10+ years' experience

Collaboratively building and deploying software that scales, in a test driven way

Commercial experience with:

Node.js, TypeScript, Ruby, Elixir, PHP, Groovy, Java


Independently Learning:

Clojure, Crystal, ReasonML


And the tools of the trade:

AWS, openAI, Buildkite, Jenkins, Git, JIRA, NGINX, Docker

2021-present Lightful LTD, Lead Engineer

Leading a high-performing engineering team in developing and deploying social media and digital marketing management solutions for the non-profit sector, with a React, TypeScript, Node.js, GraphQL, PostgreSQL tech stack hosted on AWS. Pioneering the integration of LLM-powered tools and features using the MCP standard, enhancing user experience through AI-driven insights and automation. Establishing robust CI/CD pipelines and championing test-driven development practices to ensure code quality and reliability. Mentoring and line-managing engineers across all levels, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement. Played a key role in architectural decisions and the adoption of modern development practices to drive innovation and efficiency.

2017–2021 BBC, Senior Software Engineer

2019-2021 Senior Software Engineer, 2018-2019 Software Engineer, 2017-2018 Junior Software Engineer

Designing and building microservices and their infrastructure in Ruby and Elixir to route vast amounts of traffic. Providing caching, performance, and resilience features for BBC News, Weather, and Sport websites. Monitoring performance and scalability to build systems capable of handling traffic migrations and event days, such as elections and cup finals, that result in load spikes of thousands of requests per second. Designing and implementing a multi-region failover infrastructure to mitigate the risk of AWS region downtime. Working with external contractors to scope out requirements and implement a Jenkins pipeline to ensure continuous deployment in parallel to multiple regions in Test and Production environments.

2014 & 2016 Clear Books, Software Engineer

2016-2017 Software Engineer, 2014-2015 Junior Software Engineer (YII placement)

Building a Groovy microservice from scratch to handle the migration of customer data from an internal managed SQL database to a third party CRM. The service would also react to events generated by the subscription system to keep the new CRM up to date going forward. Fixing bugs and implementing new features in a monolithic PHP cloud accounting and HR/Payroll software suite, including dealing with untested legacy code. SCRUM master for a cross-functional team with the goal to improve trial to paid conversion rate that was achieved by rolling out A/B testing and UI improvements.

• 2012-2016 Upper Second Class Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science with a Year In Industry from The University of Kent


• 2014 Zend Certified PHP Engineer


• 2010-2012 Distinction* for BTEC Computing, Grade B for A-Level Physics, and Grade B for A-Level Mathematics.

Food & Drink

I'm passionate about the world of craft beer and food, from exploring diverse beer styles and brewing traditions to discovering new restaurants and cooking techniques. Whether it's visiting local breweries, experimenting with homebrewing, or pairing craft beers with complementary dishes, I love how these culinary adventures bring people together.

Music & Comedy

I'm an avid live music fan and occasional (if not particularly skilled) bass guitarist, playing purely for the joy of it. My love for live entertainment extends to comedy too, I'm always on the lookout for the next great stand-up, enjoying everything from arena shows to intimate club gigs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which has become an annual highlight.

Football

After falling out of love with the sport as a teenager, I reconnected with it in my late twenties when I lived within sight (and sound, on match days) of the historic Craven Cottage stadium. As much as I can I follow Fulham and England across the country and play 5-a-side and 9-a-side games regularly for fun and exercise.