First-half Discovering Bradbury, Asimov, Camus, Simenon, Christie, Sartre and Greene combined with an education at a co-ed boarding school made for an interesting adolescence but was scant experience for what followed. Early years were spent working in the UK and Europe at the front edge of major IT projects in business and Government; dealing with the problems of pushing forward the boundaries. Great admirer of Brunel (both father and son) and the period of inventiveness and technological advance that was the Industrial revolution.

Half-time Kept alive an interest in good food and wine by opening a French restaurant and running a non-stop dinner party for three years. Intellectual boredom and aching grey matter led to reading Politics and Philosophy, which raised and left with me more issues than it resolved - as is the way of those subjects.

Second-half Appointed professor and worked with some of the best researchers in the UK and US developing 'usable' and 'workable' IT systems. Published papers, gave invited talks, contributed to and edited books. Director of Research Centre, appointed to Government committee; managing one sector of a multi-million programme to build UK infrastructure, support research, and develop advanced products. Consultant to MoD and Fellow of Turing Institute. Speaker at workshops on the social impact of technology at St Georges, Windsor Castle.

Extra-time Board level IT strategy consultant in the UK finance sector and mentor to senior IT staff. Visiting Professor at a UK University, directing a Masters programme developing Innovation in the use of IT in Business. In so doing I relished seeing other people and ideas developed to their full potential - in the one case often by omitting to tell them what they are not supposed to be able to do, in the other by encouragement and endeavour. Owner of an eclectic collection of domain names in the expectation that the www is here to stay.