What does your job entail?
I run Tesco.com's research function. I'm
responsible for ensuring that our competitiveness is protected through
continuous improvement to our systems and innovations that will help our
customers and/or staff.
What was your first job?
My first proper job was programming IBM System/36 mini computers, which formed
part of Tesco's in-store systems. But I was a bit of a rebel and told HR that I
wanted to work on desktop applications or I would go elsewhere. Fortunately, I
got my way and worked in Tesco's newly formed IT PC development team.
How often do you check your BlackBerry?
Being in R&D I like to be different, so I have an
XDA Orbit 2 rather
than a BlackBerry, and I am very good at ignoring it if I want to concentrate on
something else.
How did you get into the IT profession?
By accident. I have been a radio ham since I was a teenager and wanted to have a
career shinning up BBC aerial masts and fixing broadcast transmitters. But
during a physics/engineering course in 1984 I was introduced to computers in
order to perform simulations, and it was like, "Where have you been all my life?
"
Which qualifications have proved most useful to you?
Having a degree in computing gave me the grounding required for a great life in
IT. A degree in computing teaches you why you program in certain ways for
performance and security, rather than just the how.
Who do you most admire in IT?
Nicholas Negroponte. His 1995 book Being Digital profoundly inspired my views
about how computers and people could work well together. He continues to be a
pathfinder in the digital world with his One Laptop
Per Child project.
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