Programme Director and Head of VoIP Rapid Response Unit
British Telecom, London; freelance;
novembre 2007 - décembre 2008
The Head of the VoIP Rapid Response Unit (RRU) is responsible for improving the overall customer experience as impacted by core platform and IT systems, Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), operational processes, as well as on improving the cost and time-to-market of new products and services.
Key responsibilities related to the voice service include “code red” management, and improvement of the technical and operational architecture through both tactical and longer term technical and operational improvements.
Other responsibilities include the implementation of major regulator (Ofcom) mandated programmes, guide and train programme managers, and define and enforce programme management principles for quality assurance, cost control and on-time delivery.
In order to improve the quality, budget management and on-time delivery of major new services, an end-to-end review of project management processes and methodologies was conducted, in order to come to a structured project management methodology.
Key areas considered were, among others, product strategy and roadmap, programme and project management, quality assurance and testing, vendor management and financial control, as well as the hand-over to the operational organisation.
The resulting recommendations for improvement aimed to create a structured approach, tailored for this particular organisation, based on a combination of industry best practices, industry standards such as Prince2, 6Sigma, ITIL, eTOM, as well as existing well functioning internal practices.
Programme Manager and Lead Systems Integrator
UPC Broadband, Amsterdam; freelance
septembre 2005 - juillet 2007
This major European cable operator, based in Amsterdam, launched a number of strategic initiatives, the most important ones being Video-on-Demand (VoD) and Personal Video Recorder (PVR) services.
Main responsibility in this role was the project and delivery management of four different Set-Top-Box (STB) platforms, including the management of several hardware and software vendors involved in the projects (hardware, middleware, conditional access, applications).
Both the VoD and PVR enabled STBs have successfully been deployed.
The client had as a strategic objective the rollout on Video-on-Demand (VoD) services to all its franchise areas in the United Kingdom, starting with the Glasgow region in January 2005.
Areas of responsibilities include quality assurance and testing, field and customer trials, service launch and operational readiness.
The Video-on-Demand service was successfully launched on January 18th, 2005, as planned.
Subsequent activities focused on post-launch support to the operational organisation, as well as on planning for the rollout of the VoD service to other regions.
European Regional Head of Consulting
Imagine Broadband, Sophia Antipolis, France;
janvier 2000 - mai 2003
Senior manager and Head of the French Consulting Practice for Imagine Broadband, a Digital TV and Telecommunications start up company (a subsidiary of Accenture).
Technical Consulting and Project Management
Accenture, Sophia Antipolis, France
mai 1998 - juillet 2000
The position entailed technical delivery and project management responsibility for a number of client projects (related to Data Warehousing and CRM solutions, Data Centre Rationalisation and Digital TV).
Prior Positions
1987 - 1998
Previous positions held:
• Oracle Financials European Deployment Lead (NCR, Sophia Antipolis, France)
• Software Consultant (BSO/Origin, Netherlands)
• Software Engineer / Database Developer and Administrator (Trilogy Business Systems, New Zealand)
• LAN/WAN Network Manager (Technical University “NHL”, Netherlands)
Études et formations
Computer and Information Technology, at the “Noordelijke Hogeschool Leeuwarden” Technical
University, The Netherlands (graduated at a Bachelor equivalent level).
Autres compétences
Formation
Overview of expertise and skills
Consulting and management skills and experience
• Extensive experience in delivering complex programmes in the IT and Telecommunications industry, covering video, voice and data services, as well as all aspects of delivery management: quality, cost, time, change and risk management (10 years+)
• Longstanding experience in management consulting in the areas of technical and operational design, project management methodologies, service delivery and business process re-engineering in the telecommunications industry (10 years+)
• Extensive experience in managing large teams of technical specialists, architects and 3rd party vendors and suppliers (10 years+)
• Deep knowledge of Operational Support Systems and of operational processes
• Held a senior management role in telecommunications start-up company, an affiliate of Accenture (responsible for up to 100 people)
Technical skills and experience
At a technical project management level
• Voice over IP: core platform architecture, CPE, Operational Support Systems (OSS)
• DVB-C Digital Video core platform architecture, CPE, OSS
• Video over IP: core platform architecture, CPE, OSS
• Broadband Internet: core platform architecture, CPE, OSS
• Access network technologies (DSL, HFC, WIMAX, WiFi, FTTH)
• Operational Support Systems (OSS) and processes for telecommunication operators
• IT and Business Support Systems (BSS)
Engineering experience
• Software development (Assembler, 3GL, 4GL, HTML)
• Relational Database design, development and management
• WAN/LAN network architectures
Personal skills
Languages: Fluent English, French, Dutch; basic German.
Used to successfully managing and delivering complex programmes, with strict quality and budget requirements, tight deadlines, in an international environment, with people from many different cultural backgrounds.
Good communicator at all levels, up to and including executive management; good team player; pro-active, committed to delivering quality, on time, whatever the task; takes initiative and provides leadership.