Moving on

After nearly ten years at Dresdner Kleinwort, I shall be leaving the bank at
the end of this week. It’s been a wonderful time: I’ve had the opportunity
to work with many truly talented people, been given the freedom to
experiment with real innovation in technology and its application,
experienced being part of a close and resilient culture over a decade of
tumult and change. But now it’s time to move on. My thanks to all concerned.

I’ve never worked for a competitor in my life, either by accident or design.
That trend serendipitously continues, and from 1st October I am taking over
as CIO, Global Services, BT.

My best wishes to all at Dresdner Kleinwort, especially to those who have
worked with me, supported me and encouraged me. You know who you are.

58 thoughts on “Moving on”

  1. Although we have not known each other long, I believe that you are a person who the world needs to know. You think clearly and powerfully on issues of change in our world. Congratulations, good luck, and I dearly hope that this space continues with its reflection and depth.

  3. JP, all the best in your new role, I hope it will be one where you can take your visions and confusions forward. And I look forward to continuing the discussion here.

  7. As we have discussed many time, publishing this on the blog will mean that only about ten people will see it :o), thereby restricting your bar bill. Leave it to me and I will ensure that everbody gets to know. On a serious note, thanks for all the help and the fun. I would have called but I’m on BT ……

  10. Thank you for the kind words everyone. And Widow Twankey, I was not blogging my way out of a “leaving drinks”. I just thought the blog was the best way to tell people, given my views on aspects of e-mail….

    And I must admit I am tempted to use a wiki to deal with the leaving do in terms of location and rsvp etc, even if I blog the invite. Eat my own dogfood :-)

  12. Congratulations on ladnigin one of the most importqant jobs in the UK JP. I wish you all eht every best and expect you’ll do rather well. Look forward to letting us know what it is like working inside one the great British behemoths.

    I wonder if they have a blog policy and if so, what it is? If you come across Peter Cochrane – who was there some yars back – he’s one of the sharpest insightful minds it’s ever been my pleasure to hear.

  13. All the very best, JP. It’s been a pleasure working with you and listening to your views that challenge conventional wisdom.

  14. ok ok everyone, enough of the hagiography… he’s not dead yet, and don’t let all this ‘I’m not worthy claptrap’ about being confused fool you.
    And to be absolutely frank, I’m not even sure that this blog is real. I mean for all I know it could be a splog right?

    ;)

  15. :-) the blog may be a splog, but I haven’t figured out a way of ghosting the payment for the drinks…. now that would be innovative….

  16. Lurked on here for quite a while – except on CSNY – this is a daily must read for me. Had to offer my best wishes and to thank you publicly for helping me in the past. Hopefully our paths will cross again – more likely now that you are at BT. I’m still having a great time running IS at Betfair.

  17. hey buddy,
    it’s only an extension :) with perhaps more freedom to do the great things you have always wanted to do
    good luck, all the best
    dont change yourself, change your environment

    bobby

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  23. Good luck JP, I’m sure BT will be a much better place once you’ve shown them how it’s done.

  26. This is amazing news JP! You brought so much energy, innovation and leadership in your role at DK…I can only imagine what you’ll inspire at BT and beyond. Congratulations and best wishes!

  27. Pingback: Please go quicker « JP Roboswami

  28. In a victory of form over function the Robo Namedropper will spread bitterness to another company.

    Dresdner now has an excellent IT department, better now you’ve left, but it was created as a collective reaction against you rather than with you: a community frustrated from above creates hero do-ers out of bitterness.

    As a journalist and conference shmoozer you may be second to none, but as a CIO you’ve thrown literally £ millions away trying to be a VC darling where you really don’t have the technical skill. I hope BT has the sense to overview all your purchases to ensure you practice a modicum of dilligence, let alone the due dilligence that was missing from at least 5 projects at Dresdner.

    If you’re interested in personal growth bare this in mind: the questioning by others of your ideas is not a challenge, in fact it’s healthy. Bullying, threatening people’s careers or talking endless garbage until questioners fall asleep is childish and empty.

    Please please, for the sake of BT, go back to being a journalist: it’s what (and all) you’re very good at.

    This is a sad day for BT Global Services, though I suspect you’ll be protected from above by those unwilling to be found out for what a huge mistake they’ve just made. Are you sure you’re not really being paid by Deutsche Telecom?

    Good riddance, maybe now there can be some open communication at Dresdner.

  30. JP,

    Sorry to see that there are still a few eunuch bloggers floating about at DK!
    Not always au fait with what you were banging on about but I’m sure it was relevant!! One of the bonkers ones who hung around with the Park Paradigm crew, ergo a good guy !
    Good luck….F

  31. Pingback: The Park Paradigm » JP is out of “the zone”

  32. good luck JP has been great fun working with you and knowing you over these past years and hope you have as much fun at BT as you did at DrKW.

    Good Luck

    Andy

  34. Good luck JP – your leadership at DK created a slick operation on a minimal budget. I know because I had to face off against clients both from a sales and operational perspective. Maybe now my BT shares will start to pick up again….;-)

  35. Thanks for the comments everyone, I really appreciate it. Taking Sean’s point about being out of the Zone, I am reminded of a Justin Hawkins quote, where he said that the Darkness take their music very seriously, they just don’t take themselves seriously. Woe is me if I start believing too much in my own propaganda. Bouquet or brickbat.

  37. Al-Noor Ramji is still at BT I hope. He must be! He was a significant mentor of JP at Dresdner. It looks to me like Al-Noor is gaining a like minded visionary and long time fried to whor with him on a task that will be far larger than Dresdner.

    The men think in similar ways – if you doubt read this:

    http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2157961/bt-wants-google

    BT is ready to make the necessary changes in order to take on Google, according to the telco’s chief information officer.

    Al-Noor Ramji told delegates at the Gigaworld IT conference in Lisbon that BT needs to keep pace with Google, which has ” morphed” from a search engine into a business straddling the consumer technology area.

    “We see Google as our biggest threat,” said Ramji. “They don’t mean to, it’s almost incidental.”

    He acknowledged that Google comes from a “different world” but is expanding fast to meet consumers’ needs. [snip]

    Cook: fortunately for the productivity of the UK it may be a while longer before JP starts a school…..

    But heymaybe BT will start a school?

    The possibilities are huge!

  38. Pingback: Cook’s Collaborative Edge » Blog Archive » Rangaswami Joins Ramji to implement Global Tech Policy for BT

  40. Thanks Tom. Keep in touch, I don’t have your new e-mail, but I guess I can always go via your blog. Incidentally I registered NotWavingButDrowning some years ago, let me know if you want it, no charge. BTW when you get the time to have a coffee with me, I want to talk over some of Highsmith’s Agile PM methodologies, pick your brains a bit. Rgds

  44. Congrats, and my best wishes for continued success! Was great working with you, your support made all the difference!

    Jim

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  47. Best of luck JP! I’ll look forward to hearing what you get up to at BT.

    Maybe I’m too suspicious, but what a fantastic ploy it would be to set up the “JP Roboswami” site yourself. Great way to generate controversy and stimulate debate! :)

    Ah, I have a new ecommerce idea…
    Do your deeds go unchallenged? Do you lack someone to struggle against at every turn? http://www.ineedanemesis.com

  48. Thanks Ian, and thanks Jim N as well. Let me know when you are next in town, and we can catch up over a coffee or something like that. Rgds

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