Key Skills

• Technical: Excellent logical and analytical skills, strong focus on meeting client requirements. Expert in use of MS SQL Server including stored procedures, as well as Oracle and MySQL. Experienced in setting up office networks and in UNIX systems including Korn and borne shell programming. Also experienced in the use and set up of MS Windows systems and in the  use of MS Office, especially MS Excel and MS Access and including MS Project, as well as HTML, XML, php and javascript.

• Leadership: Leads expert teams, builds collaboration with diverse teams in different countries, coached individuals in Nigeria and Kenya as well as in UK.

• Project management: Expert in all stages of the software development cycle including analysing customer and system requirements, system testing, UAT and implementation.

• Communications: A calm communicator who interprets and clearly articulates business and project objectives. A good listener, encourages issue identification and ensures consensus is quickly reached with both technical and non technical customers.

Professional Career

Cornerstone International Ltd. – IT Manager    Jan 2007 – Present

Start-up Property company managing properties worth up to £3m.

• Successfully installed IT equipment for new business providing a state of the art IT system comprising PCs and printer all connected to a Local Area Network and the internet.

• Established accounting systems to ensure company operated according to best practice.

• Released sales staff to make sales by establishing sound back office support.

• Enhanced company profile by managing design and build of company website to promote properties available for purchase or rental.

• Enhanced company's standing by assisting staff in managing properties  with addressing tenant's issues, sourcing workmen to maintain properties and viewing and inspecting properties to be added to the company's portfolio.

G. K. Property Trust – IT Consultant    Jan 2011 – Mar 2011

With a recommendation and approval from Cornerstone International took a 3 month contract with this overseas Property Company based in Kenya with 20 staff and turnover of £1.5m p.a. as an independent consultant overseeing and managing installation and set up of IT services.

• Advised on IT strategy aimed at providing simple processes, procedures and systems which could be implemented immediately with minimum effect on daily operations.

• Designed a website to advertise the business and trained staff in effective use; increased number of enquiries for client’s properties and helped promote the brand to a wider audience.

• Achieved increased efficiency in the department by applying knowledge of networks to repair network connection to a network printer.

African Rainbow Consulting Ltd. – Business Consultant    Dec 2009 – May 2010

This forward looking consultancy with a remit to advise on sustainable, ecological and non-exploitive investments in Africa partnered with Cornerstone International Ltd. for a 6 month period.

• Achieved increase in turnover for business by adding ticket sales functionality to their website to support planned series of workshops and seminars.

• Increased business's turnover by introducing new clients who were managing investments that matched the business's criteria for support and that required funding, to the business.

One View Solutions Ltd.    Jan 2006 – Dec 2006

Software Development Company with 6 staff hired by the London Stock Exchange to develop and market database reconciliation systems.

Analyst/Developer

Database comprised of 3.5 million records of clients and securities hosted on MS SQL Server.

• Designed and implemented new SWIFT messaging system that enabled the stock exchange to communicate corporate actions to their clients as close to real time as possible. Also designed in improved flexibility and a greater range of message types in order that users could easily customise format to send and receive more accurate information.

• All banks had to switch to the new standard by a specified date. Delivered the upgrade two weeks ahead of deadline, ensuring confidence in IT support and ability to use from day one.

• Achieved up to 98% reconciliation of client data derived from various sources and using ETL techniques and SSIS leading to greatly improved accuracy of data held and allowing business to focus on correcting remaining 2%.

Deutsche Bank        1995 - 2005

International Investment Bank with over 10,000 employees worldwide.

IT Manager        2003 - 2005

Manager of development and projects for a number of systems in the back office settlements office.

• Obtained buy-in to technical upgrade of UNIX version supporting principal settlements system from user groups. Buy in built on earlier track record of pro-actively listening and meeting user requirements.

• Led project team compiled from different departments and used MS Project to plan, track and report on upgrade operating system of bank’s principal settlements system to time and budget.

• Achieved savings to department of £440,000 pa on project to upgrade systems.

• Reduced number of servers used by 35 small, mission critical systems by 50% leading to reduction in departmental hosting charges.

Development Team Leader    2000 - 2003

Managed up to 6 highly qualified developers including offshore members developing and maintaining real-time, high integrity interfaces between systems.

• Maintained smooth running of critical, real-time communications systems within team's responsibility through numerous updates, enhancements and fixes.

• Achieved smooth implementation of weekly software updates from release management system.

• Recovered system from potentially catastrophic failure of critical installation two weeks prior to delivery and retained user confidence as a result.

Senior Developer        1998 – 2000

Supported 6 instances of primary settlements system capable of handling up to 10,000 trades daily.

• Achieved 95% automatic settlement of trades to design of interface between bank’s settlements system and 3rd party trades’ confirmation system.

• Communicated and sold requirements for systems interface to development team leading to correct design of amendments to code.

• Resolved inconsistency of service to traders thereby freeing up traders to trade which increased efficiency between teams. Also helped rebuild trust and confidence in IT’s ability to support users.

Analyst/Programmer - Manager of Out of Hours Team    1995 - 1998

• Reduced out of hours callouts from twice a week to less than once a month and increased the number of hours systems were available.

• Achieved 95% automatic settlement of trades by applying skill and learning to design of interface between bank’s settlements system and 3rd party trades’ confirmation system.

• Championed right first time design and delivering amendments to code.
  

Freelance IT Consultant    1986 – 1995

IT consultant to a variety of companies including:

• Central Bank of Nigeria. Ensured accurate processing of trade debt records by training local staff and ensuring understanding of the procedures to be followed.

• Chase Manhattan Bank. Reduced time taken on data searches by careful understanding of the system and implementing novel method of processing.

• P&O European Ferries. Developed part of new Freight Bookings system.

Interests

Active member of local C of E Church, providing IT support and serving with other ministries.
Landscape photography,  science, astronomy and travel.

Qualifications, Affiliations and Training

City University

Learning Tree

Deutsche Bank

IAQ

Investment Administrators Qualification Certificate

College of Estate Management

Imperial College, London

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© Robin Barry 2012