VSJ – July 2006 – Members’ News

Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, Dublin

We are delighted to announce that ITB has recently signed an Education Partnership agreement with the IAP. This confers substantial benefits for its students and staff. For example, suitably qualified students and new graduates are elected as IAP members without charge for their first year. As with all IAP partnerships, the subscriptions of appropriately qualified staff are bundled within the agreement.

We welcome the following new Fellows to the Institution.

John Packwood

John started work in 1974 as a programmer with IBM, moving to GrandMet Information Processing in 1976. He became the systems analyst responsible for technical design of the IBM mainframe-based system for Express Dairies. When the Apple II was launched in the UK John moved to a small software house developing software in Apple Basic and in 1982 he decided to start his own company to build on this experience. Bespoke packages were designed to be bundled and sold with a variety of the personal computers of the day. Most were financial applications, but gradually John found himself specialising in software for the motor trade. In 2002, when Autologic Data Systems acquired his company, John became Group IT Director for the leading provider of software and systems to the UK motor industry.

Philip C. Westlake

Phil has worked in the IT industry for nearly 30 years, in roles that have spanned the entire development lifecycle. His early years provided varied experience, in defence, printing, construction and manufacturing, but the bulk of his career has been spent in Insurance. Joining the UK Safety Group in 1988 as IT Manager, Phil developed fault tolerant systems that were subsequently implemented within the Unisys Unisure Life and Pensions application. In 1992 he moved up into the first of a succession of jobs where he had architectural responsibilities for large-scale developments in major organisations. These included National Westminster Life Assurance, Royal Bank of Scotland, Norwich Union Life and Axa Sun Life. Phil has led teams of business consultants in the UK, Israel and the USA.

Edward V. Bennett BSc (Econ) BEng

Ted Bennett has spent 35 years in ICT management for governments, mainly in Australia but more recently here in the UK, with awesome responsibilities for some very large projects. For seven years from 1988 he was Manager of IT Bureau Services for the Government of Western Australia. This was followed by jobs in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, then with the Western Australia Police Service and the WA Fire Authority. In 1998 Ted became Managing Consultant for KPMG, responsible for developing their business as well as undertaking consultancies. In 2000 he moved on to a similar role with another Australian consulting company. Since 2004 Ted has worked in the UK as Programme Manager at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister – perhaps his most daunting task to date!

[Don’t forget to email eo@iap.org.uk with items of news about you or your company.]

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