STAFF PROFILE
ANDREW BIRD – Territory Manager, Queensland
From lugging 50kg bags of horse feed to leading the Queensland operations for blueAPACHE, Andrew’s journey from a saddlery to IT as a Service has been fuelled by his passion for computers and his strong focus on business outcomes.
What is your background? How did you get into IT?
My first real job was with a saddlery where I lugged around bags full of horse feed like oats and hay. I have always been very passionate about computers and when I was offered a job with a retail computer store in Melbourne’s outer suburbs, it was an opportunity to transition. 
That retail position soon became a service desk role with the ISP that I used to sell. From there, I moved to a sister company that provided IT support to small business and a few other such jobs.
It was at a Citrix conference in 2008 that I first met Chris Marshall, Founder and Managing Director of blueAPACHE. I knew immediately that Chris shared the same passion for technology and innovation that I did and I could see myself developing a long and mutually rewarding career with blueAPACHE.
I applied for a role as a Infrastructure Specialist when it arose shortly after and 8 years on, I spearhead the Queensland operations of blueAPACHE.
How would you describe your current job responsibilities?
As the Territory Manager for Queensland, I am responsible for the operations in the region. On any given day I do a multitude of tasks that could range from business development to recruitment to managing the finances or even on-boarding and training of new staff. blueAPACHE have been experiencing significant national growth and it is an exciting, busy time for us here in Brisbane.
If you could switch your job with anyone else at blueAPACHE, what role would that be?
I wouldn’t want to switch my job even for a day. The role that I’m in right now is exactly where I’d like to be given the strong demand and tremendous potential of the local market here. It is a challenging, demanding role and I enjoy being directly responsible for critical business outcomes.
What advice would you give to new blueAPACHE team members?
Love what you do. At blueAPACHE there is a culture of genuine passion for IT – not just the megabytes and gigabits of it, but about how technology can be an enabler for our clients. If you are not excited about getting out of bed each morning and making a difference to the way customer’s leverage technology to their advantage, it’ll show in your work performance.
Where is your favourite place to eat?
I know it is a bit of a cliché, but I am a huge fan of Chin Chin on Flinders Lane in Melbourne. In Brisbane, nothing beats The Smoke BBQ in New Farm – their pulled pork is incredible!
Do you have a favourite quote?
It is less of a quote and more of a problem solving principle called Occam’s razor. In short, it says that when there are multiple reasons or explanations for something, the simplest solution tends to be the right one.
If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
I would like to be able to fly – just to avoid the traffic! Either that, or be able to read thoughts. Life would be a lot easier if you knew what the people around you were thinking.
What TV show or movie are you ashamed to admit you love?
Game of Thrones. I am not really ashamed that I love it, but I am a little ashamed of how much I love it. I have read all the books, watched every episode several times, and I spend way too much time reading online theories, speculating on plot lines and having heated discussions with fellow fans.
Andrew can be reached for consultation on technology enablement (and Game of Thrones) through our Brisbane office.