I grew up on the Dorset coast where my primary hobbies were sailing, computing and building things in my home machine shop.

In 1985 I got my hands on my first Apple Mac and never looked back. My parents (both architects and university lecturers) were lucky enough to be provided with the latest and greatest in technology and needed someone quick-to-learn to be able to impart their wisdom to the other faculty and students at the university on the latest in CAD software.

At 14 I wrote my first piece of commercial software in HyperCard, creating an application for a local bakery to optimize their production of bread, I believe this is still being used today.

I completed my GCSE in computing when I was 15 and at 16 took my A level in computing, two years early.

I graduated from the University of Portsmouth with a MEng with Distinction in Computer Engineering, achieving the highest mark ever awarded to a final year project and subsequently moved to London to embark on a career in software.

Having worked in a variety of roles from Developer to Technical Director in established firms as well as start-ups and venture capital, I decided to found a new start-up called Xerto. The primary goal was to produce a powerful piece of software called Imagery, created to help professionals manage large digital image collections.

My work on Imagery was noticed by Sun Microsystems in California and I was fortunate in earning the respect of the best Java engineers in the world and was hired to join them in Silicon Valley.

After working at Sun for a few years I became an architect on the JavaFX platform, the modern scenegraph based UI toolkit for Java. Which has been used for many serious engineering applications from the New York stock exchange, to air traffic control, to the bridge user interface of a navy battleship.

I then helped found a new start-up style group within Oracle to explore the exciting new world of Internet of Things. Going on to establish an IoT PaaS cloud service and a growing suite of IoT SaaS applications.

I have been very fortunate at Oracle in that I have been able to apply my woodwork and metalwork skills, electronics knowledge and artistic flair to my role as Architect and Engineer. I have created demos for JavaOne and OpenWorld keynotes which have been very well received.

Being able to create and make is a big part of what makes me thrive in life. I very much enjoy being able to take a creative idea and see it realized. This is, of course, something I do in my spare time as well as in my work life.

My passion is definitely in creating and innovating, whether it is a leap forward in the tech industry or designing a piece of furniture that hides the cat litter. My brain is always running and as much of a hindrance that this can be to my sleep schedule it is an absolute benefit when it comes to inventiveness and imagination.