In this episode of The Data Migration Podcast by binary10, James and Steve take a break from the technical side of migration to host a fireside-style conversation with Danny White. With over 30 years of experience across consultancy, ERP delivery, and test management, Danny shares sneak peeks from his career journey, the challenges he faced and the lessons he’s carried forward.

The discussion highlights the importance of culture and collaboration in complex programmes, why having the right people in the right roles can make or break delivery, and how humour and trust can be as valuable as methodology in building high-performing teams.

In this episode, we cover:

• Danny’s career across insurance, consultancy, and retail IT

• Lessons from leading test and release management in large-scale ERP projects

• His first experiences working with James and Steve before binary10

• Why culture, humour, and team fit matter just as much as technical ability

• What drew him to join binary10 and how he’s found his first months here

• Thoughts on growth, teamwork, and the future of the company

EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION:

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by an AI tool that did its best, but it's never met different British accents it could fully decode. Expect a few funny mistakes. Enjoy!

[00:00] - James B

Hi there, welcome to the Binary10 podcast. My name is James Blake, I'm the CEO of Binary10.

[00:06] - Steve S

And my name is Steve Smales, and I am the Chief Operating Officer. Welcome to the series of podcasts where we'd like to talk about all things data migration related.

[00:15] - James B

And also, we'll talk about the human side of running a business, so we hope you enjoy.

Here we are again.

[00:23] - Steve S

Yeah, welcome back.

[00:24] - James B

Another podcast, I don't know what we're up to now but... no no really good fun and now this podcast again is is a little bit different a little bit of another theme we're going to do where we're going to bring a special guest star into the binary10 podcast studio so yeah really looking forward to this one and i think you know it's good i mean we'll try and uh bring in lots of different people, you know people from within binary10 you know some of our clients yeah some outside yeah and if there is anyone out there that would like to you know come along and speak about data migration or something closely related then let us know, you know we'll blow all ears for that but no let's get on to today which is our special guest star.

[01:05] - Steve S

The special guest star is Danny White. Welcome, hey, welcome happy with your makeup?

[01:13] - Danny W

You know I'm disappointed at the lack of it. I probably need it I think you do, but I will, uh okay soldier on.

[01:18] - Steve S

So just to set the sort of groundwork, then I suppose we've known each other what about 10 years, something like that, but all three of us worked together many years ago at a well-known high street retailer, which will remain unnamed. So yeah, just give us a bit of a background on yourself, Danny, and how long you've worked in IT, 80 odd years or something like that, and what you've been doing in that time.

[01:47] - Danny W

If I can remember that far back, yeah. Yes, so hello, firstly. I so 30 years I'm gonna say IT now and 10 of those knowing you two but yeah started many many years ago just uh in the city um working for insurance companies doing IT for them so I worked for a company that no longer exists that was Russian funded company which was a strange place to work as a first yeah as a first taster of city life. Worked there for several years, then transferred from them to an SI that they were using. They installed a system, and I moved across to them once that finished. And that was my first taste of sort of IT consultancy, I suppose. I did several years there, at a small software company that moved around. I worked in Dublin for six months, various client sites. But that was my first sort of consultancy and then project management, business analysis, that sort of area. I was focused on that. I did do a bit of programming initially, but that wasn't really my forte. I was more on the people side because I like to talk a bit. So I ended up just sort of naturally moving, morphing into the project management world. So, yeah, like I say, I worked for those for several years. Managed to meet my wife at one of the client sites and we're still married 20 odd years later so that worked out quite well added bonus i suppose for her not me um yeah no so uh so then after that moved in still within insurance this was mostly insurance um companies but uh did release management test management at that point started to focus on those areas as well They were services we provided. And then when I left... the software consultancy world i went to one of a client a previous client of theirs that was a big global company and i worked as an independent contractor there but specializing in test management running their test team release management all of the the code management side of things there did a bit more project management for them as well sort of and moved around lots of different roles within there over a sort of eight to ten year period Then moved on from there to sort of a rival global insurer, shall we say. Worked for them for a little while, then moved on to where I met you two. Yeah. Lovely chaps. That was good fun, that was. And that was my first taste of retail IT when I moved there. So I got involved in that. Moved there initially as a test manager. They had, as you'll both know, they had a third party doing all their tests. um side of things and i came in with a view to sort of move those out and and bring it in-house did that brought in some sort of a homemade test team if you like and that was really successful because that was over the ERP implementation which you guys did the data migration for um so yeah hence working with you guys quite closely over that period then you guys moved on and set up binary 10 and I remained at that company and progressed up through to sort of senior management there towards the end sort of pretty much running the it with a couple of other chaps yeah um and that was good enjoyed that then When that sort of ran its course, I moved to a different retailer, a large retail company, a global one, in a similar role. So sort of mainly moved there because they were doing an ERP implementation into Dynamics. So, having done that and a previous director had gone there and was interested in me coming in, looking at test management. But also just getting involved in the whole ERP implementation project because we had experience of that, yeah.

[06:02] - James B

Wow, what a career, yeah, I mean that is seriously impressive, and then I was just thinking he's done all that, and then we introduced data migration, to that's right, yeah, how brutal have we been.

[06:18] - Steve S

I know, and i suppose it brings forward another question, doesn't it? is what attracted you to join binary10, then.

[06:22] - James B

Wel,l well before he answers tha,t yeah. I think just so that he is aware, obviously, me and you have worked with lots of really good people at the time. But we also know a few people that we were like, we have to get theminton our business. And it's fair to say that we can absolutely. And it's fair to say that Danny didn't fall into that. No, no, no, no. You know, we didn't get the other 10. No, no, I'm not true at all. And I think it's fair to say that for a good six months, 12 months, we were kind o,f or I know you were quite particularly keeping contact with Danny. You know, taking him out for dinner. um all those sorts of thing,s but no no uh it's sending youflowersr,s it took some tim,e it took some time few arm twistin,g but but really pleased uh that you decided to join us here at binary 10 but yea,h no going back to the questio,n so you know what what was it apart from the flowers

[07:08] - Danny W

Free food!! no. Um no i obviously I've worked with you guys and and i knew how you work i knew the style that you've got the way you approach things with you know your methodologies and stuff very pragmatic but also on a personal level obviously that's a factor when you're looking at where you're going to work you need to fit in right so um and i knew it would work i knew as soon as we started talking you know about the possibility of it it made sense to me um i also think it's a good new twist on what I've done so I've talked a bit about what i've done up to now before i joined you guys but coming in and joining you guys and picking up this sort of project director role it's good because it's focused on dm rather than spreading myself across various areas and you know i still obviously i've still got a background in testing and that side but focusing on the the dm side is new to me um and i you know i enjoy that but yeah ultimately it was the right opportunity at the right time and despite you two working here i think it will be good yeah.

[08:15] - James B

I think you know a little bit of a test bun in that you're right you know is you know. Everybody has probably seen DM, especially if you've been in a technical world, an ERP world. And one of the things, you know, we knew how good you were as like a program director, you know, project director and delivering projects. And there was, you know, we were talking, weren't we, about how do we, you know, not scare him by the detail of data migration, but also ensure that you're empowered, well equipped. You know, and I know, I appreciate that there's more to do. And we've definitely thrown you in the deep end, you know, with a project. That you know needed needed that level of excellence and delivering our methodology but yeah how have you found it you know i think i think you've been here sort of eight plus months and you know that the project you're delivering on is going from strength to strength which kind of answers that question but how have you found taking on and learning data migration and understanding it is it as horrible and as painful as you thought it would be?

[09:07] - Danny W

It really isn't, no, it absolutely isn't! It was interesting because the previous place I was at that prior to coming here that ERP project. The data migration area was a tricky area they struggled with that and they wouldn't mind me saying that it was it was common knowledge um they did it in-house which i think in hindsight you know maybe you know had binary10 been there at the time might have been an option but good plug good plug yeah completely agree with that completely agree with that one but but no but i think doing it in-house was a challenge um losing a key person and stuff so it's in my head I was a little bit, you know, sort of unsure as to how the DM element would go. But it's been really good. And actually, I, you know, having spent, as you say, eight or nine months now. Working on it I've got a really clear idea of of how the parts go together and I know you know we say methodologies a lot and stuff but that's what makes it work yeah if you know if each client clients have their own requirements obviously and the source systems are a factor and all these other things but if the the key ETL part in the middle is is you know a tried proven sort of way of doing it. Then it seems to work quite well and as you said the the client that I'm working quite closely with at the moment uh we've had several rounds now of implementations and migrations and they've all gone really well and obviously you know things come out the woodwork that try and catch you out there's always curveballs but actually it's been really good I've actually really enjoyed it.

[10:50] - Steve S

Anything particular, looking forward to going forward with binary10?

[10:55] - Danny W

I think. Yeah, trying to see the company grow, right? Yes. I mean, that was part of the attraction for me was I wanted to get involved at this point because, you know, the company's on the verge of significant growth, I think. I wouldn't have joined otherwise. I think getting the right people in is key. And I think, excluding myself, I think you've done a very good job of being careful with recruitment, who you've recruited. And I think... That's really important. You've got to have that right vibe and atmosphere amongst colleagues. Yeah.

[11:35] - Steve S

Because it's not just about the technical ability or the ability to get the job done. It's are they going to fit in with our company ethos? Are they going to be able to sort of handle our really bad jokes? And impressions. And are they going to get on well, not just with us as a group, but with the clients as well?

[11:50] - Danny W

Yeah, absolutely. And I think that's all credit to you guys, really, because it has. Played out like that, you've got a really good bunch, I mean, all the guys that work with me on the clients that I'm working with are top guys that I would, you know, in the heartbeat work with again if I went somewhere else.

[12:04] - James B

So great, isn't it i I am feeling the love on this well.

Obviously yep we'll chat afterwards um but no i mean but that's that is a big part of our culture isn't it you know like we see all the time in these tough you know big budget programmes you know the stress the the worry but this is our lives you know i mean we want to try and have a good time so i think i think that's really important and and let me pass some of that love back Danny because i think it's really important that you know we honestly thought we'd have had to given you more support you know i know early on you know we gave you overviews we told you about the methodology we said how it was going to work and by you not needing that support and you knew it would have been there and we'd have been ready because we haven't really needed to give you that support and you've been able to deliver yeah the actual benefit to to me and Steve and others to allow us to then do what we want to do and grow the company yeah it's massive do you know what i mean so thank you for that.

[12:57] - Steve S

No, it's um really, really good, you just picked it up and ran with it which was which was great and exactly what we needed yeah, you know exceeding expectations really yeah.

[13:03] - Danny W

I mean, I'm not going to pretend there haven't been challenges. Any job has its stressful side and challenges along the way, and not necessarily client-related. No.

[13:15] - James B

Like coming on a podcast and having to talk to us.

[13:17] - Danny W

Exactly, a lack of make-up pre-podcast.

[13:21] - James B

Make-up next time for Danny, making a note on that.

[13:27] - Steve S

Exactly, he's only come along for the free meal, hasn't he?

[13:27] - James B

Yeah, of course. All good. No, fantastic.

[13:30] - Steve S

No, I think that's brilliant. Thanks for that. Danny, we'll leave it there. And I'm sure you'll be joining us on some other podcasts in the near future.

[13:37] - Danny W

If I'm invited back, I'll come back.

[13:40] - James B

No. Great to talk to you. Really appreciate that. And only one thing, which is see you next time, Danny. See you next time, Steve.

[13:47] - Steve S

See you next time. Cheers.

We really hope you enjoyed this episode.

[13:53] - James B

Thank you for joining our podcasts. And if you want to see more, please like and subscribe.