Jeremy Cooper

Part of the IT Leaders 100 - a list of the most influential IT leaders in the UK in 2024.

Jeremy is an IT leader with more than 20 years of experience across IT and life sciences, with "all sorts of cool roles." He left IT a couple of years and worked in performance coaching. However, he's been drawn back by his love of IT and the desire to have a positive impact on the word. He still loves talking and coaching people about high performance and anti-burnout, since there's too much in the industry.

How did you get into IT?

Working as an apprentice civil engineer but I kept fixing the IT, so moved to an IT consultancy and progressed from there

What do you consider your greatest IT achievement of the last 12 months?

Changing the image of IT at Apollo from being a utility to a critical, strategic partner within the business

How do you ensure diversity is taken into account in your IT recruitment?

You don't require a degree to be successful in IT, so I keep the education level to what we need. Roles are advertised with a few different descriptions to ensure different groups are engaged with the roles and not put off.

Which technology are you currently most excited by, and why?

AI to assist the research teams, but also to make everyone's lives a little easier and free up time. If I can give everyone 20 minutes back in their day by leveraging AI to do the initial 80% base (boring) work, so they can spend time outside of work, then it's a success

What would an outsider find the most surprising part of your job?

How broad the term IT can be. I've helped arrange multi day events and social media posts.

What's your secret talent?

I can walk on my hands (a bit) - from the joys and pain of CrossFit rather than a life spent in the IT circus.

What makes you laugh?

Usually a good childish joke or the faces my kids pull.