Describe your job in 5 words
Trusted partner delivering technology transformation.
What is a cool thing you are working on right now?
Can’t tell you (client confidentiality and all)… but it’s cool.
The tech is cool too. A lot of tech that I’m currently working with the SL team wouldn’t have seen. I’m working a lot with NNIT (SL Controls’ parent company) at the moment, and I’m seeing the new stuff they are working on. New technology and new clients.
In the past, you knew everybody in the company, and you knew what everybody did. Now working in NNIT, I am always meeting new people as it is a much bigger business. I was over in Germany in the summer as well, meeting some of the folks there.
The alignment is good between the two business units – we do level two integration at SL Controls, and they do level three and level four. So, it’s all about how we can sync up, where are the synergies, how can we create more business, and all that is very interesting.
All that said, 70 percent of what I do is still with current clients, but I’m even looking at them in a different light now as we have different services that the NNIT team can bring.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up and why?
A vet initially. I come from a farming background, and we had a B&B when I was growing up at home. So, it was all about customer service and farming.
I’ve also always had an interest in fixing things. That led me to my career. First, it was refrigeration on large boats and then onto maintaining technology with Hewlett Packard. I then went back to university to get an Honours degree as an engineer.
How and why did you get into business development?
I spent 15 years in engineering and engineering management, but I always had a high interest in commercial growth and forging partnerships, so it seemed like a natural progression for me in doing more of what I enjoy.
If you could swap jobs with someone for a day, who would it be?
Vladimir Putin… It would be a busy day with a fair few changes to turn things around from what we are all facing today.
What is the best thing about being on the SL Controls team?
The people – that’s the obvious one. I’ve also always been interested in what drives and motivates people and businesses.
What do you like about working in the life sciences sector?
At the end of the day, it is about health and happiness. You do get to see some of the end results where drugs or medical devices have improved people’s lives. This could be in clinical trials, and I have been to India where I got to see some of the medical devices that we were involved in being used in the field.
I was lucky enough to get that real-world experience. I’ve seen the products in the factories that we help to modernize. But when you see the end results, the patient outcomes, that’s a different game.