My journey from Mechanical & Production Engineer to IT began when diagnosing a potential network installation fault led me to Windows 3.11 for Workgroups and Lotus SmartSuite. In those early days, setting up mail merges and mastering macros taught me adaptability, hands-on problem solving and the simple truth that technology’s power lies in how effortlessly it serves people. This pivot sparked a lifelong appreciation for iterative testing, user feedback and the satisfaction of seamless workflows.
As Microsoft Office took centre stage in the late 1990s, I embraced every release – Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook – building my reputation by transforming daily workflows. I channelled my passion for high-quality precision into every deployment as I progressed into Exchange and Windows Server roles, designing robust on-premises infrastructure “farms” that delivered reliability at scale while ensuring systems remained intuitive for end users.
With the advent of cloud computing, I merged deep on-prem expertise with Azure and Microsoft 365’s agility. I led migrations (137 total to-date) from legacy environments to hybrid and pure-cloud architectures, always ensuring that technology served business goals. From rolling out Teams as the central collaboration hub to creating automated workflows in Power Automate, I helped organisations evolve. I also integrated Microsoft Purview solutions for compliance and governance, reinforcing data protection.
Today, as a Modern Workplace Architect with nearly 31 years of experience, I help businesses, non-profit organisations and UK Education sector schools, academies, and universities Understand, Evolve and Transform – ensuring every engagement starts with empathy and delivers lasting impact.
My expertise covers the full Microsoft ecosystem – both cloud and on-premises. I design identity and access management with Conditional Access, Entra ID synchronisation and MFA for secure, seamless experiences. Even in hybrid environments, I have architected and deployed Exchange for thousands of mailboxes and optimised SharePoint farms for efficient content management.
I implement governance using sensitivity labels, retention policies and compliance insights to balance regulation with productivity.
Automation underpins my work: as a PowerShell specialist, I’ve crafted scripts for configuration management, user provisioning and auditing. I also build low-code Power Apps and Power Automate flows to streamline approvals, surface data in Teams and deliver real-time dashboards – ensuring every process is measurable, secure and maintainable.
Data protection and records management shape resilience. I deploy Microsoft Purview (DLP, Insider Risk and eDiscovery) to safeguard sensitive data and meet retention mandates.
From lifting file shares into SharePoint and Teams to modernising line-of-business applications and leveraging Microsoft Graph with PowerShell, I architect and deliver end-to-end solutions that de-risk complex change.
In November 2022, what began as a stubborn headache turned out to be a life-threatening brain abscess. After two emergency surgeries at Leeds General Infirmary, I woke on 19 December without memory of the previous 3 weeks (no memory of sleeping, eating or even knowing where I was) worth of crucial days. My partner’s steadfast care earned me the nickname “MarkV2.0,” symbolising a complete reboot of body, mind and purpose.
Recovery revealed that mental health isn’t a checkbox but a continuous journey. Those small, unnoticed moments of overwhelm often snowball into crisis. Having faced an extreme physical emergency, I now know the quiet struggles we fight alone – and it’s this insight that shapes my work as a certified Mental Health First Aider and advocate.
I challenge superficial wellbeing initiatives – posters, workshops and token awareness days – to drive deeper cultural change. True support comes from peer-to-peer listening and environments where it’s safe to admit, “I’m struggling, or I need help.” By sharing my story, I am aiming to break the stigma and demonstrate that vulnerability and strength go hand in hand.
Today, I introduce mental-health (what I have been through and what I have learned) best practices into every engagement – training, regular check-ins and resilience focused planning; so organisations can prioritise people as much as technology and foster lasting wellbeing.
When I’m not architecting cloud solutions or championing mental health, you’ll find me in my home workshop, piecing together intricate LEGO Star Wars models. Each build reminds me that creativity and patience can spark fresh perspectives and that play fuels both precision and imagination.
I’m also an avid reader – anything from classical literature to cutting-edge AI ethics; and an action-RPG enthusiast on PC. These pursuits expand my thinking, whether I’m diving into an epic fantasy or closed beta testing a new game mechanic/release.
Music keeps me grounded too: I spin vinyl records across rock, classical and unexpected genres that make me smile. These moments of curiosity and relaxation recharge my mind and reinforce my belief in work-life balance.
Laughter really is the best medicine
#WorkToLiveNOTLiveToWork #ItsOKtoNotBeOK
Microsoft Solution Architect, Senior Project Manager, and Mental Health Advocate
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