Darren Coomer

Established a specialist consultancy focused on contact centre and service based industry optimisation and transformation. Designing new process models, reducing service wastage and implementing bleeding edge technology and AI solutions. Combining a powerful mix of proprietary technology, IP, people, systems thinking, AI and process re-engineering to develop digital organisation twins. Improving operational efficiency by up to 50% in customer facing environments.

One of the UKs highest rated apprenticeships and commercial training providers. Built for, and with industry participation. With national U.K. wide coverage, and 3 specialist academies focused on: - - Technology, Data, Cyber & AI - Science and Engineering - Leadership, Change & Management With government published achievement rates and KPIs far surpassing the major plc training providers, The S&A Academy is a leading, Ofsted ‘GOOD’ rated apprenticeships & commercial training & education business in Technology, Data & AI, Digital, Science & Laboratory, Business & Leadership, Engineering and Sustainability. A DfE regulated, ESFA funded expert training business which already outperforms established, heavily funded players such as Multiverse & QA in key quality and learner outcome metrics. The S&A Technology Academy delivers apprenticeships in software development & software testing at L4 as well as innovative courses in ICT, data analysis, a L7 (masters degree) in AI,, cloud SRE, cyber, web3/blockchain and more. With commercial training for specialised industry’s such as media, FS and retail. The S&A Science Academy delivers apprenticeships in lab and science technicians from L3-L5. With specialised courses for employers in pharma, water treatment, healthcare, food testing, metals, polymer processing, engineering and mechatronics. In addition, delivering L7 research scientist qualifications to leading U.K. universities. The S&A Business Academy delivers a number of key programmes from apprenticeships for new L4 business analysts, digital marketing apprentices, PMO and project management staff as well as expert training in leadership and management at L3/5/7 (Inc L7 Senior Leader Qualifications). If you’re an employer struggling to recruit junior talent in Tech, Science or Business roles, or an employer looking to promote L&D, invest in your current staff and/or advance the skills in your current workplace get in touch at hello@sandaacademy.ac.uk

The S&A Group is entrusted with delivering Business and IT transformations, Digital Innovation and bespoke professional services engagements, high end, on-shore product & software development, interim executives and a broad range of resourcing , consulting and training solutions to over 100 private and public organisations across Europe and North America. As a top4 challenger consultancy we are proud of our track record replacing much bigger organisations. Delivering better outcomes, better value, more satisfied clients and more engaged and authentic consultants. Via S&A Darren has performed executive leadership roles for multiple organisations across Financial Services (including Insurance, Investment & Retail Finance, FinTech Startups), Manufacturing, Education, Rail, Pharma, Government, Health, Telco & Media.

Establishing a pioneering web3 transaction and smart contract management technology company. Designed to ‘intercept’ relevant web3 signed transactions and apply value added services before completion. Building a transaction services marketplace. Version 1 closed. Version 2… watch this space.

Managing Director at SwissRe iptiQ. An Executive role driving technology, change, operations and business growth at a global level within Swiss Re's global InsurTech businesses. With key markets across EMEA, US and APAC, IptiQ is the worlds pioneering insurtech at scale B2B2C company behind some of the most trusted and respected retail brands in the world. As part of Swiss Re, we can provide full stack insurance capabilities to large carrier corporations, distributors or non-FS bands by providing any or all of capital, technology, operations, process and of course leading innovation, deep global risk insight, reinsurance and expert know how. We ensure insurance technology becomes an enabler fit for purpose and easily adaptable. Avoid those multi-year technology transformation programmes costing multi-millions just to build the next legacy platform. As a non-consumer facing brand, IptiQ Swiss Re provide a non-competitive set of insurance capabilities which allow our Partners and Distributors to concentrate on their business and their customers, not technology and process.

Board CIO responsible for designing, building and leading the Technology, Innovation & Change organisation within Co-op. Recovering a failing £150m+ business and IT transformation programme led by IBM (ultimately leading to high court proceedings), preparing for the sale of Co-op Insurance, separating and exiting the Co-op Bank, integrating a new Co-op membership capability and resetting the regulatory risk, operations and change agendas across the whole business.

Board reporting CTO/CDO looking after General Insurance (direct and broker), life, pensions and investments inside a business going through massive transformation including large scale GI transformation, SI outsourcing deals, building new life and pensions product and systems capabilites and investing in smaller more J/V type initiatives utilising true digital channels and technologies.

Consultancy and Leadership in Strategic, Tactical and Interim Technology Management roles to CxO's and senior leaders within Sun's client organisations. Working within the City financial district delivering IT strategy, transformation programmes, enterprise architecture, technical change management and large scale transformation programmes to multiple industry's. During my 8 years as UK PS CIO/CTO/IT Director I carried out long term consultancy and IT Leadership assignments based 100% within Tier 1 client accounts. A selection of senior consultancy or transformational leadership assignments include time at UBS, Standard Chartered, Egg, Barclays Capital, Vodafone, C&W, BT, Thomson Reuters, DWP, NHS, Credit Swiss, Deutsche Bank, CitiGroup, Santander and numerous government departments. Probably many more I've forgotten about!