I’ve recently re-entered the contracting market after a number of years of self-employment. I enjoy on the diversity offered by contracting and the challenge inherent in working with a number of different clients. In June 2007, my company achieved Microsoft Gold Partner certification having satisfied the requirements for the Independent Software Vendor competency.
Currently, I am working to complete the requirements for the Information Worker competency with a particular focus on SharePoint 2007 and Business Intelligence solutions. To this end I am working on the following Microsoft certifications:

• MCTS: Developing solutions using MOSS 2007
• MCTS: Developing solutions using SharePoint Services 3.0
• MCTS: Implementing MOSS 2007
Aggreko Plc –Glasgow
Aggreko is a global leader in the provision of temporary power with its headquarters in Glasgow. I was engaged to design and implement a methodology for consolidating the company’s existing intranet and business intelligence sites onto SharePoint 2007.

Tools & Technologies:
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005
• Reporting Services for SharePoint 2007
• SQL Server Reporting Services
• SQL Server Analysis Services
• PerformancePoint Server
• SharePoint 2003 (Portal Server)
• SharePoint 2007 (MOSS)
• VB.Net/C# 2.0
• Asp.Net 2.0
• ASP
• Immediacy CMS
• VMWare virtualization platform
• Microsoft SilverLight
• Microsoft WPF


Sanmina SCI –Irvine, Ayrshire
I was employed by SSCI to design and develop a number of solutions to cater for the organizations RoHS/WEEE compliance requirements. As a global electronics manufacturer, this presented a number of challenges due to the huge volumes of data involved and the number of different ERP systems involved.

Tools & Technologies:
• Microsoft SQL Server 2000
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005
• Oracle 11i ERP
• VB.Net/C# 2.0
• Asp.Net 2.0
• SharePoint 2007
• Asp.Net Webservices
• Adobe Livecycle

Hewden Stuart Plc –Uddingston, Glasgow
I was employed by Hewden to assist in an Movex ERP implementation. My role primarily involved providing technical consultancy and adhoc development services to facilitate the migration of data and services from legacy system to the planned Movex solution.

Tools & Technologies:
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005
• Microsoft SSIS
• Microsoft SQL Server 2000
• VB.Net/C# 2.0
• SharePoint 2003
• Business Objects Data Integrator

Greater Glasgow NHS Trust – Southern General, Glasgow
I was involved with the trust as system administrator for their rollout of the nationwide Scottish Clinical Information project. My responsibilities included administering and managing all technical aspects of the project as well as liaising with third party suppliers involved in the development of the project within Greater Glasgow. The project covered 5 major hospitals and all surgeries within the Greater Glasgow area and was responsible for providing critical clinical information to over 1.5 million patients. As is common with Government projects, PRINCE 2 methodologies we’re employed throughout in managing and reporting on the various aspects of the project.

Tools & Technologies:
• Microsoft SQL Server 2000
• VB.Net/ C#
• Microsoft DTS
• VMWare Virtualization Platform
• Veritas Backup
• VBA (Excel reporting)
• Microsoft SOAP/ Webservices
• Microsoft Project 2003

Hauka is a multi-national company primarily involved in the provision of outsourced call centre services. The company has offices in UK, US, Portugal, and Pakistan. I was responsible for managing all technical aspects of the business including development of in-house software applications, establishment of call centre operations in Pakistan and US and delivering bespoke outsourced call centre solutions for clients. With it’s primary base of operations is Pakistan, I have gained considerable experience of managing offsite teams and have first hand experience of the challenges presented by managing third party suppliers in multiple countries.

As well as managing general day-to-day technical issues and smaller development projects, I was responsible for delivering the following major projects:

Karachi Call Centre – In recent years Hauka’s primary base of operation has moved from UK to Pakistan in accordance with its strategic goal of providing outsourced call centre services. I was responsible for managing the design and implementation of the Karachi centre including the network/telecoms infrastructure and provision of local services.

Web-Based CRM – Hauka utilizes it’s own CRM platform for processing information captured in the call centre’s, the platform is tailored to particular clients requirements. Based entirely on the Microsoft .Net platform, the system makes use of web service technologies to communicate with a Microsoft SQL Server database.

Tools & Technologies:
• Visual Studio .net 2003/ Visual Studio .net 2005
• Microsoft C# (v1.1/v2.0)
• Microsoft VB.net (v1.1/v2.0)
• AJAX
• ADO.Net
• SQL Server 2000
Carphone Warehouse Integration – Hauka was involved in providing outbound telesales for Carphone Warehouse. In order to eliminate manual processing of orders, we developed an XML based fulfillment system which integrated directly with CPW’s in-house systems.

Tools & Technologies:
• Visual Studio.net 2003
• Microsoft VB.Net
• SQL Server 2000
• Visual Basic for Applications (MS Excel)
• XML

International VOIP Network – In order to enable Hauka to provide service in a number of countries from its base in Pakistan, a private VOIP network was created. The network provided access points in UK (Edinburgh and Manchester), US (Virginia), and Madeira (Funchal). Connectivity between each access point was provided using a range of international carriers such as MCI and BT.

Tools & Technologies:
• Mitel 3300 ICP
• H.323
• Cisco IOS (2600 series routers)
• CastleRock SNMP Manager

I founded Activeware in 2000 to take advantage of the introduction of BT’s emerging FRIACO products for the delivery of internet access. At the time the company was founded consumer internet access was prevalently delivered via 0845 numbers. The new FRIACO products meant that it was possible to deliver flat rate internet access. Activeware was one of only 2 Scottish companies targeting this market and enjoyed some success.

Our substantial customer base meant it was important to have a CRM system that enabled our staff to deal with customers quickly and effectively. Drawing on my software development and project management expertise, we designed and developed our own in house CRM solution that was capable of managing our entire business in a completely integrated manner.

Tools & Technologies Used:
• Visual Basic 6
• SQL Server 7
• Crystal Reports
• Visual Basic for Applications
• COM+
• Windows 2000
• Microsoft IAS (RADIUS)
• ASP/JavaScript
• Microsoft ASP.Net (v1.0/v1.1)
• Microsoft Visual Studio.net 2002/2003
• Microsoft VB.net

Emerging DSL technologies ultimately limited the life of a largely FRIACO based company. While Activeware did have a DSL offering, insufficient volume meant if was impossible to match the price point of larger companies such as Freeserve and BT. However, the high level of integration offered by our CRM system made the company an acquisition target for larger ISPs struggling with the problems of managing growing customer bases. Following discussion with a number of companies Activeware was acquired by Hauka, then a leading provider of white label ISP services in the UK.

Whilst working as an IT Contractor I was involved in projects for the following companies:

Royal Bank of Scotland – Financial Services Division, Glasgow
Following the merger of RBS and Natwest, I was hired to merge the backend reporting system for the IFA division. The main aim of this project was to deliver comprehensive reporting across the new organization via an Intranet based web tool.

Tools & Technologies:
• Oracle 8.0.4
• Visual Basic 6
• Crystal Reports
• Visual Basic for Applications (MS Excel)
• ASP
• SQL Server 7
• SUN Accounts

IBM Global Services, Greenock
I was employed by IBM to assist in a BaaN migration project for one of their clients, Solectron, a Scottish based electronics firm. My role was to deliver suitable data transfer process to enable the migration of data from their legacy system to the new BaaN ERP suite. The firm had 2 sites in Scotland, I was responsible for data migration for the Inverclyde site.

Tools & Technologies:
• Visual Basic 6
• Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects (MSADO)
• Visual Basic for Applications
• BaaN ERP

Scottish Widows, Edinburgh
Scottish Widows employed me to provide project management and technical team leading skills in an integration project with Bank of New York. The project involved creating new middleware which would allow the companies existing CRM system to talk directly to BoNY’s systems.

Tools & Technologies:
• Visual Basic 6
• Microsoft Project
• SQL Server 7
• Lotus Notes

Lloyds TSB, Glasgow
I was hired by Teletech, a major call centre outsourcer to work on a new online credit card system which was scheduled to be launched across Europe. I worked as part of a team who we’re responsible for delivering a CRM system that could be using in the call centre together with the appropriate web based tools for customer account management.

Tools & Technologies:
• ASP/JavaScript
• Visual Basic 6
• SQL Server 7

Compaq Computer, Ayr
Following Compaq’s acquisition of Digital, I was hired as EMEA Pre-Sales Technical Specialist, responsible for providing assistance on the new organizations combined line up in Intel-Base Server products, to Compaq’s network of VARs throughout Europe.

Tools & Technologies:
• Compaq PC products
• Compaq Storageworks
• DEC AlphaServer
• Siebel
• AltaVista Search API


BP, Aberdeen
SAIC, an Aberdeen based software development company, employed me to work as part of a team involved in a Y2K project for BP. The project involved converting a legacy Hydrocarbon Accounting application to Y2K compliant technologies such as Oracle and PeopleSoft.

Tools & Technologies:
• Oracle 8.0.4
• PeopleSoft
• Microsoft VBA (Excel/Access)
• Oracle Objects 4 OLE
• Visual Basic 6

Thus, Glasgow
I was hired by Thus to provide software development and project management services to a range of their call centre clients including Microsoft, Sega, First Quench and Toyota. Generally the development involved the creation and integration of appropriate CRM systems.

Tools & Technologies:
• ASP/JavaScript
• Visual Basic 6
• SQL Server 7
• Oracle 8.0.4
• Streamline Merchant Services
• COM+ (MTS)

Digital Equipment, Ayr
DEC employed me as a pre-sales technical consultant within their European Contact centre. I was responsible for providing technical configuration assistance to DEC’s network of VAR’s.

Tools & Technologies:
• DEC PC Hardware
• DEC Storage Solutions
• DEC AlphaServer

Data General, Glasgow
I was hired by Data General to assist in the rollout of a new trust-wide information system for Yorkhill NHS trust.

Tools & Technologies:
• Windows 3.11
• Telnet Client
• Microsoft Access

Compaq Computer Corp, Dublin
I worked as part of Compaq’s 4th Level Technical Support, team based in their Dublin, European Contact centre. I was responsible for resolving technical issues raised by Compaq customers throughout Europe which has been escalated through the companies support procedures.

Tools & Technologies:
• Compaq Intel-Architecture servers
• Compaq Networking equipment

Pre-Sales Technical Consultant
I was employed by Compaq as a pre-sales technical consultant, primarily involved in providing configuration advice to their network of VAR’s. This was a customer facing role requiring excellent communications skills as well as an advanced technical knowledge of Compaq’s range of server products.

While employed by Compaq I completed the following certifications:

• MCSE Microsoft Windows NT4 Track
• MCSE Microsoft Exchange 5.5
• MCSE Microsoft SQL Server 6.5
• Compaq Master ASE