Change & Transformation: Q&A with Nick Howell and Rebecca Winchester
How have your first 10 weeks been and why did you choose Avyse?
Nick (N): I’ve previously worked with Avyse teams for a number of years, so I know the high standards they work to and how their teams seamlessly work alongside clients. I’ve enjoyed meeting all my colleagues and getting up to speed with the great engagements we have. I haven’t written tender submissions for over 10 years so that took a while to get back into the swing of!
Rebecca (R): Wow, 10 weeks has flown by! It has been a huge change for me, particularly because it is a change of sector. I cannot possibly quantify the amount of new information I have attempted to absorb; let alone the number of acronyms I have written down! Working in different industries can be terrifying but I am grateful that Avyse could see beyond tick boxes and saw value in the potential of me joining the team. Now, I am looking forward to getting stuck into supporting our teams and clients.
What experience from previous roles will help you here at Avyse?
N: I’ve worked in the financial services sector all my life and have dealt with many of the issues that our clients seek our help on and can relate to the position they are in. I’ve delivered different types of projects to achieve a range of objectives, so can tailor our approach to what the clients need.
R: Having spent the last 10 years working in a prestigious luxury retailer I am used to fast-paced delivery across multiple projects at different stages. I can bring to life a different stance on the ‘how’, to deliver projects with a wealth of experience in supporting and leading internal teams to successfully implement their change requirements.
How does the Change and Transformation (C&T) team support clients?
N: We have two straightforward offerings:
We support clients directly with regulatory change – this is generally providing a team that is embedded into a current project team or we provide the complete team to work with a project sponsor.
We can support projects that are led by our Avyse colleagues by providing resources to ensure the project is delivered on time and within client budget specified.
In the last few months we have spoken to clients who have a range of needs from a few hours a week to a full 12 month secondment, so we can be flexible with our solutions.
R: Having a third party involved in your project means you get a neutral external view on the overall deliverable with a clear scope, realistically defined milestones, owners and tasks, that underpin successful project delivery. Our experience of working with multiple clients and sectors means we see many ways that firms approach project delivery, and we are well placed to share best practices that maximise the chances of success.
What’s the best advice or learning you’ve had about managing projects?
N: A successful Project Manager needs to be flexible, resilient and proactive.
R: There’s nothing more important than making sure you are asking the right questions to the right people.
What does the rest of the year look like for the C&T team?
N: Supporting colleagues on projects is our ‘bread and butter’ so we’ll continue to do that and focus on continuous improvement to make processes run as well as they can do. The number of conversations we are having with clients regarding AI, Big Data and Machine Learning is growing every month so I fully expect that to dominate 2025 and beyond.
R: The rest of the year looks fun, if mass organisation is your kind of fun, I will be getting myself quickly up to speed to support the successful delivery of both internal and external projects. I’m excited to build out my network and bring an alternative view to project delivery that helps disrupt the norm and ultimately support the wider industry with their transformation projects.
And lastly… with Easter next month and supermarket shelves stocking up with treats, would you rather be indulging in a chocolate egg or a hot cross bun?
N: Definitely a hot cross bun. I know I'm supposed to be an advocate for change, but I've always loved traditional hot cross buns (toasted or cold) and I’m not a fan of the new flavours: don't mess with a classic!
R: I’d love to think I could resist the chocolate egg but knowing me I would probably start with the hot cross bun and end with the egg. As with any project the scope is likely to creep and I like to do it all.