Biography: John Baker

John has more than twenty years' experience in the software industry. He joined Oninit in 2006 from Star Technology Consulting, then a supplier, bringing experience of working as an IBM business partner from his time at Apex Computers. He also had deep experience in the Informix marketplace having previously spent five years working at Informix before and after its billion-dollar acquisition by IBM. He started out as a sales engineer in 1998 and moved through the telecom solutions team and Java development practice, eventually managing many of IBM’s major OEM accounts. He also became a principal technical lead focused on emerging technologies, and was able to bring more than 10 years' practical software development experience from industries including banking, telecoms and retail.

John gained a degree in mathematics, computer science and economics from Dundee University, and came away fascinated by the potential for software to solve complex problems. This was intensified by his experience of working in the dynamic and booming software industry in Palo Alto during the 1990s. The potential of Informix itself continues to inspire him and today his interest is focused on how emerging smart technologies can blend with existing platforms such as Informix to reveal powerful new views of the world.

John is an avid sportsman, and once wanted to play professional cricket. Today he is most likely to spend his weekends on the golf course or, whenever possible, a pair of skis or surfboard.