Tony Coleman – Chief Technology Officer

“Just being able to create an environment where people are able to say ‘I don’t understand’ is one of the most powerful things we can do.”

There’s clearly a lot of mutual respect between Tony and Temenos. The now Chief Technology Officer originally joined as one of the company’s first graduate trainees and after a “great career”, spanning nearly 16 years, he left in 2010—only to be asked back seven years later by none other than the chairman Andreas Andreades and André Loustau, the then CTO.

“I’d stayed in touch, meeting Andre for a drink around Christmas. Then in February 2017, we met up and he said Andreas and he thought it was time I came back. To be asked by two people I hugely respect was great,” he says.

Today, as CTO, he sees his role as supporting his team and overseeing the technology, architecture and design of Temenos solutions. His approach is collegiate, always working to get the best from colleagues—in his own and other departments—and he treasures the relationships he’s made along the way.

Indeed, he holds his colleagues in great esteem. “Temenos is inspiring. It’s the people really. It’s still very much a meritocracy, so if you’re smart and you get things done, they’ll let you get on with it.”

He’s also keen to help others get things done. “Just being able to create an environment where people are able to say ‘I don’t understand’ is one of the most powerful things we can do,” he says, adding that he tries to mentor on an informal basis those who’ve impressed him. “When I think they’re great but could be doing more, I give them some rope. Most succeed. Sometimes they fail. But that can be okay.”

Looking back, he’s rightly proud of his contribution to supporting the unbanked by helping provide software to digital banks—“in some small way we’re contributing to that revolution”—but his focus is firmly fixed ahead.

“in some small way we’re contributing to that revolution.”

“I love working with smart people who want to make things better. The leaner and greener program, for example. Getting all our software running in the cloud, making it more efficient than our competitors. Driving down the carbon footprint,” he says. It’s certainly important work.