Philip Clayson Email & Phone Number

London, England, Gb

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Gb

CTO (interim) leading teams including Cyber, Architecture, Technology Platform Development (multiple back-end game systems), Corporate IT, Cloud and Technology Procurement, as Jagex accelerates new product introduction and technology transformation, under new PE investment from CVC and Haveli.

London, Hammersmith, Gb

Virgin Media 'VM' (owned by Liberty Global) and O2 (owned by Telefonica) merged in 2021, to form VMO2, a combined fixed and mobile company operating in the UK telecoms market, with c16k employees and c£10bn revenue.I was head-hunted into a new role at VMO2, reporting to the Group CTO, and mandated by the ExCo and Shareholders, to create a multi-year cost reduction and technology simplification, worth c£500m. My achievements included • Creating and implementing a technology re-architecture and IT systems tech debt reduction strategy, worth c£80m, working with the Chief Information Officer (CIO).• Delivering a third-party cost reduction, of more than 50%, across data, product and platform development and automation, with a path to AI, working with Chief Data Officer (CDO).• Establishing an energy and carbon reduction programme through strategic technology investments, that will reduce energy consumption by 56% over three years, eliminate REGOs, and reduce carbon by 19%. • Leading a team of c500 people, comprising functions of CTO technology strategy, architecture, innovation, business operations, and software development.

Middlesex, England, Gb

Within Comcast (Sky's Parent) the Global Group Product and Technology team, accountable for global products including Sky Glass, Sky Stream, NOW and NBCU's Peacock, is mandated with accelerating and facilitating growth and expansion of Sky's streaming technologies internationally.I was head-hunted into the role of Group Director, reporting to the Global CTO of Streaming, to shape, create strategy for, and then deliver a comprehensive technology overhaul of hundreds of platforms, across thousands of user devices, as well as redefine the international operating model and technology roadmap for six countries.With a capital budget of around £100m annually, I led a team of c150 people directly, that matrixed to c8000 technologists worldwide, that: • Delivered a strategic two-year transformation resulting a 50% reduction in headcount, and a fourfold increase in productivity, generating an annual EBITDA value surpassing £6m. • Spearheaded the migration of legacy technology platforms, data platforms, and e-commerce trading interfaces, impacting over 10 million Sky customers with better CX, and improved trading.• Ensured operational technology risk assurance, cyber posture and mitigation to protect revenue streams in partnership with CISO.• Expedited the implementation of a unified data strategy across Europe, adopting a single platform approach with multi-tenant capabilities (multi-Cloud),

Perth, Perthshire, Gb

SSE Energy Services, part of FTSE 30 Energy company SSE plc, had agreed to divest its B2C Energy business with a target completion timeframe of 12 months. I was head-hunted to lead a 1000 strong technology team and support the business through the sale, as CIO. This Fixed Term Contract (12m), concluded on schedule within the 12 months, and delivered the transition of this £4bn, 9000 person business, to become part of Ovo Energy. During the year, I led the technology separation and transformed the technology and business platforms to become a digital enabled business, including leading the CISO, the CDO, and the Directors of Architecture, Operations, Service and Delivery.I defined the strategy, technology roadmap and divestment Transition Separation Agreement, enabling Ovo Energy to leverage the value in their new asset.The role included building an IT organisation, IT strategy, and operating model capable of supporting independent operation (as SSE plc divested SSE Energy Services).The technology achievements as part of the separation included a migration away from on-premise to cloud, a move to Agile (matching Ovo's existing model), rationalisation and stabilisation of core platforms and infrastructure, establishing and implementing standalone corporate and ERP systems (HR, Finance, Procurement), and removing legacy mainframe applications.Operationally, I also I led the SSE Smart Metering deployment, including relationships with Regulators and industry groups.

Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Gb

Countrywide (FTSE 250) was a B2C and B2B multi-market facing property and financial services products and services business. This included Financial Services (mortgages, life assurance, property insurance), Retail B2C and B2B property services (estate agency, lettings, land development and new homes), Legal Services (surveying, conveyancing) and property management. I was head-hunted to be Group CIO, reporting to the CFO, as part of ExCo, across the portfolio of B2B and B2C companies, with accountability for their technology strategy and implementation. My role including being accountable for modernising and transforming legacy IT applications over multiple FCA regulated property services functions, leading a team of CISO, CPO, CTO, Chief Architect, Delivery, Service Operations and IT Procurement.

Salford, England, Gb

TalkTalk, a challenger brand FTSE 250 UK telco, hired me after a period as an consultant, to advance their innovation through M&A.Having completed a few £10-£100m transactions, including acquiring Blinkbox TV from Tesco, TalkTalk then experienced a material and public cyber attack and data breach.The company did not have a formal CISO, and the board asked me to create a cyber breach remediation plan for 600+ applications across B2C and B2B. This plan delivered the removal of 300+ applications (50%) in 18months, developed new SDLC and introduced new vulnerability and threat management platform.This transformation of technology and operations included over 600 business critical operational and support IT systems (B2C and B2B), including billing (£2bn revenue pa), CRM (Salesforce), ERP, and all technology platforms from order to fulfilment.I also led the software and data engineering teams of c650, UK (150) and offshore (India 500)I was accountable for technology partners including Salesforce, HP, Microsoft, CapGemini and Tata Consulting, and their SaaS and PaaS solutions, reducing partner spend of £20m by over 25% in 12 months.

London, Gb

Cartesian (formerly Farncombe Technology) is a boutique technology consulting firm, with blue chip clients across the TMT sector, and a world renowned reputation.Having completed my work for BT at London 2012, and having met the Cartesian team I was offered the opportunity to established a Technology and Operations board advisory practice for Cartesian by the co-founders.My role, to grow a client base through strategy development engagements, transformation programmes and technology launch programmes, included establishing and/or growing relationships with Liberty Global, Eircom, Arqiva, ITV, Sky, BT, TalkTalk, Ladbrokes, Vodafone and Virgin Media.I also undertook, and directed teams, to deliver Interim executive leadership roles including as Director of Voice and Data at TalkTalk, VP Converged Voice (Level 3 Communications), Operations Launch Director for Eir(com) TV, and interim CTO for an Energy Demand Response start-up, creating and executing the technology strategy and platform development to successfully achieving pre Series B funding.

London, Gb

BT, one of the biggest UK FTSE companies, and leading UK and worldwide telco, head-hunted me to lead the digital transformation in readiness for UK Digital Switchover (analogue to digital TV migration) and create and deliver the investment case for worldwide video distribution (170 countries) for London 2012.I led the Broadcast technology platform design for London 2012 including 24x7 global operations for over 100 of BT’s global TV and Media customers, providing broadcast 99.999% SLA (team of £240, CapEx of c£200m).Supported BT Regulatory Affairs group with technology advice to Ofcom and UK Government.

Winchester, Hampshire, Gb

Arqiva, a leading UK infrastructure business, delivers business critical and mission critical national 5x9s' wired and wireless connectivity, for emergency services, TV customers, mobile customers and critical national infrastructure providers.My strategy role at Arqiva, delivered a new technology strategy for the operational business, reducing operational costs by 50% (= c£15m)_.I was then asked to recover and turnaround a failing £50m programme to deploy Airwave (data and video) for London’s 28,000 Met. Police Officers, as well as having responsibility for operational delivery 24x7, of £25m p.a. Met. Police '999' telecoms operations contract.My final role at Arqiva saw me deliver a £30m technology merger synergy plan, part of the £2.5bn Arqiva/NGW merger.

Austin, Texas, Us

I was head-hunted from NDS to join Oracle's network computer team, and to lead multi-function technology team across EMEA for Oracle, with responsibilities in UK, Europe and West Coast USA. As number 4 in the new team, we grew the business across EMEA to a significant scale extremely quickly, such that then Oracle IPO'd the business.The career highlight of my Oracle role was launching the first app platform (before iTunes) for embedded devices.

New York, New York, Us

I joined NDS (part of News), as a gradute entry.Having worked in the software R&D team, creating new digital media MPEG and DVB software products, I was later an Architect, a pre-sales engineer and then a Senior ConsultantAs an Architect, I co-authored a world-first DVB Simulcrypt standard, developed first world Simulcrypt prototype, now operationally widespread worldwide in broadcast media technology everywhere. My career highlight at News was being the co-architect of the UK’s Freeview platform.

Artificial Intelligence Executive Programme, Artificial Intelligence

Mba, Strategy, International Operations, Technology

B.Eng (Hons), Electronic Engineering

Chartered Engineer

Fellow Of The Iet, Electrical And Electronics Engineering

Prince 2 Practioner, Programme Management