Arrow Shipbroking Group, founded in London in 1990, is one of the largest privately owned shipbroking groups worldwide. With its large client base and wide-ranging execution capabilities, Arrow is able to address all shipbroking requirements of its clients.

With a 25-year heritage, Kensington has long been one of the UK's leading specialist mortgage lenders. They serve fast-growing segments such as the self-employed, those with multiple incomes and the over 55s - people the high street is not always set up to cater for.The data team had for some time lacked leadership and guidance; I was tasked not only with building a team to be proud of but also with creating team-to-team relationships, putting the team at the centre of IT and getting their voices heard.They had a different SQL server for each application they ran, massive performance issues with slow running front end applications caused by badly managed databases.ResponsibilitiesCost SavingI had been challenged to make the database team cost neutral. This was achieved through a SQL Server consolidation saving in excess of £250,000 as well as monetising data through business intelligence and data science.Moving the consolidated servers from SQL Server 2012 to 2016 then to Azure SQL as an instance and moving to a OPEX model.StaffingAfter years of neglect, the data team had become stagnant. My challenge was to create a team, through training existing staff and sourcing a strong and stable team that could adapt as the business grew.DataAs the company geared itself towards acquisition, it looked to find full value in the data it held.This involved creating reports, KPIs and complex Data Science predictions.As data was key to Kensington it was important that it was kept secure and highly available using a custom-built system using PowerShell, policy-based management, dynamic management views and SQL server reporting services that automatically acts to fix known errors as they happen and raise calls to appropriate teams.

With a 300-year heritage, RSA is one of the world’s leading multinational insurance groups. Today, we employ around 23,000 people, serving 17 million customers in over 140 countries.RSA brought in a team of technical experts in several technical stacks to act as consultants ensuring the best was gained from the outsourced IT. Tasks included• Creation of Build standards• Full backup procedure• Re-design and creation of entire database DR solution.• Centralised reporting server• Creation of HA solutions• Assisting in requirements of mufti-million pound IT outsource tender.• Managing 3 teams of 30 outsourced DBAS.

As Clarkson’s had never had a DBA team, it was required that I implemented a line ofcommunications between us, the business and other areas of IT. As well as creating andimplementing various personnel procedures, including reviews, on call and disciplinary, using thecompany’s standard as a guild line.Tasks included• Full install of SQL 2012 globally.• Full design of DR with Creation of Availability groups, for "Always on" High Availability.• Creating of a full centralized alerting system on potential errors, using PowerShell, T-SQL, SSIS, policy based management.• Creating a backup plan using ComVault• Virtualization of all non-London sites, and use of merge replication to speed up databases.• Server consolidation, and removal of redundant servers/databases• Data sources merged using ETL tools such as Omniscope and displayed in one location• All maintenance plans removed and replaced with a central job to ensure consistency.• Enforcing Policy Based Management to ensure data is kept secure and consistent.

As the first DBA within the UK arm of Groupama, it was my responsibility to create a fully maintained database environment.• Setting up a full set of maintenance jobs using T-SQL• Maintaining database security, at server and database level.• Checking developer’s scripts for best practice and assisting in ensuring all scripts are fully tested.• Ironing out performance issues and bottle necks on all database servers.• Documenting data flow in all systems used in each environment.• Setting up SSRS / SSIS packages allowing users better understanding of company data.• Creation of a suite of database auditing scripts looking for unauthorised logins, and poorperforming SQL.

• Creation of custom scripts to help maintain databases.• Setting up of replication (merge, transitional and snapshot)• Creation of DTS packages• Checking developers scripts for bugs• Performing releases and upgrades.• Knowledge of data flow and systems used in each environment.

• Creation and implantation of maintenance jobs.• Creation of DTS packages for data manipulation• Setting up and maintaining replication (merge, transitional and snapshot)• Checking, editing and running update scripts from developers• Data and schema comparisons• Use of in-house and bespoke systems to flow data.• Knowledge of and problem solving for data flow in each of Dealogic’s servers.