Derek Lakin
Head of Software Engineering @Marks and Spencer
Signup · Get unlimited contacts
WORK HISTORY
Head of Software Engineering @Marks and Spencer
London, GB
Leading software engineering for M&S Supply Chain & Logistics - one of the company\'s three core strategic growth pillars. Responsible for engineering excellence across the product group, line managing and developing Engineering Managers, and driving the technical strategy that modernises a complex legacy estate while maintaining the operational reliability that millions of customers depend on. Working across M&S engineering, product, delivery, and third-party partners to build a faster, more capable supply chain that supports the ambition to double online sales.
EDUCATION
Leeds Beckett University
BSc, Software Engineering
SKILLS
ABOUT DEREK LAKIN
I build engineering organisations that turn product-market fit into scalable, regulated, investor-ready platforms.My approach has been sharpened by a simple belief: in regulated fintech, speed without control creates risk and control without speed kills growth. I help founders navigate that tension.Over the last decade, I’ve led multi-geo teams of 20–40+ across FCA-regulated fintech and VC-backed scale-ups, scaling API throughput 20x in Open Banking, launching regulated investment products at pace, embedding operational resilience, and introducing cost discipline that underpins unit economics.I specialise in taking engineering from ad hoc delivery to predictable execution - aligning product ambition, regulatory responsibility and commercial reality.Experience across VC-backed scale-ups (Sidekick, Tarabut, Culture Trip, Skyscanner) and Big Tech (Meta, Microsoft).
This profile is compiled from publicly available professional sources. Unifers is not affiliated with or endorsed by LinkedIn. Request removal of this profile.