The Condatis team has gotten some new faces since our last ‘Meet the Team’, and we’re still growing, so what better time to kickstart the series back up! We’re back and sitting down with our IAM lead- Mike Lynch for a quickfire Q&A!
So Mike, tell us a bit about yourself…
Can you introduce yourself and share your role at the company?
Hi, I’m Mike Lynch and one of the IAM Leads here at Condatis, focusing on the Financial & Professional Services vertical. I work alongside the other sales leads creating opportunities, turning them into deals and collaborating with the wider teams within Condatis to try to turn them into viable clients.
Outside of work, what do you like to do in your spare time to unwind?
Outside of work used to be a balance between supporting my children’s activities and trying to do my own, but my youngest has now left for university so an empty nest frees up time for my activities!
I’ve always been drawn to the outdoors and over the past decade or so, I’ve been pretty active as a competitive hill racer, triathlete, ultramarathoner and cyclocross rider. It’s fair to say though, that recently my activity level is more on a ‘for pleasure’ footing, with the odd competitive event thrown in.
Aside from that I enjoy reading, movies and seeing my daughter perform in roles as a professional ballet dancer.
What’s your go-to productivity hack?
AI-generated Teams call transcripts. If anything gives me a short-cut in the current working environment, it’s that.
What emerging technologies or trends in digital identity are you most excited about?
Decentralized identity offers exciting potential for Condatis within the context of the financial services vertical.
The opportunity for financial services brands through open banking will give consumers greater choice through new services using data which has historically been held in financial silos. Using SSI capabilities, which store verifiable identity, biometric or other data within user held secure digital wallets, offers a new level of access, openness and opportunity which aligns with the principles of open banking.
What’s one key thing businesses often overlook about digital identity solutions?
Viewing them as identity problems, whereas they are organisational challenges that happen to align to identity-based technology. In reality, identity conversations come out of organisational changes such as improving security posture, mergers and acquisitions, improving staff and customer onboarding, ESG improvements and a host of other pinch points that aren’t labelled ‘identity.’ As a consultancy if we can get senior buyers and influencers talking about these business challenges, then we have a wide scope to go after.
How do you think Condatis is different from other places you’ve worked?
The working culture is very collaborative and supportive. You really get close to the technical delivery professionals (and the executive management team) here at Condatis, and there is a genuine sense that we’re all in this together, trying to grow the business to be bigger and better than it already is!
How would you describe life as part of the Condatis team in 3 words?
Busy, interesting, and collaborative.
What’s one lesson you’ve learned that you wish you could tell your younger self?
Don’t allow yourself to get typecast, career-wise. Always believe you have the capability to do something that’s a leap from what you’ve done before, even if you’re advised otherwise. A new product or service is just a new learn, the inherent skills you have are valuable and transferable.
What’s the last book or podcast you enjoyed?
Book: Yellowface by RF Kuang. Podcast: The Rest is History Series by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook.
Now for an important one…go-to coffee spot in Edinburgh?
When working from home, it’s A Pinch of Salt in Edinburgh’s Morningside, a former police box serving the best brew. If in Edinburgh centre, then Burr & Co, attached to the InterContinental The George. A great meeting spot.