In this edition of our Employee Spotlight, we are excited to feature Tom Gavin, Chief Technology Officer
“I am part of a small global team that is building a business that can support the network and security of the largest organisation”.
Could you share some insights into your background and how you came to join GCX?
My career started in sales, specifically new business. Sales success is a great way of building a career and in management and leadership. You get to learn about everything, commercial, technical, legal. I then moved to sales management and leadership. I was conscious that the gap between presales solution teams and sales teams was getting closer, and that customers need more from their sales representatives. So, I moved into leadership in pre-sales and consulting business units and studied Cybersecurity at university. I have worked with Lorenzo Romano before. We enjoy working together and had some success. We discussed the role of CTO at GCX over lunch, and I said yes before we finished our main course.
What motivates you in your role at GCX, and how do you maintain your inspiration?
I am part of a small global team that is building a business that can support the network and security of the largest organisation. As secure networking solutions are now delivered via SaaS and cloud you don’t need a huge, complex organisation to deliver them. We are all about the customer, with a flat organisation so customers get the focus and support they need.
Are there any mentors or individuals who have had a significant impact on your career here?
I don’t have a specific mentor, but I love testing ideas with lots of different people. There are a few people who have given me opportunities at important times of my career. Shout out to Simon Raynard who, rightly, spotted I was a terrible account manager, but not bad at sales, to Phil Mottram for laughing at my jokes in my first sales role interview and of course Lorenzo who continues to teach me about how to be patient and calm in challenging situations and to keep the customer at the centre of everything.