Tell us a little bit about what you do?
My role has a few aspects, at Dufrain I’m Head of Microsoft Operations, Governance and Management where I’m looking to increase our offerings in Microsoft Purview. I also look after the Microsoft Consulting Pillar where my role is to further our ties with Microsoft and make sure that both Dufrain and our clients are getting the most out of our partnership. I also lead our Associates programme, supporting our newest and junior consultants develop their skills is incredibly rewarding.
In client work, I’m currently the delivery lead for one of our large insurance clients where we’re implementing a new data lake and building out a federated data model that conforms data from a number of different policy and claims systems to provide the business with up-to-date analytics and enable data-based decisions to be made in areas that were previously unavailable.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
For me it’s “Go-Live Days”, they’re always hard work, can have some long hours and occasionally we have issues we need to quickly correct, but seeing everything that the team has built come together and be released is a great feeling. It’s fantastic for our consultants to be able to see the results of their hard work and the difference that they’re making for customers. Drives a real sense of camaraderie.
What does a typical day look like for you?
After initial emails and Teams chats over coffee we always start with our morning stand-ups, being able to see what was achieved yesterday and what we’re going to do today keeps everyone focused and makes sure we all understand our different parts to play that day.
After a couple of hours of locked-in client work I usually have a few internal Dufrain calls around lunch time before I’m back onto client meetings.
If I get some spare time I like to try and learn more about the newest features in Azure and Purview.
Last thing on Friday we have our Associates catch up, this is a relaxed call where I get to hear about what our Associates have been doing over the week and we often have guest speakers talking about their roles within Dufrain, it’s one of my favourite meetings to attend.
Which of our company values resonate with you the most?
“Succeed Together”, we’ve all got different skills and strengths. There’s no one person in Dufrain that makes us a success, but drawing the right people together in a team and all aiming for the same goal makes work enjoyable and ensures we get the results we want for ourselves and the projects we deliver for our customers.
What would you say has been your most significant achievement or the one you are most proud of whilst working at Dufrain?
Having worked at Dufrain for over 10 years, there are a number of achievements I’m proud of. Most recently, three come to mind:
- Earlier this year, I led Dufrain in gaining a specialisation with Microsoft in Analytics on Azure. This was the culmination of around 12 months of effort and a lot of input from everyone involved.
- In May, Dufrain was nominated for Data Partner of the Year for my project. We didn’t win, but it was a fantastic experience.
- In our last Associates intake, we saw eight Analysts promoted to Consultant in one go. Having worked with them on their personal development, I was extremely proud of their achievement.
Who inspires you the most within Dufrain and outside of Dufrain?
There are too many inspirational people within Dufrain to mention, so much knowledge and dedication. I wouldn’t want to leave anyone out!
But outside Dufrain I think it would have to be either Jim Lovell, the commander of Apollo 13 who was played by Tom Hanks in the film. He passed away recently but has done some fantastic interviews about his life and career. Or possibly Chesley Sullenberger, who was also played by Tom Hanks in a film… Maybe I just like Tom Hanks movies!
Which work benefit or perk is your favourite and why?
I’ve not made use of it just yet, but I think our Electric Vehicle Scheme is great. Helping our employees to look after the environment and be that much greener is huge.
What’s the best advice you can give to someone who wants to work for us?
Be yourself and don’t be shy; there’s no one in Dufrain who I don’t consider a friend. Culture here is very important and being able to meet colleagues at work socials and in our local offices is a huge part of that, I really look forward to seeing everyone when time away from client work allows.
What skill do you think everyone should learn?
I think business analysis is an underrated skill, in our line of work there’s a huge focus on the newest technologies, advancements in AI and the next big thing. But getting to know your client, how their business works and how people use, or would like to use, their data is always going to be at our core to ensure we get things right for all of the very different businesses that we support.
What are some of your favourite things to do outside of work?
My daughter is six years old so spending time with her and my wife will always come top of the list but I have a couple of indulgent hobbies too. I love flying having gained my PPL four years ago, it’s a task where I can really focus on the moment instead of thinking days or weeks ahead. I also enjoy home brewing, now that I’ve got my set up complete I’ve made a few pretty passable beers that have tasted close to my favourite brands.
Top movie/book/Band (pick one to note)?
Book; The Dark Tower by Stephen King. I wouldn’t recommend the movie though, I thought that was terrible.
Want to learn more about working with Dufrain?
Get in touch with us at enquiries@dufrain.co.uk, visit www.dufrain.co.uk or follow us on LinkedIn.