The Great Job Title Debate

I posted a few things on LinkedIn recently about job titles. The discussion was lively — as it always is — and the general vibe was something along the lines of “titles don’t define what you do, they’re just the label on the drawer.” A drawer full of skills, experiences, weird technical rabbit holes at midnight, blog posts, conference talks, and approximately one thousand cups of tea remains the same drawer regardless of what’s written on the front.

The drawer with cutlery in it is still the same drawer whether it’s labelled “knives and forks” or “kitchen tools.”

Well. My drawer has a shiny new label.

I’m the Chief Data Officer at Zure UK

I am genuinely, ridiculously excited to announce that I’ve joined Zure UK as Chief Data Officer. I announced it on LinkedIn in my own special way with a beard unveiling :-)

Go on, I’ll say it again. Chief Data Officer. I keep saying it to Traci S L and she keeps smiling politely while I grin like an idiot. She’s very patient.

So, What Is Zure?

If you haven’t come across Zure before, let me introduce you. They are a Microsoft Azure-focused digital services company — exclusively Azure, no hedging, no “well we also do a bit of AWS” — with stupendously clever folk based in Finland, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and now growing here in the UK. They have several Microsoft RDs and MVPs on staff (I like these people already), an incredible community culture, and a philosophy I find genuinely refreshing: “Roar at Challenge.”

The about page talks about facing challenges without fear, learning from failures openly, and shared responsibility with individual impact. If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you’ll know that resonates deeply with me. I’ve been banging on about sharing failures as a community for years. These are my kind of people.

And crucially, data and analytics is a core service area for them — AI, development, data, integration, cybersecurity, DevOps — all built on the Azure platform. So there’s a lot of opportunity to do genuinely exciting things and all of it is right in my wheelhouse.

What Am I Actually Going to Be Doing?

Two big things, and I’m excited about both of them in very different ways.

First: building a data practice for Zure UK.

This is the thing that makes me want to bounce around the room. I get to help shape what the data team looks like — the people, the practices, the culture, the way we approach client problems. I’ve spent years talking about data platforms, Microsoft Fabric, automation, testing, and all the rest of it. Now I get to build something from the ground up that embodies those values. No legacy “but we’ve always done it this way” baggage. Just a blank page and an opportunity to do it properly alongside an excellent team based around Europe.

If that sounds like something you’d want to be part of — get in touch. You can book a no-obligation chat with me through this link and we can talk about what we’re building, where we’re going, and whether you might want to be part of it.

Or you can just find me on LinkedIn or Bluesky and send me a message there.

Here is a link to the Zure careers page where you can see the roles we’re hiring for.

Second: talking to new clients.

I love this part too, even though my imposter syndrome is already clearing its throat in the corner. I enjoy the conversations. I enjoy understanding what organisations are trying to achieve with their data, where things have gone sideways for them, and thinking through how we could help. It’s the kind of work that keeps you sharp because every client situation is different.

If you’re looking at your data platform and wondering how to make it actually work for your organisation, how to integrate AI and analytics to your processes — or if you’re thinking about Microsoft Fabric and want to understand what it can mean for you and your company — I’d genuinely love to have that conversation. You can find me on LinkedIn or Bluesky, or just turn up at a conference and tap me on the shoulder.

Same Drawer, New Label

So yes. The label has changed. But the drawer is the same one — full of the same passion for data, the same community values, the same commitment to sharing what I learn (including the bits that go wrong, which as regular readers know, there are plenty of), and the same terrible jokes.

I’m proud. I’m excited. And I’m very much looking forward to what comes next.

Here’s to new chapters. 🥂

If you want to know more about Zure, have a look at zure.com — and particularly the community and careers pages if you want to see the kind of company they are. I think you’ll like what you find.