Greater London, England, United Kingdom
Senior Data Architect with 30+ years in financial services, specialising in asset management. I help organisations cut through complexity and deliver trusted, scalable data solutions by aligning programmes to strategy. Known for turning ambiguity into clarity, I design and govern enterprise reference architectures, conceptual/semantic models, and data governance frameworks that enable better decision-making. Stakeholders value my ability to explain complex data concepts simply, build consensus, and act as a trusted adviser across business and technology. Recent experience includes leading data architecture across asset management distribution, investment data platforms, ESG/sustainability data, and semantic/ontology design to support AI/innovation initiatives. At my best, I thrive as the senior architect embedded in large FS programmes — providing strategic oversight, guiding delivery teams, and ensuring solutions stay aligned to business outcomes. Where I add the most value: - Translating strategy into target/interim states, reference patterns, and decision principles - Defining data product standards, domains, ownership and quality measures people will actually use - Bringing clarity with conceptual models, ontologies/semantic layers, and plain‑English comms - Providing calm, credible governance at design authorities and steering forums - Focused on outcomes over tooling hype; I prefer good-enough patterns used consistently Credentials and tools: - TOGAF 9; extensive FS domain exposure (Investments, Distribution, Real Estate; compliance) - Architectures: data strategy, data marketplace, data mesh principles, reference architectures - Platforms: Snowflake (adoption/governance), Azure ecosystem; data quality tooling selection
Provide senior data architecture leadership across Asset Management, with a focus on client, distribution, ESG, and investment data. Developed enterprise reference architectures, data maps, and governance frameworks to align delivery with strategic priorities. Guided major FS programmes (Asset Management Data Strategy, Marketing, Sales & Service Architecture Refresh, Financial Crime & Compliance, Investment Data Platform) as a trusted adviser. Introduced semantic/ontology concepts to support AI/innovation initiatives, including M&G’s first ontology. Recognised for communication and clarity: consistently able to simplify complex data challenges for senior stakeholders and build cross-functional alignment.
Projects worked on: * Sungard Xamin (analysis, design, test, implement) * GoldenSource Securities system (analysis, design, test, implement) * GoldenSource Benchmarks system (analysis, design, test, implement)
Worked with the Performance Measurement team to implement their new Performance system – XAMIN. In depth knowledge was gained of the Xamin system from this exercise, and quite a close relationship was built up between myself and some of the Sungard (the company behind Xamin) developers, in Chicago.
Spent 6 months in the TOKYO office.