IT Career.

I originally did an IT Bachelor’s Degree at Monash in the 1980’s. This was when batch processing was being replaced with something called “Real Time Processing”, and saw the birth of Relational Databases and IT Solutions that gradually computerised and automated business transactions with the promise of faster decision support. Ironically the current state of AI (single purpose models based on a static data array) shares many of that same state when Electronic Data Processing evolved into Computer Science.

My IT career path looked like this. IT Programming, Analysing and mapping business processes, Project Management in Asia, Leading a New Technology Team, and finally Managing an IT department.

I didn’t really fit the IT mould, preferring to prototype solutions and leaving the commissioning to others. As a manager I found that Teaching (coaching, mentoring and leading training programs) was giving me the most rewards. And when my creative side was activated I was inspired and I began using metaphors which I used for “teachable moments” to help University Graduates understand and better navigation organisations. One day, I plan to compile these into a Book when I retire, perhaps as the next Career change.

Marketing & Business Career.

So in 2000, as the internet started to disrupt Business, I observed that most Marketing & Sales professionals were nor interested, nor did they have the competencies to analyse data. I experienced first-hand the challenges when Marketing / Sales departments expect to provide an ongoing stream of ideas to an IT team expecting them to provide requirements in a couple of sessions, and be fully aware of how technology might help (or in some cases not help) the future way of working.

I had a premise that having the knowledge of both areas in one head would be the fastest and fairest way to solve this.

Given I had a strong interest in Marketing, I leveraged this disruption of the internet to get assigned the role to manage Marketing & Sales Processes for Mars Asia Pacific. Then roles in Consumer Insights, Product & Business Development and Brand Management, while developing an E-Commerce Start-up completed the transition, while I kept my technical skills honed in the digital marketing side (website production, search, social, and programmatic).

Advertising Agency Career.

When creating ideas becomes more enjoyable than implementing the ones created by the Agency, it was about the same time Advertising Agencies went on a massive recruitment race to acquire digital marketeers, so I took the opportunity to change industries had roles in Digital, Social, Media Buying, and Strategy / Planning, which involves taking client briefs & researching and connecting human truths to deliver creative briefs.

Fortunately there was still plenty of small pilot projects where I could keep up to date with technologies, and my interest on understanding emerging technologies only grew when I learnt to discover the hidden applications or benefits these technologies afforded.

Research Career

Observing the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) over the last few years, reminded me of the state of Information Technology just before I did my Undergraduate Degree. As datasets become dynamic in nature, I have no doubt that we will enjoy a much greater understanding of diversity in all its forms, including the diversity of learning. I believe this will underpin a new era of personalised learning, which will hopefully bring the gift of education to all.

So as the Covid-19 pandemic became the catalyst for changing the way business works, it also inspired me to embark on change. A new career chapter that would allow me to connect with the best global minds in the pursuit of producing something of value.

I knew that For-Profit organisations differ from For Purpose Universities, and whilst it’s not hard to learn to translate the differences in terminology and methodologies, I am starting to understand that I am coming on board with a lot of cognitive biases. However, I’m been fortunate to meet a lot of smart people, knowledgeable across the areas I’m interested in researching, along with the excellent UTS training courses in Research competencies.

So at 50+ years of age, it’s just the start and it seemed appropriate to do this at Australia’s #1 Young University, UTS, where includes a 2027 strategic pillar of Lifetime of Learning, and one that I am very grateful for.