Meeting Graham Martin, Head of IT & Security at The ai Corporation
Tell us about your journey with ai and what led you to choose this area of work?
I started working with ai just over 7 years ago as a Technical Deployment Consultant, working mainly on deploying licensed software into customer environments. I joined the company to progress my career, for a change, and for the opportunity to travel. Of course, global events had other ideas!
How has your role changed over the years at ai?
As we've evolved from a licensed software provider to a SaaS provider, my role has changed with it, taking charge of multiple teams along the way, including DevOps, Security, and IT Infrastructure. The teams continue to evolve as we move towards a DevSecOps model, and my four teams, which initially started as very separate units, are working closer and closer together.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Every day brings something new. I’ll have standups with my teams, but after that, anything goes. From multi-day security audits, planning and designing new application builds and installations, to supporting critical incidents should they occur.
What is your team like?
I work with various teams within The ai Corporation, ranging from the Senior Leadership Team to individual project teams. It's crucial that all virtual teams collaborate effectively. In my four main teams, I've been incredibly fortunate with both the people and the stability, which have provided strong foundations for our development."
How do you ensure you keep your training and knowledge up to date?
Working in the Cloud and especially within Cybersecurity, everything is evolving at such a fast pace. Therefore, it’s critical to stay on top of trends and new functionality, as it’s a continuous learning journey. From monitoring the latest security feeds, attending webinars and conferences, to using our training tools like Pluralsight.
What’s the best part about your job?
My favourite part of my job is helping to develop innovative and secure solutions and witnessing their successful launch.
What’s your proudest moment at ai so far?
Achieving PCI DSS v4.0.1 compliance for both our aiRiskNet® and aiEazyFuel® platforms. We are one of the first to host such key platforms fully in the Cloud, and meeting the new PCI criteria was a major milestone.
How would you describe ai in 3 words?
Innovative, Team-oriented, Secure
What do you enjoy most about working for ai?
The most enjoyable aspect of working with ai is the opportunity to collaborate with a talented and dedicated team of professionals who bring diverse skills and perspectives to every project.