Blog and Short Articles

I've written pieces for publication in different formats for very different audiences:

  • Online and print articles for industry publications, mainly B2B audience
  • Travel blogs for city trippers and holidaymakers
  • Work-life topics for general audience
  • Interviews and reviews for entertainment magazines and websites

Thought leadership articles I commissioned

Raconteur •

How should leaders address the gen Z skills gap?

A bevy of recent research indicates that members of gen Z don’t feel prepared for the demands of their working lives, with a particular focus on digital literacy issues. A 2022 report by Salesforce found that just 32% of gen Z adults feel very equipped with the resources to learn workplace digital skills. And when young employees do experience a digital issue, they’re likely to feel embarrassed. A study by HP found that 20% of gen Z feel ‘tech shame’ when experiencing a digital issue, compared
Raconteur •

Employee experience and the changing nature of hybrid work

Hybrid working is here to stay, but employers and employees must overcome a number of challenges for it to be effective. Employers are challenged with creating hybrid working policies that are fair to everyone. To do so, they have to consider if their company culture is being damaged or if the business might be less productive and therefore less competitive as a result. In a recent roundtable sponsored by RingCentral, workplace experts debated what needs to improve to make hybrid a long-term s
Raconteur •

How voice communication can humanise hybrid working

Email, instant messaging, video calls – the post-pandemic employee has a plethora of communication tools allowing them to interact and collaborate with colleagues both remotely and in the office. However, with hybrid working set to be the preferred working model for most employees – 83% of workers chose hybrid working as their optimal way of working in a recent Accenture study – organisations are having to reevaluate how best to maintain culture, productivity and wellbeing. At the heart of thi

Business technology blogs for Ardoq

EU AI Act: A Complete Guide for Enterprise Architects | Ardoq

The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on fundamental rights and freedoms is the subject of much discussion and concern. Certainly, AI bears a lot of promise when it comes to supporting better business decisions, aiding strategic planning, and enhancing digital transformation.In response to this, the European Union (EU) has taken a step in shaping the future of AI with the recent introduction of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act.

Business Architecture: A Guide to Definition and Best Practices | Ardoq

If an enterprise wishes to remain competitive, it must constantly seek to optimize operations, improve agility, and drive growth. Business Architecture (BA) emerges as a critical discipline that connects business strategy and execution. By defining the core components of an organization and their interrelationships, Business Architecture provides a clear roadmap for aligning business processes, information flows, and technology with strategic objectives.

10 Application Portfolio Management Best Practices | Ardoq

Organizations worldwide are focused on the leading edge of technology: advanced analytics, automation, and the Cloud. However, the negative impacts of being unable to keep up—inflexible technology platforms, insecure or non-compliant software, and integration spaghetti—quickly kill strategic momentum. Worse still, you find yourself having to devote a large portion of your organization’s budget towards maintaining low-value applications.

The Role of Business Architects in Modern Organizations | Ardoq

As Enterprise Architecture continues to make great strides to refocus on people, processes, and value rather than primarily technology, the line between Enterprise Architect and Business Architect becomes increasingly unclear. In some organizations, Business Architects play very similar roles to Enterprise Architects, and in others, Business Architects maintain a distinctly separate strategic focus on the organization’s operations.

Post-Merger Integration Guide: Key Steps to a Winning Process | Ardoq

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are powerful business growth strategies, enabling companies to expand their market presence, diversify their product offerings, and enhance their competitive edge. However, the real value of M&A transactions often hinges on the successful integration of the merged entities—a process known as Post-Merger Integration (PMI). Despite the potential benefits, the triumph of a successful M&A deal can quickly fade if PMI stumbles. This critical phase determines whether th...

Platform Spotlight: Ardoq Broadcasts | Ardoq

The true power of Enterprise Architecture (EA) lies in its ability to transform the organization, and that hinges on effective stakeholder engagement. Engaging stakeholders throughout the entire EA process fosters collaboration and ensures the architecture aligns with strategic objectives. ​​Enterprise Architects (EAs) play a crucial role in sourcing data from stakeholders across the organization. By understanding stakeholders’ pain points, priorities, and how IT intersects with their daily act...

Organizational Mapping for Modern Businesses

In the dynamic landscape of modern business, understanding the intricacies of an organization is crucial for effective management and strategic decision-making. Organizational mapping, a powerful tool in the realm of organizational development, offers a visual representation of an organization's structure, relationships, and processes. This article aims to unravel the concept of organizational mapping and explore its various types, shedding light on how it can be a valuable asset for businesses....

Future of Work blog posts for RingCentral blog

RingCentral UK Blog •

Virtual Public Service: Making the Case for Virtual Hearings

As the Supreme Court closed its doors in March 2020, justice was seemingly on standby as courts had to find a new, more efficient way to proceed during the global pandemic. During the initial weeks of the lockdown, many trials and court meetings had to be postponed. Risks to public health and the well-being of court users were high, meaning that courtrooms across the UK had to suspend operations.
RingCentral UK Blog •

Virtual Public Service: Pupils of a Pandemic

The education sector was among the most hard-hit industries during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. With exams cancelled and students and teachers in limbo, a nationwide closing of school doors took place for the first time. The official lockdown brought about physical distancing measures that meant educators had to find a way to migrate the bricks-and-mortar classroom into an easily accessible, collaborative online environment.
RingCentral UK Blog •

Virtual Public Service: Future-Fit Patient Care

These last 12 months, the healthcare sector has been even more in the spotlight. The NHS, already crippled by funding cuts, tied up in bureaucracy, and held back by ill-fitting administrative and communications technology, endured greater strain under the weight of the global pandemic. Care workers—overworked, underpaid, and even underfed—were at greater risk than ever. Instead of cash, we gave them claps; instead of providing PPE, we put them on pedestals.
RingCentral UK Blog •

Missing the Office: How Businesses Are Creating New Cultures through Technology

The events of 2020 have changed the future of the workplace as we know it. As news headlines are rife with predictions on what a “new normal” might look like, 86% of UK bosses now believe that the shift towards remote working is here for the long haul. We generally perceive workplace culture to be the environment a business creates for its employees. So, what happens when that environment is no longer a physical one?
RingCentral UK Blog •

Video’s Role in Remote Work: A Citation Story

It’s amazing what you’re capable of when pushed to it. From hysterical strength to extraordinary survival, adversity can make the impossible possible. A less dramatic, yet ultimately defining, example is our adaptation to lockdown. Aspects of life previously little-touched by the virtual experience suddenly disappeared from the physical realm. Football matches were cancelled, pubs closed, trips to Barnard Castle were all but abolished.
RingCentral UK Blog •

Ringside: Insider Interview with Ben Purton

As we expand the Ringside series to hear from experts beyond RingCentral’s walls, we continue to engage with our own leaders to get insights into the challenges and solutions of the telecommunications industry. Today we catch up with Ben Purton, Sales Enablement Senior Manager for RingCentral UK, mainly supporting workforces in EMEA and APAC. Ben has been in the UCaaS space for just under a decade, and has been involved in enablement for the past five years. Ben loves to play chess, and won the

Ringside: Insider Interview with Sahil Rekhi

In this series of posts, we’re talking to our own leaders to get insights into the challenges and solutions of the telecommunications industry. This episode is a special one, taking into account what everyone’s going through. At RingCentral, we’re fortunate that it’s our business to enable remote communication and collaboration. When the time came for us to pack up our laptops and take them to work from home, we did it without missing a beat.

Ringside: Louise Newbury-Smith

In this series of posts, we’re talking to our own leaders to get insights into the challenges and solutions of the telecommunications industry. This episode features Louise Newbury-Smith, Regional Vice President for Enterprise Sales. In plain English, Louise leads our people on the ground who are selling to big businesses like News UK. Louise has spent much of her career in telecommunications, occupying director roles for big players including BT and Daisy Group.

Ringside: Insider Interview with Monica Visconti-Patel

In this series of posts, we’re talking to our own leaders to get insights into the challenges and solutions of the telecommunications industry. In this special episode, we welcome Monica Visconti-Patel, AVP of Marketing for EMEA. Something of a celebrity in the SaaS arena, Monica has occupied numerous directorships at software companies including CA Technologies, Jive and MuleSoft, and was featured in HotTopics.ht’s Top 100 B2B European Marketing Leaders list for 2019.

Remote Work Resources from around the Web

For some companies, the need for remote working has come out of nowhere. This sudden need to make a fundamental switch raises all kinds of questions, and it’s difficult to know where to start. With a bombardment of information about remote working suddenly hitting the social platforms, a filter is really useful to help navigate it all. With that in mind, here’s a summary of some of the best remote working blogs and guides in the market right now.

Why Remote Working Isn’t Going Away - Elite Business Magazine

Remote working is becoming increasingly common in the UK, and the signs are it’s not a fad. The UK had 4.5 million remote workers in 2018, up from 3.6 million ten years before. The change is steady, measured – the hallmarks of lasting evolution rather than short-term craze. As businesses see the practice paying dividends in other sectors, or among their partners and competitors, they realise the potential benefits of remote working outweigh the risks.
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Damen Shipyards Group

As a freelance writer I write articles to appear online and in print for Damen publications.

Damen scales up | Damen Magazine

The large RoPax industry segment saw a peak in demand around thirty – forty years ago – roughly the lifespan of this type of vessel. This means that soon many of these ships will be coming to the end of their service and will be earmarked for replacement. Damen intends to use its experience in shipbuilding, coupled with new facilities to offer the marketplace a superior solution as part of its new Cruise, RoPax and Offshore (CRO) division. “With this, we are able to fully service this sector,”

Leading the charge towards a greener future | Damen Magazine

Emissions-reducing solutions for shipping include engines powered by liquefied natural gas or by hydrogen cells, but these are expensive to implement and at present offer little scope for upgrade once installed. The introduction of a ‘battery box’ would require little imposition on the structure and operation of a ship’s propulsion and the removable batteries could be replaced following the development of newer, more efficient methods of energy storage.

Upskill online in your downtime offshore | Damen Magazine

The beauty of modular online learning is that you don’t need to be in a certain place at a certain time to get on with your studies. This flexibility is something Damen Shipyards Group has wanted to take full advantage of for a long time. Access to information, advice and training regardless of location allows clients to benefit from Damen service provision round the clock and around the globe – and can be immensely rewarding.

Qualify: Plotting a course for lightweight topside structures | Damen Magazine

Efficiency and sustainability are big issues facing most industries today, and none more so than marine operations. Damen Shipyards Group’s partnerships with Skoon and EMAR to promote sustainable propulsion are examples of its investment into preparations for a changing future. In a related venture, together with ten other stakeholders, Damen forms the Qualify project partnership to investigate the use of composite materials in the construction of primary maritime structures.

Working life: indulging on Medium

I participate in discussions on Medium about work, life, and finding a balance.

Medium •

Make ‘collaborate’ a verb again

I started working with this bloke recently. Interesting bloke. Thespian. Good at accents. Very engaging, good at making you feel listened to. Always looking out for the value in people and in ideas. Speaking up to share and join in, not just to be heard. The kind of person it’s good to be on a team with. The bloke’s name is Andy Gillies. He came in to lead a team of Business Development Reps (first line sales guys). Let me call them BDRs.
Medium •

Leaving home…and arriving in the office

It’s not the cubicle walls I miss, nor the shared catering facilities or the controversial central heating and aircon systems — it’s the smaller points of contact. The sharing of frustration when the morning traffic is bad, or the communal celebration when an ice cream van stops right outside the office. The impromptu discussions that provide surprising insights into what colleagues are working on or finding challenging.

Travel blogs

I used to write blogposts about travel for the Easytobook blog. Easytobook was like Booking.com, but smaller and more orange.

Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce magazine 'In Business'

Some articles I wrote for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce magazine In Business to promote undergraduate work placement projects and Foundation Degrees to local businesses. My colleague and I won the regional 'Shell STEP Agent of the Year' award for our delivery of the Shell STEP placement programme in Derbyshire.