In this episode, Heather interviews Andy Ginn, Senior Consultant and Solution Architect at Hewlett Packard Enterprise Pointnext Services and Director of Pocket Angel.
Tune in to hear their conversation on:
"I went into menswear to start off with."
How a brief stint in retail led Andy to take a government-funded programming course and begin his career in tech.
"The user is the most important aspect of any transformation program."
Andy's work with HPE and their many initiatives that focus on the human side of tech internally and with their customers.
"She asked me to join that organization in my spare time."
How Andy became involved with Pocket Angel, a not-for-profit digital platform helping those experiencing homelessness, rough sleepers, and the socially disadvantaged.
"We pivoted the app quite quickly."
How the lockdowns spurred Pocket Angel to shift how they delivered the donations their users contributed.
"If you really analyze your life you can probably find five to six sliding door moments."
A mentor early in his tech career taught Andy to focus on the people using the tech which has been a theme throughout his career.
Connect with Andy
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/andyginn
Twitter @AndyPGinn
Pocket Angel - https://www.pocketangelhome.co.uk/
Twitter @pocketangelhome
Instagram @pocketangelhome
Andy Ginn
Andy Ginn started in the IT industry in the early ‘80s as a software engineer with Logica working on leading-edge industrial automation projects. Through the early and mid ‘90s Andy worked at Sybase as a specialist trouble-shooter consultant and technical trainer. Andy joined HP (now HPE) in 1999 to lead a team to deliver ecommerce solutions. Over the years Andy has held various consulting roles in HPE eventually moving into information lifecycle consulting, starting work with SharePoint 2007. Andy is now a master-level consultant at Hewlett Packard Enterprise Pointnext Services and also holds the role of UK Technical Lead for Information Management & Collaboration. As well as delivering complex transformation programmes within HPE’s clients, Andy is also a regular speaker on the topics of user-centric transformation and the use of modern collaboration technologies such as SharePoint Online/2019, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365, and Hybrid, as a foundation for corporate change and modern information security.
In his spare time, Andy is a Director of Pocket Angel, a not-for-profit organisation that is using its proprietary digital platforms to help alleviate the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness or social deprivation.
Andy lives in Somerset, UK with his wife, Emmanuelle. Restricted work travel during the last year has meant that they have both been able to focus on fitness, and Andy has also used online resources to support his need for relaxation and mindfulness, including learning to knit and to build his repertoire of different cooking styles.
Mavens Do It Better original theme music composed by Jesse Case with voice-over by Julia Francis.