Alan Carstens Email & Phone Number

Johannesburg, Gp, Za

South Africa

Pretoria Area, South Africa

South Africa

Responsibilities included:• Where multiple EOH business units are involved, took responsibility for engaging BU’s and bring together and manage the teams/BU’s in providing a solution in accordance with client business requirements• Review client requirements based on RFx• Develop and document high-level solution strategy across all service towers and present to subject matter experts• Facilitate workshops to produce winning solution strategies and value propositions• Ownership for the design of infrastructure and application landscape. • Generate operational support models and ensure implementation of best practice operating models• Design the transition and transformation roadmaps for operational efficiency and business productivity improvements • Design and propose Service Level Agreements• Participates in contract negotiations, track and manages deal questions, issues and risks.• Active involvement through lifecycle from business development to operational support• Present the solution and strategies to the client and the clients external consultants• Form part of the team during the negotiation phase

Middle East, Mediterranean And Africa

Lead Solutions Architect for HP in the Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa region, including Europe when required.Responsibilities included:• Support qualification of new opportunities• Participate in sales strategy, competitive analysis and win theme workshops• Translate client and internal organisational objectives and critical success factors into actionable strategies• Development of solution strategies aligned with client's specifications, strategic direction, technology context, and business needs• Lead a team of subject matter experts (SMEs) in detailed solution definitions for each service tower• Engage with internal and client executives on the solution and strategies• Continuously review and provide input into solution designs for appropriate technology, efficiency and integration throughout design phase• Have overall accountability for the resultant solution meeting client proposal requirements, supporting the sales strategy, and achieving cost of sales and permissible cost targets• Ensure the solution meets customer and internal criteria in terms of cost, quality, regulations and services provided• Collaborate with other functions to ensure scheduling and execution of the defined delivery and business reviews and to ensure efficient use of resources• Manage the interfaces between the business and the technical solution development teams• Present the solution and strategies to the client and the clients external consultants• Form part of the team during the negotiation phase

Responsibilities included:• Review client requirements based on RFx• Develop and document high-level solution strategy across all service towers and present to subject matter experts• Lead workshops to produce winning solution strategies and value propositions• Continuously review and provide input into solution designs for appropriate technology, efficiency and integration o Took responsibility for solution designs in the Microsoft services tower• Consolidate and review the input from service towers which included: o Technical designs o Operational staff models o Operational management models o Cross functional and enterprise management services and staff models o Risk models, mitigation and associated costs o Cost and pricing models o Transition and transformation costs, timelines and cross tower dependencies• Present overall strategy and solution for internal technical solution, finance, risk and transition reviews• Form part of customer presentations, presenting solution designs, benefits and value propositions• Form part of the team during the negotiation phase• For internal solution processes, designed and implementation a standard solution framework which included: o Design and implementation of technical design and cost process. o Design and implementation of custom web based workflow system to track and report on the design, cost and review process o Design of standard cost models, technical and services design/review templates, statement of work standards, customer proposal templates and customer presentation templates

Pre-sales consultant for the Windows and Infrastructure service tower.Responsibilities included:• Review client requirements based on RFx• Develop and document high-level solution strategy in the Wintel service tower.• Design Wintel solutions to match client requirements, which includes: o Technical Designs o Operational staff models o Operational management models o Develop operational cost models o Develop risk models, mitigations and associated costs o Document Statement of Work o Document Service Level Agreements o Transition and transformation costs and timelines for transition of services to BCX and on-going outsourcing agreements o Form part of the team during the negotiation phase

• Perform technical audits on customers infrastructure• Assess audit data and recommend improvements through design or technology changes• Present recommendations to customers IT management and technical experts• Ensure all components of the technical architecture are properly implemented• Finalise designs and implement solution as per agreed solutions• Manage deployment teams and deal with problems as they arise• Manage implementation timelines and customer expectations• Present updates on progress, success and challenges to all stakeholders