Dave Antrobus is a technology director who develops software and web platforms across numerous markets for growing companies. He is known for the award-winning technology products that he has developed, having co-ordinated e-commerce sites for key UK clients. Dave has directed and mentored teams spanning from software development and digital marketing projects to graphic design.
Background
Dave is a co-founder and technology director of Fresh Thinking Group, an independent capital investment organisation that adopts developmental strategies to supercharge operations for struggling businesses, start-ups, and companies looking to grow. The global investment group encourages effective collaboration within sector-specific companies to drive optimal business outcomes. With a host of technological platforms at the heart of this collaboration, Dave’s bespoke systems and unrivaled technological knowledge are invaluable to Fresh Thinking Group’s services.
At the forefront of Fresh Thinking Group’s technological enterprises, Dave builds and optimises websites and apps using Laravel, a programming framework built using the PHP language, ideal for sites that must scale and support demand; Vuejs, a front-end, progressive JavaScript framework, ideal for sites with an application-feel; and Reactjs, a JavaScript library, ideal for creating iOS and Android smartphone apps and websites. Dave also manages Amazon cloud hosting, WordPress sites, and server technologies for Fresh Thinking Group’s acquisitions.
Education
Dave earned his degree in computer science from the University of Bristol in 2008.
While at university Dave was a Non-Portfolio Officer for the Computer Sciences Society and a Computer Science Mentor for first-year students. Dave also designed posters and leaflets for Bristol NUS campaigns.
Career
- While working with The Courier Company and The Freight Company Dave built up a driven team of developers, working with agile methodologies and to 2 week-long sprints. Dave held daily Scrum Meetings, Sprint Planning Meetings, and Sprint Retrospectives to ensure that feedback was taken on board at every step of the development process, and that everyone in the team was kept up to date with progress and potential blockers.
Dave liaised with key stakeholders to understand where there were problems in the business and advised other directors on company-wide issues including investment opportunities, business strategy, and new technologies.
I mapped out and oversaw the technology transition during the acquisition phase of The Freight Company, moving a warehouse operation from an unreliable spreadsheet-based system to our own bespoke, cloud-based Laravel Warehouse Management System (WMS). Halting the loss of £300,000 a year for the warehouse and turning it around to make £120,000 profit within the first 12 months.
- As Technology Director at We Are AD, Dave restructured the existing development team and introduced a variety of methods and techniques to the business, including shifting to an approach that was much more platform-agnostic. Dave also oversaw the implementation of agile processes within the business.
- At BT Fresca, Dave was a highly valued web developer and project lead on many projects including JJB Sports, Matalan, and GetTheLabel.com.
Dave was also the co-lead the project to bring our core front end platform up to standard with new technologies and ideas.
Personality
Dave is a keen windsurfer.