What is your current position and how long have you been with the business?

I currently serve as the Head of Technology at Futures, a role I assumed after joining the company as a Lead Developer in 2019. My journey here has been both dynamic and rewarding. Being part of a small, agile team means that every day brings new challenges and opportunities. We’re all required to be multiskilled, constantly learning and adapting to new technologies. As part of the larger IPG group, we often find ourselves balancing the specific needs of Futures with the broader goals of IPG, which adds another layer of complexity to our work.

The technical team at Futures has a dual focus. First and foremost, we strive to stay ahead of the curve in terms of technological advancements. This ensures that Futures remains competitive, continuously adapting and growing to better serve both our internal operations and our customers. We are committed to leveraging the latest technologies to drive innovation and efficiency across all aspects of our business.What are your current core responsibilities?

What are some of your biggest highlights during your time at Futures?

One of the most rewarding experiences during my time at Futures has been our collaboration with Microsoft through the IPG network. This partnership has allowed us to directly influence the development of their products, particularly Custom Vision and Computer Vision. It's been incredibly satisfying to see our input shape these tools to better meet our needs and, by extension, enhance the services we provide to our clients.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced at Futures?

Working at Futures requires a high level of adaptability. Due to the nature of our projects, we often need to be reactive rather than proactive. This means we sometimes have to deviate from industry best practices to meet immediate requirements. While this can be challenging, it also keeps us on our toes and ensures that we remain flexible and innovative in our approach.

What has been your favourite piece of work to date?

One of the projects I’m most proud of involved ensuring that certain devices we used remained operational 24/7. These devices would automatically shut down after a few hours without remote input, which was a significant problem for us. To solve this, I had to quickly learn about circuits and a new coding language to develop a system using Arduino. The solution I created successfully sent the necessary signals to keep the devices running continuously. It was a complex challenge, but overcoming it was incredibly satisfying and showcased the kind of innovative problem-solving we do at Futures and the fact that the technical team will take on all challenges and not restrict or solutions to one technology, language or skill.