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Juggling Parenthood and Global IT Leadership at Capgemini
A Journey of Balance and Impact

Daniel Going
Feb 4, 2025

The network Renaissance is here and now. From being a commodity, to a genuine catalyst for innovation, networking has a seat at the table. It’s strange how a global pandemic can change things isn’t it?

From Sweeping Floors to Shaping Networks: How I Swapped a Sweeping Brush for a Console Cable

When I first started my working life, a career in IT was not on my radar. I actually started out as a toilet cleaner in some pretty notorious clubs and bars in Newcastle, UK. Never did I imagine that I’d swap a sweeping brush for a console cable (I didn’t even know what a console cable was). Let alone that I’d be travelling to different corners of the globe, meeting people from all walks of life whilst plying my trade in one of the biggest companies in the world.

Authenticity Over Appearance

Diversity is everything. When I joined Capgemini I had a view of the world and a perception of who I needed to be, what I needed to sound like, what I needed to look like and how I needed to communicate in order to be successful and represent a global services integrator like Capgemini. And whilst I did well adopting that persona, what I realised is that authenticity is actually what it takes to be successful at Capgemini. Genuine authenticity is one of the keys to being human, to being able to connect with people and form genuine relationships. When I first joined I would shy away from my background, I wouldn’t be open about where I came from and I was generally reserved about who I was, but the more open I became and the more authentic I was to myself, the more I connected with peers and customers. Not only did I feel more comfortable and more confident in myself, but that was also reflected in my growth and my career took off.

Before joining Capgemini, most of my peers and colleagues were men—probably around 90% of the people I worked with. At Capgemini, however, this has been refreshingly different. Last year, during a technical sales session focused on delivering a complex project, I found myself in a room with representatives from finance, commercial, legal, programme, and technical teams. There were six of us in total, and I was the only man.

It was a striking moment for me—a first in my 15-year career in IT. Witnessing such a diverse, talented group collaborating on a technically complex initiative was both inspiring and thought-provoking. It highlighted Capgemini’s genuine commitment to diversity and inclusivity, a commitment that I have both observed and been a recipient of.

Flexibility, Growth, and Fatherhood: Balance and Impact

The flexibility of Capgemini is really important to me too, as a Dad of two under 4 year olds the ability to manage my own day and maximise productivity both as a devoted Dad and a network leader is really important to me and my family, especially in this phase of life. Right now I want to hear as many of the ‘Daddy, Daddy, Daddy’ shouts I can get, as before I know it they’ll be gone!

I joined Capgemini in 2018, I joined at 27 as a Network Architect. Coming from a UK based construction company, the change in culture was a big one. At Capgemini our people are our best assets and investing in our people is right up there on our Group agenda. I can speak to this personally. Joining as an energetic, enthusiastic and ambitious 27-year-old I was eager to hoover up any training and development I could get my hands on. Today I have consumed countless courses, enrolled in two global development programmes and gained 7 certifications, all through Capgemini sponsored training and development initiatives. I am a certified Capgemini Architect as well as a certified Distinguished Full Stack Engineer. Both programmes exposed me to new methodologies and technical trainings that I would not have considered, nor explored without Capgemini’s help. That coupled with a few global developmental programmes, I have been fortunate enough to achieve 3 promotions in 6 years and I am now a Senior Director and Global Lead for Networks at Capgemini CIS.

My role encompasses a number of different elements. From working in pre-sales and solutioning, managed services operations, programme delivery and global market initiatives, no day is exactly the same as the other. The variety of work is what keeps me engaged and the opportunities with our customers are exciting. One day I could be working on an operational challenge one of our customers are encountering, the next I could be presenting Capgemini’s capability in networks to a prospective customer, and the day after that I could be collaborating on something leading edge, like what Quantum networking means for networks as we know them today.

The Network Renaissance: From Commodity to Catalyst for Innovation

Networks is on the up at Capgemini and across the industry, the network renaissance is here and now. In the not-too-distant past in the corridors of IT organisations you would hear ‘the network is dead’. We don’t need network engineers or architects anymore because we have cloud. That was reflected in the market too, there weren’t as many vacancies, network architecture wasn’t on the top of the CIO agenda. It’s strange how a global pandemic can change things isn’t it. All of a sudden almost everyone in the world was working from home, VPN solutions were maxed out, internet connections couldn’t handle the traffic, proxy servers were creaking at the seams, and then the network engineer was the most popular person in the room! Don’t get me wrong, networks and infrastructure have always been there or thereabouts, but the global pandemic accelerated the adoption of distributed workforces which has changed the game in terms of connectivity requirements. The domino effect of which is a realisation that organisation no longer need centralised network topologies to route everything through a datacentre. It’s way less painful if we can put all of those controls and governance close to the user. In today’s world, as organizations adopt decentralized security, modern management practices, and fully commit to distributed workforces, an aligned network strategy can truly serve as a catalyst (no pun intended) for driving innovation and resilience in our ever-evolving technology landscape.

Here at Capgemini networking is on the up. Nearly every customer I talk to wants to know how we can transform and innovate their connectivity landscape, what can Capgemini do with their network that will add genuine business value and unlock the potential for wider innovation. In times gone by some CIO’s would see the network as a commodity rather than a catalyst for change. Today, however, networking has a seat at the table and is recognised for how influential it is to success. Networking is riding the wave of change and that wave is in full flow, it’s an exciting time to be involved in networks and there’s no sign of that slowing down in the near future. If like me, you’re a networkist at heart and want to be involved in some of the most complex, challenging and innovative network programmes in the market, come join us. It is the best move I ever made, and you won’t regret it.

It is the best move I ever made, and you won’t regret it.

Author

Daniel Going

Global Lead, Network Architecture
Daniel never imagined he would transition into a global IT career. Joining Capgemini in 2018 as a Network Architect, he embraced the company’s commitment to diversity and authenticity, which propelled his career. Today, he is a Senior Director and Global Lead for Networks at Capgemini, with numerous certifications and three promotions in six years. Balancing his professional and personal life as a father of two, he values Capgemini’s flexibility. His role involves diverse responsibilities, from pre-sales to global market initiatives, reflecting his passion for networking and innovation.