I am an Independent Technology Adviser based in Dubai, with 30 years of technology experience, including 12 years as an IT Director and 20 years in financial services.
I spent 20 years at Killik & Co, an FCA-regulated wealth management firm operating across 11 UK locations. I joined as a support analyst and progressed through infrastructure and service delivery roles to IT Director, formerly Head of IT, with board accountability for technology strategy, cybersecurity, and operational resilience.
That progression matters more than the title. I have worked at infrastructure level, overseen a managed SOC, negotiated major supplier contracts and explained technology and cyber risk in the boardroom under regulatory scrutiny. That experience informs my independent judgement: assessing options, understanding commercial and operational trade-offs, and clarifying who is accountable.
Across those roles, I led an infrastructure and SD-WAN overhaul that reduced critical downtime by 70 percent, oversaw a managed SOC and a multi-factor authentication rollout, and co-authored the firm's first AI acceptable use policy and governance framework.
I relocated permanently to Dubai in 2026 and hold an IFZA consultancy licence. Through Daniel Young Advisory, I provide independent technology advice to business owners and leadership teams across sectors. My previous employment provides the experience behind this practice; the achievements described here were delivered at Killik & Co.
Credentials
- 20 years, Killik & Co - London wealth management, FCA-regulated
- IT Director, formerly Head of IT, from 2014, with board accountability
- IFZA consultancy licence, UAE
- Member, ISACA
- Professional Member, BCS (MBCS)
- BSc (Hons), Kingston University
- Operational resilience programme design and delivery
- AI governance framework - inaugural policy at a regulated firm
- SOC oversight and incident response management