IJYI is delighted to announce the arrival of our newest team member, Geoff Sanderson. As our Principal Data Engineer, Geoff brings over 25 years of IT experience to the team, along with a passion for development and engineering that will help build on our track record of growth and success.

Geoff's career journey began in a small development team, where he explored multiple areas of IT, including support and quality assurance, before also building his early engineering experience. This diverse start to his IT career played an important role in building the foundation for where he is today.

A critical point in Geoff's career came when he started working for a product company that developed a data integration tool – a new and innovative idea at the time. It was this exposure to data-centric development that helped drive his next career choices, influencing his decision to focus on development and engineering, especially in the context of data.

Building upon this, Geoff transitioned into a consultancy role, which offered a fresh perspective different from the typical product companies. His subsequent venture into a product-based company, specialising in back-end and database work for mobile technology, further consolidated his expertise in this field.

Geoff's next move was to another consultancy, this time focused on Microsoft development, where he got his first exposure to cloud technology with AWS and Azure. Using Azure, he honed his skills in building data platforms before moving specifically into AWS for data-related development. Despite his extensive experience with data, Geoff's background in software engineering, coupled with a robust understanding of the product lifecycle, remains a key asset to his toolkit.

Helping IJYI to grow

Asked about his new role at IJYI, Geoff said, “I chose IJYI for a combination of factors, including my previous experience of working with senior members of the team, including Kev Linsell and Asa Margetts. From a technology perspective, I have always enjoyed the Azure aspects of my work, and this is an area I can develop further in my role here at IJYI, and at the same time I’m also excited to explore new technologies like Snowflake and DBT.”

Looking ahead, Geoff’s vision is also to build on the data capabilities within IJYI, ensuring seamless integration with the development team. “The company has been involved in a range of innovative and interesting projects, and I’m looking forward to helping develop this important growth in the years ahead,” he said.

As IJYI's Principal Data Engineer, Geoff's responsibilities include identifying and developing  software and data-led solutions to meet the needs of the company’s diverse customer base. His primary role is to drive forward the vision of how to approach different scenarios, a task he is eager to take on.

“I was also aware of the strong workplace culture that exists within the business,” he said. “Having been here only a few weeks, it’s clear to me already that IJYI is a welcoming and supportive team with a strong work ethic that’s also backed up by a genuine interest in the wellbeing of everyone here.”

Commenting on his arrival, Kev Linsell, IJYO CEO, said: “Having worked with Geoff in the past, I am well aware of his skillset, experience and long track record of success. I’m delighted to be able to bring him into the IJYI team at a time when we are seeing increased demand across the board, and particularly for our data-led services.”

When he's not immersed in data or software engineering, Geoff indulges in his love for music and enjoys experimenting with drum machines, guitars and basses, with a particular interest in music technology.