Mathew L.
About me
| Mathew L. | |
| Computer Science | |
| Computer Systems and Software Engineering | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Langwith | |
| 1993 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| CEO | |
| Diffblue | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Engineering and manufacturing | |
| Small business (0-49 employees) | |
| 2019 |
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A day in the life of a CEO in the United Kingdom
Happy to answer questions on anything to do with B2B technology, leadership, fundraising with venture capital... anything you read here.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
I work for a spin-out from Oxford university that makes software that writes software using generative AI. We use reinforcement learning to write test code.
What do you do?
The buck stops with me! I am responsible for the organisation and its success. Primarily that means ensuring the company is properly funded by raising money from investors, devising the direction and strategy of the company, and leading the various teams.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
Being a software engineer is fundamental to this position, because we're using machine learning to write code that engineers would otherwise have to write themselves. Also my internship at a compiler vendor during the MEng course turns out to be super relevant as a lot of what we do uses technology and approaches from compilers.
I was contacted by recruiters about this job, who were referred to me by people I'd worked with previously.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
No, it's the same sector, but the work I do is totally different to what I expected.
Describe your most memorable day at work
The day we completed the re-capitalisation of the company, bringing on board new investors and resetting our funding and ownership structure so that we could be successful and also give every employee equity. We did this during COVID and without meeting our investors in-person.
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
Huge challenges: competition from much larger companies like Microsoft, rapid advancement of machine learning models like LLMs, a rapidly cooling investment environment... you name it!
What’s your work environment and culture like?
We have a strong culture of transparency, where we get things done without unnecessary drama. Our culture is based on independence, accountability, collaboration and intellectual curiosity. We encourage an open and diverse environment that gives our people the tools needed to grow personally and professionally. We even won an award for our culture!
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
I wrote a lot for computer magazines and Vision, the student newspaper. Being able to write quickly, clearly and concisely has been a massive advantage throughout my career.
What would you like to do next with your career?
Another leadership position in B2B technology.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Get some experience in your chosen area and initially work for a larger company where you will meet more people and learn a lot very quickly.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
Anything to do with B2B technology, leadership, fundraising with venture capital... anything you read here.
Next steps...
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