Daniel North has been implementing Oracle applications for 10 years, since he started with Oracle UK in their financials consulting practice.  He has been a Contractor since 2000, working mainly on global rollouts, he specialises in rapid implementations of core financials, configuration of localizations/globalizations and developing financial reporting solutions.

At time of writing Daniel is Oracle lead for an business restructuring and shared service centre implementation for a major UK utility company in an Oracle R11i environment.

If you have any questions for Daniel please email daniel.north@oraclecontractors.com

Daniel has taken time out to answer our ‘Top 10′ questions below!

How many years of Oracle Apps experience do you have?

A: This is my tenth year implementing Oracle Financials

How did you come to work with Oracle Apps?

A: I think it was a case of applying at the right time.  Oracle UK were hiring about 20 people per month in 1997 and somehow I made it through the assessment day.

When did you become an Oracle Contractor?

A: 2000. After getting a mortgage offer agreed based on my Oracle wage slips and then handing my notice in the next day.  I’ve not regretted it for a second.

What is the most enjoyable part of your work?

A: The people and the travel. I have been fortunate enough to work in great countries with some amazing people over the years.

What is the least enjoyable part of your work?

A: The travel. Six months of Easyjet Luton to Amsterdam through winter and living an in airport hotel is enough to take the sparkle out of any project.
 
What has been the most satisfying project you have worked on and why?

A: It is impossible to say. I’ve enjoyed all of them and am still learning more about the applications and different industries with every project. One of the most satisfying feelings is getting a call a year later asking if you can come back and help with a new project. The worrying thing is that I have started to remember the past 10 years in terms of where I was working. When was I married ? That will be Motorola 2001. First child? That will be AT&T 2003 etc etc.

Which consultant / contractor have you learnt the most from / enjoyed working with the most and why?

A: This has to be Nicholas Male. He was my unofficial mentor at Oracle and did a good job of keeping me on track on my first project. We have kept in contact ever since, with our paths crossing on the contract market now and again. There was also a great team on a project I worked on in 2005/2006 rolling out in Europe and Asia for a global law firm from which I have many good memories.
 
What do you see happening in Oracle Apps as we move towards “Fusion”?

A: I heard recently that all the 11i & R12 development & support has been outsourced by Oracle so the core teams can work on fusion. So I am concerned for what this will mean in the short term, but with the recent acquisitions there is sure to be some great things in the pipeline. I’m particularly interested to see what they do with Hyperion as is used somewhere on most sites I work at.
 
What are the hot topics in your area of expertise?

A: I tend to measure hot topics based on where the budget for projects is coming from.  A good example is SOX compliance, with some companies having SOX budgets for the last four years. Fortunately there is alot we can do within the applications not just to reach compliance but also to reduce the burden of compliance by automating the reporting and controls processes through alerts and workflows.
  
What do you do when you are not working?

A: Mainly my family. With a 2 and 4 year old boys there is not alot of time for much else. I am just about hanging onto my race car, though my wife thinks the space would be better used for a Caravan. It only gets used about 6 times a year but it is very intense and gives me a buzz for days each time I take it out. There really is nothing better for blowing away the cobwebs…