Curriculum Vitae - David Stokes

27 Russell Close, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 7FE
Telephone: 01344 452 091, Mobile: 07935 328 152, Email: david@stokesfamily.org

Profile

Experienced Product Development Manager with a proven track record for building, developing and retaining high performance teams. An effective leader managing change in challenging environments by making the team feel at ease in his company and harnessing their collective potential. Processes employed are adapted to the quality and timescales required, while still ensuring the solution is always fit for purpose. A robust and outgoing personality able to work without supervision and under pressure. Technically strong but able to tailor messages to suit the target audience.

Career History

Software Manager, Mid Market Division Sage (UK) Limited 2007-2008

Delivery of software, architecture and product strategy for Business Intelligence (BI) products. Sage is one of the leading global suppliers of business management software to 5.7 million small and medium-sized enterprises (‘SMEs’) worldwide (7% global market share). Revenue in 2007 was £1,157M with a profit of £255M.

Took advantage of a great sales opportunity by delivering BI for the flagship product in just 6 months. This included extensive validation of the requirements through workshops and forums. Sales conversion rate of the product have been 75%.
Corrected the business strategy by presenting to the board and getting sign-off for revised approach.
Worked with the Group CTO as Principle Architect to devise a global advanced reporting strategy.
Positioned the product to be better utilised across the group by establishing a memo of understanding for technology sharing across group op-cos. The product was subsequently implemented in Sage Germany and Spain.
Increased revenue by getting involved with key accounts such as Morgan Stanley, Reuters, Comet, and 3M.
To address Microsoft price rises, transformed architecture in 2 months to use alternative technology stack.
Adopted Scrum development methodology and advanced project planning algorithm called Monte Carlo standard deviation, which resulted in all project deadlines being met and all estimates being within 10% of actual timescales.
Broadened the team’s capabilities by publishing a blueprint document for people and process development.
In order to bring the product to the masses, implemented pioneering usability and user interface changes to make the product intuitive and simple to use.
Maximised high end capability by scaling the product to work with data sets of over 12 Terabytes.

Product Development Manager, BI Division Sage (UK) Limited 2005-2007

Recruited to manage the development, support and finance functions for an acquired enterprise BI company called IntelligentApps. Eventually took on responsibilities for the head of R&D and CTO roles.

Worked in a chaotic environment to create and establish a new development team. Included the introduction of over 3000 test scripts and robust version control and issue tracking systems. Ensured the acquired business adhered to Sage general business processes. The outcome reduced costs by 30%, while tripling the number of product releases.
Over 80% of the staff left during acquisition but domain knowledge was retained and protected so that the remaining contractors could be managed out of the business within 6 months.
Despite the challenges, topped morale survey across the UK for 2 years running. Staff retention was 100%.
Stabilised flawed platform architecture and brought the lead architect on side. Resulted in the product topping the Bloor survey for best BI management tool.
Deputised for General Manager, accountable for Sage’s BI customers, whose turnover was £100 billion.

Platform Manager, Mid Market Division Sage (UK) Limited 2003-2005

Initial role as Architect before taking additional responsibility for project control and eventually overall management of the function.

Delivered project accounting across multiple site product teams with a new development process, programming language and product API.
Established Mid-Market technology and architecture roadmap, which was validated by the Group CTO.
Pioneered a new desktop in just 4 months to make it the flagship Sage product.
Presentations to large audiences at the annual visions and developer conferences.
Appointed member of the UK Technical Steering Group, which decides technical strategy for UK R&D.

R&D Manager, Central Division Sage (UK) Limited 2001-2003

New team delivering generic platform solutions to the UK R&D teams. Position reported to the UK CTO.

Successfully worked with the core remote development team to deliver a licensing tool that went into 50,000 UK businesses (without a single bug being raised). This was done with a developer:tester ratio of 12:1.
Without dedicated testing or analysis resource, used lightweight processes utilising technology, wherever possible, to deliver solutions.
Reviewed and scoped a generic reporting tool for all Sage businesses.
Generic conversion tool for Sage products enabling a customer base of 150,000 customers to be upgraded to the mid market product for the first time.
Designed a generic data model for all Sage products to be used with migration and reporting.

Platform Manager, Enterprise Division Sage (UK) Limited 1999-2001

Responsible for software development in the areas of server, client, databases, production and research. Reported to the R&D Director, Enterprise Division.

Took up line manager responsibilities for managing and coordinating teams across a whole function. Deputised for the R&D Director when required.
Established new team processes with hybrid waterfall / iterative development methodologies.
Technical lead for the first 700 NT / SQL Server site in the UK. Enabled discussions between the UK CEO and Steve Ballmer (CEO Microsoft) to resolve technical issues.
First SQL Server product to be benchmarked past 1000 users at Microsoft labs.
Achieved the largest NHS NT accounts implementation at University Hospital Birmingham Trust.

Database Team Leader, Enterprise Division Sage (UK) Limited 1996-1999

Responsible for all SQL Server, Oracle and Informix development work. The role reported to the Platform Manager.

Managed project resource, including people.
Created and maintained development processes that adhered to ISO 900x standards.
Took on additional responsibility in the role for the server components and product builds.
Coded the first Sage Windows database product. Additionally identified and coded several locking mechanisms to bypass the locking strategy flaw in the first versions of Microsoft SQL Server.
Headed task force to get Windows / SQL Server into the business partner community.
Wrote and delivered implementation training courses and product manual.

Analyst Programmer, Enterprise Division Sage (UK) Limited 1994-1996

Contract and permanent position to cover maintenance and development of Enterprise accounts platform code.

Delivered analysis, design and coding across all platform components.
Produced several proof of concept projects such as NT and SQL Server support for the core product.
Reduced the average log count from 40 to 10.

Application Analyst Programmer Lakeview PLC 1992-1994

Application programmer for the accounts modules and bespoke development work.

Wrote a sizeable chunk of the purchase ledger, particularly around transactions and cheque payments.
Designed and delivered the report writer for the product.
Agreed requirements, wrote design specifications and coded many bespoke projects for diverse areas such as tie production, lift maintenance and timber production. It also included ad-hock mock-ups for sales demos.
Carried out other tasks such as manning the support desk and the hardware side of the business.

Application Programmer Prestim Computer Systems Limited 1989-1992

Full time programmer for a software house specialising in the printed circuit board manufacturing industry.

Project design and implementation including the Timesheet and Control module.
Delivered phone and modem support when required.

Technical Experience

Computer Languages                                                          C#, C, VB, Java, SQL and Assembler.
Databases                                                                              SQL Server, Analysis Services, Oracle, Informix and Btrieve.
Products                                                                                Microsoft Office, Project, Frontpage and Visio.
Operating Systems                                                               Windows, UNIX, DOS and Novell.

Qualifications and Training

Enable Leadership 2007, Scrum Project Management 2007, Communication and Influencing Skills 2005, Transformational Leadership 2004, Project Costing 2003, Rational Unified Process 2002, C# Primer 2002, Planning for Aggressive Growth 2001, Principles of Management I, II 1998, Object Oriented Analysis and Design 1997, Oracle Database Administrator 1996, Report Writer Language 1995, Novell 1993, Core Accounts Modules 1993, Advanced C Software Development 1990, BTEC Computer Studies (3 ‘A’ Levels) – Distinction 1989, 7 'O' Levels 1987

Interests

Badminton, Music, Gardening, Football, Painting, Playing Guitar, Golf and Photography.

Referees

Simon Black, General Manager, Protx.
Ian Clarke, UK R&D Director, Sage (UK) Limited.
Klaus-Michael Vogelberg, Chief Technology Officer, Sage Group PLC.