Welcome to the IT Pro Panel Profile, where we talk to the CIOs, experts and IT leaders that make up the IT Pro Panel, and discover their top tech, pet peeves and IT inspirations.
In organisations that don’t have a specific focus on technology, IT teams are often left to manage large deployments with a relatively small number of staff. Celtic Manor, for example, is a Welsh resort chain which includes four hotels, a convention centre and a 2,000-acre ground which has played host to events such as the Wales Open, the 2010 Ryder Cup and a NATO summit in 2014 - yet the IT staff consists of just eight people.
Chris Stanley, IT manager for Celtic Manor, is the man in charge of running this team, and the small headcount means he has to be creative in his approach to solving problems, making full use of labour-saving mechanics like automation and remote administration.
With the launch of a new international conference centre on the way, Chris will soon have even more on his plate, but he’s well-prepared to cope with the challenge.
Chris Stanley
IT Manager - Celtic Manor Resort
Describe your role in 20 words or fewer.
I’m the IT manager for Celtic Manor Resort, Hotels and Conference Centres in Wales, driving the business IT strategy.
What was your first computer?
My first computer was the Sinclair ZX Spectrum +3 - the one with the built-in floppy drive.
What do you like most about working in IT?
The variety of technology and the constant variation; its the root of all business!
If you could magically get rid of one piece of technology forever, what would it be, and why?
I’d bin fax technology. What’s the point in having it anymore?!
What future tech innovations are you most excited about?
I see Machine learning helping us and many other businesses on an unprecedented level, the ability for Technologies like CCTV being able to recognise people and their habits can help us tailor experiences and offer them services that they actually have a legitimate interest in.
Who’s your biggest inspiration in the world of tech?
Steve Jobs was and still is an inspiration to many; his tactic of hiring staff that don’t need to be told what to do is something I always do! Why employ someone who needs to be told what to do - I would have to think twice as much as I already do then!
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