Where are you from? I was born in Shepperton Middlesex.

Education: I have a BSc in Systems and Information Management from Brunel University

Career: I have thirty two years experience in information technology and has specialised in professional services for the last twenty two years. I started work in a publishing house but quickly moved to the Ministry of Defence where I built computer based battle simulation models. I then moved to the Treasury where I built expert systems for missile and unexploded bomb recognition. Using my knowledge of security and knowledge based systems I was asked to develop an IT security based risk analysis tool. This became the standard method for use in Government departments and won a British Computer Society award. The tool was used in more than 27 different countries. I was also involved in many other security initiatives and provided direct support to government departments.

I left the government and joined Ernst & Young in their Information Systems Security Practice. I built a consultancy team and provided services to a wide range of clients including running large consortia projects for the European Commission.

I left Ernst & Young to found Insight Consulting with two partners. We built the business to be one of the largest specialist information security and business continuity management consultancies in the UK. In addition to working with a very wide range of clients I also won the Business Continuity Institute, Business Continuity Planning Consultant of the Year in both 2001 and 2003 and was short listed on the three other occasions. We sold Insight to Siemens and my partners left but I carried on working. I was a main board member for Siemens Communications in the UK and helped to establish the European Centre of Competence. I left the business in October 2008.

I am still the part time President of the Central Register For Ethical Security Testers (CREST). CREST is a not for profit organisation. It was established to help develop professionalism within the information technology security testing community and I work closely with GCHQ, Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) and the Cabinet Office.

Interests: I designed my own house, I have recently funded the building of a school in Rwanda, I have just had a stretched Range Rover built and I do not have time for all the interests I have!!

A surprising fact that others may not know! I recently rode a motorcycle through South Africa with Princes William and Harry.
What do you do on the project? I run the 1K Club

How did you get involved? I have been a very active supporter of the land speed record projects Richard has been responsible for, Thrust II and Thrust SSC, and have also been fascinated by the history of land speed records. I thought that the Thrust SSC project changed the way that that land speed record cars are now built in terms of professionalism and public inclusion, but I believe that Bloodhound will take this to a whole new level! As a Mach 1 Club member I shared all the excitement with my young son. It gave us a reason to talk, a shared interest and brought us closer together.

I was at a Brooklands dinner with Richard and he noted that I had ‘time on my hands’ and offered me the opportunity to work with the team.

What have you learned from the project? I am still learning! I think the hardest lesson I am learning is that I have been used the whole business being orientated towards the generation of long term sustainable profit. This guarantees peoples jobs and protects their families. This project is about generating sufficient cash to carry on going to meet a specific aim. The two objectives completing the project and generating sufficient cash are almost the same and must sit together but getting the correct balance is very difficult.