Job title: Head of Business Sector Programmes
Business Unit: Group CTO - Enterprise Venturing
Joined: June 2003
I joined BT as Manager in the Business Foresight team, which is part of the Research group. The team's role is to look at the current trends in technology and to see how they could impact on our organisation, our industry and our customers.
Our role was to anticipate the next generation applications for new technology so it was a fascinating area to be involved in - comms technology moves incredibly fast and we were right at the forefront of the latest developments. Our remit was extremely wide-ranging and took in just about every kind of technology, from mobility and intelligent infrastructure through to systems aimed specifically at the health sector.
BT is the kind of the place where you are encouraged to have ideas and explore them. If you can make a case for something, and you're prepared to put in the extra hours if needed, then you'll get the support to make it happen. You can become almost like an entrepreneur within this giant organisation.
I did exactly that when I developed an idea for a healthcare initiative. I researched the potential, worked on the market requirements document and then handed it over to the Product group for further development. Having named the initiative BT WellBeing, it has since gone to become a £100m+ business opportunity for BT.
In a similar vein I've also worked with the Philharmonic Orchestra here in London on an innovative sponsorship and fund-raising programme. It has recently won awards for the way it enables technology and the arts to work together.
I'm currently Head of Business Sector Programmes. This is an extension of my previous role but I'm still acting very much as the link between technology and the customer, focusing on how today's technology could benefits tomorrow's consumer. Our work is divided into different sectors so I can be looking at anything from media and entertainment through to finance, defence or transport.
In every area of our work - not just Business Sector Programmes - we're trying to become more customer-focused. It's down to all of us to contribute to that. For my part, I'm delivering change by doing things in a non-orthodox way - you have to have that approach when you are trying to turn technology into products that people will buy. Put simply, you have to consider all the possibilities.
Learn more about what's it's really like to work for BT.