Career History
Head of Applied AI & Emerging Technology Strategy
Amazon Web Services
October 2025 – Present
Scope: I lead applied-AI and emerging-technology strategy for AWS’s global field sales organisation, defining how AWS and partners engage clients on next-generation capabilities. This is a strategic individual contributor role by design, enabling rapid experimentation and global influence through mechanism development, thought leadership, and cross-functional alignment. Responsible for frameworks, guidance, and foresight initiatives that enable business, sales, and leadership teams to position, adopt, and govern AI and emerging technologies responsibly.
Key focus areas and achievements:
- Define and deliver AWS’s applied AI strategy for the field, establishing strategic priorities for enablement, capability building, and measurable client outcomes
- Lead emerging technology foresight, preparing AWS leaders and client-facing teams for successive waves of disruption — from agentic AI and embodied systems to neuromorphic and quantum computing
- Architect AI-first enablement models, integrating generative, decision, and agentic capabilities into global programmes and field frameworks
- Drive strategy adoption through executive briefings, strategic narratives, and data-driven business cases that align enablement investments with commercial objectives
- Represent AWS externally through thought leadership and collaboration with industry and academic partners on responsible AI adoption
- Apply independently authored frameworks (AI Stages of Adoption, Five Pillars of AI Capability, and Well-Advised) to guide enterprise-scale maturity and governance initiatives.
Skills: Applied AI Strategy · Emerging Technology Foresight · Global Enablement Strategy · Framework Development · Board & Executive Advisory · Strategic Communication
Head of Global Training
Amazon Web Services
December 2023 – October 2025
Scope: I held global responsibility for field enablement strategy across all geographies, aligning capability development with AWS’s commercial, product, and transformation priorities. Leading a worldwide organisation of trainers, coaches, and programme subject matter experts, I integrated regional teams into a single global operating model and embedded AI-driven learning, governance, and performance measurement at scale.
Key achievements:
- Designed and implemented AWS’s first global AI/ML-enablement strategy, accelerating enterprise adoption and seller readiness in key markets
- Scaled generative-AI learning programmes globally, enabling rapid capability development to meet evolving client and industry needs
- Unified regional training teams under a consistent operating model and introduced standardised frameworks that improved efficiency and delivery consistency
- Developed a global stakeholder-alignment strategy ensuring enablement outcomes supported business objectives and leadership priorities
- Built a delegated leadership model enabling scalable execution while maintaining strategic oversight
- Integrated external frameworks (AISA, Well-Advised, Five Pillars of AI Capability) to inform AWS’s enterprise-enablement strategy
- Delivered executive-level engagements with boards and leadership teams to shape digital and AI strategy across multiple sectors
- Co-created the AWS Way of Selling (AWOS), the unified framework underpinning global field-sales enablement
- The transformation underpinned AWS’s field readiness for generative-AI acceleration across 2024–25.
Skills: Global Operations Leadership · Enablement & Change Leadership · AI Strategy & Governance · Cloud & Data Strategy · Board Advisory · Enterprise Transformation
Principal
Executive Centre of Excellence (Global) — Amazon Web Services
December 2021 – December 2023
Scope: I led the creation and global rollout of the Executive Centre of Excellence — a strategic-enablement function designed to elevate how AWS’s field leaders engage with C-suite executives and boards.
Key achievements:
- Designed and launched executive-enablement programmes enhancing field leaders’ board-level engagement
- Built and scaled the Executive CoE, providing training and coaching for client-facing leaders driving enterprise transformation
- Created curricula and immersive coaching focused on executive communication and strategic narrative development
- Produced thought leadership in collaboration with Amazon PR and global marketing to strengthen AWS’s executive positioning
- Partnered with CFO Programmes, Cloud Economics, Executive Marketing, and the Enterprise Next programme to align messaging with board priorities
- Mentored senior AWS leaders globally through cohort-based executive-skills programmes.
Skills: Global Enablement Strategy · Board Advisory · Strategic Communication · Cloud & Data Strategy · Enterprise Transformation · Leadership Influence
Head of Experience-Based Acceleration (EMEA)
Amazon Web Services
October 2020 – December 2021
Scope: I built and led the Experience-Based Acceleration (EBA) business across Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) — EBA is a prescriptive, learn-by-doing methodology helping enterprise clients overcome organisational barriers to cloud adoption and transformation.
Key achievements:
- Launched and scaled EBA business in EMEA, creating operating models and delivery mechanisms adopted globally for all AWS EBA teams
- Led strategic engagements with enterprise clients, aligning business and technology leaders on transformation roadmaps
- Built pipeline-tracking systems to improve scalability and integration with regional business development
- Created enablement programmes for AWS teams to run EBA engagements effectively
- Built a partner-enablement model extending EBA through Migration Competency Partners and Global Systems Integrators (GSIs)
- Enabled clients to internalise the EBA methodology and sustain transformation independently
- Drove cultural and operating-model change, helping clients shift to agile, cross-functional cloud adoption.
Skills: Enterprise Transformation · Operating Models · Executive Facilitation · Partner Enablement · Cloud & Data Strategy · Strategic Stakeholder Management
Practice Leader
Global Business Advisory, AWS Professional Services - Amazon Web Services
May 2019 – October 2020
Scope: I led the global Business Advisory Practice within AWS Professional Services, helping clients unlock large-scale transformation through cloud adoption.
Key achievements:
- Defined and executed global strategy for the Business Advisory Practice
- Developed new advisory offerings and enabled AWS Professional Services consultants and partners worldwide to deliver them at scale
- Refined the foundational concepts that later became the Well-Advised Framework for board-level transformation planning
- Engaged directly with 100+ client teams globally to shape C-suite narratives and transformation priorities
- Pioneered early remote-advisory models during the pandemic to sustain executive engagement
- Contributed foundational thinking to the Enterprise Next programme
- Published thought leadership through industry bodies, executive journals and policy platforms.
Skills: Board Advisory · Framework Development · Enterprise Transformation · Cloud & Data Strategy · Business Model Innovation · Strategic Leadership
Senior Advisory Consultant (Global)
AWS Professional Services - Amazon Web Services
June 2017 – May 2019
Scope: I joined AWS’s newly formed Global Specialty Practice (GSP) as a founding Advisory Consultant, developing scalable, business-focused methodologies for enterprise cloud adoption and focusing on C-suite alignment, business-case development and transformation governance.
Key achievements:
- Created the Business Case Accelerator (BCA) — a repeatable framework for articulating the financial and strategic case for enterprise cloud adoption
- Scaled the BCA globally and trained over 50 Migration Competency Partners to deliver it to clients
- Codified early advisory go-to-market principles and positioning for CxO audiences
- Served as an official AWS spokesperson, representing AWS in 27 global press and analyst engagements and on stage at re:Invent, AWS Summits, and Executive Forums
- Delivered executive briefings and CFO roundtables, including Gartner’s CFO Roundtable in Atlanta
- Contributed to the evolution of AWS’s enterprise-transformation narrative through writing, public speaking, and industry engagement.
Skills: Cloud Business Case Development · Cloud & Data Strategy · CxO Engagement · Executive Communication · Enterprise Transformation · Strategic Advisory · Thought Leadership
Speciality Practice Lead - Migrations (EMEA)
AWS Professional Services — Amazon Web Services
March 2016 – June 2017
Scope: I built and led the Migration Specialty Practice for AWS Professional Services across EMEA, focusing on enterprise-scale migrations from on-premises and co-location environments to AWS.
Key achievements:
- Co-created the first AWS Migration Cost Estimator, a financial-modelling tool for quantifying migration business cases
- Developed the Decommission Cost Estimator, enabling clients to calculate residual costs and asset impairments in migration planning
- Co-authored the first Migration Readiness Assessment (MRA) framework — now used globally by AWS and its Migration Competency Partners
- Developed enablement programmes to standardise migration engagements across EMEA
- Scaled migration-practice content to AWS Partner Network (APN) partners, driving capability uplift
- Worked with commercial teams across EMEA to identify and support large-scale migration projects
- Collaborated with the Global Enterprise Strategy team to develop new thought leadership around migrations.
Skills: Cloud Migration Strategy · Business Case Development · Cloud Economics · Practice Leadership · Enterprise Transformation · Partner Enablement · Advisory Framework Design · Organisational Change · Thought Leadership
Senior Consultant (UK&I)
AWS Professional Services - Amazon Web Services
July 2015 – March 2016
Scope: I joined AWS Professional Services to advise enterprise and public-sector clients on cloud adoption, innovation and organisational transformation.
Key achievements:
- Supported major UK enterprises in developing cloud-adoption roadmaps aligned to business objectives
- Designed financial and business-case models demonstrating ROI and total cost of ownership for cloud migration
- Created reusable methodologies and artefacts adopted across AWS Professional Services
- Delivered executive briefings and transformation workshops for senior leadership teams
- Collaborated with AWS service teams and partners to enable integrated client solutions.
Skills: Cloud Strategy · Business Transformation · Enterprise Architecture · Cloud Economics · Advisory Consulting · Stakeholder Engagement · Organisational Change Management · Strategic Planning
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Chapter Eight Limited
May 2002 – January 2015
Scope: I founded and led a specialist IT and digital-transformation consultancy delivering SaaS-based e-commerce, CMS, CRM and collaboration platforms to enterprise and mid-market clients. Accountable for corporate strategy, commercial performance, investor relations and product development.
Chapter Eight was a PCI-DSS Level-1 SaaS provider processing nine-figure annual e-commerce transaction volumes for global brands such as The Coca-Cola Company, Lyle & Scott and Aston Villa Football Club.
Key achievements:
- Authored the business plan and raised successive investment rounds
- Delivered digital-transformation consultancy for enterprise clients including The Coca-Cola Company, Gulf Oil International and Charities Trust
- Designed and operated SaaS solutions for high-growth start-ups and enterprise clients
- Integrated with third-party ecosystems — PayPal, Amazon Marketplace, PayPoint, eBay, Feefo and others — to deliver multi-platform, multi-currency capabilities
- Achieved world-first dual accreditation: PCI DSS Level 1 certification and inclusion on the Visa Merchant Agent List
- Re-engineered the SaaS platform to AWS, establishing early cloud-migration expertise
- Led migration of hundreds of clients from IBM/SoftLayer infrastructure to AWS between 2010 and 2015.
Skills: Entrepreneurship · P&L Leadership · Product Strategy · Business Development · Technology Leadership · Strategic Partnerships · Commercial Scaling · SaaS Business Models
Non-Executive Director
Credit Style Limited
October 2007 – June 2008
Scope: I joined the Board of Credit Style Limited to provide independent oversight of technology transformation and governance implementation.
Key achievements:
- Led the development of a technology strategy aligned with business-growth objectives
- Guided implementation of scalable operational systems supporting financial-services activities
- Advised on organisational design and capability building within the technology function
- Provided board-level oversight of transformation initiatives and operational resilience.
Skills: Board & Executive Advisory · Technology Governance · Operational Excellence · Business Transformation · Risk & Compliance · Strategic Leadership
Advisory Board Member
BBC New Media
August 2007 – June 2008
Scope: I was appointed to the BBC’s New Media Advisory Panel to provide strategic guidance during a period of digital transformation.
Key achievements:
- Advised on digital-transformation initiatives and new-media strategy
- Contributed perspective on technology adoption, platform development and digital audience engagement
- Advised on governance frameworks for digital innovation and risk management
- Supported BBC leadership in evaluating emerging digital opportunities and competitive positioning.
Skills: Digital Strategy · Governance & Policy Advisory · Stakeholder Engagement · Innovation Strategy · Technology Strategy · Strategic Planning
Non-Executive Director
Leeds Media Limited
September 2004 – November 2006
Scope: I was appointed NED to provide strategic oversight of Leeds Media Limited, a regional-development organisation funded by Yorkshire Forward and representing more than 250 media-sector companies.
Key achievements:
- Led strategic initiatives to accelerate digital adoption across the region’s media sector
- Established governance frameworks for sustainable growth and financial accountability
- Guided operational transformation, including finance, risk and compliance practices
- Provided board oversight for major industry events, including the annual Refuel conference.
Skills: Board Governance · Digital Transformation · Regional Development · Strategic Planning · Risk & Compliance · Stakeholder Engagement
Chief Digital Officer (CDO)
Regional Independent Media Group Plc
November 1998 – May 2002
Scope: I reported to the Group Commercial Development Director and Board, responsible for developing and executing a unified digital strategy across 11 operating companies and 110 editorial and sales teams.
Key achievements:
- Created and executed a digital strategy aligned to corporate growth and pre-sale value creation
- Led the organisation’s digital transformation through new Internet-based commercial and technology initiatives
- Designed and implemented a new enterprise data centre at RIM’s Leeds headquarters
- Developed print-to-web CMSs fully integrated with editorial and advertising platforms
- Recruited and managed a multidisciplinary team of 110 across engineering, content, operations and sales
- Negotiated internal ITSM contracts governing ongoing operations and enterprise support.
Skills: Digital Strategy · Enterprise Transformation · P&L Management · Leadership & Team Development · Data Centre Design · Content Management Systems · Technology Integration · Business Model Innovation · Commercial Strategy · Change Management
Software Development Engineer
SilverPlatter Information Limited
May 1997 – October 1998
Scope: I joined SilverPlatter during the final year of my Software Engineering degree, transitioning to a full-time role post-graduation, developing SilverPlatter’s first web-based products.
Key achievements:
- Designed and built the web-application software stack for multi-platform deployment (Windows, Linux, UNIX)
- Developed a JavaScript framework to standardise and accelerate web-application development
- Refactored and optimised client-side code, improving performance by 84%
- Authored technical documentation and user-training materials supporting product release and client enablement.
Skills: Software Engineering · Product Development · Systems Architecture · Technical Leadership · Cross-Platform Development
Internet Technician
Leicester Mercury Group Plc
May 1996 – May 1997
I joined the Leicester Mercury (a regional newspaper publisher based in the UK and part of the Northcliffe Newspapers Group) on a one-year industrial placement as part of my Software Engineering degree, working on some of the UK’s earliest digital-publishing initiatives. As a junior member of the IT Special Projects team, I supported the design and development of new online services during the newspaper’s first steps into the Internet era. This role provided first-hand experience in web technologies, data structuring and network design during the formative years of the commercial Internet.
Key achievements:
- Helped launch the UK’s first regional-newspaper website, enabling readers to access local news online for the first time
- Built one of the first property-listing sites for newspaper advertisers, introducing searchable, structured data for classified content
- Developed the first editorial-to-web publishing workflow automating newsroom content conversion
- Contributed to network and hosting-platform design within ICL data centres
- Created early structured-data models supporting dynamic web delivery and emerging CMS approaches.
This formative experience provided early exposure to both the technical and commercial dimensions of digital media, building a foundation in software engineering, systems design and online product development that shaped my later career in enterprise technology and transformation.
Skills: Web Technologies · Network Architecture · Structured Data Design · Software Engineering · Content Management Systems (CMS) · Database Design · Systems Integration