Robert Hitchcox - Technology
Where are they now?

• What's changed since we filmed you last?
• What's been the biggest highlight so far?
• What has been the most challenging part so far?
• What business area and type of work are you working on now?
• What have you learnt the most by being on the graduate programme?
• Are you where you thought you'd be?
• What's next?
• Is there any advice you can offer to someone thinking of joining Barclays?

What’s changed since we filmed you last?

The technology organisation itself has changed a reasonable amount - there’s a lot more of a global take on things now. The teams in India and Singapore have really grown, we’ve done a lot of off shoring and we’re working with them far more closely now. The efficiency of our internal processes has also been improved which helps us take on a wider business strategy when we’re looking at delivering new projects. For me personally, these changes have involved a move from the Central Architectural Strategy group to the Barclaycard Technology office. I now look at specific project delivery at a boxes and wires type level rather than the higher enterprise view.

What’s been the biggest highlight so far?

One of my first projects was to go to Absa in South Africa, and take a look at the card division over there and try and devise a target architecture for them. They needed a bit of direction, so I went over and met with the IT teams and created a map of how the systems look at the moment, then developed costs and timelines of how they should look like once all the strategic products were in place. As well as learning about the technology, it was a good opportunity to spend time with some senior stakeholders. I went with the Head of Technology for Barclaycard and the Chief Operating Officer for Barclaycard Business and gained a lot from the whole experience. Flying Business class was very cool as well. It was the first time I’ve done that.

What has been the most challenging part so far?

I think the biggest challenge I’ve faced to date was also the biggest highlight. It was when I went to South Africa. I had to build a picture of the current architecture within the card division and then try and define what strategic products they should be moving to. I suddenly found myself being asked questions from the business which I didn’t necessarily know the answer to at first, so it was a case of remaining calm and explaining my findings in a clear and concise manner and helping them to plan for budgets for the upcoming years for IT.

What business area and type of work are you working on now?

I now work within the Barclaycard International division of the Barclaycard Technology office as a Solutions Architect. On a day-to-day basis, this involves talking to business stakeholders and developing requirements for upcoming projects and ensuring they consider all the technology aspects of what they are doing.

What have you learnt the most by being on the graduate programme?

There were two main advantages of being on the graduate scheme.  The first one was I got to see all areas of IT within Barclays and how IT operates within a large organisation.  This helped to narrow down what sort of role I wanted to get into. On top of that, I’ve built a big network of contacts at all levels from senior executives to system administrators and still talk to them all on a regular basis. Sometimes for career advice or a general project issue or sometimes just for lunch or a beer after work. Overall then, I think the graduate scheme has given me a clear picture of where I want to be, what I want to do and the role I want to get into. It also showed me there are lots of opportunities within the bank and there are always new challenges to be faced.

Are you where you thought you’d be?

To be honest, when I joined Barclays I didn’t know exactly where I wanted to be. That was one of the main drivers behind joining the graduate scheme. I wanted to look around all the different departments and find a role that I was into. I’ve certainly achieved what I wanted to achieve and I’ve found a role that I enjoy and gives me fresh challenges. So whilst I wouldn’t say I’m where I thought I’d be, I’m certainly where I want to be.

What’s next?

I have a reasonably clear picture of the type of job I want to do, but I’ll happily admit that I don’t have a specific role in mind for the next few years. I like the idea of becoming a lead architect for a major project or integration project. I also like the idea of moving towards the business a bit more. Whether that be via a technology partner role or actually moving away from technology into the business altogether, we shall see. I could also take a career break which is something Barclays are very supportive of.

Is there any advice you can offer to someone thinking of joining Barclays?

Since I last spoke to you, I’ve done so much. I’ve moved around a lot and found there are a lot more roles available. If there was one bit of advice I could give it’s to not be scared to try something new and always keep an eye out for new opportunities. Don’t be scared and think that your manager is going to come down on you like a ton of bricks just because you’re looking to move elsewhere. They will be generally quite supportive in finding you a new role and helping you get to where you want to be.