New Appointment to Business Technology Consulting Team

We'd like you to meet our Project and Business Improvement Lead – David Howdle.

What is your role at Diamond IT? 

My role, as the Project and Business Improvement Lead at Diamond IT, is responsible for initiating, managing and evaluating a range of internal and customer facing projects and activities to promote a culture of continuous improvement and learning that enhances service delivery. 

Why did you choose a career in technology? 

I was employed with the Crown Prosecution Service, (CPS), after leaving school. The CPS at the time were just starting to introduce computers across the organisation with software that included Lotus Notes and Lotus 1-2-3. For those of you not familiar with, or too young to remember Notes, ZDNet once described Notes as, “...enterprise software before enterprise software was cool”. 

I had always been interested in technology, with a rite of passage typical of my generation that included owning a range of personal computers, from a Commodore VIC20, to a BBC Micro to a Spectrum ZX81. Coupled with my advocacy and empathy for the ‘user’ experience’, I willingly became the "go-to-guru” as enterprise computing was born at the CPS. I was hooked on a career in technology from those early days of helping people individually, and organisations collectively, to realise the positive transformative impacts of digital technologies.  

Tell us a bit about your background? 

Following my introduction to enterprise computing at the CPS, my tech career began in earnest in 1995 with a role supporting and administering UNIX based systems for a software development company in London. From there, I’ve been fortunate to have worked with organisations that include IBM (Australia and UK), OPSM, Luxottica (Australia, Italy, UK) and Oakley, and across a variety of technology disciplines that include architecture design, infrastructure management, project management, service delivery, software development and product management. 

My roles have allowed me to travel and work with teams in Hong Kong, China, North America, United Kingdom, South Africa and Italy as we’ve worked to implement new systems, launch new projects and in the case of Luxottica look to consolidate what was at the time a footprint of thirteen data-centres around the world. From 2012 to 2017 I was asked to join a startup in London, as their Chief Product Officer/Chief Technical Officer as we brought a new product to market.

More recently, I've been based in Newcastle, where I had the privilege of working across IT operations, service, and application product management roles with the likes of Samaritans Foundation, nib and Mine Super.

What’s your favourite piece of technology? 

I probably have two favourites right now, one old and one new. Firstly, the old. With a family overseas, I simply love the connectedness that WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger bring to our lives. Perhaps even more so right now with the current restrictions on travel that we are all living with. Not that long ago, I volunteered to help with the ‘Broadband for Seniors’ program which saw me visit residential homes and teach the people there how to use computers and the Internet. I recall then that the highlight for a lot of the people I taught was the ability to communicate richly with friends and family wherever they might be. I really appreciate that sentiment now more than ever. 

Secondly, with renovations in full swing on our house, I am completely enamoured with our new air-purifier which is doing a great job of keeping the air clean as the tradies go about their work. 

When you’re not at work, where would we find you? 

Kitesurfing. When I’m not at work and the wind is blowing, you’ll find me on the water, or sometimes in the air, somewhere. :) 

Join our team

Diamond IT actively recruits and keeps the best IT brains in the market. For more information on current vacancies within our team, head to our careers page or contact our team on 1300 307 907.