Me and my job

Q: How did you get into security?

Security was a natural progression for me. I have always worked in application configuration, and a major part of that is making sure that applications cannot be broken into.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

The money is good for a start. I'm a bit of a geek and I really love playing with software and making it work. I get a real buzz out of it.

I can't draw and I can't write poetry, but I can put systems together.

I've been all over the world, with by far the most memorable destination being St George's on the island of Grenada in the Caribbean.

It was interesting to see this remote and beautiful island developing new infrastructure, which revolved mainly around satellite communications.

Q: What most annoys you?

As with any profession or company, it would have to be the day-to-day politics.

For me, work should be all about getting the job done. But sometimes you have to explain what needs to be done before you can go ahead and do it.

Q: Who has influenced you the most?

The man who I most respect is an ex-nuclear physicist called Ali Sayfimehr. He taught me all about structure and control. This completely changed my career and it put the concept of structure around me. I am totally indebted to him – he stands out from everyone.

I see him every few months. He has done pretty well, and is now enjoying life as a real estate entrepreneur.

Q: How do you describe your job to strangers?

If pushed, I'll tell people I put computer systems together and make them secure. I tend not to talk about what I do as I prefer to chat about other things at parties. One big reason for keeping quiet is that if you tell people you work in computers, they will then ask you to fix their PCs!