Profile

I use a combination of a keen interest and extensive experience in communications

technology with an open, friendly demeanor to quickly build an effective client

rapport, understand requirements both business & technical, demonstrate how those

goals can be achieved through IT solutions and present these solutions back to the

client in a clear, understandable format.

Skills

IT Solutions development for Networks, Security, Hosting & IP Telephony;

Requirements capure; Proposal generation; Customer presentation & discussion;

Technical documentation; Communicating technical concepts to diverse audiences;

Understanding strategic as well as tactical objectives from CxO to line manager;

Working both individually as well as part of a wider Bid and/or Project Team.

Experience

Product Manager, Fortinet – June 2016- January 2017

• Accountable for FortiMail Cloud – An IaaS implementation of an award winning

centralised, hosted email security platform.

• Drive application & process development, as well as cultural change within a

major vendor as it transitions into a Service Provider role.

• Product growth under ownership of >250%. ($178K to $457K)

• Develop & maintain Product Roadmap and align with general FortiMail appliance

team.

• Undertake competitor research to establish capabilities & weaknesses.

• Develop supporting documentation for internal Sales & Technical organizations to

improve internal Product awareness.

• Develop Cost to Serve Model with Finance to demonstrate ‘real’ TCO vs. Revenue.

Solutions Architect, Claranet UK — August, 2011 – May 2016

• Provide solution ownership and guidance during the sales process by identifying

customer requirements and applying them to value based propositions.

• Take a lead role in client meetings to establish key metrics and propose appropriate

solutions.

• Confidently articulate solution components and benefits to a diverse range of

audiences.

• Accountable for overall solution passed to Implementation teams.

• Demonstrate leadership as part of Bid, Project and Implementation teams as

appropriate to ensure work streams continue in a timely & productive manner.

0787 553 4347

d_knowles001@hotmail.com

3 Brambling Close

Audenshaw

Manchester

M34 5QZ

DAVID KNOWLES

• Work with Product Management as appropriate to develop gaps in the portfolio,

and provide technical skills in identifying new solutions.

• Managed improvement projects and activities.

Required Technology Competencies:

• IP (Switching & Routing, MPLS, QOS)

• Information Security (Firewalling, UTM, Content Inspection, IDS/IPS, Design best

practice, Regulatory compliance)

• Hosting (Physical & Virtual Environments, VMWare, SAN, Microsoft

Technologies, Active Directory, Email, SQL)

• Telephony (POTS, ISDN, SIP, IPPBX, Centrex)

Presales Technical Consultant, Zen Internet Limited — January 2004 - August 2011

• Provide Network & Security solutions (Cisco, WatchGuard & Fortinet

technologies) to a broad variety of customers.

• Act as Technical representative in customer meetings, owning accountability for

the solution meeting customer requirements and being deliverable by the business.

• Produce technical proposal to address customer requirements, including hardware,

software & networking components, service planning and definition, as well as any

necessary technical diagrams.

• Create and maintain internal design for configuration documentation.

• Provide technical support to Product Management teams to ensure the quality and

accuracy of product information being provided to Sales team is of the highest

possible standard.

• Undertake technical development where required to expand the Product portfolio

• Moved into Senior role in April 2010, providing mentorship role to a team of

Presales Technical Consultants, supporting their tasks, focusing on Top 10

Customer accounts, and representing team to Senior Management.

Implementation Engineer, Zen Internet Limited - March 2003 - January 2004

• Implementing customer network & security solutions according to network

designs, documenting changes for Support & noting exceptions.

• Providing 3rd

Line Support capabilities and mentoring to Support teams when

required.

Technical Support Engineer, NTL, November 2002 – March 2003

Technical Support Engineer, Synetico, Australia – March 2002 - August 2002

Education

• VMWare Technical Sales Professional (VTSP)

• ITIL v4 - Practitioner Level

• Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA)

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

• Fortinet Certified Network Security Professional (FCNSP)

• WatchGuard Certified System Professional (WCSP)

• Dell Certified Systems Engineer (DCSE)

• Institute of TAFE Queensland – IT Networking

• Urmston Grammar School, Manchester, - 8GCSEs, Grade C and above

Other interests

Board games; Football; Cocktail making.

References

Available on request.