I started my career as an apprentice maintaining Strowger telephone exchanges in 1960 — the original automatic switching system built on the principle that people should connect directly, without a middleman. Sixty-five years later, I am still building on that same philosophy.

My career has taken me from project management in Africa, the Middle East and SE Asia, to founding my own technology business, writing international PCT patents, producing broadcasts for Swindon 105.5 — the community radio station honoured with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service — investigating and producing radio documentaries for the BBC and community radio, writing a published novel, and most recently building two Android apps — both now live on Google Play.