Over the last two decades, I’ve worked across enterprise data platforms, large-scale commercial systems, and high-availability fintech infrastructure. While the industries differ, the engineering principles that determine success remain remarkably consistent. This article reflects on technical lessons drawn from projects spanning enterprise analytics platforms, public sector systems, and modern fintech architectures. Enterprise Data Engineering at Scale At FactSet, a global f

Over the past two decades, I’ve built and operated complex software systems across on-premise environments, hybrid deployments and cloud-native architectures. One pattern repeats itself consistently: organisations believe they have a “cloud problem”, when in reality they have a control problem . Cloud migration is often treated as a technical upgrade. In practice, it is an architectural reset. The Real Cost of Legacy Infrastructure Most legacy systems suffer from three struct

Migrating legacy systems to the cloud remains a critical challenge for UK public sector organisations. These systems often underpin essential services but come with outdated infrastructure, complex dependencies, and strict regulatory requirements. Moving to the cloud offers opportunities for improved agility, resilience, and cost savings, but only if done with a clear focus on security and financial control. This post outlines practical, evidence-based strategies for IT leade