Katie McNeill is Director of Delivery and Co-Chair of the Women & Friends network at 10x. We caught up with Katie following her recent move from the product team into leading the delivery function within 10x. She talks about challenges in the delivery of core banking platforms and her love for ITV crime dramas.
Can you tell us a little bit about your career journey to date?
Sure! I began my career in a tech consultancy firm, working on lots of different projects. My first significant role in banking transformation was on a project with a major UK bank, which brought me to London from Dublin. After gaining experience there, I transitioned to fintech and joined Clearbank, where I focused on UK payments. This path eventually led me to join 10x, where I've been for nearly six years now.
What brought you to 10x, and what has your progression been like here?
I was drawn to the opportunity to work on the build side of things in a startup environment. I used my experience in payments to get my foot through the door, joining as a Faster Payments Business Analyst. I then moved my way through various roles in product management, eventually becoming the Product Director for Payments, Cards, and Fraud.
The flexibility and support here have been fantastic, allowing me to carve out my own path and take on new challenges. One of the things I love most about working here is the ability to create my own opportunities. If I see a gap or an area where I can contribute, I'm encouraged to step in and take ownership, like I did with my new role in delivery.
Tell us about your new role as Director of Delivery.
In my new role, I work closely with clients to understand their needs and create plans to get their proposition live in production. This involves a lot of stakeholder management and problem-solving, which I enjoy. I act as a central point of contact, ensuring that all teams are aligned and working towards the same goal. My day-to-day responsibilities include coordinating with internal teams, third-party vendors, and the clients themselves to ensure that every aspect of the project is on track.
I also handle escalations and troubleshoot any issues that arise, making sure that we stay on schedule and meet our clients' expectations. The best part of this role is the variety of challenges I get to tackle and the opportunity to work with so many talented people across different functions. It's incredibly rewarding to see a project come together and go live, knowing that I've played a key role in making it happen.
What are some of the challenges you see in delivery of core banking platform transformations?
Replacing your core banking platform is not a small undertaking, so inevitably it comes with a lot of challenges. In my experience, you can try to mitigate issues as much as possible, but you will always comes across unplanned issues and it is how you work with the client to solve those issues that’s important. It’s critical to monitor the program for emerging risks and issues and face into them as early as possible. Having a good working relationship with your client and any other parties involved means you can be transparent and have open and pragmatic conversations about how to solve them before they become significant issues.
You're also co-chair of the Women & Friends Network. Can you share more about that?
It’s been a great experience. As co-chair of the network, I work alongside our Chief Impact Officer, Amanda, to organize events and initiatives that support and empower women at 10x. We've had some fantastic events, like a roundtable on gender parity, where we brought together diverse voices to discuss the challenges and opportunities for women in tech.
This role has been eye-opening for me, as I've learned so much about the unique obstacles women face in our industry. It's also given me the chance to contribute to creating a more inclusive and supportive environment. We're currently planning a big event for International Women's Day, which will feature inspiring speakers and networking opportunities. It's a wonderful way to celebrate the achievements of women in our company and beyond (take a look at last year's event).
What's your favorite thing about working at 10x?
The people, without a doubt. We have such a smart, passionate, and fun team. It makes coming to work every day a pleasure. The collaborative environment here is incredible. Everyone is always willing to lend a hand, share knowledge, and support each other.
Additionally, the company's commitment to innovation and continuous improvement means there's always something new and exciting to work on, which keeps things fresh and engaging.
What do you get up to outside of work?
I try to stay active by spinning and running. It's great to clear the head in the morning before you start work for the day. Weekends are usually spent on walks with our very spoilt dog Whiskey, followed by a nice pub lunch!
Any favorite TV shows or books you're into right now?
I think I might have watched every ITV crime drama series there is. I just love them, I think the last one I watched was called The Fall. So good and entertaining. They’re just great TV to wind down to.
Thanks Katie! You can find out more about life at 10x on our careers page.
