Thomas White, Accenture UKI Software Engineering Lead
DevOps is a methodology that aims to streamline work throughout the software development lifecycle, facilitating faster, more efficient and secure delivery of business value to an organisation's end customers.
Computing's DevOps Excellence Awards showcase outstanding achievements from organisations, personalities and solutions that have successfully applied DevOps methodologies.
This year's winners will be announced at a live awards ceremony this evening.
One of the finalists is Accenture, which has reached the shortlist for not just one or two, but four categories: Best Use of Microservices/Containers; DevOps Project of the Year; Best DevOps Consulting Firm; and Best DevOps Team.
We talked to Thomas White, Accenture UKI Software Engineering Lead, to find out what makes his company different from other technology companies, and what the firm is working on this year.
"I lead Accenture's UK/I software engineering business - in partnership with recent acquisition Infinity Works, home to around 900 engineers focused on building digital, cloud native and data centric applications across all industries," he says.
"The core focus of our team is full stack engineering, DevOps, quality engineering and delivery at scale - operating in cross functional teams in close partnership with customers. I have various other responsibilities including launching new region/office, driving a strategic UK level people campaign, sponsoring newly formed software businesses and leading Accenture's relationship with a charity partner.
"With a keen interest in continuous delivery, I remain hands on and enjoy being immersed in all aspects of modern engineering. I am deeply invested in my team and clients' success, proud of the work we do and passionate about driving business transformation through new technologies."
Computing: Please provide some background on your company for our readers.
Thomas White: Accenture is a Fortune Global 500 professional services company, home to over 700,000 employees across the world, working with more than three-quarters of the Fortune Global 500 firms and 9,000 clients across over 120 countries. Accenture's commitment to our people, and to accelerating equality for all, has never been more relevant than it is today, and our stance against racism and empowering disability inclusion make us one of the World's Best Workplaces in a number of geographies.
We are working to build a future of shared success and focus on sustainability, committing to playing a leading role in the change to a low-carbon economy and using our global capabilities and experience to improve the lives of people across the world.
What makes you different from other technology companies?
TW: Our organisation is driven by the incredible talent of our people, working together across the world to deliver innovations at scale and deliver the promise of technology and human ingenuity. Attracting, inspiring, and retaining the best people is what allows us to create 360o value looking at financial performance, talent, sustainability, inclusion & diversity goals and the ability to create meaningful experiences for its customers, employees and communities. This helps our business continuously improve upon the expertise we can offer to our clients and support positive, long-lasting change throughout their journeys.
What one company achievement in the last 12 months are you most proud of?
TW: Last year we helped build donation-genie, where you can see exactly what your local foodbank needs to best support its community, its users and therefore reduce waste and what they need to buy in addition to usual donations. This was released in time for Christmas and is the fantastic work of Accenture's "Tech for Good" team. The idea was also selected as a finalist in an Accenture innovation award contest. While this isn't the end of the journey, it is a timely step in the right direction to help foodbanks get the donations they really need.
What are you working on this year?
TW: We continue to focus on sustainability for ourselves and our clients. The information and communications technology sector is expected to increase its growth in terms of global carbon emissions over the coming decades.
At Accenture we are working with our partners and clients to evolve software engineering and embed sustainability by design, using DevOps as a key enabler in the journey from conventional to sustainable IT systems with efficient and reusable green SDLC practices.
Why are events like the DevOps Excellence Awards important to the IT industry?
TW: Achieving results and making sure you are at the forefront is helped immensely by comparing yourself to what is best in class. At Accenture, we participate and win awards across the industry regularly and I'm pleased to say the DevOps Excellence Awards have been one of the key ones for us.
Being able to compete with the best that the industry has to offer is an invaluable opportunity to look inward. When we do win, it's also a celebration of our joint success with our clients, a rewarding experience for our people and an opportunity to keep doing the best for technology industry with our clients.
The DevOps Excellence Awards will take place on 14th March in London. Click here to view the shortlist.
