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Job Title: Author, speaker on maths, cricket and creativity

Organisation: Self employed

Number of years in current position: 15

Qualifications: MA (Engineering & Management Science)

My life is a series of projects which intertwine with each other. I love the diversity and stimulation of being self-employed, though the insecurity is sometimes unsettling. Although “author” is a convenient label, in practice I probably only spend about 20% of my time on book projects. I frequently give talks, design and run seminars, and do interviews and other pieces for radio. I am also responsible for the international rankings of cricketers, which requires frequent contact with the International Cricket Council in Dubai (alas I don’t get to travel there). On a typical day, I might spend some time working on all of these things.

I was always interested in maths and puzzles, but when it came to taking a degree I opted for Engineering because the applied nature of the mathematical problem solving appealed to me. I combined those skills with my love of communicating, first working in management consultancy, and now in the diverse activities that I undertake. My career advice? Pursue what you love doing, but always keep one eye on things that will make you employable in the longer term.