John Coleman

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT JOHN COLEMAN

I started my working life as an apprentice motor mechanic and diagnostic technician — not the most obvious route into telecommunications infrastructure, but it taught me something that has shaped everything since: that solving complex problems requires patience, systematic thinking, and a willingness to get into the detail until you find the root cause.That diagnostic mindset has followed me across more than 35 years in telecoms and infrastructure, from early roles at BT and The Cable Corporation through to national backbone networks at Energis and TeliaSonera, and more recently large-scale FTTP rollouts at CityFibre — including BDUK-funded rural programmes covering over 1.3 million premises. Along the way I\'ve led planning, design and delivery functions across some genuinely constrained environments: sewer networks, National Grid electricity transmission corridors, gas pipeline routes, and fibre backbone infrastructure — including dark fibre networks — serving data centres, financial institutions and telecom operators.I\'m particularly experienced in the coordination of Special Engineering Difficulties (SEDs) — those situations where a straightforward solution simply doesn\'t exist and success depends on bringing the right people together: utilities, highways authorities, local government, design partners and build teams. Getting connectivity to premises that would otherwise be left behind is something I find genuinely rewarding.Alongside delivery, I\'ve built strong capabilities in governance, reporting, cost control and process improvement — including developing mapping, tracking and automation tools that have measurably improved efficiency and compliance across programmes.I work best in environments where collaboration is valued as much as technical rigour, and where there\'s a real ambition to deliver infrastructure that makes a difference — whether in telecoms, utilities, smart infrastructure or wider network rollout.Outside work, I\'m involved in community life in West Berkshire — currently serving as President of the Lions Club of Newbury, and as a Trustee for All England Dance and West Berks Homeless. I\'ve also completed the London Marathon and the London to Brighton cycle ride for the British Heart Foundation.If you\'re working on something that needs an experienced operations or delivery leader, I\'d welcome a conversation.