ALCHEMY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Software Developer - Full Stack
I have been writing software professionally for a little over a decade - 8 years of which have been in proptech, I joined Stratos in order to have an opportunity to expose myself to different industries within software development. In my spare time I exercise, both in a gym and playing ice hockey.
About 15 years ago I compiled my first program and found joy. My mission now is to develop and operate effective software systems for all kinds of local and global problems. Stratos provides an excellent home for this by giving me the chance to work with brilliant colleagues and customers alike. After work I look after a general gaming community of about 500 people and I keep track of future technologies. blake@stp.co.nz
Brad has 20+ years of experience in the IT industry with large and small companies in New Zealand and overseas. A keen technophile, he still enjoys discussing real business problems and finding simple, robust and human-centered tech solutions. He's worked on a broad range of projects involving hardware, IoT, cloud platforms, systems architecture, full-stack web & native development, DevOps, automated testing and support. When not at a keyboard Brad enjoys reading ancient Greek history, listening to psychology & philosophy podcasts, exploring the long white cloud, cycling and the odd hike.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
With a positive energy and a drive to have impact, Bree connects and coaches people to ensure long term sustainability of client initiatives. As a human-centred designer, she has a knack for identifying underlying factors and shared symptoms, balanced with a contagious enthusiasm for future trends and tech. With a keen ability to connect with stakeholders, she raises sights and spirits to align on a shared and future focused vision.
Bree always has a side hustle. When she is not working on her own start-up, she spends her free time getting involved in the community. She is currently a part of the LinC project (Leaders in Community), The Ĺtautahi Futures Collective, and is the Design Thinking coach for the Boma Education Fellows.
I am a curious and enthusiastic software developer who has worked on a wide variety of applications during my 20 years in the industry. I really enjoy making software, and at Stratos I am surrounded and supported by similarly passionate creators who are equally keen to hone their craft. Outside of work my focus is split between raising some wonderful kids, making video games, and messing with electric guitars.
I believe an integral part of what we offer is to add value to business requirements, providing solutions and highlighting alternative approaches and pitfalls via collaboration. I like building things and solving problems. I live an active life, cycling to work and getting out for any run or game of touch I can. I've worked with everything from .Net Compact Framework to modern reactive frontend frameworks, Java and .Net.
I began my path as a software developer in my teenage years by crafting games for the Commodore 64. Today, I'm passionate about delivering value to customers through software. I have a depth of experience mainly with Microsoft technologies spanning various industries in Christchurch and London. In my spare time I occasionally create solutions for myself using open-source software and Linux. I also like to fuel my creative side by playing the drums.
Dave brings decades of experience analysing, designing, developing, testing, provisioning, administering, and evolving software systems. His experience spans a broad range of domains as diverse as aviation and social services. He strives to produce elegant, reliable software systems that strike a balance between cutting-edge and proven technologies to deliver business value for the long term. He is a proponent of open source software. Outside of work Dave's interests include sport (more spectating than participating these days), cycling, DIY, and learning about topics that interest him.
David has over 20 years of experience in the software development field working for a variety of companies locally and abroad. David and his team will help you to identify your business requirements and deliver a solution that will grow with your company. David's responsibilities include managing the software development process, liaising with clients and helping with the architecture of new products. He is also particularly partial to a nice glass of Oyster Stout after a long bike ride and any excuse to talk about software development.
Job Titles:
- Quality Assurance Engineer
I started as a software developer in the late 90s and love writing code. I am passionate about quality, testing and building better processes. Finding bugs brings me joy! Implementing automation test frameworks brings all of these skills together into my dream job using Cypress as a automation tool for web products to perform E2E/Full stack, component and api tests. My IT experience spans many industries in Christchurch as well during my 14 years in London.
I'm a certified Business Analyst with a wide array of technical skills that I've developed over twelve years of practical experience. I am highly approachable and pride myself on my ability to communicate technical concepts with ease and simplicity. Most recently my focus has been in the product space, leading initiatives to understand the process & systems, meeting with customers and leading large workshops to capture defined prioritized problems. All of this feeds a unified solution and development roadmap. I enjoy casting a vision for a future state that gets the team on board. Being a decision maker that influences stakeholders. Collaborating the team to reach an excellent outcome and speak for the customer.
Job Titles:
- Architect
- Software Developer
A seasoned professional with over two decades of diverse experience, my expertise spans various domains, including software development across areas such as cloud, .NET applications, integration, cybersecurity, and DevOps. As a Microsoft-certified expert, I bring pragmatic strategic thinking and have 10+ years of technical leadership. Based on collaboration, I excel at crafting architecture designs, creating roadmaps, and adeptly navigating complex challenges in various industries and sectors. Outside of work, I enjoy snowboarding during winter. When the weather warms up, I spend time cultivating fruit trees in the garden and on outdoor adventures with my family
Writing software to create tools that solve real world problems is something that I enjoy and take pride in. Working as a Full Stack developer at Stratos enables me to work with knowledgeable and collaborative teams to achieve this for our customers. I have recently moved to Christchurch from Dublin Ireland, which has given me the opportunity to explore more, and in my spare time you can find me tramping and biking around Canterbury. When I'm not outdoors I'm most likely building software for fun or playing guitar.
Ged is a 24-year veteran within the IT industry and also has had numerous years in the Outdoor Recreation industry. This presents Ged as a supportive, creative, guiding influence within his position with Stratos Technology Partners. Having spent the past 20 years focusing on supporting Legal Firms and system infrastructure services, to enable simplicity and security. Ged has an on-going interest in outdoor adventure pursuits which has him skiing and mountain biking whenever possible
I've been a software developer for over 20 years and I still enjoy it as much as on day one! I enjoy designing and building systems and user interfaces to solve problems and deliver value to our customers. Outside of work I love exploring New Zealand and getting out into the mountains with my wife and three young boys, or running the trails solo. At weekends we're usually out and about in North Canterbury hiking or biking somewhere. We also love to travel. It took a back seat for a while when the boys were young, but recent trips to Oman, Nicaragua and Myanmar have given us a big wanderlust again.
I'm a Product Owner with many years experience delivering IT solutions and projects. I love helping my clients envision solutions to their problems, to get the most out of their technology. I don't do this alone - this is a team sport, and most great things are achieved through collaboration. I love what I do. When not working you'll find me out planting fruit trees and growing veggies on my lifestyle block.
What do I do? All sorts of things, I can be hard to pigeonhole, but it's fair to say I don't write code (although 'back in the day' I did*). I work with people to help turn their business strategies into features and processes delivered via the system our team develops for them. So, a lot of strategic + detailed BA work. I am also involved in personal investment, both in startup/early growth and in stocks. Outside of Stratos, I am a volunteer crew with Sumner Lifeboat, unit of Coastguard New Zealand. I'm on call to respond to marine search & rescue incidents - anything from a surfer in trouble to a sinking boat miles offshore. I'm also on their Board helping with governance and big picture stuff. My main sports are mountain biking and tramping.
Working in the IT industry since early 2011 I have had multiple roles throughout my career, primarily as a Software Test Analyst, Project Manager and Business Analyst. Whilst I do love to learn new technologies the most enjoyable part of my role is learning about clients' businesses and translating their goals into technical requirements. I have been lucky to explore a wide range of domains in the past decade from agrichemicals to social services, finance, tourism, construction, real estate, law, and aviation. I love my work (and projects) to be organised, clear and tidy! I also thoroughly enjoy showing people how software is made, in plain English without the technical jargon, because I believe everyone has a contribution to make and understanding the process is key. I moved from Russia to New Zealand in 2005 for my tertiary studies when I was 17 and have lived in Christchurch ever since. I studied a Bachelor of Business and Tourism (at Ara) before going through a Graduate Diploma in Computer Science at Canterbury University and finding my career in IT. My favourite people are my husband and 3-year-old Daughter Zoya. During daylight hours when not working I'm usually found gardening which consumes all my spare time and money.
I have a BSc in Philosophy and a Grad Dip in Computer Science from the University of NSW. I like the current Angular / Typescript combo on the front end using VSCode and .Net/WebAPI/EntityFramework/MSSQL to handle the backend. Javascript isn't my favourite language so anything the formalises it and improves type safety is a good thing in my eyes. That being said, I'm comfortable working with the many older technologies and frameworks that we support, WebForms and AngularJS for example.
I like mountain biking and road cycling, and I commute to work by bike. Since moving to Christchurch from Sydney, surfing has become more of a holiday hobby. Mountain biking dominates in summer and in the winter skiing and snowboarding become the focus.
With over 15 years software development experience and a positive attitude I enjoy tacking complex problems. Having worked on a variety of software stacks and technologies for different industries I always enjoy a new challenge and a new solution. It's great seeing the results and happy clients!
I also love getting out in the great outdoors, tramping, walking and mountain biking.
From the day I could hold a screwdriver I've been opening the hood on everything I could find to understand how it works, and then crafting something else in it's place. When I discovered software, I found a way to satisfy this need to understand and create without leaving a trail of disassembled electronics in my wake. I've been tinkering with code for 18 years. Working at Stratos allows me to encounter meaningful problems and, with my team, create meaningful solutions that our clients love. Out of the office I enjoy tramping outside or gaming inside with friends. Playing DnD in a fantasy world during the weekend resets my creativity for my work week.
I have been working as a software developer for the last 4 years, mostly as a full stack developer. Although I started working on software as a kid when I started to make small games. I love working on front end systems, with languages such as React and ELM, and since joining Stratos, Angular. In my free time I like to go out exploring New Zealand with friends.
Job Titles:
- Architect
- Software Developer
I have enjoyed programming since my father built me my first computer in late 80-es - Sinclair ZX Spectrum. Then there was the long and exciting journey from writing basic tools in Assembly language to designing Enterprise solutions. Microsoft technologies were my best travel companions. Computers are a small part of my life, I also have a family, play sports, like the outdoors, books and a bunch of strange hobbies would complete the picture. Stand With Ukraine!
Passionate about people, processes and improving experiences, I've worked in a variety of industries, from media to health, in customer centric roles. Joining a technology team is where I discovered my tribe - and it turns out I'm a natural at organising propel and projects. Outside of work you'll probably find me in the sun, with a good book (and maybe a margarita), hanging out with my family and friends, or at the theatre supporting local and overseas performers.
Job Titles:
- Service Delivery Specialist
Nicole has worked in the IT industry for over 25 years and is passionate about building long standing relationships with a focus on communication and trust. She likes to ensure that all client's needs are met, understood in plain English and executed in a planned and efficient manner. In her spare time she likes to plan trips away and run around after her 2 children and the various pets she has.
Job Titles:
- Senior Software Developer
Over the past 18 years, my professional journey has evolved from constructing websites using PHP in my early days to tackling complex distributed systems within the finance and market research domains more recently. I enjoy designing, implementing and troubleshooting sophisticated solutions that empower our end users and clients to achieve their business objectives. I try to spend my spare time in the great outdoors of New Zealand and beyond. I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to explore vast stretches of the stunning South Island: Soaring over the Southern Alps in sailplanes, tramping in hiking boots, or navigating the waters in a sea kayak.
After 16 years of independent travel and guiding tours around the world, I decided it was time to come home. I originally came to Christchurch to study Event Management and worked within the City Council Events Team for a number of years. The earthquakes meant I had to change paths and I eventually ended up at Stratos Technology. I have learnt a lot of new systems and skills whilst being with Stratos and my role is generally to keep them all on the straightened arrow.
Peter has decades of experience in the IT industry. His broad background includes solutions architecture, ERP consulting, business intelligence and software development, supported by well-rounded technical project management skills. His experience covers a wide variety of industries, from manufacturing to financial and public health. Peter manages the solution architecture for business intelligence and software integration.
I have a ton of energy and enthusiasm for business, and I am really looking forward to doing "my bit" to help Stratos become the best we can. I am a keen biker (gravel and mountain) and a bit of a petrol head. I have slowly restored an old 1971 Porsche, because if I didn't it would now be a pile of rust. My daily drive is a Tesla Model 3, and I am an enthusiast of future tech and disruptive technology. I am also very entrepreneurial, being an early-stage angel investor and a follower of the markets (both traditional and crypto). I have had my fair share of success and failure over the years, with failure perhaps providing the greatest learnings.
I'm a Full-Stack Software Developer and UX Designer at Stratos Technology Partners. My work involves collaborating directly with clients, designing both front-end and back-end systems, and using a range of technologies from Figma to Angular, C# to SQL Server. I'm passionate about creating great experiences for people in the digital world. I love employing a hypothesis-driven design methodology, relying on data to provide valuable product insights and ensure we're building the right solutions for our users. In my personal life, my family and I lead an active lifestyle. We spend a lot of time in the water, surfing, paddle boarding, and exploring the outdoors. More recently, I've ventured into hunting and conservation, finding that adventurous back-country missions put the stresses of everyday life into perspective. I'm dedicated to delivering excellent digital experiences and driven by my love for both design and development.
As a Software Developer with over 10 years' experience, I have developed a wide range of different solutions using a variety of technologies such as .Net, Angular JS and Azure. Prior to Stratos I worked for BluJay Solutions Limited and Integen as well as spending some time overseas teaching English in Japan. I also have a degree in Computer Science from the University of Canterbury. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family, working on improvements to the house and the occasional run.
With over 20 years of experience in the software industry, I have honed my skills to become a seasoned software developer. My passion lies in working with legacy systems, breathing new life into them and ensuring they continue to serve their purpose in the ever-evolving digital landscape. I believe that every line of code tells a story, and I take pride in uncovering and continuing that narrative. With a deep understanding of various programming languages and technologies, I am able to dive into any system, understand its intricacies, and improve its performance and stability. My approach is rooted in collaboration and communication. I work closely with clients to understand their needs and deliver solutions that not only meet but exceed their expectations. Whether it's optimizing an existing system or developing a new one from scratch, my goal is to provide reliable, high-quality software that stands the test of time. I look forward to bringing my expertise to your project and helping your legacy systems thrive in the modern world.
Simon has been working in the IT industry for over 24 years, with a passion for delivery of technology-based outcomes. Simon brings a range of experience in the technology industry, ranging from Consulting, Architect to Operations. He has joined Stratos with a focus on delivering operational enhancements within the business. In his spare time Simon enjoys trying to convince his teenage son to go on day hikes with him, and occasionally actually going on day hikes with him.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Microsoft Regional Director
Steve is a Microsoft Regional Director and Microsoft MVP for Office Apps and Services encompassing SharePoint and Microsoft 365. He brings more than 30 years IT industry experience to clients' projects. Steve leads our SharePoint and Microsoft 365 practice and has a keen interest in Intranets, Digital Workplaces, collaboration and document management technologies.
I've been involved in the web stack space for more than a decade now. Initially started working in the Java web stack but slowly moved to the .NET web stack. What I love about tech is that it is always changing and with everything available online you can always get into any specific area you want, ability to work from anywhere is an added bonus. Away from work you will be sure to find me playing touch rugby during the summer and Sunday soccer/football during winter. Love watching rugby especially sevens and cheering Fiji on where I am originally from.
Toni is a senior consultant in our Microsoft 365 practice. She brings 20 plus years of international enterprise experience in technology implementations and business architecture, particuarliy in the process improvement and technology governance.
Tyler is a seasoned IT professional with over 7 years of experience in various roles within the industry. He has joined Stratos, bringing with him a passion for developing reliable, secure, and scalable solutions that can support businesses as they grow.