Chief Technology Officers are the driving force behind these firms’ technical prowess. CTOs are usually hidden behind the scenes, doing the grunt work of bringing new ideas to market. Tim Conroy, Chief Technology Officer of Experian, is one of many brilliant CTOs whose effect on technology is immense but who don’t post on Twitter or LinkedIn very frequently. Consumers, businesses, and society benefit from the company’s ability to harness the power of data.

At Experian, Tim’s major duty is to establish, encourage, and inspire a team of talented employees to work together seamlessly to produce better customer outcomes.

Outside of people, his high-level duties include setting the direction for technology and delivery, as well as complete accountability for the technology vision’s delivery. Another of his responsibilities is to bring the vision of a 300+ FTE technology and delivery organization to life, which comprises a diverse group of technologists and delivery resources spread across several locations, and to provide guidance and inspiration in a high-performing environment.

Experian

Experian is a worldwide company with 20,000 employees spread across 44 countries, 94 nationalities, and five generations. Its purpose is to use data to create possibilities for individuals, businesses, and society.

Through its core products, social innovation, and community investment programs, Experian’s objective is to enhance financial wellness for everyone. Experian responsibly harnesses data to improve businesses, help communities grow, and empower people to thrive by investing in its people, technology, and innovation.

The Story of Being “Fortunate” and “Resilient”

Tim’s story may possibly be summarized in two words: “fortunate” and “resilient.” He was placed in care from the moment he was born until he was 9 months old, when he was adopted by his mother and father.

Mixed race adoptions were not common in 1972, but Tim’s parents obviously didn’t care for the usual, and he became a Conroy. He asserts, “Their selfless actions, which sadly met with much discrimination, to the extent that we moved houses as frequently as some would change their cars.”

Mum, Dad, and their two biological boys, as well as Tim, settled in Glossop, a tiny town in Derbyshire. It had its ups and downs, but those experiences shaped who Tim is now, who he hopes is regarded as someone who is just like everyone else, striving to achieve the best they can while considering everyone as equal.

Tim Conroy had an unusual path into IT, spending seven years studying Civil Engineering in Sheffield before working as a graduate software developer for the UK’s largest postal and delivery firm, specializing in Cobol, CICS, and DB2.

He explained to his parents that it was a deliberate decision, and the parallels between building and IT were obvious: both involve the creation of things. He really wanted to play football for a local team, so that was the real reason. He spent a few years coding before realizing he wasn’t particularly good at it, but he was informed by a few coworkers that he had a natural ability to establish a collaborative atmosphere. He was able to trade places with the team leader who wanted to return to the technical side of things, and his passion for leading tech teams began.

Analytics and Smart Decisioning Solutions

Experian’s Decision Analytics division includes decisioning software, identity and fraud management, and analytics, all of which assist its clients in supporting new and existing end customers. From the economic environment to business processes and competitive challenges, the overall market is complex.

Tim shares, “We help to build and protect trusted relationships with consumers and businesses, while minimizing fraud losses. We help to assess risk and help our clients securely enter new markets whilst confidently meeting ongoing regulatory and compliance requirements.”

Using its array of tools and the experience of its employees who live and breathe this day in and day out, the decision analytics team helps convert complicated circumstances into confident conclusions.

A Celebrated CTO

Tim won CTO of the Year at the 2021 Digital Technology Leaders Awards, which is probably his proudest achievement. He asserts, “Success is driven by those you surround yourself with, and I have focused on building a team and organizational structure that creates a competitive but supportive network.”

He further adds, “Like any award picked up by an individual, the most important thing to note is that it’s industry recognition not just of me but for the outcomes the great team we have not only within the DA Technology Office but also Product, other Business Units, and our colleagues in EITS, have delivered.”

Obsession with the Word “Failure”

People, according to Tim, are obsessed with the term “failure.” Can’t we instead say, “What opportunities have you had to do things better?” But, in the spirit of failure, he’s had a lot of them, including crashing the development mainframe with some wasteful coding, missing end-of-year figures, and being late on deliveries – none of which has kept me back. Tim merely sees these encounters as opportunities to learn and improve.

As Tim states, in terms of challenges, being candid and work are work. He says, “It’s there to test you, and if it doesn’t, I’d suggest you probably haven’t found your true calling. If you simply don’t feel like you are achieving something, again, keep searching as we spend way too much time at work not to enjoy it.” With regards to how he overcomes challenges, there are a few things he shares:

1. Keep a positive mindset
2. Take time to absorb the scenario we are working through
3. Most importantly, know when to ask for help. Tim says, “I also surround myself with an incredible team that has complementary skills to deal with all we face into.”

Success for Tim

Success for Tim is best measured through engagement. He shares, “How does the organization that you are fortunate to run actually engage, do they feel part of something special, are they emotionally inclusive with ambition to succeed?”  

He also mentions that if you have a highly engaged workforce that buys into the culture that your company and you believe in, it’s amazing how the rest is actually easier to solve. “You create an operating rhythm where everything is achievable,” explains Tim.

While speaking about business success, Tim points out that, in terms of pure business success, it’s all about delivering on our business objectives, obsessing about the customer experience, and delivering on time.

Tech Advice for the Next Generation; “Be you”

Because of the rapid pace of technological progress and the worldwide reach that social media platforms provide, there has never been a better moment to be a tech leader, so surround yourself with brilliant people, work hard, and seize the chance with both hands.

In a world where the IT sector is expanding, it’s critical that one’s leadership style distinguishes them from the crowd. Tim says, “Be passionate about what you do, be driven to succeed, believe in your cause, and don’t take any knockbacks personally.”

He tells young techies that things don’t always go as planned, but that it doesn’t matter since they can bounce back. He goes on to say that if you can do this, you have a good chance of becoming one of the industry’s distinctive and real leaders.

Broader Initiatives within Experian

Tim says he wants to give back in the future. He considers himself lucky in that he gets to do what he loves every day, which is working with individuals who continue to push the status quo and, as a result, produce defining results.

Tim is motivated by a great desire to promote and advance a variety of bigger Experian initiatives:

• Investing in the new age via endorsement and recruitment of graduates

• Continuing to support Twenty Women in Experian, a program that recognizes the brilliance of our female colleagues

• Global representation on DEI In 2021, Experian launched our first global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion report to increase transparency around our progress and goals. I would like to see that become an industry standard, certainly for the largest players in the market.

Leader’s Perspective

How important is it to have a mentor to grow as a leader?

Personally, I have benefitted hugely from different mentors throughout my career and they have helped shape me to become the leader I am today and aim to be tomorrow. However, everyone must go on their own journey, deciding what type of mentor they need and at what various points during their career. There isn’t one size that fits all. I’d also say creating a strong network is also crucial.

What is the best way to build a great team?

Focus on an organization structure that creates a competitive but supportive network whose sum of the parts allows success whilst also ensuring that you reflect. It’s not a weakness to recognize that you’ve made a mistake – we all do it. The weakness comes when you aren’t correcting.

Make sure you bring your team on the journey with a leadership style that is authentic and transparent, obsessive about goal alignment and emotional connection. Make sure you drive collaboration regardless of job title.

What does “performance culture” mean to you?

Performance culture, to me, is about creating an environment where everyone strives to achieve high performance — that being a stretching set of goals that help to move the business and individuals forward.

“Performance Culture” is all about setting a high benchmark and obsessing about delivering to the highest of standards. A true performance culture is one where everybody works together to be the best they can be.

Website: www.experian.com