Stuart Mcilveen

How did you get into your current job/field?

I was an early starter in the world of IT at a hobby level, teaching myself to make websites in the ‘90s by manually typing HTML into Notepad. After spending years switching between sales and recruitment, I realized it made sense to do what I actually enjoy and get back into the technical side of things. I’ve always cared about the people around me and want to see them succeed, so I feel incredibly lucky to now be in a role where I can support a great team, helping them grow and do their best work while having fun along the way.

What's a fun fact about you that people may not know?

I’m probably an oversharer, so most people here probably know just about everything there is to know about me! But one thing I haven't told anyone is that I once held the worldwide number-one spot for the fastest time on a few tracks of Wipeout on the PlayStation 1 back in the old days.

What is your favorite project you've worked on at Octopus Deploy so far?

One of the projects I’m most proud of is implementing a training and development program for the support team. I wanted to make it easier for everyone to build their skills and gain certifications if they choose to, without the usual barriers of cost or lack of guidance. The program provides structured learning paths, funds exam costs, and fosters a culture of knowledge sharing.

Do you have any hobbies outside of work?

I probably love snowboarding far too much. I’m at my happiest standing at the top of a mountain, about to throw myself down it - nothing beats it!

What excites you most about working at Octopus Deploy?

It has to be the people and the culture. Being part of this journey and watching us grow from 50-60 people when I started to where we are today, while still maintaining that sense of working closely together, has been nothing short of amazing. Hats off to the People team for continuing to attract such incredible talent!

If you could eat one meal for the rest of forever - what would it be?

Raclette - it reminds me of snowboarding, and I can never have enough cheese and meat!

Is there anything else you'd love to share with us!?

Be excellent to each other.