Review 2008: Top 10 IT leader interviews

Computing interviews the top IT leaders

Computing talked to many of the top IT leaders in the UK during 2008 - here is our selection of the best of those interviews. Click on the interviewee's name to read the full article.

Darrell Stein, IT and logistics director at Marks & Spencer

The past two years have marked a period of IT renaissance at M&S, with the high street giant undergoing a transformation of its technology setup to remain competitive.

Robin Dargue, chief information officer at Royal Mail

Robin Dargue doesn’t hang about. His first six months as chief information officer at Royal Mail coincided with a £1.2bn infrastructure revamp, with IT at its heart, a project that merely marks the latest phase of an eventful 20-year career.

Catherine Doran, director of information management at Network Rail

These are challenging days for Catherine Doran. She is in charge of Network Rail’s IT assets and is facing growing pressure to keep down costs, but she remains unperturbed.

Simon Post, chief technology officer at Carphone Warehouse

Carphone Warehouse is preparing for integration with electronics group Best Buy - which acquired half the retailer’s mobile phone business for £1.1bn earlier this year. Future large-scale projects are expected to link to the Best Buy deal.

Tim Newing, IT director at EasyJet

Budget airline EasyJet is carrying out an IT-driven strategic shift in its aircraft management, back office and customer-facing operations to cut fuel costs and grow revenue. IT director Tim Newing is challenged with introducing innovation while maintaining the airline’s low-cost policy.

Dave Lynch, group technology director at Go-Ahead Group

Dave Lynch does not have a fixed office location or a PA, and commutes between London and Blackpool every weekend. After almost two decades living out of a suitcase, Go-Ahead’s group technology director has never been busier. For the past four years, Lynch has been in charge of all the technology and procurement at the fast-expanding £2.3bn transport company.

Piergiorgio Grossi, head of information systems at Ferrari Racing

Ferrari is introducing a series of measures to cut the cost of its IT systems as it faces mounting pressure from Formula One’s governing body to reduce spending. The F1 team has been through an IT investment review, so further belt-tightening will mean a shift in strategic technology planning, said Piergiorgio Grossi, head of information systems at Ferrari Racing.

David Weymouth, group director of operations and IT at RSA (formerly Royal & Sun Alliance)

The role of group director of operations and IT also includes responsibility for procurement, change management and risk. Weymouth describes it as a “bit of a blank sheet of paper” because no one has held the combined role at RSA before

Paul Willows, IT director at Dolland & Aitchison

Making the executive board of a company is always a notable achievement. But Paul Willows deserves more praise than usual for his current role as Dolland & Aitchison’s IT director.

Mark Richardson, head of IT, Ocado

What is odd about the grey warehouse that is the nerve centre of online retailer Ocado’s operations is not obvious at first. Then it clicks: there are virtually no windows in the 1.2 million sq ft monolith squatting on the edge of a Hatfield business park. The warehouse is effectively an enormous chilled supermarket cabinet, with different sections kept at the same temperature all year round.