58bits - Other

Well there's an 'About Me' link in the main menu - so I figured it should point to something.

Born in Toronto, went to high-school in Markham and college in Toronto. Spent a few years working in a laboratory as a research assistant (doing terrible things to cute little Chinese Hamsters) before I decided that Biology wasn't for me (or at least the salary wasn't). I spent a year working for IBM on a short term manufacturing contract before moving to the UK in 1990 - September 17th to be precise (it was a dark and rainy night... lightening was everywhere).

I spent a faltering first six months working in a lab at Manchester University before I found my first job in IT thanks to a gentleman named David Medcalf. After 18months on a help-desk at RoMEC in Stockport, I accepted an offer to work for VNU publications in London.

So... after two culturally educational years in the North of England - I was headed for the big city of London. I spent another 18 months at VNU before I moved over to Macmillan Publishers. Macmillan was probably my biggest break in IT. I was given a lot of freedom there - free to succeed and fail. It was a formative five years and I'm grateful for the experience. In 1999 I decided to take a year-out to travel - spending the majority of my time in South East Asia.

...which led to all sorts of adventures. I had a great first year or so - lived in Phuket Thailand for almost two years. Bought a little Honda Dream scooter and drove around the island. Six months of fun in the tropics before I started to think about what to do next. I started a little hobby company doing some freelance software and Web development, and then in 2001 - disaster struck. Instead of heading back to the UK or Canada to work again...I deluded myself into thinking that joining a start-up venture in Bangkok was a really good idea. In a way I suppose it was a good experience - but a disaster financially and personally. Four years of squabbling, a dysfunctional board, and a failed business plan and it cost me dearly - taking almost 18 months towards the end to finally be free of it. I can look back and call it the 'business experience of a life time' - but I'm still in two minds as to whether I can chalk it all up to 'experience'.

Rebounded nicely after three years with Datapharm in the UK. Good contract and a good bunch of people.

Started an MSc in Information Security at RHUL in Oct 2007 - which has turned out to be brilliant so far... and after that who knows what next... it's all an adventure now.

If you've made it this far... and want a more formal introduction - then my CV is at http://www.abouch.com

'Per Ardua Ad Astra'