General
Karl Connor | Biography
Written by Karl Connor
Monday, 29 November 2010 00:00
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Karl Connor is the Founder and CEO of Equestrian Ventures Limited.  An experienced independent IT Consultant and Project Manager with over 11 years experience both in the private and public sectors.  As well as providing IT services Karl has also developed and managed a successful e-commerce sports and fitness business and launched an innovative product for the Outdoor and Travel markets.

Passionate about the web and the innovations and business opportunities that it can create. Extensive experience scoping, defining and delivering IT projects in the private and public sectors including financial services, FMCG, retail, e-commerce, education, local government, central government, SME, blue chip and media organisations. 

Through running his business ventures in parallel to interim and permanent roles he has built up extensive marketing, communications and product development experience from the ground up and a proven ability to drive rapid growth through social networking and search engine marketing techniques.

Skilled at forging and maintaining relationships with stakeholders, customers, clients, suppliers and partners with the ability to create, manage and motivates teams.

2.1 BSc. IT Degree, Prince 2 Practitioner, ITIL qualifications. 11 years project management experience.

Specialties

IT Consultancy - Audit, Business Analysis, Scoping, Planning, Delivery.

Project Management – Business Change, IT Infrastructure, Web & Software.

Business start-up experience from product launch to e-commerce, social media, marketing and supply chain.

The Early Days

Having left school in 1989 Karl undertook a number of drafting positions from a Trainee Legal Executive and County Court Bailiff, to a Sales Executive for a Top Five Freight forwarding Company but he found that to be taken seriously and achieve his ambitions, he needed to return to education.  In 1996 Karl embarked on a 3 year degree at Manchester Metropolitan University and graduate in 1999 with a 2.1 BSc in Information and Communications.

Since then Karl has enjoyed a varied career working for a number of large public sector and private sector organisations delivering IT projects including, Capita, Oxfordshire County Council, The Health & Safety Executive and Computacenter.

For the last 4 years Karl has worked as an interim IT Consultant and Project Manager for Littlewoods Shop Direct, Barclays Bank, Lloyds Banking Group, Unilever and H&H Classics Limited.

Personal

Karl lives on the Wirral and is Married with two young children.  He has a keen interest in fitness and has run several marathons including London and New York.  He also enjoys motorsport, clay pigeon shooting and water sports.

If you required a copy of Karl's CV please use the contact form to request one.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 March 2011 12:01
 
Who we are
Written by Karl Connor
Monday, 29 November 2010 00:00
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Equestrian Ventures Limited is owned and managed by Karl Connor.  Karl is an IT professional with over 11 years experience across the private and public sectors in providing IT Consultancy and Project Management services.

In addition Karl has also built up and run a successful e-commerce sports and fitness business as well as launching a new innovative product for the Outdoor and Travel markets called Byoshower (www.byoshower.co.uk).
Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 March 2011 11:59
 
FAQs
Written by Karl Connor
Monday, 29 November 2010 00:00
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  • Why are you called Equestrian Ventures Limited?

     

    My family have an equestrian business and we talked at one time of moving it into this company.  I then moved further into the IT world and e-commerce and they continue in bricks and mortar retail which they have successfully done for over 20 years.

     

  • How much It experience do you have?

     

    I have in excess of 10 years experience in IT Consultancy and Project Management within the Public and Private Sectors.

     

  • Do you hold any professional qualifications?

     

    As well as a BSc degree in IT, I am also a Prince II Practitioner with a wealth of technical knowledge.

     

  • How did you get involved in manufacturing a product for the Outdoor and Travel Markets?

     

    I run marathons and half marathons etc. and when you get to the end of a race there are seldom any showers or if there are you wouldn't want to use them.  This got me thinking about what you could use to get clean when you are not near water.  My thinking progressed and I tested a number of existing products and found that you were limited to alcohol based products which dry the skin and don't provide long lasting odour prevention of any kind.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 March 2011 11:59