Our IT Infrastructure Leader's Journey
I have been working in the Information Technology field for more than 20 years, most of it in the QSURE IT Department. The evolvement of technology over this time has been phenomenal, not only in general, but also in QSURE. Starting out as a typical "techie" back in the days, my own evolvement has been equally phenomenal. I had to transform from a technical expert into a hyper-connected business world, where my role has changed significantly. Today I can no longer be a behind-the-scenes operator. My role has developed into a strategic enabler of resilience, security, and innovation. At its core, it's about ensuring that technology doesn't just support the business—it drives it forward.
Our IT Infrastructure Leader's Journey
I have been working in the Information Technology field for more than 20 years, most of it in the QSURE IT Department. The evolvement of technology over this time has been phenomenal, not only in general, but also in QSURE. Starting out as a typical "techie" back in the days, my own evolvement has been equally phenomenal. I had to transform from a technical expert into a hyper-connected business world, where my role has changed significantly. Today I can no longer be a behind-the-scenes operator. My role has developed into a strategic enabler of resilience, security, and innovation. At its core, it's about ensuring that technology doesn't just support the business—it drives it forward.
But I am definitely not alone in this. If asked what my number one priority is, my answer will probably come as a surprise to many. My team. I don't have a very large team, but I rely on their skills, experience and dedication every hour of the day. I am not a big supported of the notion that "IT teams have to work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week- that's just the nature of the job." No, as a medium sized business we don't have the most sophisticated tools, the cutting-edge technology and the vast resources enterprise have, but our performance must match theirs on equal scale. That's what our clients, stakeholders and the industry expect of us – nothing less. And to achieve that, I know my team needs a healthy work-life balance and enough time to rest and spend with their families and loved ones. That keeps them sharp and focussed on the job at hand – as for the rest, I believe, we are just better organised.
My mandate from business is clear: keep systems available, secure, and scalable while aligning technology with business objectives. This means guaranteeing 99.9% uptime across servers and networks, optimizing performance metrics like latency and bandwidth, and embedding cybersecurity into every layer of operations. It's a role that demands precision and foresight, balancing operational stability with transformation initiatives.
I believe modern infrastructure leadership is about clarity, accountability, and empowerment. I fully support the saying, "Technology doesn't deliver excellence—people do." That's why I always try to start by defining the "why" behind every initiative, ensuring my team and users understand their impact on customer trust and business agility. I hire for mindset, train for skill, and foster a culture where governance is not about control but about enabling freedom within a framework.
I try to cultivate a belief in my team and I that we are most definitely not the "IT guys" in the business. No, we are Service Consultants when we enable the Service Department to deliver the highest standard of service to our clients. But then we are also salespeople, as we work tirelessly to build and maintain a security posture that provides our Sales Team with the comfort and confidence to present potential clients with the security assurances they demand to trust QSURE to handle their premiums. Sometimes we also must be 'compliance officers' while we build and keep our fingers on the pulse of our GRC framework and forge ahead with relentless passion to achieve our ISO27001 certification. This we do, not only to satisfy regulatory requirements and pass audits, but because we believe it is a business imperative in the industry we operate. It is my responsibility to monitor risks and promoting a culture of security awareness across the organization.
This last one sometimes gets me in a bit of a dilemma with my fellow Managers. Our Management Team fosters a strong culture of trusting our people. Trust is one of the core values of QSURE. And then I come and preach "Zero Trust" as the default – never trust, always verify. Fortunately, I have the pleasure of being part of a very supportive Management Team, and not only do they understand my view when it comes to security, they have also made it part of their management philosophy. And soon our entire, great staff compliment followed – making sure cyber security lives in the veins of the business.
I approach my role beyond technology, as a mentor and culture builder. I always try to lead teams through change, dismantle resistance, and create environments where accountability replaces fear. I firmly believe resilience isn't just about systems—it's about people who can adapt, innovate, and collaborate under pressure.
