Chris Howe-Jones

DevCycle

CTO & Founder

March 2015 - Current

Washington, UK

DevCycle provides consulting services for companies varying in size from multi-national banks to early stage start ups. Services include Software Architecture, Clojure/Java Development, specialising in cloud enabled data engineering solutions.

DevCycle uses hollistic approaches focusing on outcome based processes based on systems theory (theory of contraints) to evolve software to meet changing priorities.

Obrizum Group

VP of Technology

Janurary 2023 - April 2023

[Remote] Cambridge, UK

Obrizum provides a B2B2C adaptive learning platform for other companies. The platform provides the ability for an organisation to upload learning material and derives an adaptive learning journey (driven by AI) that enables their employees to learn faster and more effectively than with typical linear courses.

My role included but was not limited to:

• Provide hands on support to the Head of Engineering on a range of key projects
• Deliver hands on support in ensuring scalability of platform infrastructure.
• Provide advice on team structures and processes to enable greater efficiency.
• To drive commercial outcomes through supporting the prioritisation of tasks.
• Supporting the technical hiring activities.
• Assisting with the implementation of technical & procedural measures to support information security management.

Senior Tech Leadership

1997 - Current

Newcastle, UK & Remote

As CTO-Senior Technical Leader I have provided tech strategy as:

• VP of Technology: Obrizum Group Jan-April 2023
• Interim Exec Member: Huddles (Clash) App Inc July-Sept 2021
• CTO: Opencast Software Nov 2012-Feb 2015
• Practice Head (Java/OSS): Capgemini Financial Services (UK) Oct 2007-Apr 2012
• Technical Project Manager: Sage (UK) May 2001-Apr 2004
• Technical Project Manager: NHS BSA 1997-Apr 2001

Clojure

Clojure Architect/Developer

2016 – Current

Remote & London, UK

I provided Clojure & ClojureScript architecture/development & training expertise to:

• Obrizum Group January 2023-April 2023
• Hi Group June 2022-September 2022
• Huddles (Clash) App Inc Apr 2021-May 2022
• Funding Circle Nov 2020-March 2021
• USwitch Aug 2018-Dec 2019
• Citibank July 2017-Oct 2017
• Conde Naste (Style.com) Oct 2016-June 2017

Software Architect

1990 – Current

UK

I have designed systems for over 30 years including cloud based services (incl microservices) & async messaging (e.g. event sourcing, message based).

• Huddles (Clash) App Inc Apr 2021-May 2022
• Sage Jul 2020 – Nov 2020: Software Architect/Principal Developer
• DWP Nov 2017 – Apr 2018: Snr Tech Architect
• Seven Opencast clients including:
  • Insure the Box
  • NHS BSA
  • Offshore renewable energy catapult
  • Goal Group…
• Sage May 2001-Apr 2004
• NHS BSA 1990-2001

Java Development/Leadership

Tech Lead

1997 – Current

UK

I have led Java Development teams since 1997 for companies such as:

• Sage (UK) 2001-2003 & 2020 Tech Lead
• William Hill May 2018-Aug 2018 Tech lead
• Lloyds Banking Group Mar 2015-Aug 2016 Tech lead
• JHC Systems May 2012-Nov 2012 Tech lead
• Deutsche Bank (as client of Capgemini) 2007-2009 Tech lead
• TecSphere Ltd - 2004 - 2007 Senior Engineer

Here are some of the programming languages I use:

• Clojure/ClojureScript 8+ years
• Java 25+ years
• SQL 30+ years
• JavaScript Small amount over 20+ years
• Scala < 1 year home projects
• Ruby < 1 year home projects
• Python < 1 year home projects
• Haskell < 1 year home projects
• Terraform 2+ years professional experience
• Various markup languages incl. HTML, XML, JSON, EDN, YAML
• Other languages I no longer use day to day: C#, Assembly (6502, Z80, 6800), COBOL, Fortran, JCL, REXX, PL1, BASIC…

• AWS S3, EKS, ECS, SQS, SNS, Lambda, RDS, DynamoDB, EC2…
• Software Architecture: DDD, Event sourcing, C4 models, Event driven, REST, Microservices, Reactive manifesto…
• Agile coaching: Scrum, XP, Kanban, Lean
• Data tech: RDBMS (SQL), Kafka, Datomic, Elasticsearch, Memcache, MongoDB, HBase, Storm, Hadoop…
• K8s, Docker, CircleCI, Drone.io, Jenkins…
• Functional Programming and design
• Pair/MOB programming
• OOP
• BDD, TDD

• Co-founder & organiser of Build IT Right Software Development conference (2019 - current)
• MC of Clojure eXchange conference (2016-17) & on the programme committee from 2016-2018.
• Co-organiser of meetup events for London Clojurians from 2016-18.
• Organiser of Clojure Bridge diversity events 2016-17
• Talks at London Clojurians, FP North East, Def Shef, Midlands Java User Group & Build IT Right
• Guest lecturer at Sunderland University

I write on various matters related to software development, architecture and agile coaching.

• A lot of my posts can be found on the DevCycle blog page.
• I am also on the guest writer program for CircleCI
• Some of my older posts can be found on the Wordpress site.

Sunderland University

BA(Hons), Data Processing

1984-1988

Sunderland, UK

B.A.(Hons) in Data Processing from the University of Sunderland.

Online courses since:

• 2016 - Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne (via Coursera)
  • Functional Programming Principles & Design in Scala
• 2015 - Stanford University (via Coursera) - Machine Learning (MOOC)
• 2014 - University of Helsinki - Functional programming with Clojure (MOOC)
• 2001 - Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP)