Each month we introduce you to a different member of the OV team. We find out what makes them tick, and what excites them most about their role in the world of mobile and IoT connectivity.
This month, we’ve been speaking to Paul Craig, Head of IoT – a real expert on connectivity, delivering IoT projects and building long-standing partnerships. Paul is about the friendliest person you could ever meet and is one of a very rare breed – he’s a Manchester United fan that lives in Manchester. He also loves his rugby, horses and all things Irish – particularly a swift Guinness.
Paul Craig
Can you provide a summary of your role at OV?
I head up the IoT division of OV. I lead on the work we do with partners wanting to remotely connect to devices anywhere in the world. This means I get to work on a real range of very different, very pioneering IoT projects spanning the globe and covering pretty much every sector.
Another major element of my job is to setup projects with customers and build close working partnerships. For me, IoT depends entirely on openness and partnership, so to make things work we need to collaborate. I love meeting up with every one of our customers. That’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.
How long have you worked for Manx Telecom/OV?
10 years. While on one hand I feel like part of the furniture, on the other, because OV is an exciting new business with lots of potential – everything feels new. I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever been as excited as I am now about the challenge in front of me.
Biggest career highlight to date?
Contributing to the winning of the team trip to Las Vegas for hitting a major business milestone a couple of years ago. It was a massive effort to win and a really generous incentive.
What is the best thing about working for OV?
For me that’s easy – working with a great bunch of people who are great at their jobs. Combine this with the fact that we’re a smaller, nimbler team and we are the very opposite of a faceless network. Our service is full of personality and punch, which is what I think our customers love.
What do you think is the biggest opportunity in the world of IoT?
Voice IoT. This is something I would have said before the pandemic, but development has been supercharged, particularly by the need for innovation in healthcare and lone worker protection. The voice is the most human, intuitive and immediate way we have of communicating, so my view is that we are only just at the start of a massive, massive shift to voice IoT.
If you didn’t work for OV, what would you be doing and why?
Didn’t you know – I’ve already got a second job as a plumber and handyman. I’ve got a big family and they do a very good job keeping me busy at the weekend fixing things.
When my days in IoT finally draw to a close, rather than retire and start hacking up golf courses, I think I’ll set myself up as a plumber and spend my days fixing sinks and toilets. It’s not everyone’s dream I know, but I want to keep myself busy and I love getting about and meeting people. So just call me Mario the plumber.
I am also a qualified Fire Protection Engineer from my early working years, so I could always fall back on that to keep me out of trouble.
If you could live and work anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?
If you’ve never been to Tenby in South Wales, go and visit – it’s my top tip. It’s even been rumoured it’s the second greatest place in the world behind Manchester.
Who knows, maybe that’s where I’ll spend my retirement fixing those sinks and toilets!?
