Profile
Lead Architect at Thames Water, owning AI and architecture governance across a regulated enterprise estate. I built the AI governance capability from scratch: use-case classification, risk-tiered controls, an AI register, and review gates that sit inside delivery rather than alongside it. The architecture work covers the programmes nobody volunteers for: end-of-life content platforms, bespoke system retirement, and document migrations counted in millions.
Background covers UK utilities, defence, and vendor-side consulting at an architecture tooling firm. Most of the job is the unglamorous part: getting decisions written down and owned before delivery makes them by default.
Core capabilities
- AI governance: use-case classification, risk-tiered controls, AI register, and review gates. Built the capability; now run it.
- Solution architecture for high-risk change: critical legacy replacement, large-scale content migration, and bespoke system retirement.
- Enterprise architecture and modelling: ArchiMate, BPMN, metamodel and repository design in BiZZdesign.
- Platform and integration architecture: Salesforce, SAP CPI, MuleSoft, Azure, ServiceNow, Dynamics 365, Power Platform.
- Vendor-side advisory and pre-sales: engagement scoping, client workshops, and product demonstration.
- Team leadership: permanent architects reporting in, overseeing contract architects across programme delivery.
Experience
Lead Architect (Solutions & AI)
Apr 2026 – Present
Thames Water · Reading, UK (hybrid)
- Lead one of two solution architecture teams, reporting to the Head of Platforms and Solutions Architecture. Permanent architects report to me and oversee contract architects across programme delivery.
- Own AI and overall architecture governance across the estate (cyber security sits with my peer Lead). Every AI use case passes through risk classification, tiered controls, an AI register, and defined review gates before build.
- Maturing the governance function toward a standalone, delegated capability with its own decision rights.
- Lead architecture on ECM modernisation: replacing end-of-life document platforms and migrating millions of documents out of ageing systems while live operations continue.
- Architect the replacement of critical bespoke line-of-business systems, currently a legacy estate moving onto Salesforce.
Solutions Architect
Jul 2025 – Apr 2026
Thames Water · Reading, UK (hybrid)
- Owned solution architecture for ECM modernisation discovery: what migrates to modern tooling, what retires, and in what order.
- Built the organisation's first structured approach to assessing AI use cases, from intake through architecture review. Promoted to lead the function I designed.
- Produced the business-level options analysis for replacing a bespoke line-of-business estate with Salesforce, including the recommendation taken through governance.
Enterprise Architect
Apr 2024 – Jul 2025
BAE Systems · Remote, UK
- Owned product strategy and direction for BAE's enterprise architecture tooling, supporting sectors across the business in adopting architecture practice.
- Set and enforced architecture standards and guardrails for enterprise systems; advised sector teams on data and integration architecture.
Enterprise Architecture Consultant
Jun 2023 – May 2024
Bizzdesign · Remote, UK
- Delivered enterprise architecture consulting for client organisations: architecture roadmaps, metamodel design, and tooling implementation.
- Ran client workshops and training programmes that took organisations from product purchase to a working architecture practice.
- Scoped engagements and ran product demonstrations for prospective and existing clients.
Architecture Modelling Specialist
Jul 2021 – Jun 2023
Thames Water · Remote, UK
- Modelling SME for the enterprise architecture team: built and maintained the repository, metamodel, and tooling standards in BiZZdesign (ArchiMate, BPMN, ERD).
- Supported the digital estate roadmap overhaul, assessing proposed solutions against business requirements across MuleSoft, Azure, SAP CPI, ServiceNow, Dynamics 365, and Power Platform.
Service Recovery and Improvement Lead
Oct 2018 – Jun 2021
Bright Horizons · UK
- Designed and implemented a new complaints process, centralising complaint handling from 400 local sites into a single head office function.
Education
Aberystwyth University
- PgDip International Business
- BScEcon Business and Management