Michael Antony Hunt
Silverstone,Northamptonshire
Summary
Accomplished Operations Team Manager and PRINCE2 Practitioner with extensive expertise in team and project management, and business analysis. Proficient in Vista4GL, OpenVMS migration, DCL procedure development, and Microsoft VBA development. Adept at delivering complex projects on time and within budget, leveraging strong analytical skills and technical proficiency. Committed to driving continuous improvement and achieving organisational goals through innovative solutions.
Overview
42
42
years of professional experience
Work history
Wood Dragon Ltd
2024.03 - 2026.04
- With my business partner, created Wood Dragon to provide data migration services to publishers and distributors.
- Successfully delivered a Virtusales royalty system migration for Profile Books in 2025/26
- Also providing data transformation services for Bloomsbury.
Managing Director (Owner)
Plan B Solutions (UK) Ltd.
1999.01 - 2022.09
- Formed and incorporated Plan B Solutions specifically for the publishing industry.
- I provide solutions and consultancy on a mixture of levels from business analysis to technical implementations for various major publishers/distributors throughout the UK, the Netherlands and USA.
- Manage and maintain excellent customer relationships resulting in increased business opportunities.
- Manage and mentor teams and provide process and transition plans to new business operating models.
- Provide project and technical management of infrastructure upgrades and migrations.
- Reduce clients’ overnight processing times through process analysis resulting in cost savings.
- Recommend and implement Code Management processes and software across multiple clients.
- Design and run computer language training courses (Vista4GL and OpenVMS, DCL).
- Provide business and systems analysis skills.
- Provide system and application design, development and implementation services.
- (No longer trading)
Founder and COO
Aardwork Software Ltd
2000.01 - 2004.01
- With my brother and one other colleague I created Aardwork Software to pursue a business within the computer games industry.
- Avid PC gamers we were frustrated by the amount of games shipped with many bugs in them, and concerned by lack of support from the developers and publishers.
- We saw an opportunity to create a win-win situation where patches could be released directly to client PCs, without the need for the game’s publisher to advertise the fact that they had bugs in their software, and allow the end customer to always experience the product in the best light.
- It evolved to be a premier content delivery system for the gaming community.
- Business Creation (business plans, premises, funding).
- Initial Software design (Web based technology through a client server application).
- Office design and creation.
- Recruitment and welfare of staff.
- Created and managed business partner relationships.
- Finance and general office management.
- (became Gameshadow Ltd, no longer trading)
Account Manager
Vista Computer Services Ltd
1998.01 - 1999.01
- Responsible for managing relationships with customers, and providing sales support services.
- (Now Ingenta plc)
Training Manager
Vista Computer Services Ltd
1997.01 - 1999.01
- Responsible for designing and running the most recent Vista4GL programming courses.
- (Now Ingenta plc)
Customer Services Technician
Vista Computer Services Ltd
1996.01 - 1997.01
- Responsible for providing technical assistance to the customer base.
- (Now Ingenta plc)
Research and Development Technician
Vista Computer Services Ltd
1994.01 - 1996.01
- Responsible for changing specific portions of the Vista kernel, Loader and associated low-level software infrastructure.
- Responsible for packaging and implementing new versions to the test servers and to customers.
- (Now Ingenta plc)
Project Consultant
Digital Care Ltd
1989.01 - 1994.01
- Responsible for providing consultancy services of analysis, design and software development for many clients across the publishing spectrum.
- Created the Q-Bridge product for parsing files between Vista and foreign systems.
- Vista4GL application design, development and support.
- DCL development and support.
- Vista Dayend processing performance enhancements.
- (No longer trading)
Project Technician
Vista Computer Services Ltd
1987.01 - 1989.01
- Responsible for the implementation of the Vista Books system for several major publishers.
- Design of Dayend processing suite.
- Conversion of RSX-11M-PLUS systems to VAX/VMS.
- Vista books product development.
- Documentation of all systems.
- Providing customer support.
- (Now Ingenta plc)
Vista4GL Programmer
Bookpoint Ltd
1986.01 - 1987.01
- Responsible for developing and maintaining the Vista systems.
- Training and nurturing the operations staff.
- Deputising for the IT manager.
- (Now part of the Hachette Group)
Computer Operator
Bookpoint Ltd
1985.01 - 1986.01
- Responsible for running and maintaining the computer system.
- Performing upgrades and migrations to new systems as they evolved.
- (Now part of the Hachette Group)
Stock Controller
Bookpoint Ltd
1984.01 - 1985.01
- Responsible for running Stock Control, resolving stock problems, organising stock counting, aiding in the computerisation of the stock control department.
- (Now part of the Hachette Group)
Education
A-Levels - Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics
Abingdon College
Oxford, OxfordshireSkills
- PRINCE2 Practitioner
- Project Management
- Business Analysis
- Vista4GL
- OpenVMS Migration
- DCL Procedure Development
- Microsoft VBA Development
Key Clients
- Macmillan Publishers International, 2019, Project managed the introduction of the VirtuSales Biblio Rights and Royalties systems to replace the Vista royalty system.
- Penguin Random House, 2017-2018, Managed the Application Support team, preparing for COLO migrations.
- Penguin Random House, 2012-2015, Managed the IT Operations team and helped transition it into a new business operating model.
Affiliations
- Fiction Writing
- PS5 Gaming
- Member of the Maserati (UK) car club
- Advanced Open Water PADI SCUBA Diver
Timeline
Wood Dragon Ltd
2024.03 - 2026.04
Founder and COO
Aardwork Software Ltd
2000.01 - 2004.01
Managing Director (Owner)
Plan B Solutions (UK) Ltd.
1999.01 - 2022.09
Account Manager
Vista Computer Services Ltd
1998.01 - 1999.01
Training Manager
Vista Computer Services Ltd
1997.01 - 1999.01
Customer Services Technician
Vista Computer Services Ltd
1996.01 - 1997.01
Research and Development Technician
Vista Computer Services Ltd
1994.01 - 1996.01
Project Consultant
Digital Care Ltd
1989.01 - 1994.01
Project Technician
Vista Computer Services Ltd
1987.01 - 1989.01
Vista4GL Programmer
Bookpoint Ltd
1986.01 - 1987.01
Computer Operator
Bookpoint Ltd
1985.01 - 1986.01
Stock Controller
Bookpoint Ltd
1984.01 - 1985.01
A-Levels - Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics
Abingdon College