The IT Pro Panel

They say experience is the best teacher, and nowhere is this more true than in the trenches of business IT. While analysts, academics and experts can offer valuable perspectives on the various issues facing IT teams, there's no substitute for the wisdom gained by working at the coalface.

That's why we created the IT Pro Panel - a network of top CIOs, CTOs and technology leaders who unite to share their hard-earned insights on the challenges, trends and opportunities facing modern IT departments.

Organisations of all stripes are represented, including charities, schools, startups, enterprises and more. Every month, we'll be asking our panellists about the topics that really matter to modern IT professionals, such as cloud migration, digital transformation and cyber security.

How to join the IT Pro Panel

If you're a senior IT decision-maker and you'd like to apply to be part of the IT Pro Panel, please email panel@itpro.co.uk. Please note that we are not accepting applications from technology vendors at this time.

Latest IT Pro Panel Discussion - The worst IT horror stories

Every senior IT professional worth their salt has built up a library of war stories and collected numerous battle scars, through everything from disastrous database migrations to catastrophic server meltdowns. Since we can't swap stories at events for the time being, we asked our panel to share some of their most hair-raising tales with us.

Panellists

Liam Quinn

Director of IT - Richmond Events

For more than a decade, Liam has managed IT systems for Richmond Events. Over his tenure he has led a number of projects, including migrating from multiple on-premise data centres to a DaaS solution, implenting a GDPR-compliant email marketing system and designing and developing a bespoke CRM solution.

Paul Watts

Chief Information Security Officer - Kantar (formerly Domino's UK)

After two years in the CISO chair for Domino's UK & Ireland, Paul has now left the famous pizza chain to join data and research specilists Kantar, helping to protect the company's 30,000 global employees and the vast troves of consumer data that they analyse and process.

Michael Duggan

Global Chief Information Officer - Oxfam International

Plenty of CIOs claim to be changing the world, but few can say it with as much confidence as Michael. Tasked with managing the overall IT strategy for Oxfam’s governing body and the 20 individual NGOs that it comprises, he helps support Oxfam’s global mission of disaster relief by ensuring the charity’s agents can effectively collaborate wherever they are.

Peter O’Rourke

Director of IT - University of Suffolk

A long-time industry veteran with over 30 years’ experience, Peter leads the University of Suffolk’s IT team in supporting the University’s 5,000-plus students and teachers, as well as helping shape the education sector’s attitude to technology through his role on the executive committee of UCISA.

Killian Faughnan

Group CISO - William Hill

Protecting one of the country's largest betting and gaming companies from attackers is no easy task, but it's a challenge that William Hill Group CISO Killian Faughnan relishes. With operations in multiple countries and a huge number of customers and partners to defend, it's a job that ensures Killian's never going to be bored.

Patricio Colombo

Founder & Director - CIO On Demand

After almost 15 years heading up the IT departments of HELLO! Magazine and the Jamie Oliver Group, Patricio has struck out on his own, offering his services to organisations as a freelance CIO-for-hire. The fluid nature of this role has given him a wide range of experience across world-class brands like the European Tour.

Kevin Fielder

CISO - Just Eat

Security is never an easy game, but it's perticularly hard when you're trying to protect one of the most popular and widely-used food delivery apps in the UK. For Just Eat CISO Kevin Fielder, however, this task goes beyond the technical, and is fundamentally about building a culture of security with a focus on people as well as process.

Graeme McDermott

Chief Data Officer - Addison Lee

Data is the lifeblood of any digital-centric company, and it's especially crucial for Addison Lee as the company fights off challengers like Uber and Gett. It's Graeme's job to make sure not only that Addison Lee is using data to grow revenues and improve efficiencies, but also that it's using data in a responsible way.

Ritam Gandhi

Founder - Studio Graphene

As founder of digital design agency Studio Graphene, Ritam is responsible for leading a diverse team of developers, designers, engineers and creatives. The firm helps build apps and other digital products for the likes of Heineken, Mars and Coca Cola, so staying on the cutting edge of digital development is crucial for him and his team.

Dan Jacobs

CTO - TRX.tv

As CTO of TV licensing marketplace TRX, Dan Jacobs is in charge of managing a cadre of Ruby developers and maintaining a large and complex tech stack which supports high-value transactions from the likes of BBC, Sky, Lionsgate and more. A career CTO, Dan is firmly embedded in the IT world, and brings an abundance of experience to bear on the challenges of the role.

Marc Pell

CTO - TempCover

Part of Marc Pell's role when he joined TempCover as a lead developer was to redesign its platform to support more agility. Fast-forward to today, and he's leading the company's technology strategy as CTO, helping institute policies like remote working, agile development and a cloud-first mentality.

Chris Ashworth

Chief Information Officer - Hermes

CIOs are generally responsible for delivering IT but as the CIO for logistics firm Hermes, Chris is in charge of IT that delivers - literally. With previous experience at Yodel and Thomas Cook, he's had to grapple with a wide range of IT issues, and brings considerable experience to bear.

Peter Donlon

CTO - Moonpig

A personalised gift is always going to be more meaningful, and Moonpig has made a name for itself as the go-to source for customised cards and gifts. Developing and maintaining the infrastructure behind that service, however, takes some work - and that job falls to CTO Peter Donlon and his team of developers and engineers.

Cathy Polinsky

Chief Technology Officer - Stitch Fix

Fashion tech is an exciting, vibrant space, and Stitch Fix CTO Cathy Polinsky is right in the heart of it. Having previously held engineering roles at some of Silicon Valley's biggest companies, Cathy is bringing top notch data science technology to bear on the world of fashion.

Panel Profile: Stitch Fix CTO Cathy Polinsky

Gavin Scruby

Chief Information Officer - SmartDebit

A raft of compliance regulations and high levels of customer expectations means that fintech is always a challenging space to work in, but SmartDebit CIO and director Gavin Scruby meets that challenge ably, navigating the complexities of both technology infrastructure and financial technology.

Panel Profile: SmartDebit CIO Gavin Scruby

Alison Davis

Chief Information Officer - Natural History Museum

With a background in research chemistry and years of experience working the dreaded IT helpdesk, working at the Natural History Museum was a dream come true for Alison Davis. Not only does she get to lead a truly IT strategy for a truly dynamic and engaging organisation, but she also helps it fulfill its vital goal of research and conservation.

Panel Profile: Natural History Museum CIO Alison Davis

Manila McLean

Chief Information Officer - Newcastle Building Society

In the high-stakes world of financial services, IT excellence is more important than ever, as traditional institutions compete with digitally-native new challengers. As CIO for one of the north's biggest building societies, Manila McLean is responsible for ensuring that Newcastle Building Society is delivering the experiences that its customers demand.