Leighton launches dedicated AWS practice in the UK

Leighton has launched a dedicated AWS Practise in the UK, creating a specialist unit focused on work built on Amazon Web Services.

The North East-based software development company said the practice will work with organisations on digital transformation programmes. The unit sits within Leighton's existing delivery business and draws on staff with cloud engineering and architecture backgrounds.

Leadership team

Leighton named Principal Architect Lee Gilmore as lead for the AWS Practise. The company described Gilmore as an AWS Hero.

They also listed Steve Morland, Chief Technology Officer at Leighton and an AWS Community Builder, and Mark Sailes, a former AWS Solutions Architect, as part of the practice. The company said the group also includes members of its existing engineering team.

Leighton has made new hires for the practice. The company appointed AWS Principal Developers Jason Conway-Williams and Greg Farrow. It also appointed Senior Cloud Engineer Ronnie Winter and Senior Cloud Engineer Dan Mackenzie, who Leighton described as an AWS Gold Jacket.

The company linked the build-out of the unit to customer demand. It said organisations were modernising legacy systems and migrating systems as part of wider technology change programmes.

"We're seeing increasing demand from customers for our specialists to support with digital transformation and growth projects as companies not only build new applications but look to modernise old, legacy systems no longer fit for purpose or scale their existing digital capabilities to support with achieving the wider business goals," said Lee Gilmore, Principal Architect, Leighton.

Scope of work

Leighton said the AWS Practise will provide teams that cover business analysis, engineering and architecture. It also listed DevOps, QA and security as part of the service mix. The company said customers can engage pod teams and get end-to-end project ownership.

Gilmore described a range of work that the practice expects to undertake. It includes Well Architected Reviews and proof-of-concept work. It also includes project direction and full delivery.

"Through the AWS Practise we're able to provide real strategic partnership for our customers supporting them throughout their cloud journeys, whether that's through a Well Architected Review - to assess the performance of their existing infrastructure - strategic project direction, our 12-week proof-of-concept offering or providing full end-to-end project delivery," said Gilmore.

Leighton said it focuses on end-to-end custom software delivery. It also places specialists into customer teams. The company positioned this work as a way to bolster internal development resources on large programmes.

The company said the AWS Practise will use a set of delivery and engineering approaches. It listed event storming and C4 modelling, as well as agile, continuous delivery and threat modelling.

"We believe in building cloud-native solutions that are not only scalable and secure but also tailored to solve real business problems. With this new team, our mission is to partner with customers from conception right through to production, embedding modern engineering practices such as event storming, C4 modelling, agile, continuous delivery and threat modelling into every engagement," said Gilmore.

AWS credentials

Leighton said its team holds more than 50 AWS certifications and more than 50 AWS accreditations. It also said it participates in the regional AWS community, including organising the AWS North Community Conference, Serverless North East and the AWS North East User Group.

The company said its customer portfolio includes British Airways, Atom Bank, Hays Travel, EQUANS, IAG Loyalty and Greggs.

Leighton said the AWS Practise will work as a dedicated unit within the broader company as it takes on new cloud-related projects from UK organisations.

"We're delighted to welcome our new team members to the practice to bolster our AWS offering for customers and provide autonomous high performing teams to support customers with digital transformation projects at scale," said Gilmore.

The AWS Practise team at Leighton includes Matt Topping, Dan Mackenzie, Karl Stewart, Greg Farrow, Ronnie Winter, Jason Conway-Williams and Lee Gilmore.