About me

Note: this is rather out of date and should no longer be linked, but it still is... take with a pinch of salt - adapted slightly

I'm both a science and technology addict (aka geek) and a very social animal, with an entrepreneurial drive to make it all harder. As a result I have worn many hats.

For the past 13/15/17 years I have worked as a director-leader-innovator-web producer-project manager-senior architect-business analyst-technical sales-tech support-developer-sysadmin-entrepreneur-marketeer-manager. You name it, I’ve done it - I'm the original webmistress :)

I have been involved in some of the first full text journals online, with some of the first professional portals, with installing and configuring more servers and platforms than I can remember. I have written 5 different CMSes, 3 ecommerce frameworks, managed over 1000 websites and 1500 email domains, built data centres, hosting and domain automation, written a press grade editorial system, launched a dozen different online products, and built hosted bibliographical services for some of the largest corporations. I have sold websites for tiny companies and large ones, ran marketing launch campaigns, built 4 production teams, ran a support department, painted office walls, mapped SEO strategies, worked in search and the semantic web, installed multi-company voip telephony systems, and coached dozens of people into professional careers within the modern, connected web.

And after all that and more, I am still excited about what this medium can do, where it can go, and what can be done.

And very disappointed where we make it go instead..

I would describe myself a transformational and empowering leader – it sounds a bit pompous perhaps but it is the best way to describe what I have done in every position I have held. Dealing with disruptive technology, change, ambiguity and risk; functioning in a dynamic or even chaotic setting; creating structures and processes that harness (rather than kill) the energy. Making people not only accept change, whether in the market or within an organisation, but take ownership of their own change, and become drivers of growth themselves. Even in rather bad situations.

In the past I have tended to run projects and product development, build and coach teams, and guide companies on either how to transition their business to the online medium, pragmatically and withing their means. And how to do it for today's and tomorrow's web, not the web of 2 years ago.

Nowadays I seem to be much in demand to help with turnarounds, post M&A or with growth transition situations

You can connect with me on linkedin (or any of a dozen other online services), or even read more private facts in the "about me" section (see menu) to see who i am, warts, weird ideas and all.

PS: On the business front I have biases towards openness, empowerment, and mutual accountability, in making people connect, think, and take ownership of their role and projects. On the technology front I have biases toward open systems and open standards, decentralized solutions, strong separation of concerns, and agile methodologies (although I call my own approach pragmatic rather than agile).