Profile
I left Berkeley in 2000 to become head of consulting for Inforte’s fledgling European business unit, then becoming MD in 2005. At Inforte I looked after a team of some 55 consultants working on strategy and technology projects for blue chip clients. I moved on from Inforte in 2007, when the business was acquired by French software house Business & Decision Group.
At present I am freelancing at Tesco as a programme manager, managing the Tesco Direct IT programme portfolio of 28 distinct projects aimed at driving profitability for the developing non-food business through multiple channels (for example instore, online, and through kiosks).
I was employee number nine in Berkeley, joining in 1993, having been with Accenture for six years previously. Berkeley inevitably was a huge contrast with Accenture, which was what I sought. It was a little daunting at first being plunged in solo to a major UK retailer, working alongside one of their project managers on a major new solution for General Merchandise, but free of the Accenture straightjacket, one can engage in a more collaborative style of consulting that is much more rewarding and more enduring for you and the client.
I formed much stronger relationships with my clients than I would have done in a larger consulting environment, which is what really matters, that you make a lasting difference to people and have fun at the same time. I’m also grateful to Berkeley for the particularly strong ethics that are a key part of the culture. Lots of people talk about trust and integrity, but at Berkeley, it’s taken very seriously, and these are core to me much later in my career. Putting yourself in others shoes, client, colleague, whatever, and treating people as you would wish to be treated is just so important. Berkeley always treated me as an individual, and I think taught me a better style of consulting in a fun environment, a great team to work with.