Formicio

Operational change through the exploitation
of technology
 
Founding partner
 
peter.cochrane@formicio.com

Overview

Professor Peter Cochrane is the former Head of Research and Chief Technologist for British Telecom. As a futurist, venture strategist, researcher and entrepreneur with an international reputation for developing technology-driven business, Peter advises on the impact and opportunities of new technologies for business, institutions and governments around the world.

A successful entrepreneur, he has helped to start over 30 new businesses, including eBookers, the largest on-line travel agent in the EU, and he was co-founder of ConceptLabs in California.

Peter is a prolific writer of articles and commentaries and is in demand as a speaker at international conferences and business schools. He received The Queen’s Award for Innovation & Export in 1990 and was awarded an OBE in 1999.

Expertise

Peter brings unique insights and experience to the solution of technology, people and operational problems invoked by rapid change and intensifying market pressures. This can involve everything from strategic threat analysis through to detailed technology, organisational design and roll out.

As a consultant he is often called in as the last resort to tackle problems that have defeated conventional wisdom and thinking.

His international reputation is founded on crafting solutions that are both practical and cost effective in the long term. Peter is able to look beyond technology and describe complex systems and choices in a manner that leaders, managers and people can quickly grasp and understand. His is always focused on finding what will actually work in practice, rather some theoretical ideal.

Peter can provide advice, help and insight if you wish to know more about the way technology and operational change will impact your business today and in the far future.

Background

With over 40 years of experience years in the creation of new technologies and business solutions, Peter has worked for and consulted with numerous governments and major international businesses.

He is a Chartered Engineer who has worked with, created and managed teams and departments of up to 2,500 people with budgets in excess of £1Bn.

His senior roles have seen him in CTO, CEO and Director positions in leading UK and USA organisations. He has also spent part of his career as a visiting professor, adviser and external examiner to major universities in the EU and USA.

During the first 30 years of his career Peter was an employee of BT. He progressed from a linesman to R&D engineer before becoming Head of Research and then CTO. With a 1,000 strong team engaged in studies spanning optical fibre, fixed and mobile networks, Peter reported direct to the main board and was responsible for developments that would support future IP, eCommerce, eRetail, eLogistics and many other new businesses. Peter’s PhD was pivotal in BT deciding to go all-digital and all-optical in the 1970s, and he played a key role in the downsizing of BT from 242,000 to 110,000 people in the early 1990s.

He was appointed as the UK’s first Professor for the Public Understanding of Science & Technology @ Bristol in 1998.

A graduate of Nottingham Trent and Essex Universities, Peter has received notable recognition with the Queen’s Award for Innovation & Export in 1990 and Honorary Doctorates from Essex, Robert Gordon, Stafford, Nottingham Trent and Brunel Universities. He was awarded an OBE in 1999 for contributions to international communications.

Peter became a founding partner of Formicio in 2010.

Peter’s guiding principles

Technology should be our servant and not the other way around, but we have to be accepting of the change and advances it offers and be prepared to plot new routes to success. But in doing this we have to take care to inform and educate our politicians, leaders, managers and people as well as the wider populous.

Publications and speaking

Peter is a prolific writer and speaker:

• Author of two books – Uncommon Sense and Tips for Time Travelers.
• Regular contributor to national radio, TV and press.
• Dedicated blogger.
• International keynote speaker.
• Contributor to undergraduate and postgraduate engineering and business programmes.