Information Architect, VP Service Development, VP Service Evolution, Manager for Systems & Processes, Business Analysis Manager, Senior Financial Analyst, Management Accountant and these wide variety of roles have allowed me to gain a rich business and management perspective.

Having worked in industries such as internet start-ups, retailing, manufacturing, pharma,  FMCG, telecoms, utilities, IT, solar power, real estate on 4 continents and been fortunate to work with some very talented people in a diverse multi-cultural environment has given me a unique perspective.

Working at the leading edge of technology, internet, voice, IT and developed new ways of managing innovation, complex projects, and managing change has been a wonderful experience.

Work has been fun and I’ve been lucky & fortunate enough to meet and be coached by some of the leading thought leaders, exceptional managers and brilliant entrepreneurs.

Building partnerships with companies such as Microsoft, HP has taught me a lot from how they do things and been challenging and rewarding.

I have worked on projects such as Privatisations, ERP implementation, major change programmes and in numerous start-ups, and helped, coached and mentored numerous start-up & management teams, budding entrepreneurs, talented managers and leaders.

Just like some people enjoy climbing mountains, I love working on challenging projects with interesting people.

During my career, I have been lucky to be coached, mentored, guided and helped by too many people to mention. and I am forever in their debt.

Hopefully we will meet on a project or at one of my workshops or seminars.